Two people were injured after the vehicle they were in was shot at on Valley Rd Four people alleged to be gang associates are in custody after shootings in Gisborne left two members of the public in hospital with gunshot-related injuries Two of the accused appeared in the Gisborne District Court while the other two appeared in the Youth Court Bail was opposed by police and declined for all four The charges follow two linked incidents on Saturday night Police allege shots were fired from a car at a house on Taruheru Crescent in Elgin about 11.45pm the same vehicle passed another car on Valley Rd in Mangapapa and a shot was allegedly fired at the driver’s door “The two young guys in their early 20s in that car were just minding their own business – two innocent members of the public who were not associated with the gangs in any way “They drove themselves to Gisborne Hospital for treatment One of the men was seriously injured by glass fragments Police later located the suspect vehicle on Lytton Rd The car allegedly failed to stop and fled through the Elgin area before being pulled over near the intersection of Awapuni Rd and Lytton Rd including recklessly discharging a firearm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm A shotgun was allegedly thrown from the vehicle during the chase and later recovered on a footpath in Elgin Detective Sergeant Steve Smith praised the information received from the public Agnes Scott was the first woman on the Cook Hospital Board in 1925 Police believe the drive-by shootings in Gisborne at the weekend were a gang related incident though the people injured had no gang connections Tai Rāwhiti Area Commander Inspector Danny Kirk told Morning Report the offenders had gang connections On Saturday night police received reports of shots being fired at a house from a vehicle on Taruheru Crescent in Mangapapa "As police were responding to that incident an additional call came in reporting that shots had been fired at a vehicle on Valley Road and that vehicle that was shot at contained two occupants." The information police had was that the vehicle with the shooter in it was the same one from the earlier incident Police located the suspect vehicle on Lytton Road and attempted to stop it ending when the car was stopped near the intersection of Awapuni Road and Lytton Road and 36 - were arrested and have each been charged with discharging a firearm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm Further charges are expected as the investigation continues A member of the public saw it and called police "The people who were shot at and injured in the...vehicle are not gang members and were innocent members of the public going about their evening," Kirk said He would not say if the people in the house that was shot at were connected to gangs Kirk said it was incredibly concerning there have been drive-by shootings in Gisborne "I don't know why it was that these people decided to fire shots at innocent members of the public who were in a car...but the gang conflict itself is between gang members it is not a gangs versus the public situation that we're in whenever gangs engage in violent confrontations with one another whether that be an exchange of shots at each other or undertaking large scale brawls in public places it always puts members of the public at risk at some way or another." Kirk said he was concerned about an escalation in violence Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz told Midday Report the community could be assured that drive-by shootings in the region wouldn't be tolerated "The police reassured me in conversations I've had with them over the weekend that they are on top of this," she said Stoltz said it was a small group that was "misbehaving and breaking the law," and she said it was not acceptable for that behaviour to interfere with others lives Deputy Mayor Josh Wharehinga said the community was annoyed by what had happened "The community by and large are really keen to see this behaviour get nipped in the bud." He said it would be also be great to see family members "get in behind" and hold their whanau to account "It's not behaviour reflective of the community you live in." Police have arrested four males following gunfire in Gisborne that left two people injured Picture by Luke WestSaturday night gave us the game of the year in the AFL when Collingwood's Jack Crisp missed a shot after the siren in a three-point defeat to Geelong All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords, Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueAnd a few hours earlier, Eaglehawk and Gisborne played out what could be the best match of the 2025 BFNL season so far South Bendigo and Strathfieldsaye's one-point thriller in the opening round might have something to say about that Eaglehawk's undefeated run to start the 2025 campaign came to an end at the hands of Gisborne two teams willing to take the game on and acts of individual brilliance Let's hope we see these sides face each other deep in September As Labour steamed ahead to a one-way election victory the Hawks and Bulldog's topsy-turvy battle was indicative of two sides who are genuine contenders in 2025 Gisborne midfielder Shane Clough was among his sides best at Canterbury Park on Saturday afternoon Picture by Enzo TomasielloEaglehawk will lose no fans despite falling to their first defeat of the campaign after a Good Friday 27-point defeat at home to the Bloods have reaffirmed their status as one of the BFNL's top dogs Picture by Enzo TomasielloWhat a difference Pat McKenna makes to this Gisborne side The star forward was at his brilliant best in the 16.9 (105) to 15.14 (94) win showing no signs of the niggle that kept him out of the previous fortnight including a floating snap from 40 out to put the Bulldogs in front 30 seconds in His side wouldn't relinquish the lead again McKenna sealed the deal 25 minutes in taking a strong contested mark against Charlie Langford and saluting to put his side 16 points up Hawks defender Charlie Langford returned to the side Picture by Enzo Tomasiello"Pat makes Zac Denahy and Harry Luxmoore become better players but he was huge for us in his own right," Bulldogs coach Rob Waters said "I said during the pre-season that Pat was moving the best he had for a long time so he was in good form until that round one setback but he came back in and performed straight away." Picture by Enzo TomasielloAt the 31-minute mark Jonty Neaves got out the back to make for a nervy finale especially when the Hawks won the ensuing centre clearance But the Bulldogs repelled the advance to notch up their third win of the season "Eaglehawk were flying on top of the ladder but they lost their VFL boys plus Cameron McGlashan so they were there for the taking," Waters said who got us inside 50 for scores in the last quarter." Murphy and teenager Jacob Floreani were crucial in establishing a buffer Picture by Enzo TomasielloWith Hawks recruit Tyh Evans bounding through the middle of Canterbury Park Floreani intercepted his handball and gave it to Murphy who weaved through heavy traffic to hit up Brad Bernacki Ben Thompson responded with a brilliant left foot snap from deep in the pocket to make it three points Murphy assisted young star James Gray to renew their nine-point lead before McKenna made it a three-goal game Picture by Enzo TomasielloMcKenna wasn't the only returning gun for the Bulldogs with Shane Clough playing his first game of 2025 in the BFNL He was a vital inclusion to a team that lost A-grade midfielder Dylan Johnstone at the selection table on Thursday night slotting through a set shot from the 50 arc in the first term before turning to the parochial Canterbury Park crowd Picture by Enzo Tomasiello"Clough was super and does all the right things," Waters said "He complements us beautifully and gives us a change of pace." Hawks co-coach Clayton Holmes kicked two majors in the first quarter from forward 50 stoppages in the ruck including out-bodying reigning Michelsen Medallist Braidon Blake Blake missed the second half after being removed from the game at half-time following concerns about a head knock sustained prior to the main break Brayden Frost and Braidon Blake (right) in their much-anticipated battle Picture by Enzo TomasielloMomentum swung violently through the second stanza as the Bulldogs' frontal pressure hampered the Hawks' rebound spotted up Jed Denahy clear in the centre square The lumbering tall took two bounces through the middle of the ground for a team-lifting major The Bulldogs opened up an 18-point lead before a pair of silly 50-metre penalties resulted in Hawks six-pointers Now it was the Hawks' turn as they rattled on four majors in a row with the other two coming through contested marks on the goal line Thomas Werner hit back on the siren from 60 metres to make it all square at the main change The game tightened up in the premiership quarter as the two teams traded majors McKenna and Ben Thompson (in that order) hitting the scoreboard Picture by Enzo TomasielloWhile Bernacki was still damaging didn't have the same impact as in his brilliant first three weeks Patrick Trotta did an important job quelling the influence of the inside midfielder but he's played some good roles for us in the past few weeks," Waters said Pat Trotta attempts to wriggle free of a chasing Marcus Angove Picture by Enzo Tomasiello"He had 21 touches himself last week while playing a negating a role "Evans is a premium player in the competition Strathfieldsaye landed its first victory of 2025 in a close win over Golden Square on Saturday The Storm managed to hold on by 19 points in a Tannery Lane match where only 14 goals were kicked the Storm's second term salvo of 4.6 (30) was the decisive quarter and their defence limited the Wade Street Dogs to just six majors for the day and Charlie King were the second-stanza focal points as the Storm stretched their first-quarter lead to 36 points by the long break Picture by Enzo TomasielloSquare did manage a four-goal quarter themselves with 4.2 in the third but couldn't close the gap any further as the Storm ran out winners: 8.14 (62) to 6.7 (43) The opening term was the highest-scoring quarter of the match with five majors landed on a day when goals were hard to land Midfielders King and Stevens got the Storm going early before Square's Tom Strauch made the most of a free kick at centre half-forward to nail Square's opening goal as the first term wound down The home side put the game away with the most productive term of the match as they drilled four goals in the second term with Sam Heavyside dominating the on-ball battles Darcy Mulquiny drove the ball inside Storm's forward 50 allowing Riley Wilson to run onto the bouncing ball and snap accurately When King hauled in a great pack mark at full-forward his straight conversion shot left the Bulldogs struggling five goals behind and not a major to their credit in the second term That altered in the third term as Golden Square added 4.2 (26) with Jordan Rosengren and Drew Barrett both nailing a pair of majors Rosengren's first was one of the goals of the day as he ran his full measure and slid his kick off the side of his boot His second was far easier as he drilled a set shot from a free kick straight in front of the goals Barrett also landed a memorable goal with a long with Tim Hosking controlling the ruck battles the Storm stifled any further Square forward moves with just a solitary goal scored in the final term Picture by Luke WestStorm vice-captain Cooper Jones marked right on the Tannery Lane end goal-line and banged home Strathfieldsaye's first goal since the second term And it was the only major of the last term although Storm's Darcy Mulquiny had landed two behinds - the first from a flying shot and the second from a set shot The day wound down with the presentations of the Pat Cronin Foundation match medals to Tim Hosking (Storm) and Tom Strauch (Square) South Bendigo responded to its dower performance in the wet on Anzac Day with a 56-point win at Camp Reserve The Bloods dismantled Castlemaine with their back-half rebounding game Troy Coates' side had the match on their terms from the get-go opening up a 50-point lead by midway through the second term "We had a big focus on getting our energy and effort up as we thought we were flat last week," Coates said South Bendigo co-coach Troy Coates."We've shown glimpses of our best footy and on a dry day which suits our foot skills "We let them peg it back a bit in the last quarter as we took a few guys off and put a few youngsters in the middle It was a disappointing day for the Magpies who've wanted to make their home ground a fortress this year They welcomed back hyped full forward Josh Eyre from injury and Troy has done a good job with them," Castlemaine coach Michael Hartley said but they were good at hunting the footy and are a quality outside side Picture by Enzo Tomasiello"Last week was poor and this was a small step back considering what I believe we can produce but they had it completely on their terms from the start." Sandhurst is the last undefeated team in the BFNL for 2025 after another comprehensive win on Saturday View +9 PhotosPictures by Luke WestFlat ruck Toby Roberts kicked the first to give his side an early lead but the reigning premiers nailed the next 16 to condemn the rebuilding Roos to a third 100-point plus defeat this season The Dragons are 4-0 and have won each of their matches by eight goals or more but are presented with a far tougher second month of the fixture Picture by Luke WestDragons co-coach Bryce Curnow who suited up for his first senior game of the season after playing in the reserves last week face the rest of the top four (South Bendigo Gisborne and Eaglehawk) in their next stretch "We addressed a four-quarter effort pre-game as sometimes when you're fairly confident of getting a win you can start well but then fade out later on," Dragons coach Bryce Curnow said "We have three of the top teams still to come in our draw so we wanted to use this game to build momentum and good habits." South Bendigo Seniors 5.4 10.8 13.12 17.13 (115) GOALS: South Bendigo Seniors: K.Antonowicz 7 Sandhurst Seniors 4.4 11.7 19.10 26.15 (171) Kangaroo Flat Seniors 1.0 1.2 2.3 2.3 (15) S.Collins 1; Kangaroo Flat Seniors: T.Roberts 2 C.Robinson; Kangaroo Flat Seniors: E.Roberts J.Denahy 1; Eaglehawk Seniors: J.O'shannessy 3 Strathfieldsaye Seniors 3.3 7.9 7.11 8.14 (62) Golden Square Seniors 2.1 2.3 6.5 6.7 (43) GOALS: Strathfieldsaye Seniors: R.Wilson 2 C.Jones 1; Golden Square Seniors: J.Rosengren 2 BEST: Strathfieldsaye Seniors: S.Heavyside B.Stevens; Golden Square Seniors: T.Strauch Latest in your inbox View allDaily Today's top stories curated by our news team. Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. Love footy? We've got all the action covered. 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The Bulldogs were reforming a women’s side after not having one last season and have been joined by the players of the Kyneton Women’s Football Club, who didn’t have a competition to play in after leaving their former club. Co-coach Bernie Marantelli said it had been really good so far for the group. “We’ve been together for six to eight weeks,” she said. “Things are going really well and we have a really healthy list. “We’ve been able to have lots of rotations which is something that I’ve never had in my entertainment involvement in women’s football. “We train every second Monday together in Kyneton and every second Thursday in Gisborne. Marantelli said it had been really good working with co-coach Phil Hawkes, who has come across with the Kyneton women’s side along with more than a dozen players. She said she didn’t know any of the Kyneton players before they came across but it had been an enjoyable environment and there were some really good players among the group. Marantelli said Gisborne had been one of the most supportive clubs that she had been involved with. Marantelli joined the club ahead of these season. On field, the side has won two from two. They are one of two undefeated teams, along with Taylors Lakes. Marantelli she thought the Lions were the team to beat this season. Marantelli said they didn’t play their best against the Sunbury Kangaroos, in their last match, but were able to get the job done. “I’m looking forward to working with the group of girls that we have,” she said. “We’re working together and still getting things ironed out on the track. “There’s things we can definitely work on and continue to build.” Marantelli said Shannon McFerran would miss the first half of the season after having knee surgery but they were hoping to add her back into the squad in the second half of the season. They were also hopeful of having signed another recruit last week. There was a women’s wide bye on the weekend due to Easter. Gisborne-Kyneton United faces East Sunbury this Saturday. Tairāwhiti Area Commander Inspector Danny Kirk said police were called to Taruheru Cres in Mangapapa at around 11.45pm to reports of several shots fired towards a house from a car. "The occupants of the same car then fired one or two shots at an occupied vehicle in Valley Rd, Mangapapa." Two people in the occupied vehicle were injured – one seriously. Police spotted the car on Lytton Rd and signalled the driver to stop, but they failed to do so and were pursued through Elgin until the vehicle was stopped at the intersection of Awapuni Rd. The four occupants of the car – males aged 15, 16, 26 and 28 – were charged with discharging a firearm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. A firearm and other items thrown from the car as they attempted to evade police were seized. Further charges were likely as the investigation continued, Kirk said, adding that his message to all involved is that this kind of offending "has to stop". "We could very easily have been dealing with one or more fatalities." The group will appear in the Gisborne District Court tomorrow. Four people have been arrested after two people were injured – one seriously – when shots were allegedly fired at a vehicle in Gisborne overnight. Police believe wave of Invercargill robberies two burglaries and one attempted burglary took place in Invercargill between 2.30am and 4.20am and are believed to be connected Crime and Justice Tree planted as Kyle Whorrall's mother Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei blessed and planted a provided pōhutukawa tree at St Johns Bush in honour of the slain PhD student from the United States Man's cigarette smuggling attempt stubbed out Customs said the body-packing of the more than 1600 cigarettes was "an attempt to defraud Customs revenue" Deputy police commissioner still on leave four months after suspension Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming is under investigation by the Independent Police Conduct Authority and the New Zealand Police Northland's meth crisis: 'There's no magic wand for any of this' Wastewater testing has shown methamphetamine use tripled in Northland last year 'He will always be a part of NZ' - Community mourns murdered US student Kyle Whorrall The 33-year-old was attacked at a bus stop on St Johns Rd in Meadowbank on April 19 Southland farming company slapped with fine over effluent discharge 6:55pm Police believe wave of Invercargill robberies, burglaries are linked 6:00pm Destiny Church to move out of its South Auckland headquarters 5:51pm 'Light' 4.1 magnitude earthquake jolts lower North Island 5:48pm 'Wake up call': Businesses warned over lithium battery fires 5:30pm Erica Stanford sent pre-Budget documents to her personal email 7:30pm 1Destiny Church to move out of its South Auckland headquarters Explosions heard in 'suspicious' blaze at east Auckland McDonald's Tipene Funerals owners break silence after ex-employee jailed Trump threatens 100% tariff on foreign-made films Two arrested over alleged plot targeting Lady Gaga concert in RioBrazilian police said they thwarted an alleged bomb attack planned for Lady Gaga's concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro. Lady Gaga rocks Copacabana Beach with free concert for over 2 million fansCries of joy rose from the tightly-packed fans who sang and danced shoulder-to-shoulder on the vast stretch of sand. Lorde announces new album name, date Thu, May 1 Kim Kardashian to testify in Paris trial over 2016 armed robbery Mon, Apr 28 Chubby Checker, Outkast, Cyndi Lauper join Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Mon, Apr 28 Lorde releases new single after weeks of cryptic teases Thu, Apr 24 Chubby Checker, Outkast, Cyndi Lauper join Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Mon Four people have been arrested after two people were injured – one seriously – when shots were allegedly fired at a vehicle in Gisborne overnight Tairāwhiti Area Commander Inspector Danny Kirk said police were called to Taruheru Cres in Mangapapa at around 11.45pm to reports of several shots fired towards a house from a car "The occupants of the same car then fired one or two shots at an occupied vehicle in Valley Rd Two people in the occupied vehicle were injured – one seriously Police spotted the car on Lytton Rd and signalled the driver to stop but they failed to do so and were pursued through Elgin until the vehicle was stopped at the intersection of Awapuni Rd The four occupants of the car – males aged 15 26 and 28 – were charged with discharging a firearm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm A firearm and other items thrown from the car as they attempted to evade police were seized Further charges were likely as the investigation continued adding that his message to all involved is that this kind of offending "has to stop" The group will appear in the Gisborne District Court tomorrow Police have appealed to the public after two aggravated robberies and a series of burglaries in Invercargill overnight Detective Inspector Stu Harvey said officers were called to a premises on Dee St at around 2.30am on Monday to reports of two people entering a store demanding cash A worker was assaulted but not seriously injured Harvey said an attempted burglary and two burglaries were reported at three further premises on Windsor St Police then received a report that two people had entered a Tay St premises and demanded cash and items Harvey said information suggested the incidents were linked "Two vehicles were seen in the vicinity of some of the incidents "The other vehicle is described as a dark-coloured car," said Harvey "We would like to speak to anyone who saw vehicles fitting these descriptions between 1am and 5am." Anyone with relevant information about these vehicles or those involved should contact police on 105 A pōhutukawa tree has been planted in honour of Kyle Whorrall the US PhD student slain during an attack at an Auckland bus stop last month The 33-year-old was attacked at a bus stop on St Johns Rd in Meadowbank on April 19 friends and colleagues of Whorrall gathered for a vigil on April 24 at the bus stop where he was attacked Whorrall's mother Carole was joined by members of the community and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei for the blessing and to plant a pōhutukawa tree in honour of his life The planting ceremony began with a blessing by Otene Reweti from Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei "This tree will stand as a memorial to Kyle to come to this special place and remember Kyle and what he has done and what he was looking to do "This tree indicates times to harvest different things in our seasons and also pōhutukawa in terms of the star from Matariki and pleiades So Kyle is one of those that we are reminded again of his tragic passing in this area," said Reweti Carole was flanked by Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson and one of Whorrall's flatmates as she shovelled dirt onto the base of the tree She softly commented that she enjoyed gardening as the sun shone down on her in St Johns Bush Others shared a poem or short tribute to Whorrall's life and the tragedy that it was cut short Ōrākei Local Board chairperson Scott Milne said that in times of tragedy it was important to "look at the good stuff" and find moments of connection with one another "We have now forged a relationship across the waters This family will come back to see this tree thrive and out of that tragedy we will find good," he said He told Te Karere the tragedy had "turned our community upside down" "Yet in the matter of a few short weeks the community have come together certainly like nothing I have ever seen before "There is just this deep disappointment and we all feel so privileged to live here He said he hoped over time the grief would "turn to healing" and that Carole would continue to come back and see the tree flourish and grow "People understand they have to talk more to each other watch out for one another and we want to make something of this lovely young man's life by changing our attitude." He said the board had worked hard to build relationships over the past six years "The relationship with Ngāti Whātua is deeply personal and important to this board A 16-year-old youth has been remanded in custody after being charged with his murder and a 32-year-old woman was also charged with being an accessory to murder after the fact Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin said the investigation was "by no means over" as police believed "there were other occupants in the vehicle" when Whorrall was attacked He said officers have since seized a black SUV on the North Shore It was being forensically examined by police "Our enquiries are ongoing to locate these persons of interest and I encourage them to do the right thing and come into their nearest police station or phone us." The detective inspector said police were also seeking "critical witnesses" including a white Toyota ute that was cut off by the black SUV doing a U-turn in front of them He said police were still working to fully understand the events leading up to his death The country's second most powerful police officer remains on leave four months after he was suspended pending a criminal investigation Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming is under investigation by the Independent Police Conduct Authority and the New Zealand Police The nature of the allegations against him cannot be reported A police spokesperson confirmed to RNZ on Monday there was no update regarding the investigation his lawyer told RNZ McSkimming had no comment McSkimming confirmed he had been suspended since before Christmas on full pay When any police officer faces an investigation of this nature they are typically suspended from duty," the statement said "Mr McSkimming is cooperating fully with Police and looks forward to the investigation being concluded swiftly after which he expects to resume his duties as Deputy Commissioner." McSkimming was one of the final two candidates for New Zealand's top cop job last year with Richard Chambers eventually appointed Police Commissioner McSkimming was promoted to statutory deputy commissioner in 2023 on the recommendation of then-prime minister Chris Hipkins The role comes with a higher pay packet and status than standard deputy commissioners Late last year he was overseeing road policing and operational services it was noted he had a "relatively unique career path" working at police headquarters since 2010 across a range of areas: strategy McSkimming joined the police in 1996 and worked on the frontline in Auckland and Southland He has also been responsible for large restructures - as well as managing police IT systems and launching the 105 non-emergency number By Sam Sherwood of rnz.co.nz Organisations trying to help people get off meth in Northland towns such as Kaikohe say they are overwhelmed by "a tsunami of need" More funding — and residential care for addicts trying to quit — is desperately needed to tackle the problem which now has the unenviable title of meth capital of New Zealand a Kaikohe-based iwi organisation that provides housing health services and programmes like Paiheretia which helps men caught up in the Corrections system "We see the daily the toll it takes on whānau the demand is outpacing our capacity," she said "We're just not funded at the scale needed to respond to the tsunami of need we are facing." Jade and Scott — they did not want to give their last names because their work brings them into contact with organised crime — are employed by Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi as kaiarataki helping meth addicts and their whānau get the help they need and the money spent on drugs meant other family members missed out on essentials "The biggest thing that we see is the effect on the kids You've got whānau that are going without kai and has some real atrocious effects." Scott said the men they helped