Northland news in brief: Another cyclone possible; tall ship begins youth voyages

Ex-cyclone Hale caused widespread flooding, slips and damage when it hit Northland on January 10. MetService says another cyclone could be heading our way this weekend.

Another cyclone possible

Northland could be hit with another major weather event over the weekend, with a cyclone likely to develop north of the country.

MetService eyes are on the tropics, where a tropical low in the Coral Sea is expected to develop into a cyclone in the next few days. MetService meteorologists are monitoring this system closely and are posting daily updates via their Tropical Cyclone Activity page at https://www.metservice.com/warnings/tropical-cyclone-activity.

The potential tropical cyclone is expected to curve to the southeast later this week, then track south of New Caledonia and possibly towards the Far North of New Zealand next weekend. If this system does pass close to the North Island, it will be another significant weather event, potentially affecting vulnerable areas still recovering from recent severe weather.

Last month, parts of Northland had their wettest January on record after two major storms hit, including ex-cyclone Hale.

Tall ship’s youth voyage

The R. Tucker Thompson’s first seven-day youth voyage of the year departs on March 14, from Ōpua. This unique programme is developed for youths aged 14 - 18 to boost their confidence and help them work through challenges and develop skills, all while making lifelong friends and unforgettable memories. Tikanga Māori, education, new experiences and a focus on belonging underpin the programme’s delivery.

The voyage schedule for the tall ship and application form are available at https://tucker.co.nz/7-day-voyages. For more information, contact youth@tucker.co.nz.

Palestine talk

A talk about life in Palestine titled ‘Ordinary People in Extraordinary Times’ will be held in Whangārei this week.

Brother Peter Bray is a New Zealander from Taranaki who has been working in Palestine for the last 15 years. He is vice-chancellor of the University of Bethlehem, which currently has some 3,500 students and some 17,900 alumni - both Muslim and Christian.

As part of a national tour, he will be talking about and showing films of the Palestinian context in which his students live and study. It will be at St Francis Xavier School staffroom, 1 Percy Street, on Thursday at 7pm. The meeting is hosted by Pax Christi and Palestine Solidarity Network Whangarei.

Pasifika census support

Community organisation Fale Pasifika Te Tai Tokerau will be helping Northlanders complete their 2023 Census, following the signing of the first memorandum of understanding between Stats NZ and a Northland-based Pacific organisation. Fale Pasifika’s Johnny Kumitau said the last census did not deliver for Pacific communities, but he was confident the 2023 Census would. Assisted completion events at churches, community spaces and the Northland Pasifika Fusion Festival will offer help with completing census forms.