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Gary Hamilton-Irvine
Multimedia journalist
Hawke's Bay

The New Zealand Herald has more than 200 journalists across the country, bringing you the stories that matter on our website and app, in print and across our social media platforms.

Gary is a multimedia journalist with the Hawke's Bay Today.

Check out Gary’s latest content
Study reveals main cause of lepto outbreak after Cyclone Gabrielle in Hawke's Bay
The Country

Study reveals main cause of lepto outbreak after Cyclone Gabrielle in Hawke's Bay

03 Jun 11:47 PM
Premium
Livestock export ban reversal should be passed into law before next election - minister
The Country

Livestock export ban reversal should be passed into law before next election - minister

22 May 06:00 PM

'New Zealand doesn’t have a luxury of turning off growth,' PM Christopher Luxon says.

Premium
PM's 45% tariff battle: Luxon tells Hawke’s Bay he's working to 'open up' apple exports to India
The Country

PM's 45% tariff battle: Luxon tells Hawke’s Bay he's working to 'open up' apple exports to India

15 May 03:51 AM

Getting Hawke's Bay apples into India would be 'huge', but there's a big tariff roadblock.

Premium
Two more Hawke’s Bay farms sold to overseas buyers for forestry
The Country

Two more Hawke’s Bay farms sold to overseas buyers for forestry

04 May 06:00 PM

Three CHB farms have sold in quick succession to overseas buyers for forestry conversion.

'That was the finish of him': 100-year-old veteran on tough days and toasts at the end
The Country

'That was the finish of him': 100-year-old veteran on tough days and toasts at the end

24 Apr 08:29 PM

'I was quite content to be back home.'

Premium
‘Has an impact’: Hawke’s Bay station sold to overseas owner to be converted to forestry
The Country

‘Has an impact’: Hawke’s Bay station sold to overseas owner to be converted to forestry

02 Apr 06:00 PM

'Land use change is hard socially and you have to be really careful.'

Premium
The small North Island town that could be surrounded by three solar farms
The Country

The small North Island town that could be surrounded by three solar farms

28 Mar 05:00 PM

About 200,000 solar panels planned for the largest of the three.

Pan Pac's rising electricity bill continuing to cause headaches
The Country

Pan Pac's rising electricity bill continuing to cause headaches

09 Mar 05:00 PM

Pan Pac claims its main competitors in Canada have seen far lower price hikes.

Premium
Green-belt soils among NZ’s best but becoming ‘near impossible to farm’ – landowner
The Country

Green-belt soils among NZ’s best but becoming ‘near impossible to farm’ – landowner

04 Mar 05:00 PM

The Strawberry Patch business is closing – should a retirement village take its place?

Speed limit hike on SH5 ‘reckless’, raises crash concerns
The Country

Speed limit hike on SH5 ‘reckless’, raises crash concerns

06 Feb 09:00 PM

An independent study found the 80km/h limit prevented 34 crashes in a year.

Premium
‘Never known a season to be as early’: Picking season under way in NZ’s apple capital
The Country

‘Never known a season to be as early’: Picking season under way in NZ’s apple capital

04 Feb 05:00 PM

An unusually early harvest is being welcomed by growers.

Forestry worker dies after vehicle roll at Central Hawke’s Bay homestead
The Country

Forestry worker dies after vehicle roll at Central Hawke’s Bay homestead

16 Dec 07:12 PM

Police said inquiries were ongoing into the incident and WorkSafe is investigating.

Premium
Hawke's Bay's economic future relies heavily on six industries (and tourism isn't one): Report
The Country

Hawke's Bay's economic future relies heavily on six industries (and tourism isn't one): Report

14 Dec 05:00 PM

Tourism has been left off a top-six list of industries to drive Hawke's Bay's economy.

Premium
Berry determined: Plan to regrow tonnes of strawberries in flood-hit Esk Valley
The Country

Berry determined: Plan to regrow tonnes of strawberries in flood-hit Esk Valley

25 Nov 05:00 PM

Donald lost 60,000 strawberry plants in Gabrielle. He has received help to grow again.

Premium
Hawke's Bay's $1-billion-a-year industry: First study in a decade reveals growing impact
The Country

Hawke's Bay's $1-billion-a-year industry: First study in a decade reveals growing impact

24 Oct 07:00 PM

All it takes is a bit of sun to make a lot of industries in Hawke's Bay happy.