came with a whole raft of problems they often found the underlying cause was meth Scott said there were many reasons behind the drug's prevalence It's about unpacking it all to find out why people are addicted to methamphetamine Nothing will ever end good unless people stop taking it." Ashby said the government's Resilience to Organised Crime in Communities ROCC programme which had so far been rolled out in seven regions across New Zealand ROCC aimed to stop people becoming addicted in the first place "It will build up resilience within whānau and prevent rangatahi [youth] from ever wanting to pick up the pipe by making sure they're on the right pathway for education or employment and not being led by gangs," Ashby said we don't want to be the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff all the time There's no magic wand for any of this." While ROCC was "a step in the right direction" more and sustainable investment in prevention was needed culturally responsive residential treatment in mid-Northland for people who wanted to come off drugs Currently most providers of those services such as Grace Foundation and Higher Ground Ashby said everyone would have to work together to tackle the meth conundrum Māori providers and local services such as Whakaoranga Whānau Recovery Hub were doing their best with the resources they had It's time to match the scale of the response with the scale of the need." it hit headlines last month when Ngāpuhi chairman Mane Tahere made a public call for more policing and direct funding for iwi organisations whose work was slowed by government red tape Northland MP Grant McCallum subsequently met Tahere and Far North Mayor Moko Tepania as well as staff at the local medical centre He was shocked by the stories they told him They included accounts of a young man high on meth assaulting staff and "causing mayhem" at the medical clinic and of drug-induced family dysfunction with girls as young as 11 becoming pregnant your dad might give you a sip of his beer or something when you're a young kid they're giving him a little bit of P." McCallum said he was pleased Tahere and Ngāpuhi were standing up and saying they had had enough and one of the key things we've got to do to help break that cycle is get children to school and keep them there," McCallum said he said the answer lay in a stronger local economy and a good education system so people in towns like Kaikohe had well-paying jobs and children had options for their future "But ultimately - and this applies to any community it's just the first cab off the rank - the community has to own this problem If they don't want drugs in their community they need to make it clear they don't want it in their community And they need to push back and feed information through to the police when they find people dealing." Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey said the government was focused on trying to stop drugs entering the border coming down hard on dealers and organised crime and taking a health-led approach to drug users Although wastewater testing had shown a big jump in meth use other data showed the number of users had not increased significantly That suggested the same group of people was taking more meth Doocey offered a sliver of hope to organisations like Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi who were calling out for more funding to prevent people becoming addicted in the first place "We're looking at the Proceeds of Crime Fund to fund some of that When you look at some of the high-need areas like Northland we'll be looking at how we can resource existing services on the ground which reopened recently for applications after a three-year freeze Jade said collective action and more funding were vital "I'm not sure that heavy handedness in the justice system and filling the jails in a system that isn't working for our people anyway "It's going to get worse unless we can get ahead of it I'm not saying we haven't done that in the past but it's going to need an even more collective approach And I'm hoping people come with wallets open because it's going to need to be funded." Scott highlighted the need for comprehensive residential treatment in Northland so people didn't need to have to be shipped off to Auckland for help but we can come together and try to minimise it Police are obviously under the pump out there "I think we need some more healing centres for whānau up here in Kaikohe I don't like using the word rehabilitation What's needed is a one-stop shop where people can reside rnz.co.nz More than 60 people gathered at a memorial and fundraising event today for American PhD student Kyle Whorrall who was fatally attacked at an Auckland bus stop last month was attacked at a bus stop on St Johns Rd in Meadowbank on April 19 A 16-year-old youth has been charged with murder and aggravated robbery and a 32 year-old woman has been charged with being an accessory after the fact to murder Whorrall's friends and his mother Carole Whorrall attended the event at a local restaurant which was organised to celebrate the 'essence' of Whorrall and to provide support to his family A letter penned by Whorrall's sister Heather was read out in a speech at the event Her letter said Whorrall was born and raised in California and was always looking for bugs and turning stones he went on a month-long trip to Australasia with his mother and two sisters He was the youngest member of an entomology club a student volunteer at the Los Angeles Zoo and volunteered for Jane Goodall's Roots and Shoots NGO he travelled to Peru for a few weeks to collect spiders six of which were newly-discovered species Whorrall loved the flora and fauna of New Zealand and at the time of his death was three months away from submitting his PhD thesis "He will always be a part of New Zealand." The Meadow restaurant was decorated with many pictures and artwork of bugs made by children from local schools who owns the restaurant and helped organise the event said she wanted to do something for Whorrall's family in these hard times and he shouldn't go home the way he's going home tomorrow - he should be going home as a PhD student graduating in a few months," she said Henry said she posted to Facebook to reach out to the community to brainstorm and people thought a "silent auction" would be a great way to support the family with the costs of the funeral and their travels Henry said nearly 40 businesses had contributed gifts and vouchers to the fundraiser everybody's just really come to the party and just wants to be part of something bigger I think that's the whole reason why we're here is just we're something bigger we're a community of people that just want to reach out," she said Deputy mayor Desley Simpson also attended the event and offered condolences to Whorrall's mother Simpson said she wanted the family to leave New Zealand knowing that the community has reached out with love and support rnz.co.nz A large-scale Southland farming company has been fined $82,500 for discharging effluent in a manner which could have entered waterways Gladvale Farms Ltd committed the offending on two occasions in October 2019 at an Oreti Plains farm The company was sentenced on Monday after being found guilty in February following an August 2024 judge-alone trial Legal action against the company began when Environment Southland alleged the Resource Management Act had been breached through effluent discharge on or into land which could have resulted in the contaminant entering water It was alleged the defendant irrigated at night without monitoring due to employees being off duty The judgement said although it was not necessary to prove the contaminant had entered or impacted the waterway there was sufficient evidence to show it had Steps taken to mitigate against the discharge were not sufficient including using a digger to move effluent further into a paddock Judge Steven told the court that 90 percent of the fine would go to the council Gladvale Farms Ltd operates five dairy farms in Southland with 3700 cows across 3300 acres Stuff has previously reported fines against the company of $27,000 in 2018/19 A magnitude 4.1 earthquake has jolted the lower North Island this afternoon Geonet said the earthquake struck 10km northwest of Levin at 5.16pm at a depth of 37km It described the shaking as "light" with close to 2000 reports from people feeling the tremor by 5.45pm M3.6 quake causing weak shaking near Levin https://t.co/aJM2e4ScOx One Facebook poster said it was "definitely a good one" while another described it as "only little but strange" Horowhenua District Council said it was a "good reminder" to chat about being prepared for earthquakes A large fire which caused "significant damage" to a McDonald's restaurant in east Auckland this afternoon is now being treated as suspicious Emergency services were notified of the fire at around 3pm on Monday Fire and Emergency NZ said the building was "totally involved" in flames by the time crews arrived and Papatoetoe were in attendance at the blaze "Everyone was out at the time and there are no reports of injuries." FENZ said the fire was being treated as suspicious "A fire investigator is attending to determine cause and origin." Pakuranga Rd was closed for nearly two hours in both directions with road users advised to avoid the area "Investigations into the cause of the fire at the McDonalds are underway," police said told 1News he heard a couple of explosions coming from the restaurant as the blaze began He said he heard "one or two" explosions The restaurant was adjacent to a Z petrol station and 250 metres along the same road from Pakuranga College A staff member at the service station said they had closed their fuel pumps and there was "huge fire and huge smoke" coming from the fire The Howick Pakuranga Netball Centre Courts were also closed this evening due to the blaze Auckland Transport said several bus routes Pakuranga MP Simeon Brown thanked emergency services who had been responding to the incident "Please follow the advice of emergency services A McDonald's spokesperson said the McDonald's restaurant in Pakuranga had "suffered significant damage" in the fire "Procedures were followed to raise the alarm and safely evacuate staff and customers McDonald’s is assisting emergency services as they begin the investigation into the cause of the fire." The owners of Tipene Funerals have spoken out for the first time after a former long-time employee was jailed for misconduct in relation to burials Francis and Kaiora Tipene told TVNZ's Marae they should have noticed something sooner but said they knew nothing of former employee Fiona Bakulich's offending For the full Marae story, watch on TVNZ+ Fiona Bakulich, 48, a former employee, was jailed for two years and three months and ordered to pay more than $16,900 in reparations over her misconduct The Tipene owners spoke to Marae in their first interview since Bakulich was jailed Francis said he was called to a meeting alongside Bakulich at Waikumete Cemetery by Auckland Council staff Cyclone Gabrielle had badly damaged a mausoleum housing two coffins interred by Bakulich Repairs to the roof necessitated the disinterment of the remains revealing she had not installed the zinc liner required and pocketed the $3000 in cash instead "I just couldn't believe how someone could do that." Bakulich was stood down for six weeks and continued offending upon her return to work The pair said they only discovered she had further defrauded families after her dismissal and I wish we did so we could have acted sooner," Francis said but I'm deeply apologetic to those whānau." Asked how the charges weren't detected in the company's accounting Francis said the transactions were taking place off-site so that's a hard one to swallow." The company would have to "build trust from the bottom up" the pair said of their business' relationship with the community Marae did not receive a response when Fiona Bakulich's lawyer was approached for comment Lady Gaga gave a free concert Saturday night in front of 2 million fans who poured onto Copacabana Beach for the biggest show of her career (...) Thank you for making history with me,” Lady Gaga told a screaming crowd kicked off the show at around 22.10pm local time with her 2011 song Bloody Mary Cries of joy rose from the tightly-packed fans who sang and danced shoulder-to-shoulder on the vast stretch of sand Concert organisers said 2.1 million people attended the show switching between an array of dresses including one with the colours of the Brazilian flag Some fans – many of them young – arrived on the beach at the crack of dawn to secure a good spot “Today is the best day of my life,” said Manoela Dobes a 27-year-old designer who was wearing a dress plastered with a photograph from when she met Lady Gaga in the United States in 2019 Madonna also turned Copacabana Beach into a massive dance floor last year The large-scale performances are part of an effort led by City Hall to boost economic activity after Carnival and New Years’ Eve festivities and the upcoming month-long Saint John’s Day celebrations in June “It brings activity to the city during what was previously considered the low season – filling hotels and increasing spending in bars generating jobs and income for the population,” said Osmar Lima the city’s secretary of economic development in a statement released by Rio City Hall’s tourism department last month Rio’s City Hall said in a recent report that around 1.6 million people were expected to attend Lady Gaga's concert and that the show should inject at least 600 million reais (NZ$178.3 million) into Rio’s economy Similar concerts are scheduled to take place every year in May at least until 2028 Lady Gaga arrived in Rio in the early hours of Tuesday The city has been alive with Gaga-mania since as it geared up to welcome the pop star for her first show in the country since 2012 Rio’s metro employees danced to Lady Gaga’s 2008 hit song LoveGame and gave instructions for today in a video A free exhibition celebrating her career sold out While the vast majority of attendees were from Rio the event also attracted Brazilians from across the country and international visitors More than 500,000 tourists poured into the city in the days leading up to the show according to data from the local bus station and Tom Jobim airport Rio’s City Hall said in a statement yesterday made a cross-continent trip from Colombia to Brazil to attend the show “I’ve been a 100% fan of Lady Gaga my whole life,” said Serrano who was wearing a T-shirt featuring Lady Gaga’s outlandish costumes over the years the mega-star represents “total freedom of expression – being who one wants without shame” Rio officials have a history of organising huge concerts on Copacabana Beach Madonna’s show drew an estimated 1.6 million fans last year while 4 million people flooded onto the beach for a 1994 New Year’s Eve show by Rod Stewart in 1994 that was the biggest free rock concert in history sixteen sound towers were spread along the beach Rio state’s security plan included the presence of 3300 military and 1500 police officers Among those present were Lady Gaga admirers who remember their disappointment in 2017 when the artist cancelled a performance scheduled in Rio at the last minute due to health issues “She's the best artist in the world,” the 25-year-old said I love you” in Portuguese rose from the crowd behind him whose real name is Ella Yelich O'Connor which also displayed what appears to be the album cover art — an X-ray of a pelvis "100% written in blood," the website read The new album's announcement came a week after she released her latest single What Was That The song's music video was filmed at a mysterious pop-up event in New York City's Washington Square Park that was initially shut down by police. The event ended up going ahead after all, and fans who stayed got to hear the new song for the first time. