Community help restore Mt Maunganui

Several hundred people turned out for a community planting effort to help restore Mauao (Mt Maunganui) on Saturday.

Young and old took about an hour to put in 1000 donated plants on the seaward side of the Mount where vegetation was razed by fire in January.

The native plants were the first instalment of 20,000 which will eventually regenerate the fire-blackened slopes of the famous landmark.