Plans for 1000-plus homes on reclaimed Napier farmland cause concern
The Country

Plans for 1000-plus homes on reclaimed Napier farmland cause concern

21 Oct 06:06 PM

The proposal includes over 1000 new homes on reclaimed farmland near Hawke's Bay Airport.

Premium
Watch: Napier’s little-known kiwi creche and the 60 fluffy chicks that play there
The Country

Watch: Napier’s little-known kiwi creche and the 60 fluffy chicks that play there

13 Oct 05:00 PM

One kiwi keeper says 'we pinch ourselves sometimes' being involved with the Napier creche.

The $7m cost of an ancient pā site diverting a Cyclone-related road fix
The Country

The $7m cost of an ancient pā site diverting a Cyclone-related road fix

30 Sep 05:00 PM

Prior to starting a $7m slip repair, another solution was found but it intruded on a pā.

Premium
Large cyclone-damaged farm in Hawke's Bay to be converted to forestry
The Country

Large cyclone-damaged farm in Hawke's Bay to be converted to forestry

02 Sep 05:00 AM

The Italian buyer of a cyclone-hit Rissington farm wants to convert it to forestry.

Premium
Bremworth carpet maker to reinstate part of cyclone-hit Napier plant
The Country

Bremworth carpet maker to reinstate part of cyclone-hit Napier plant

30 Aug 06:00 PM

'We are at the moment hand-picking parts of the factory to reinstate.'

'An added expense': 12 more buildings deemed earthquake-prone around Napier
The Country

'An added expense': 12 more buildings deemed earthquake-prone around Napier

29 Aug 06:00 PM

“It’s just one of those things we have to do and we will do it as time and cash permits."

Premium
'Good property in a good location': Dutch firm buys 60ha orchard; two more orchards hit market
The Country

'Good property in a good location': Dutch firm buys 60ha orchard; two more orchards hit market

18 Aug 06:00 PM

Another overseas company has bought an apple orchard in Hawke's Bay amid industry changes.

Premium
Crown manager to be paid $1100 per day to work on Wairoa flood fix
The Country

Crown manager to be paid $1100 per day to work on Wairoa flood fix

17 Aug 06:00 PM

Two Hawke’s Bay councils will have to pay Govt appointee Lawrence Yule's wages.

Premium
Inside Ravensdown Napier’s $50m upgrade - and a farewell to its red and white stacks
The Country

Inside Ravensdown Napier’s $50m upgrade - and a farewell to its red and white stacks

12 Aug 03:00 AM

The Awatoto site's been in a three-month shutdown since June for a massive upgrade.

Premium
Last of the free summer wine: Why law change to allow wineries to charge for tastings is a 'good thing'
The Country

Last of the free summer wine: Why law change to allow wineries to charge for tastings is a 'good thing'

01 Aug 06:00 PM

The law change means free tastings could become a thing of the past at many cellar doors.

Premium
Hawke’s Bay apple industry: Newcomer buys 70ha of orchards amid industry shake-up
The Country

Hawke’s Bay apple industry: Newcomer buys 70ha of orchards amid industry shake-up

08 Jul 12:58 AM

A German-owned newcomer has bought the apple orchards in Twyford.

'Killing our community': SH2 Napier to Wairoa road repairs far too slow, mayor says
The Country

'Killing our community': SH2 Napier to Wairoa road repairs far too slow, mayor says

13 Jun 11:12 PM

A mayor is fed up with the repair work 'taking far too long' on the major highway.

Premium
Apple doesn't fall far from the tree for Young Grower of the Year
The Country

Apple doesn't fall far from the tree for Young Grower of the Year

10 Jun 06:00 PM

'I grew up in horticulture on my family’s orchards.'

Hawke’s Bay cyclone recovery: The slip that will cost $7m to fix
The Country

Hawke’s Bay cyclone recovery: The slip that will cost $7m to fix

23 May 06:26 PM

Project highlights enormous cost of fixing region’s road network.

Silt impact: Cyclone-related damage to seabed could harm fish population
The Country

Silt impact: Cyclone-related damage to seabed could harm fish population

09 May 06:00 PM

One survey focused on the impact of cyclone-related silt on the marine environment.

Premium
Apple and grape picking season wraps up in Hawke’s Bay - how growers fared
The Country

Apple and grape picking season wraps up in Hawke’s Bay - how growers fared

04 May 06:00 PM

Apple and grape growing is a huge sector in Hawke's Bay still recovering post-cyclone.