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lorde (@lorde) It was the first sign of a follow-up to Lorde's previous album Her other albums were 2013's Pure Heroine and 2017's Melodrama she collaborated with British singer Charli XCX on a remix of Girl so confusing — on a re-release of the Grammy award-winning Brat Kim Kardashian thought she was going to be raped and killed when criminals broke into her bedroom in central Paris tied her up and stole more than US$6 million in jewellery 10 people will go on trial in Paris over the robbery abduction and kidnapping of the media personality and the concierge of the residence where she was staying during Paris Fashion Week the night of October 2 Kardashian’s lawyers said she will testify in person at the trial starting Monday and scheduled to run through May 23 "Ms Kardashian is reserving her testimony for the court and jury and does not wish to elaborate further at this time," they said "She has great respect and admiration for the French justice system and has been treated with great respect by the French authorities "She wishes the trial to proceed in an orderly fashion in accordance with French law and with respect for all parties to the case." In interviews and on her family’s reality TV show Kardashian has described being terrified as robbers pointed a gun at her In a 2020 appearance on David Letterman’s Netflix show she tearfully recalled thinking: "This is the time I’m going to get raped Twelve people were originally expected in the defendants’ box and another is seriously ill and can't be tried five of the 10 defendants were present at the scene of the robbery The French press has dubbed them The Granddad Robbers because the main defendants are elderly and have careers as bank robbers with long criminal records Kardashian told investigators she was taken to a bathroom next to her bedroom and placed in the bathtub Her attackers fled on bicycles or on foot and she managed to free herself by removing the tape from her hands and mouth She had also removed the tape from her feet and rushed to her stylist’s room She called her sister Kourtney to tell her about the theft Kardashian told investigators that she had not been injured adding that she wanted to leave France as soon as possible to be reunited with her children According to her testimony and that of the concierge at least one of the suspects had a handgun The gangsters stole many pieces of jewellery estimated to be worth more than US$6 million (NZ$10 million) Only one piece of jewellery — a diamond cross on platinum that was lost during the suspects' escape — has been recovered Two of the accused have partially confessed to the crime is one of two suspected robbers who allegedly entered the apartment his genetic profile was found on the tape used to gag Kardashian who was waiting for him in a parked car at a nearby train station The second robber said he tied up the concierge with cables but did not go up to Kardashian’s apartment said he acted as a lookout in the ground-floor reception area He said he was unarmed and did not personally threaten Kardashian but admitted he shared responsibility for the crime Abbas was arrested in January 2017 and spent 21 months in prison before being released under judicial supervision he co-authored a French-language book titled I Sequestered Kim Kardashian is the second alleged robber suspected of entering the flat although he was filmed by CCTV cameras and numerous telephone contacts with the other co-defendants show his involvement The other defendants are suspected of providing information about Kardashian’s presence in the apartment Others are accused of playing a role in the resale of the jewellery in Antwerp Joe Cocker and Bad Company will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — in a class that also includes pop star Cyndi Lauper the rock duo the White Stripes and grunge masters Soundgarden the first female rap act to achieve gold and platinum status and the late singer-songwriter Warren Zevon will get the Musical Influence Award pianist Nicky Hopkins and bassist Carol Kaye will each get the Musical Excellence Award who sang at Woodstock and was best known for his cover of The Beatles’ With a Little Help From My Friends a member of Elvis Costello & The Attractions who argued that Cocker is "about as rock and roll as it gets" Soundgarden — with the late Chris Cornell as singer — get into the Hall on their third nomination They follow two other grunge acts in the Hall — Nirvana and Pearl Jam Bad Company get in having become radio fixtures with such arena-rock staples as Feel Like Makin’ Love Can’t Get Enough and Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy The Ahmet Ertegun Award — given to nonperforming industry professionals who had a major influence on music — will go to Lenny Waronker Some nominees that didn't get in this year included Mariah Carey and subsequent Let’s Twist Again are considered among the most popular songs in the history of rock 'n' roll The 83-year-old has expressed frustration that he hadn't been granted entry before including telling the AP in 2014: "I don’t want to get in there when I’m 85 years old so you better do it quick while I’m still smiling." Lauper rose to fame in the 1980s with hits such as Time After Time and Girls Just Want To Have Fun and went on to win a Tony Award for Kinky Boots have six Grammys and a reputation for pushing the boundaries of hip-hop The White Stripes — made up of Jack White and Meg White — were indie darlings in the early 2000s with such songs as Seven Nation Army Artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years before they’re eligible for induction The induction ceremony will take place in Los Angeles this fall Nominees were voted on by more than 1200 artists historians and music industry professionals The selection criteria include "an artist’s impact on other musicians the scope and longevity of their career and body of work as well as their innovation and excellence in style and technique" Dave Matthews Band and singer-guitarist Peter Frampton were inducted Lorde has dropped her new single What Was That after weeks of cryptic posts and teases that set fans buzzing It's the lead single from her upcoming fourth album and her first original solo release since 2021's Solar Power which is three minutes and 28 seconds in length Some fans had been lucky enough to hear the track in full earlier this week. On Wednesday, Lorde posted a picture of Washington Square Park yesterday with the caption "tonight 7pm". Fans flooded the park an hour before she was supposed to appear, with photos shared of eager fans scaling trees to catch a glimpse of the singer. Shortly before she was to perform, the Royals singer took to social media to tell fans police had shut the event down. "Omg @thepark the cops are shutting us down," the message read. "I am truly amazed by how many of you showed !!! "But they’re telling me you gotta disperse ... I’m so sorry." However, the pop-up event ended up going ahead after all, with fans who stayed getting their first full airing of Lorde's new single. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lorde (@lorde) Lorde, real name Ella Yelich O'Connor, announced the single last week sharing a headshot-style photo of her wearing a red shirt with a dripping wet face Earlier this month, she dropped a 15-second snippet of the unreleased song Lorde was seen wearing a white shirt and jeans while walking through New York City I gave you everything/Now we wake from a dream What was that?” she sings over a synth beat It was the first sign of a follow up to Lorde's previous album SANDHURST will turn up the heat when the Dragons take on Kangaroo Flat in this Saturday’s fourth round of A-grade netball in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL season The Dragons and Kangaroos will play on the court at Queen Elizabeth Oval from an earlier game time of 12.40pm It’s a rematch of last season’s preliminary finalists When they met last September it was the Jayden Cowling-coached Kangaroos which ended Sandhurst’s run at another premiership Both teams have made a strong start to the ’25 campaign A two-nil record has the Kangaroos on top of the ladder The Dragons are also the only other unbeaten team in A-grade and hold second place in the premiership race The Tamara Gilchrist-coached Sandhurst teamed superbly to win last Saturday’s match on Golden Square’s court by 36 goals The team in maroon and blue reached the 65-goal mark but know the pressure from the Roos’ defence and mid-court will be at another level Kangaroo Flat’s run began with a 64-26 win against Gisborne in the rematch of last season’s grand finalists in the opening round The Roos then won 70-17 at Eaglehawk’s Canterbury Park and then had a rest last Saturday as Castlemaine is not fielding an A-grade team It’s fifth against third as Eaglehawk takes on Gisborne from 2.30pm on Saturday at Canterbury Park The Jannelle Hobbs-coached Eaglehawk showed plenty of fight to achieve a 47-all draw with South Bendigo in the Anzac Day match played under lights at the QEO Massive test for the Two Blues against Gisborne which is chasing a hat-trick of A-grade premierships Stung by the big defeat on the Kangaroos’ court in round one Gisborne has struck back to beat South Bendigo by 16 goals and Strathfieldsaye by 28 goals The Tarryn Rymer-coached Gisborne has a strong defence plenty of pace and skill in mid-court and a powerful attack Strathfieldsaye or Golden Square will net four points for the first time this season when they clash at Triple M Park in Strathfieldsaye’s Tannery Lane from 2.30pm Been a tough run for the Jess Mangan-coached Strathfieldsaye which played South Bendigo at Harry Trott Oval in round one and has since taken on Sandhurst and Gisborne Golden Square struggled to pass Sandhurst’s strong defence in last Saturday’s match on the Bulldogs’ court in Golden Square’s Wade Street The Teigan Redwood-coached blue and gold was at home against Eaglehawk in round one but the Bloods will play in all other grades at Castlemaine’s Camp Reserve The Lauren Cowling-coached South Bendigo has a win loss and draw across its opening three matches Standings in the Bendigo FNL A-grade netball competition: Rising Stars Shine at the Sequence Surf Shop Gisborne Junior Pro Theo Morse (Raglan) and Ariana Walker (Mnt) have claimed top honours in the Under 18 Boys and Girls Division at the 2025 Sequence Surf Shop Gisborne Junior Pro capping off two days of exceptional competition and showcasing some of New Zealand’s best junior surfing talent held over the weekend at Kaiaua Bay on the East Cape saw outstanding performances across all divisions with surfers from around the country turning up the heat in clean contestable 2–4ft conditions turning to choppy sideshore in the afternoon the event delivered memorable performances in every heat Sunday morning got underway in textbook conditions with glassy shoulder-high waves rolling into Kaiaua Bay The Under 14 Boys were first to hit the water setting the tone for a high-performance day dispatching his competition with sharp turns and confident wave selection Jaxon Pardoe impressed with a powerful single wave scoring an 8.5 earning him the $100 cash prize for the biggest manoeuvre of the division Ffeon Clifford (Mount Maunganui) and London Cockerill (Taranaki) also powered through the early rounds advancing to what would become a tightly contested final and Jaxon Pardoe rounded out the final in fourth The Under 14 Girls showed resilience and skill in the afternoon’s choppier conditions Hawke’s Bay’s Scarlett Gray delivered a poised and technical performance to take the win Nami Marsden surfed strongly to earn second place while local standout Madeline Smith claimed the $100 biggest manoeuvre prize and secured a well-deserved third-place finish Alba Clifford (Mount Maunganui) completed the final in fourth Kyra Wallis was the undeniable standout in the Under 16 Girls opening with a near-perfect 8.33 ride early in the day Linking critical turns and finishing with a powerful forehand snap in a heavy section she earned the division’s $100 biggest manoeuvre prize Wallis maintained her form throughout the event powering through to win the final over Indi-Lee Ruddell (2nd) cementing her status as a serious talent to watch The Under 16 Boys division was one of the most competitive of the weekend After a high-scoring semifinal in which Remy Sale posted a 16.00 heat total—including a powerful layback and a big closeout combo scoring a 9.00 to earn the $100 cash prize for biggest manoeuvre—the stage was set for a thrilling final Sol Fritchley found rhythm midway through the heat with a stylish left-hander executing two explosive turns to score a 6.83 and set the pace Indica Corcoran answered back with a strong ride landing a critical 5-point ride that pushed him into the lead and secured him the title “It was pretty tricky out there—it actually picked up