‘Huge for us’: Gold medals lift Napier distillery amid tough trading

'It does help the brand and helps reward our distillers.'

New $750m solar farm for Hawke's Bay: Why is the region turning to solar?

The solar farm will be visible to thousands of motorists on SH5 Napier-Taupō Rd.

Bremworth to restore woollen yarn production in Napier and hire up to 40 people

The $6m investment is the most significant for the plant’s future since the cyclone.

Stuck in Middle Rd with ewes: Councillors against Havelock North development due to soil quality

Houses to the left of it, rest home to the right.

‘Still there’: Removal of logging machine sent tumbling over cliff proving tricky

The damaged skidder remains stuck in a hard-to-reach location near the river.

Napier woollen yarn producer to close, 26 job losses

Design Spun had hoped to keep its mill running in Napier but that was 'not achievable'.

Hastings quarry buys neighbouring vineyard for $3m to expand operation

The owner of the quarry says the expansion will help meet 'supply needs for the region'.

‘Huge growth potential’: Willis on wool challenges during visit to NZ’s biggest scourer

'Wool is just an awesome natural product that has all sorts of incredible properties.'

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

Hawke's Bay farmer says he was surprised by how hard the disease impacted him.

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

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

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

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

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

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

'I was quite content to be back home.'

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

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

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

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

Pan Pac's rising electricity bill continuing to cause headaches

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

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

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

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

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

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

An unusually early harvest is being welcomed by growers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Watch: Boat on fire at Napier marina

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

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

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

Temporary bridge partially re-opens.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

New face with new ideas for fruit-growing industry.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What to expect from the fruit bowl of NZ after Gabrielle

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chip mill restarted, 120ha forest purchased.

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

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

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 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

'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

'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 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 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

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

Multiple road closures for Central Hawke's Bay.

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

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

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

'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

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

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

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

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

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

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