'Big deal for rural NZ': More than year after flood, country’s largest wool cleaning plant re-opens near Napier
The Country

'Big deal for rural NZ': More than year after flood, country’s largest wool cleaning plant re-opens near Napier

23 Apr 05:30 AM

Seventy sparkies helped get the factory re-opened at the height of the rebuild.

Cyclone review: Hawke's Bay Civil Defence staff told those concerned about flooding they were 'over-reacting'
The Country

Cyclone review: Hawke's Bay Civil Defence staff told those concerned about flooding they were 'over-reacting'

25 Mar 01:47 AM

The cyclone's speed 'quite simply overwhelmed the officials involved in the response'.

Premium
'Warning shot': Hawke’s Bay stopbanks have 'major inherent weaknesses', report finds
The Country

'Warning shot': Hawke’s Bay stopbanks have 'major inherent weaknesses', report finds

15 Mar 05:00 PM

A farmer was so concerned about stopbank failure, he paid $13k for an engineer's opinion.

Watch: Boat on fire at Napier marina
The Country

Watch: Boat on fire at Napier marina

08 Mar 01:58 AM

A burning boat sent fire into the skies over Ahuriri, Napier.

30,000 cyclone-smashed apple bins fixed for growers, saving them $3m
The Country

30,000 cyclone-smashed apple bins fixed for growers, saving them $3m

29 Feb 07:37 PM

Hawke’s Bay grows 70 per cent of NZ's apples and this year’s picking season has begun.

Cyclone-smashed community's bridge re-opens to light traffic after damage
The Country

Cyclone-smashed community's bridge re-opens to light traffic after damage

29 Feb 02:49 AM

Temporary bridge partially re-opens.

Premium
Regional council forgives $250k in fees for those trying to revive Ruataniwha Dam
The Country

Regional council forgives $250k in fees for those trying to revive Ruataniwha Dam

26 Feb 01:54 AM

The contentious decision to cancel the debt hasn't gone down well with everyone.

Premium
450-home project will expand Flaxmere, orchard and vineyard make way
The Country

450-home project will expand Flaxmere, orchard and vineyard make way

23 Feb 12:22 AM

A large Māori-led housing project planned for Flaxmere has been given approval.

'Hero phase': Mental health fallout from cyclone to be felt for years
The Country

'Hero phase': Mental health fallout from cyclone to be felt for years

13 Feb 11:00 PM

'What is most important is to keep that strong sense of community.'

A car floated upside down into the side of Chris Barber's home. He never found out whose it was
The Country

A car floated upside down into the side of Chris Barber's home. He never found out whose it was

08 Feb 05:39 PM

'The car sort of sums it up, how the cyclone just pushed everything around.'

Premium
Napier man’s rise from farm life to putting together rockets in the US
The Country

Napier man’s rise from farm life to putting together rockets in the US

06 Feb 05:00 PM

Tim Charlton's off to the US to be part of a bold project to launch a new 40m-tall rocket.

'Better returns for growers': New fruitgrowers' boss announced
The Country

'Better returns for growers': New fruitgrowers' boss announced

24 Jan 11:02 PM

New face with new ideas for fruit-growing industry.

'Accounting anomaly': Forests in Hawke's Bay to pay less in rates than some homes?
The Country

'Accounting anomaly': Forests in Hawke's Bay to pay less in rates than some homes?

24 Jan 05:07 AM

Plans to shake-up Hawke’s Bay Regional Council rates is attracting criticism.

‘Extreme effort to keep it going’: 100 new stables boost 2024 Horse of the Year
The Country

‘Extreme effort to keep it going’: 100 new stables boost 2024 Horse of the Year

17 Jan 01:16 AM

Horse of the Year has been cancelled three years in a row - this year will be special.

New coastal flood maps affect thousands of properties
The Country

New coastal flood maps affect thousands of properties

14 Dec 03:29 AM

'This is not triggering a conversation about managed retreat.'

Premium
The region that needs up to 8000 new workers: 'Will dominate what we do for years'
The Country

The region that needs up to 8000 new workers: 'Will dominate what we do for years'

09 Dec 07:21 PM

Accommodation villages being mulled for an influx of workers to cyclone-hit Hawke's Bay.