heaps and to be honest at one point I didn’t think I was gonna get out,” said an elated Sol Fritchley after the win “I just had to paddle hard and eventually got out The conditions made it hard to hear; I knew I needed a score but didn’t know how much so I just stayed calm and surfed—and I got the score The final standings saw Fritchley take the win As conditions became more challenging late in the day Ariana Walker (Mount Maunganui) and Lenka Cargill advanced through the semifinals with powerful eliminating local favourite Te Waioutu Fairlie Sage Fritchley (Mount Maunganui) and Grace Gundry (Northland) made the most of their opportunities to secure places in the final while India Kennings was unlucky not to advance after struggling in the chunky afternoon waves Ariana Walker pulled together a consistent heat executing clean turns and holding composure under pressure to take the win and Grace Gundry 4th completed a strong final that showcased the depth of female surfing talent in the country the Under 18 Boys took to the water with raw power and polished style The division delivered some of the most explosive surfing of the event Christian Fougere earned the $100 biggest manoeuvre prize for an early-morning critical closeout hack The final was packed with high-energy performances with Theo Morse (Raglan) taking the title through dynamic Tao Mouldey finished a close second wrapping up his junior surfing career in style Zade Pitkethly and Taimana Marupo filled out the podium in third and fourth The Sequence Surf Shop Gisborne Junior Pro continues to be a cornerstone for youth surfing in Aotearoa providing young athletes with vital competitive experience and the chance to shine on a national stage The event is proudly presented by Sequence Surf Shop and the Eastern & Central Community Trust (ECCT) Their combined investment in grassroots surfing not only makes these events possible but helps foster the next generation of New Zealand surfing champions For more information, live scores, and updates, visit www.liveheats.com/surfingnewzealand All upcoming national events and initiatives taking place around New Zealand All of our approved surf schools located around New Zealand Join a boardrider club and become part of the local surfing community Become an internationally accredited surf instructor Meg Stewart and Dame Ingrid Collins with the new memorial headstone of Agnes and Francis Scott A moving ceremony was held at Taruheru Cemetery on Sunday at the unveiling of a memorial headstone for suffragist Agnes Scott and her husband Francis Scott has been described as an “earnest social worker” and was the first woman member of the Cook Hospital board in 1925 which had been organised by the Agnes Scott Memorial Committee Gisborne Hospital chaplain Reverend Patsy Ngata-Hills led the proceedings while Jan Crawford spoke of the importance of honouring a woman who had made such a meaningful contribution to Gisborne Group director operations at Gisborne Hospital John Swiatczak focused on the health emphasis to Scott’s compassionate work and her role as the first woman elected to the hospital board in Gisborne Historian Jean Johnston said it was wonderful to commemorate someone who had been a formidable force in Gisborne but had been forgotten in the history of Tairāwhiti and lay in an unmarked grave in Taruheru cemetery Johnston featured Scott in her book Ambitious Gisborne Women – The organisations they established and their impact on Tairawhiti 1875-1929 and had discovered her unmarked grave while carrying out research It was the book that had prompted the idea to create the memorial headstone and the fundraising committee was formed to make it happen The gathering began at Stonehaven on Nelson Rd where people were given a service sheet and then followed piper Robert Hunter from the Gisborne Highland Pipe Band to the graveside Dame Ingrid Collins and Swiatczak removed the tartan fabric that covered the headstone The ceremony finished with the singing of Te Whakaaria Mai A Scottish-themed afternoon tea was provided by the Gisborne Women’s Institute before the unveiling ceremony Scott was the first woman elected to the Cook Hospital Board 100 years ago The former nurse was also part of the Gisborne Women’s Political Association secretary of the Cook County Woman’s Guild and a trustee of the town’s first children’s creche which was later named the Heni Materoa Children’s Home Her name and address can be found on the 1892 Gisborne Suffrage petition A strategic political worker in support of the liberal cause she joined forces with and supported Margaret Home Sievwright when she addressed more than 200 women prior to Gisborne women voting for the first time in the parliamentary elections on November 28 Her catchphrase to any visiting politician was “just push us forward” The hīkoi walked from Gisborne District Council offices A watch and act warning issued for Bullengarook and Gisborne residents has been downgraded but is still not yet controlled According to an update posted at 10.54am on Tuesday there were five vehicles responding to the small bushfire at Walsh Road in Bullengarook A further updates provided advising residents that the bushfire threat level for the area was reduced and the fire wasn’t spreading Residents were advised that they could continue their normal activities with emergency services remaining in the area for some time The fire is the second in Bullengarook since December with a major one late last year causing some residents to be evacuated Details: emergency.vic.gov.au Gisborne locals and health workers marched to Heipipi Park where speakers highlighted what they say is a regional health crisis The owners of Zest Cafe estimate they lost $8000 worth of goods in the burglary shortly before Christmas A seal lazily floating down Waimata River reminded Char Tawera of the (much larger) elephant seal Homer who famously visited Gisborne more than two decades ago Gisborne Thistle striker Jimmy Somerton was in devastating form again on Saturday slotting six goals in a 7-1 thrashing of Western Rangers in an Eastern Premiership game at Hastings Jimmy Somerton scored six goals – making it 16 in the past three games and 17 in five – as Electrinet Thistle thrashed Western Rangers 7-1 in Hastings on Saturday Heavy Equipment Services Gisborne United beat Napier Marist 6-0 at Harry Barker Reserve brothers Josh and Corey Adams scoring two goals each The other Gisborne team in the competition lost left back Kyran Lasenby with a fractured elbow in the fourth minute and had goalkeeper Aiden Armstrong coping with the discomfort of a dislocated finger (albeit put back in place) midway through the first half They lost 8-1 to Maycenvale United in Hastings but only on goal difference from Havelock North Wanderers Gisborne United and Napier City Rovers Reserves who went into Saturday as the sole leaders but lost 2-0 to Port Hill United both having scored 15 and conceded eight for a goal difference of +7 Havelock North have a goal difference of +9 and Thistle +17 (25 for Western Rangers scored first against Thistle when the ball took a massive hop as goalkeeper Mark Baple went down to gather it Skipper and central midfielder Cory Thompson headed in a corner after 15 minutes and Somerton added goals after 18 Thistle “destroyed” Rangers from the time of the equaliser till halftime “It looked as if we flicked a switch and for half an hour became Barcelona Veteran Shannon Dowsing played a full game at right back Nick Land played 70 minutes in midfield before making way for Davie Ure Centre back Martin Kees was back in the side Travis White joined Thompson and Land in central midfield while Alex Shanks and Wirepa-Hei patrolled the flanks Cramer said Thistle took their feet off the pedal in the second half and Rangers kept trying to make inroads Gisborne United looked like title contenders in their match against Napier Marist Their defence had complementary helpings of speed and strength in fullbacks Sam Royston and Kieran Venema and centre backs Kieran Higham and Ryan Anderson while Andy McIntosh continued to impress in goal Higham made several interceptions to nip attacks in the bud while Royston was used to telling effect further forward in the second half United’s key strengths on Saturday were through the middle Aaron Graham swept across the front of the defence and was the starting point for numerous attacks while Corey Adams injected himself into the attack at will Dan Torrie filled the big-man role usually reserved for Dane Thompson and his heading and Malcolm Marfell put in his usual box-to-box effort Striker Campbell Hall and midfielder Thompson were unavailable but their replacements fitted in seamlessly Stu Cranswick showed that crossfit training can get you through 90 minutes of football after two years out of action The first half was more competitive than the final score indicates A tussle between Marfell and right back Terrence Charamba ended in a 30th-minute penalty Royston crossed from the right byline for Cranswick to head home A Corey Adams volley two minutes into the second half decided the outcome United had the edge in all-round strength but Marist kept competing vigorously Corey Adams broke through from midfield to slip the ball past Marist keeper Dan Evans for 4-0 a Josh Adams penalty made it 5-0 and Marfell turned and shot from 18m to make it 6-0 five minutes from time Evans denied Josh Adams a hat-trick with a diving save to his right to palm away a 40m drive that looked goal-bound Marist suffered from players being injured or unavailable but produced some outstanding performances Midfielders Jackson Durrington and Riku Koyama were a class act Centre backs Luke Foster and Mitch Dick put up a brave fight against repeated onslaughts as did fullbacks Charamba and United player-coach Josh Adams said it was probably his team’s first “full” performance of the season “We took control all over the park and played some good football working it around the field and spraying it when we needed to.” Marist coach Don Butler said it was a good game for 60 minutes Boys’ High coach Garrett Blair said the loss to Maycenvale was heavier than it needed to be The boys were learning that mistakes in the defensive third often meant goals conceded Lasenby’s injury from an awkward fall in a challenge was an early setback Centre back Kauri Holmes had his hands full with Liam Shackleton and occasionally Dakota Lucas but had the physical presence to hold his own against them Jacob Adams showed another dimension to his game dropping into midfield and finding space to launch attacks from deep He scored to give Boys’ High a sniff of hope at 3-1 “We are six weeks from our first qualifying match for the premier national secondary schools tournament and Jacob has given us something to think about,” Blair said YMP win the battle of the big boys in their Premier club clash Tairāwhiti Museum exceeded its 2023-2024 target of 45,000 visitors with 47,480 visitors Concerns have been raised over the debt and financial performance of Tairāwhiti Museum Gisborne Deputy Mayor Josh Wharehinga says its value to the community must not be overlooked He spoke at a recent Finance and Performance Committee meeting where the museum’s audited 2023-2024 annual report was presented the museum exceeded its visitor target of 45,000 attracting 47,480 people and achieving an 87% approval rating in the council’s residents’ survey Mayor Rehette Stoltz acknowledged the museum’s financial pressures saying it grappled with rising costs “like everybody else” She described the museum as “a little gem” councillor Colin Telfer raised concern about a $158,995 deficit for the year He noted that wage costs had increased by $130,000 – nearly equal to the annual shortfall – and said the museum was “basically” relying on its cash reserves Councillor Larry Foster called the museum a significant regional asset but questioned its declining retail revenue of $12,000 “There must be opportunities to enhance your retail [revenue] with that many customers coming through your door,” he said Foster also queried the low rental for the onsite cafe – $7200 a year or $138.50 a week – describing it as a “pretty cheap rental” and effectively a subsidy he acknowledged the cafe added to the museum experience “I know a cafe really enhances the whole environment of the museum calling it one of the country’s top regional museums He said it would be nice not to be losing so much money but he acknowledged that the organisation was not intended to be a profit-making one Councillor Colin Alder expressed concern over the rising wage bill and the purchase of a $30,000 vehicle He said the museum should consult the council before making operational spending decisions While Alder praised the quality of the cafe he questioned whether its contract should go out to tender Councillor Ani Pahuru-Huriwai defended the vehicle purchase She praised the museum for its inclusive engagement with artists and mana whenua across the region Councillor Aubrey Ria said the council could offer suggestions but should be cautious about directing the museum’s spending “Council has no expertise in the functions of a museum,” she said Councillor Debbie Gregory said the new cafe contract had “made a huge difference” and described it as “a great cafe” council chief executive Nedine Thatcher-Swann said the museum’s new lease had not yet been signed That would be needed before any progress could be made on repairing the museum’s roof which council cultural activities manager Pene Walsh said leaked “on occasion” the museum hosted 885 students from 73 schools and early childhood centres through Ministry of Education-funded programmes valued at $164,380 Exhibitions in 2023–2024 featured works by 102 local and national artists These included four group shows and 11 solo exhibitions all by artists with strong ties to the region Nine temporary exhibitions had a strong Toi Māori focus reflecting the museum’s commitment to Māori art and culture Major temporary exhibitions included He Kākahu Rerehua and Millard Studio The museum reported total revenue of $1,287,921 with $292,581 from donations and fundraising and $985,538 from services including $915,478 for volunteer and employee costs and $397,201 in service-related costs The museum reported total accumulated funds of $3,286,985 One vacancy remains on the museum’s board of trustees for a Gisborne District Council representative Four people have been arrested in Gisborne after gunshots were fired at a house and a car late last night Police were called to Taruheru Crescent in Mangapapa at around 11.45pm after reports of several shots being fired at a house from a car Tairāwhiti Area Commander Danny Kirk said the occupants of the same car then fired one or two shots at another car in Valley Rd in Mangapapa Police located the car in Lytton Rd and signalled for the driver to stop but he fled Kirk said police pursued the car through the Elgin area before pulling it over near the intersection of Awapuni Rd and Lytton Rd There were four people in the car – males aged 15 They have been charged with discharging a firearm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm Police had also seized a firearm and other items thrown from the car during the police chase “My message to all involved in this kind of offending is that this has to stop,” Kirk said “Two people were injured as a result of the shots fired at the house – one seriously – and we could very easily have been dealing with one or more fatalities.“ “I want to acknowledge my frontline officers who made a conscious decision to put themselves in harm’s way to apprehend those involved in this senseless violence.” The four people who were arrested will appear in the Gisborne District Court tomorrow *This story has been updated after police corrected an earlier statement that the injured people were in a house A weka hitched a 300km ride to Christchurch in a ute YMP forward Niko Lauti goes over for a try in a Poverty Bay Premier club rugby game at Barry Park YMP defeated Tapuae 28-12 – Tapuae's first taste of defeat since entering the competition last year and going through the season unbeaten In Gisborne, Gisborne Boys’ High School First XV beat Manukura School 60-5.(James McKay 3 Symes con) Manukura School 5 (Lahmond O’Connell try) Te Pae Hākari Poverty Bay men’s senior club competition East Coast Farm Vets YMP 28 (Shayde Skudder Taine Aupouri tries; Kelvin Smith 4 con) Kahu Scaffolding Tapuae 12 (Keanu Taumata Ethine Reeves tries; Paoraian Manuel-Harman con) Larsawn Ngātapa 3 (Tim Haldane penalty) Enterprise Cars OBM 15 (Inosa Qativi junior Kevin Hollis Glass Tūranga Pirates 8 (Soane Fifita try; Avia Ropati pen) Earthwork Solutions High School Old Boys 62 (Te-Reimana Gray 3 Taste One Most Valuable Player awards: Anthony Karauria (YMP) Charteris Choppers Wairoa Athletic 22 (Sid Drinkrow Turuki Tahuri tries; George Twigley con) Tamatea R & M YMP Bumbles 7 (Rapana Ngaau try; L.J Nūhaka V8s def Earthwork Solutions HSOB by default Players of the day: Daniel Knubley (Wairoa Athletic) Sharn Down tries; Paku Hiko con) YMP 5 (Ata Mangu try) Players of the day: Sheldyn Campbell (Tapuae) United put six past Marist; congestion at the top of the table Gisborne District Council has put out a plea for information about the locations of the moth plant in the district evergreen climbing vine with milky sap that bleeds from all damaged parts,” the council said “Moth plants grow up to 10m high very quickly and will completely smother and overtop shrubs “It’s commonly spotted by its flowers from December to May and establishes in almost any frost-free habitat Contact the council if you have information about where it’s growing Horouta Waka Ama paddlers Simmy Taitapanui (front) and Penny Scragg on their way to victory in the W2 senior master women's race at the long-distance nationals off Porirua last week Tairāwhiti waka ama paddlers showed they could stay the course in open water as well as dominate in sprint competition when they took part in the long-distance nationals off Porirua led home the field in their respective events Self Storage Gisborne Horouta Waka Hoe Club member Brooking finished the 8km J19 course for rudderless waka in 48m 39.2s 38.1s ahead of runner-up Abigail Liufalani of the Pineula club Liufalani was also runner-up to Brooking in the 250m and 500m races at the national sprint champs at Lake Karāpiro in January Horouta had a strong presence in the 8km J19 race accounting for six of the 15 starters and four of the top six placings Cheidan Moetara and Marnie Toloa were third Moetara was the only starter in her class in the race for ruddered craft Williams won the 16km open women’s race for rudderless waka in one hour 26m 55.2s 3m 6.2s ahead of runner-up Te Rina Leubert of Taupō Waka Ama Club Williams completed the open women’s 250m/500m double at the sprint champs Horouta chairman Walton Walker said he was particularly impressed with the number of J16 entries from the club Many of these paddlers had not experienced long-distance racing or sea conditions before they started training for these championships Long-distance racing gave them another option opportunities to race in open water came up throughout the year and it would be good to prepare young paddlers for them Tairāwhiti two- and six-person teams also tasted success at Porirua Simmy Taitapanui and Penny Scragg continued their good form with a win in the W2 senior master women’s race Greg Ross and Kaye Ross in the senior master mixed Riria Ata and Tutemakoha Kemp in the J16 women and Kyan Ayton and Kane Soto in the J19 men all won their W2 classes W6 J16 mixed crew Puna Ariki won their class as did Cornelius Du Preez and Jacobus Du Preez in the W2 J16 men and Jacobus Du Preez and Mereana Maxwell in the W2 J16 mixed Both clubs had strong performances in the minor placings and some paddlers performed creditably as guest competitors for other clubs Taiau Waka Ama paddlers also contested the W6 open men’s and open women’s events Waka Ama New Zealand long-distance national championship results from Porirua with Tairāwhiti connections (W6 crew members named for top-three finishes) were: 8km: Gordon Aston (Waka Ama o Whakatane) 59m 11.7s 8km: Raipoia Brightwell (Mareikura Waka Ama Club) 56m 30s fifth of nine; Debbie Horsfall (Horouta Waka Hoe Club) 58m 27.2s first of 15; Kaiarahi Brooking-Haapu (Horouta) 49m 40.1s 16km: Vesna Radonich (Horouta) 1h 33m 50.5s 16km: Akayshia Williams (Horouta) 1h 26m 55.2s first of eight; Sieda Tureia (Horouta) 1h 42m 17s 16km: Melrose Morete (Horouta) did not finish 16km: The Campbells (Bruce Campbell and Mairangi Campbell fifth of 12; Carolyn Hodgkinson (Mareikura) 56m 46.8s 8km: Jack Gifford (Hei Matau Paddlers) 42m 38.6s second of 13; Marlin Toloa (Manukau Outrigger Canoe Club) 43m 6s 8km: B & B (Barry Hyland and Bridgitte Pitkethley 16km: John & Ves (John Marks and Vesna Radonich second of four; Kare (Rebecca Hoani and Jason Hulena 16km: Kerry & Keri (Keri Ngatoro and Gaibreill Wainohu 16km: Ross & Ross (Greg Ross and Kaye Ross 16km: Simpenny (Penny Scragg and Simmy Taitapanui 8km: Hine & Marnie (Hine Brooking and Marnie Toloa 8km: Puna Ariki (Mareikura: Cornelis Du Preez first of seven; Kopututea (Horouta: Ana Ata second of 11; Pipitaiari (Horouta: Saydie-Jay Biddle third; Hinehakirirangi (Mareikura) 48m 11.4s 8km: Mereana Maxwell (Mareikura) 1h 7m 13.8s 8km: Mareikura (Cornelis Du Preez and Jacobus Du Preez first of three; Shacky Brae (Brae Birch-Tuapawa and Jackson Robin-Smith third of 24; Ibanez Te Pairi (Horouta) 1h 4m 30.7s 11th; Charlee Mackey (Horouta) 1h 5m 21.6s 12th; Rhylee Keepa (Horouta) 1h 10m 30.3s; Manawa Clarke-Atkins (Horouta) 1h 11m 31s 17th; Majjik Peneha (Mareikura) 1h 11m 37.5s 18th; Rongokino Miller (Mareikura) 1h 12m 25.2s 19th; Matiria Maurirere-Walker (Mareikura) 1h 15m 18.2s 8km: Taruheru (Jacobus Du Preez and Mereana Maxwell first of three; The MKs (Ngawhakahonore Matakatea and Jackson Robin-Smith second; Waimata (Cornelis Du Preez and Riann Tawhai 8km: Te Ata Tu (Riria Ata and Tutemakoha Kemp first of four; Cm & Bm (Christibel Mackenzie and Bentley Morice-Munro 16km: Hine-o-Te-Moana (Mareikura: Raipoia Brightwell third of 11; Hinewaiariki (Horouta) 1h 41m sixth of 13; Rerepuhitai (Taiau Waka Ama) 2h 33m 52s 24km: Nga Kopara Toa (Horouta: Kerry Johnston third of 12; Wahine Whalers (Horouta) 2h 29m 6.2s third of eight; Hukataiora (Horouta) 1h 35m 2.9s 24km: Woolley Kumara (Horouta: Glenn Anderson but South Bendigo has shown it’s a team to be reckoned with in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL senior footy action The Bloods celebrated a 27-point victory at Gisborne’s Gardiner Reserve as the league’s second round was played on Good Friday In consecutive weeks a South Bendigo team coached by Troy Coates has taken on and beat last season’s preliminary finalist and now runner-up The Bloods charged to a 26-3 lead by quarter-time of the Good Friday contest Both teams scored four goals in the second as the visitors led 51-29 by half-time The Rob Waters-coached Gisborne hit back to win the third quarter An 11-point buffer for the red and white at the start of the last became 27 by the siren after South Bendigo scored 6.2 to 3.4 in the final term A previous winner of the Ron Best Medal as the competition’s leading goalkicker The brilliant small forward led an attack which was without Steven Stroobants who began a four-match suspension Other multiple goalkickers for the Bloods were Callum Crisp Strong defence was a key factor in South Bendigo’s victory Gisborne’s leading goalkickers were Thomas Werner Sandhurst was too strong for Strathfieldsaye in the rematch of last season’s preliminary finalists at Triple P Mark in Strathfieldsaye’s Tannery Lane A seven-goal blitz in the first quarter set up what would be a 50-point victory for the reigning premier The Dragons led 44-13 at quarter-time before both teams added two majors in the second Sandhurst scored 6.2 in the second half as it held Storm to a tally of 3.3 Schmetzer led the attack on five goals as Cobi Maxted added three and Tom Campbell and Charlie Robinson booted two each Storm’s only multiple goalkicker was Bode Stevens with two Bode Stevens and Riley Mulquiny played well for the Luke Freeman-coached Storm is likely to be without gun forward and co-captain Fergus Greene for several weeks because of injury Castlemaine soared to a 50-point win against Golden Square in the Magpies’ nest at Camp Reserve but more impressive was the defensive play to hold the Bulldogs to a tally of three goals Castlemaine led 19-nil at quarter-time and 46-7 by the main break The Brad Eaton-coached Golden Square hit back to win the third quarter In the last it was the black and white which did plenty of attacking as it added 4.5 on the way to a 76-26 result Coach Michael Hartley and captain Bailey Henderson kicked two goals for the Magpies Goalkickers for the blue and gold were Riley Dillon Xavier Carter and Zack Shelton were Golden Square’s best Eaglehawk scored a big win against Kangaroo Flat on the Borough’s turf in Canterbury Park The Hawks had 44 scoring shots on their way to a 149-17 victory The marking power of Jonty Neaves and Jack O’Shannessy was a highlight as both finished with four goals Captain Billy Evans and Jack Thompson chipped in with three as Nick Hoare and Ben Thompson added two Goalkickers for the Kangaroos were Jake Hywood and Aaron Melis The Hawks are jointly coached by Travis Matheson Kyle Symons and Ethan Roberts played well for the Tyrone Downie-coached Kangaroos Leaders in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal: Round three kicks off with the Anzac Day match on Friday between South Bendigo and Eaglehawk at Queen Elizabeth Oval from 6.30pm Gates to the QEO on Anzac Day will open at 1pm The under-18s football match starts at 2.20pm and will be followed by the reserves at 4pm An Anzac Day observance will be held from 6pm The round will be completed on Saturday when senior footy kicks off at 2.20pm Kangaroo Flat takes on Castlemaine at Kangaroo Flat’s Dower Park Golden Square and Sandhurst clash on the Bulldogs’ turf in Golden Square’s Wade Street Gisborne takes on Strathfieldsaye at Gisborne’s Gardiner Reserve A host of improvements are planned for pedestrian and road safety in Gisborne with residents invited to provide feedback to the council’s plans Macedon Ranges has created a streetscape and pedestrian improvement plan for the roundabout at Hamilton and Aitken Streets in Gisborne This includes constructing raised crossings on the southern leg – Aitken Street – and the eastern and western legs – Hamilton Street modifications to the service road entry and exit points and broad aesthetic and functional improvements to the area including landscaping and street furniture A state government program has funded the first stage of this project – the raised platform on the southern leg modification of the service road exit point and the raised platform on the western leg This first stage is expected to be completed by June 31 next year a series of improvements are planned for the roundabout at Hamilton and Brantome streets Included as part of this compact roundabout the council proposes to construct a central island these upgrades are designed to align with local priorities – including those outlined in the Gisborne Urban Design Framework and Gisborne Movement Network Study – while adopting an approach that focuses on improving road safety by considering all elements of the road transport system and their interactions the council is proposing to reduce the speed limit around Gisborne a township-wide speed limit reduction will greatly enhance safety for pedestrians with studies showing that reducing speed limits has the potential to decrease fatalities by more than 50 per cent Residents can provide feedback to the plans online until Sunday April 20 on the council’s YourSay platform Details: yoursay.mrsc.vic.gov.au/pedestrian-and-road-safety-improvements Scott Cam’s renovated house from the 2022 season of The Block has finally sold after more than a year on the market for less than the other houses on the show While the sales price of property, which sold on New Year’s Eve 2024, is not official, local chatter first reported by The Herald Sun said it sold for around $3.75m That sale price would be the lowest amount of all the houses built in Gisborne for the show’s tree change season — won by Omar and Oz — when their property sold for $5,666,666.66 to Danny Wallis The Block 2025 confirms new element which will be a show first Adrian Portelli reveals why he bought Sharon and Ankur Gisborne Block property The Gisborne property at 207 McGeorge Rd that Scott Cam renovated The garden and showpiece pool were extended by Cam and his team Scott Cam led the renovation of the Gisborne property during filming of the Tree Change season in 2022 was completed in 2022 alongside the other