'Chocka': Napier’s cyclone rebuild key to clearing wool glut
The Country

'Chocka': Napier’s cyclone rebuild key to clearing wool glut

07 Dec 01:18 AM

Summer shearing will see wool 'pouring in the doors'.

Premium
Napier MP Katie Nimon likes the idea of transforming damaged rail line into new road
The Country

Napier MP Katie Nimon likes the idea of transforming damaged rail line into new road

29 Nov 04:30 AM

The railway north of Napier has been closed indefinitely since Cyclone Gabrielle.

What to expect from the fruit bowl of NZ after Gabrielle
Horticulture

What to expect from the fruit bowl of NZ after Gabrielle

10 Nov 05:00 PM

Impact of cyclone on stone fruit and summer berries will be felt for years to come.

Watch: Large tree still standing - in middle of road - after sliding 50m down bank
The Country

Watch: Large tree still standing - in middle of road - after sliding 50m down bank

08 Nov 03:34 AM

There's a new waterfall in the street, and a large tree standing upright on the road.

Is Hawke’s Bay horticulture giant Bostock selling empire?
Rural business

Is Hawke’s Bay horticulture giant Bostock selling empire?

23 Oct 01:00 AM

The growing giant in Hawke's Bay has announced 'some or all of its business' is for sale.

Pictures: Hawke’s Bay A&P Show organiser rapt with turnout for 160th anniversary
The Country

Pictures: Hawke’s Bay A&P Show organiser rapt with turnout for 160th anniversary

22 Oct 01:04 AM

An estimated 30,000 people turned out for the show in Hastings this year.

Premium
‘Gave it everything’: Kieran McAnulty on losing Wairarapa seat
The Country

‘Gave it everything’: Kieran McAnulty on losing Wairarapa seat

17 Oct 12:05 AM

McAnulty will return to Parliament as a list MP for Labour.

‘Big surprise’: Kiwifruit grower heartened to see crops growing again after cyclone
Horticulture

‘Big surprise’: Kiwifruit grower heartened to see crops growing again after cyclone

16 Oct 01:30 AM

'If there is a spark of life, there is hope, and we will carry on.'

Premium
'All smiles': Pan Pac’s Napier plant reaches milestone in $280m cyclone recovery
The Country

'All smiles': Pan Pac’s Napier plant reaches milestone in $280m cyclone recovery

13 Oct 05:00 PM

Chip mill restarted, 120ha forest purchased.

Puketapu Bridge to be rebuilt - but won’t be open until 2025
The Country

Puketapu Bridge to be rebuilt - but won’t be open until 2025

06 Oct 03:08 AM

The tight-knit community's access via Vicarage Rd has been cut off since the cyclone hit.

What a run! History-making girls' rugby team beat boys to win final in Napier
The Country

What a run! History-making girls' rugby team beat boys to win final in Napier

06 Oct 02:12 AM

Their 65-0 win over the boys made national waves. Now Mana Kotiro have won their final.

Taradale to get 12,000 more native plants as flooded nurseries recover
The Country

Taradale to get 12,000 more native plants as flooded nurseries recover

06 Sep 12:42 AM

The project will see another round of natives planted alongside the Tūtaekurī River.

Hawke's Bay farmer rapt to move out of Category 3; others still fighting ahead of deadline
The Country

Hawke's Bay farmer rapt to move out of Category 3; others still fighting ahead of deadline

03 Sep 02:22 AM

'I said to them, well I shouldn't be in Category 3.'

‘It’s not a negotiation’: Flood land decisions in Hawke’s Bay explained
The Country

‘It’s not a negotiation’: Flood land decisions in Hawke’s Bay explained

18 Aug 06:00 PM

'For every person who writes in wanting to be a 1 someone writes in who wants to be a 3.'

First electric truck unveiled for use around Napier Port
The Country

First electric truck unveiled for use around Napier Port

13 Aug 10:05 PM

The EV truck will be the first of its kind to regularly visit Napier Port.

‘It’s not easy’: Bremworth Napier’s uncertain future as 130 staff offered voluntary redundancy
The Country

‘It’s not easy’: Bremworth Napier’s uncertain future as 130 staff offered voluntary redundancy

27 Jul 04:20 AM

The estimated cost to rebuild the site is in the 'tens of millions of dollars'.

'Just want to support them': Almost 100km of fencing donated to Hawke’s Bay farmers
The Country

'Just want to support them': Almost 100km of fencing donated to Hawke’s Bay farmers

18 Jul 02:08 AM

A free event with plenty of giveaways is being staged in Hastings to help farmers.

Hawke’s Bay rain: SH50 closed, SH5 re-opens between Taupō and Eskdale
The Country

Hawke’s Bay rain: SH50 closed, SH5 re-opens between Taupō and Eskdale

23 Jun 04:05 AM

Multiple road closures for Central Hawke's Bay.

Premium
Farmer whose home has never flooded told the risk is so high he might have to leave
The Country

Farmer whose home has never flooded told the risk is so high he might have to leave

13 Jun 03:45 AM

Floodwaters never touched Barry Hoy's house during Gabrielle. That might not save it.

$1b bill for Govt and councils to buy out cyclone-hit homes
The Country

$1b bill for Govt and councils to buy out cyclone-hit homes

01 Jun 12:00 AM

Zoning maps will reveal what Hawke’s Bay communities could be deemed unliveable.

'Confiscated': Hawke’s Bay flood victims fear they'll be forced off their land
The Country

'Confiscated': Hawke’s Bay flood victims fear they'll be forced off their land

31 May 10:46 PM

'All it does is throw up more questions - it feels like we're having land confiscated.'

$1m boost for compost firm as PM visits Hawke’s Bay
The Country

$1m boost for compost firm as PM visits Hawke’s Bay

24 May 03:51 AM

A swarm of politicians visited the region to talk about cyclone recovery.

Hawke’s Bay named the 12th Great Wine Capital of the World
The Country

Hawke’s Bay named the 12th Great Wine Capital of the World

23 May 07:00 AM

It's hoped the accolade will translate into an uptick in wine tourism to the region.

Premium
$10m for clean-up of woody debris good start but more needed: council
The Country

$10m for clean-up of woody debris good start but more needed: council

15 May 05:02 AM

The forestry industry could still be made to help cover costs of the clean-up.

The slash report: Call for halt to production forestry in erosion zones
The Country

The slash report: Call for halt to production forestry in erosion zones

11 May 10:51 PM

A report says there are just 5-10 years to "turn this environmental disaster around".

Premium
Many truckloads of silt to move in Hawke's Bay's $266m clean-up
The Country

Many truckloads of silt to move in Hawke's Bay's $266m clean-up

08 May 04:51 AM

Moving and disposing of silt is the biggest job in the region.

Ravensdown announces ‘number of changes’ and hints at redundancies
The Country

Ravensdown announces ‘number of changes’ and hints at redundancies

02 May 04:38 AM

Fertiliser purchases have dropped.

Advocates share mental health message post Cyclone Gabrielle
The Country

Advocates share mental health message post Cyclone Gabrielle

01 May 04:24 AM

Cyclone-hit communities face the loss of loved ones as mental health struggles mount.

New study could find out where all the washed up pine came from
The Country

New study could find out where all the washed up pine came from

17 Apr 05:47 AM

Questions remain about the origin of much of the wooden debris.

Premium
Calls intensify for wider Hawke’s Bay slash inquiry after sacking and resignation
The Country

Calls intensify for wider Hawke’s Bay slash inquiry after sacking and resignation

02 Apr 01:04 AM

"We still need to understand what caused the damage; how to avoid this happening again."

‘Lifted morale’: Pop-up pub brings cheer to flood-hit Puketapu
The Country

‘Lifted morale’: Pop-up pub brings cheer to flood-hit Puketapu

30 Mar 03:00 AM

A radio show's portable pub helps put smiles on faces in a cyclone-affected community

No power, no bridge, and a pool for a bath: Community’s innovation in a crisis
The Country

No power, no bridge, and a pool for a bath: Community’s innovation in a crisis

08 Mar 02:01 AM

A rural Hawke's Bay community is finding ways to get by amid plenty of challenges.

PM returns to Hawke's Bay, hears most crops uninsured
The Country

PM returns to Hawke's Bay, hears most crops uninsured

28 Feb 11:59 PM

The Prime Minister is back in the Bay and heard first-hand from growers.

Hawke’s Bay’s Esk River rises 1.5 metres but expected to recede, evacuation order still stands
The Country

Hawke’s Bay’s Esk River rises 1.5 metres but expected to recede, evacuation order still stands

23 Feb 08:19 PM

Conservative move to evac the region's most at-risk valley.

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