contestants and was originally put on the market in October 2023 with a $4.1m – $4.3m asking price After failing to find a buyer it was taken down then relisted in the latter part of 2024 with a reduced $3.8m to $3.9m guide MORE: Six things we learned from The Block’s auction disaster four-bathroom home boasts an open-plan living and dining areas The sale was handled by Kirrily Evans from Evans Realty Group The property was built from an original cottage that was bought and subdivided by Channel 9 for the show that year Inside the open-plan dining room with a fireplace The skylight in the garage was labelled ‘bogan’ by many viewers when it was first revealed Advantage Property Consulting director and buyers’ advocate Frank Valentic previously told The Herald Sun in the 207 McGeorge Rd would be popular He also said when he showed buyers through Camalot when The Block was on air in 2022 some commented that “it’s the best house on the show” MORE: ‘Yuck’: The Block judge under fire for real estate move and the cottage was originally built in 1866 garden landscaped and in-ground pool added to create a luxury country retreat It was not auctioned during The Block 2022 finale, when the five houses renovated by the contestants went under the hammer Instead it was held back before officially hitting the market in October 2023 Only three homes sold on auction day in the show’s 2022 final episode After Omar and Oz scooped the major prize with their $5.666m sale and Rachel and Ryan’s sold in post-auction negotiations for $4.25m Ankur and Sharon’s home passed in and the couple had to wait a week until it was revealed that Adrian Portelli snapped up their house for $4.25m as well Jenny and Dylan were the unluckiest of the team’s on the show that season who had to wait until May 2023 to secure a sale for their house $180,000 less than the auction day reserve The Block moves to Daylesford in 2025, with pre-production underway and plans revealing the brand new homes being built Channel 9 reportedly paid $9.4m for former farm land on the outskirts of the tourist town in regional Victoria Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox MORE: Beach homes from $500k: Vic’s bargain hotspots revealed ‘Like King’s Landing’: $30m+ Palm Beach mansion near Mar-a-Lago for sale Victorian beach boxes: are the Victorian status symbols a coastal dream you might regret? third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. Australian Rural & Regional News asked some further questions of Millari Group Australia Millari Group Australia True Blue Plywood) has entered into a sale and purchase agreement to acquire 100 per cent of JUKEN Gisborne including LVL and Plywood manufacturing lines and Sawmill guarantees over 90 per cent of locally and sustainably sourced products for the Australian Timber Industry in 2025 Millari Group Australia is set to start producing LVL and Timber for the Australian Timber Industry after recently agreeing to acquire the 25-ha JUKEN Gisborne facilities in New Zealand Settlement is currently expected to occur later this month The Gisborne manufacturing facility is located on the North Island of New Zealand at Gisborne and specialises in producing LVL Plywood and Structural Radiata pine products With a perfect mix of Engineered products and solid pine framing the mill will be an asset best suited to ease the burden on businesses in Australia which have been forced to rely on imported products due to the lack of local manufacturing which has been supplying high-quality and reliable imported products to Australia’s leading wholesalers will now be driving local LVL and timber production for the Australian industry with the Millari NZ facilities. With a significant investment over the next three years to increase the current capacities Plywood and Sawmill production for the Australian industry and LVL Formwork; structural and non-structural plywood panels and MGP and F-graded Radiaita pine Plywood and Sawmill products with AS/NZS standards directly to Australia’s Eastern Coast significantly decreasing Australia’s timber industry’s dependence on imports from Europe and Asia. “Our Millari NZ facility in Gisborne will be on track to increase the output capacity of LVL Plywood and timber production over the next few years as we invest in new machinery and technology for the 35,000m2 factory. With these exciting facilities alongside our True Blue Timber operations we will continue to offer the Australian industry a reputable and reliable ongoing source of high-quality EWP (engineered wood products) and timber products and deliver them directly with quick turnarounds.” the Millari NZ Gisborne facility will re-open in the coming months providing jobs and opportunities to the Gisborne community of 38,000 people. “JNL Gisborne has been the cornerstone of the community for many years and it will be Millari Group’s pleasure to restore it to its former glory The Millari Group team is excited about the new challenge ahead and looks forward to being a part of the Gisborne community for many years to come”. Millari Group Australia includes True Blue Timber, True Blue LVL, and True Blue Plywood, and Millari NZ supplies FSC 100 per cent timber products to Australia’s leading Timber and Hardware retailers. For more information visit https://truebluetimber.com.au/. About True Blue Timber / Millari Group Australia About Millari NZ sawmill in Gisborne New Zealand Australian Timber Industry Statistics New Zealand was the source of 21 per cent of imports with Germany (14 per cent) and Lithuania (12 per cent) United States (10 per cent) and other European and Asian countries Australia produced 4.3 million cubic metres of sawnwood in 2022-2023 of which 89 per cent was softwood and 11 per cent hardwood with almost all (95 per cent) consumed in Australia with 5 per cent exported. The value of imports of forest and wood products into Australia was 6.87 billion in 2022-2023 Wood based panels such as Plywood account for 13 per cent of the value of Australian imports which has been growing steadily in recent years. The primary import to Australia was Plywood (76 per cent of value of the wood-based panel imports in 2022-2023 – commonly used for structural applications in housing construction Most of the wood-based panels imported in 2023-2024 was from China (55 per cent by value) Between 2020 and 2050 the food and Agriculture organisation estimates demand for veneer/plywood may double Other forest products including engineered structural timber products have been steadily increasing since 2012 to 2023 (Figure 6.1d-1: Import value of forest and wood products graph Australian Rural & Regional News asked some further questions of the Millari Group about the acquisition ARR.News: From what sawmills has the Millari Group previously sourced its timber Millari Group: The Millari Group Australia with its operations in New South Wales and Victoria is a timber wholesaler to Timber and Hardware businesses in Australia offering a selection of products including timber for structural framing cladding and weatherboards plus engineered wood products including LVL (laminated veneer lumber) The materials have been sourced previously from European suppliers ARR.News: Has Millari’s purchase of the JUKEN’ Gisborne sawmill in New Zealand been necessitated by the decline in suitable timber supplies from within Australia Millari Group: The purchase of JUKEN’S Gisborne Sawmill has been driven by the demand for engineered wood products and a desire to provide higher quality products due to Australian businesses forced to rely on imported products due to the lack of local manufacturing This gives rise to quality control and delivery issues and this purchase aims to solve these issues ARR.News: Is all the timber for the NZ sawmill sourced from New Zealand Millari Group: The timber products produced at Gisborne Sawmill (Millari NZ) is sourced from local sustainable forests in the Gisborne area. this acquisition is boosting the supply of NZ timber to Australia not boosting the supply of Australian timber guarantees over 90 per cent of locally and sustainably sourced products from the local area of Gisborne NZ for the Australian Timber Industry Plywood and Sawmill production for the Australian industry and deliver products direct to Australia’s Eastern Coast we lost a significant portion of our plantation forest in Australia and our current forests cannot supply enough to cover the demand ARR.News: Will the jobs at the NZ sawmill be filled by people from New Zealand but we will use some of our experienced team members in Australia as well the Millari NZ Gisborne facility will re-open in the coming months,providing jobs and opportunities to the Gisborne community of 38,000 people. As Millari NZ aims to increase production to 200,000m3 from the current 130,000m3 we expect a number of direct and indirect jobs from the local area that will be generated by the Sawmill reopening ARR.News: Are there plans to expand the facilities in Australia Millari Group: There are two sites in Australia True Blue Timber Sydney in Smithfield and True Blue Timber Melbourne in Clyde North True Blue Timber increased its factory facilities in NSW from 4,000m2 to 25,000m2 – an increase of over 80 per cent Millari Group Australia was formed in 2024 to support the growth of True Blue Timber operations including True Blue LVL and True Blue Plywood adding Millari NZ facilities in 2025 with 35,000m2 factory space ARR.News: Are there opportunities from this acquisition for timber workers from regional Australia Millari NZ’s acquisition of JUKEN will have an impact on our own operations in Australia including our Sydney and Melbourne sites and we will add two new distribution centers in Queensland and South Australia as well which will create more jobs so will the demand for excellent customer service and delivery volume and timings increase ARR.News: Are the skills of workers in Australian timber mills transferable to work producing Millari’s wood products Millari Group: We will engage some of our team members in Australia to assist our staff in New Zealand in better understanding our expectations; however which cover both AU and NZ timber standards Timber mill work includes a range of skills including sorting and stacking timber and racking offcuts and this is a transferable skill-set that forms part of the Millari NZ facility In addition the Plywood and LVL processing parts of the facility require expertise in engineered wood technology. ARR.News: Are there other jobs that might be created in Australia ARR.News: How will the cost of shipping products from NZ be managed to keep prices in Australia competitive Millari Group: As timber is now being shipped from NZ to Australia and not Europe to Australia (as the operations in Sydney and Melbourne for the Millari Group relied on) the pricing will be very competitive Sign up for updates from Australian Rural & Regional News Manage your subscription We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info Australian Rural & Regional News is opening some stories for comment to encourage healthy discussion and debate on issues relevant to our readers and to rural and regional Australia offensive or inappropriate comments will not be allowed How can you apply for a job at millari we have some workers that have been played off from ovations meet works and are looking for work now Please feel free to contact The Millari Group at their Sydney TBT office at; https://truebluetimber.com.au/contact-us/ Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" The team at Gisborne Engineering have plenty to celebrate after their general manager Dmitrey Carruthers was named a finalist in the "Leadership" category of new national manufacturing awards Gisborne Engineering general manager Dmitrey Carruthers has been named as a finalist in the Excellence in Manufacturing “Leadership” category in the inaugural Minister for Manufacturing Awards 2025 created in partnership with Advancing Manufacturing Aotearoa and the Government aims to celebrate the people and businesses driving excellence and long-term success in the manufacturing sector “With support from the Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing Chris Penk the awards are part of a wider push to elevate the profile of New Zealand manufacturing and position the sector for global growth,” an awards spokesman said The Excellence in Manufacturing “Leadership” Award recognises individuals who are making a transformative impact on the industry through innovation environmental leadership and strategic vision “For Dmitrey to be named a finalist is an incredible milestone— particularly for a regional business like us,” Gisborne Engineering commercial manager Renee Carruthers said “In a field often dominated by larger urban players this recognition highlights the depth of talent and leadership coming from smaller centres like Gisborne.” Gisborne Engineering has undergone a significant transformation he stepped into a leadership role most would take decades to reach — and completely redefined what’s possible for New Zealand’s small and medium-sized enterprises and someone so young,” Renee said “With a deep understanding of his industry and a clear vision for the future Dmitrey set out with three bold goals: modernise operations and build a people-first culture that empowers every team member to thrive “But what truly sets Dmitrey apart is his belief that business success and human success go hand in hand,” she said “Dmitrey introduced a 12-month financial wellbeing programme to help employees reduce debt and achieve personal milestones like first-home ownership “A 12-week workplace literacy and communication course upskilled team members in life-changing ways Structured development plans and regular reviews created clear pathways for every employee to grow — personally and professionally.” “The culture he’s built is tangible - one of mateship “You’ll find team members stepping into new leadership roles young tradespeople gaining life-changing confidence and a collective sense that something truly special is being built — together.” Finalists from across the country will be formally recognised at the SouthMACH 2025 Exhibition in Christchurch where the winners will be announced at a special VIP cocktail event presented by Chris Penk on Wednesday May 28 SouthMACH is New Zealand’s premier technology and manufacturing event providing a national platform to celebrate excellence An awards spokesman said the awards represent a significant step forward for New Zealand manufacturing it’s a real honour to be part of it,” Dmitrey Carruthers said Groms Rise to the Occasion at Kaiaua Bay for the 2025 Gisborne Junior Pro What started as a weather-challenged morning turned into a thrilling opening day at the 2025 Sequence Surf Shop Gisborne Junior Pro With a fierce winter storm system wreaking havoc further south and the Gisborne coastline serving up unsafe surf conditions at the city beaches the team made the call to move the event north to Kaiaua Bay on the East Cape The one-hour trek proved more than worthwhile as competitors were greeted with clean 3–4 foot waves and an atmosphere brimming with grassroots energy and elite-level talent The event began with a powerful karakia led by respected local surfer Kereama Blackman setting a culturally grounded tone that resonated with the tight-knit surf community in attendance As the morning drizzle gave way to sunshine the waves began pulsing across the lower tide hollow sections that proved both challenging and rewarding for the country’s best junior surfers The Under 18 Boys division set the tone for the day Raglan’s Theo Morse used smart wave selection and sharp execution to take out the win over Jett Dalton In the second heat of the day Piha’s Christian Fougere exploded with a powerful backhand snap that earned a 7.33 from the judges — one of the highest single-wave scores of the day — putting him not only at the top of the heat but also in early contention for the $100 Biggest Manoeuvre Award The move set a benchmark for the kind of radical surfing that the event is known to inspire Joe Goodjohn(Mount) kept things rolling in Heat 3 controlling his exchanges with well-timed turns and a calm who delivered one of the day’s most stylish performances Using a flowing combination of forehand manoeuvres bringing his total heat score to 14.30 and further heating up the battle for the standout manoeuvre prize The Under 18 Girls division saw equally fierce competition and a few nail-biting finishes Heat 1 featured a strong start from Whangamata’s India Kennings Her confident start proved too tough for her opponents to match She was joined in progression by Buller Boardriders’ Lenka Cargill enough to earn second place ahead of Raglan’s Ayla Gee and Bella Ozich Heat 2 saw Mount Maunganui’s Ariana Walker and local surfer Te Waiotu Fairlie of Uawa showcase their local knowledge to secure passage to the quarterfinals Fairlie expressed her pride in representing her home break but happy overall to have surfable waves at my home break So stoked to host a national event in our small town.” The third heat of the Under 18 Girls saw one of the most dominant performances of the day who has been making waves in recent competitions scored a standout 7.33 ride and secured a first-place finish despite a minimal backup score currently attending the Raglan Surf Academy used her experience to edge out local surfer Bonnie Lynch and progress in second place the level of progression and raw talent was immediately evident Heat 1 saw Charlie Hartstone and Ahipara’s Taj Phillips dominate the shifty beach break conditions using their strong rail game to advance confidently to the next round The action intensified in Heat 2 as Remy Sale lit up the lineup with a technical and powerful combination of turns earning a commanding 7.83 — one of the top scores of the day and a sign of his readiness for Sunday’s high-stakes heats The momentum continued into the later Under 16 heats Each displayed both courage and style in their approach to the chunky Joining them in the quarterfinals were Luca Ramsay and Occy Tapara — each of whom had to fight hard through tightly contested heats to earn their spot The excitement surrounding the $100 Biggest Manoeuvre Award — a crowd and competitor favorite — also reached fever pitch by day’s end The award is set aside for one surfer from each division who goes beyond the basics to deliver a single As Sequence Surf Shop owner Blair Stewart puts it We want to see who’s really willing to push their surfing to the next level.” Christian Fougere’s massive backhand snap remains a frontrunner in the Under 18 division Haru Marsden’s powerful forehand hack earned him a 6.0 and put him firmly in the conversation Feon Clifford also turned heads with his clean technique and strong heat total of 13.9 who has been putting in the hours training at home executed a smooth and confident forehand hack to earn a 6.33 I’ve been surfing heaps around home lately stoked to be surfing Kaiaua as I know it well and surf here all the time I didn’t get the waves I wanted today so will hopefully build on my scores tomorrow.” Haven’t had a comp for a while so good to get back into it doing mock heats with my mates and chasing waves so I’ve been feeling good for this comp My strategy worked well today so am going to stick with it tomorrow and hopefully make it to the final.” Heat 1 will feature Ariana Walker and Lenka Cargill taking on Te Waiotu Fairlie and Grace Gundry battle it out for a place in the finals With clean conditions forecast again for Sunday the stage is set for some of the most exciting junior women’s surfing of the year With a clear forecast for Sunday and a stacked schedule of semifinals and finals across all divisions the 2025 Gisborne Junior Pro is shaping up to be an epic end to the 2025 New Zealand junior surf calendar The shift to Kaiaua — though forced by Mother Nature — has delivered some of the best junior surfing conditions seen all season The event continues tomorrow at Kaiaua with finals action from mid-morning culminating in the crowning of division champions and the announcement of the Biggest Manoeuvre Award winners The Gisborne Junior Pro is proudly presented by Sequence Surf Shop with additional support from Creatures of Leisure Their combined commitment to grassroots surfing and youth development ensures that events like this remain a vital stepping stone for New Zealand’s next generation of surfing stars For more information, live scores, and updates, visit www.liveheats.com/surfingnewzealand A very professional display this afternoon (Saturday) has put hot favourite Gisborne right on top against Sunbury United in the McIntyre Firsts cricket grand final being played at Tony Clarke Reserve Gisborne will resume at 2/38 tomorrow (Sunday) requiring a further 84 runs to earn the premiership United chose to bat in very overcast conditions after some rain overnight Left-arm speedster Joshua Wills gave the Dragons a boost by dismissing United skipper Damien Edwards for 1 and runs were scarce as Leigh Brennan and Wills kept the pressure up Apart from a determined 54 from United veteran Upul Fernando 16 from Fabian Fernando and 16 not out from tailender Chris Strods United was dismissed for just 121 in 66.3 overs and Wills and the Vernon brothers two apiece Sunbury United attack did not make it easy for the Gisborne batters dismissing Riley Vernon 17 and Spencer Jones before stumps with 2/38 on the board The innings will resume at 1pm tomorrow (Sunday) with Will Mackay and Matt Barake at the crease FREE digital editions and weekly newsletter direct to your inbox Thousands will descend on Gisborne in a fortnight when the town’s free annual festival kicks off Hosted by the Gisborne and District Lions Club the Gisborne Festival will be held on Friday December 13 and is promising to be a major community event with a packed schedule for all to enjoy It will feature live music by local group GSM and musician David Allen a performance by the Bendigo Chinese Lions and a range of free activities including face painting Another highlight of the event is the street parade at 6 pm which will bring together a range of community groups such as the Kyneton Brass Band Gisborne Lions Club president Russel Walker is encouraging all locals to attend the free event “We’re putting this on for the community,” Mr Walker said hopefully [everyone] comes out and enjoys the evening.” The Gisborne Festival will start at 4.30 pm at Gardiner Reserve and will conclude at 9.15 pm with a spectacular fireworks display Gisborne Post Office manager Joe Vella is a familiar face locally but he may also be recognised if he were to travel to different parts of the country Joe featured in Australia Post’s latest advertising campaign promoting customers’ ability to bank at their local post office yet it’s not his first foray in front of the camera; he was previously on Channel Nine’s The Block a couple of times as the show’s local postman it was a matter of just do it,” he said “The contestants had no idea who I was Joe was chosen for both appearances for his commitment to the community – whether it was personally delivering packages during the pandemic to a 90-year-old man or spending his weekends volunteering with the Lancefield Romsey Lions Club He’s also a long-time member of the Gisborne Football Netball Club but curses the Lord when questioned about playing sport I just support them and get a membership to help out.” Joe was also the recipient of Australia Post’s ‘Everyone Matters’ award in 2019 for ‘putting people first’ He said these values were obtained in childhood “I’ve been brought up to always respect people and help.” He started with the Post during high school when he completed work experience at the old Gisborne branch in Aitken Street He reached 36 years with the organisation two weeks ago and has no plans of slowing down “You don’t even get 36 years for murder but I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” he joked “I’ve got no plans to leave here unless they get rid of me.” A host of improvements are planned for the streetscape and pedestrian infrastructure at a main roundabout in Gisborne with residents invited to provide feedback to Macedon Ranges council’s plan Council has created a streetscape and pedestrian improvement plan for the roundabout at Hamilton and Aitken Streets in Gisborne Residents can provide feedback to the plan online until Sunday the upgrades are designed to align with local priorities – including those outlined in the Gisborne Urban Design Framework and Gisborne Movement Network Study – while adopting an approach that focuses on improving road safety by considering all elements of the road transport system and their interactions They include constructing raised crossings on the southern leg – Aitken Street – and the eastern and western legs – Hamilton Street The council is completing initial community consultation for all four stages of the project with funding through a state government infrastructure program currently covering the first stage – construction of the raised platform on the southern leg and modification of the service road exit point and the raised platform on the western leg The future project stages are subject to funding approval Online submissions to the plan can be made on the council’s YourSay platform Details: yoursay.mrsc.vic.gov.au/pedestrian-and-road-safety-improvements/aitken-hamilton-intersection A small but valuable parcel of land could provide Gisborne with much-sought open space if Macedon Ranges Shire Council can acquire it The 4.5 acres at 120 Aitken Street was donated to the local primary school for use as a pine plantation and bird sanctuary in the 1920s 18 local families and groups purchased land to donate for the purpose The site was declared surplus to the Department of Education and Training’s requirements at least five years ago It was referred to the Department of Transport and Planning to facilitate its sale said the state government’s claim of ownership “doesn’t pass the pub test” “It was donated by the locals for the locals I believe the rightful owner must be locals – via the council,” she said Ms Radnedge has taken up unfinished business in calling on council to advocate for acquisition of the site – and she believes they shouldn’t necessarily have to pay she led a push to engage the state government about the site back in 2020 “We’ve lost so much open space reclaiming this site would help replace that which we have lost,” she told the Express “People donated the land in good faith not as a fundraiser for the state government.” The site is of ecological significance with the bioregions of the Victorian Volcanic Plains and the Central Victorian Uplands It also contains Indigenous artefacts and has been recognised as a place of burial Helen has a background in conservation and land management and is well-placed to help write a plan for the site She has even offered to do it at no cost to the council.While the site is considered a small amount of land Michael Dhillon’s great grandparents were among the 18 families and groups to make those initial donations in the 1920s Mr Dhillon still lives in the area and wants to see that original intent honoured “The land hasn’t cost the department anything,” he told the Express “This land was clearly bought and donated to support the community Any use that doesn’t directly benefit the greater Gisborne community is totally unacceptable “My family is not against the town moving forward and progressing but when outcomes are so far removed from the original intention “If you can’t count on the government to honour that original intent then why would anyone today make a similar donation?” Community members said suitable uses included a community garden or open space During the council’s budget submission process Ms Radnedge pushed for council to again advocate for the land to be retained or returned confirmed the request would be considered as part of the budget process council has no documented strategic policy or requirement for the land nor funding allocated for its acquisition,” she said “The land is currently zoned Public Use Zone 2 – Education and historical records indicate that this site would require further investigation given its location adjoining the cemetery and possible cultural significance.” government policy requires surplus government land to be offered to other government entities (including local council) via a First Right of Refusal process to buy the land at a price based on the market value determined by the Valuer General Victoria Under FROR councils can express an interest to purchase the land for community use (with a title restriction) which will result in a reduced VGV sale value In 2021 MRSC expressed an interest in this site but no further correspondence has been received from council Police believe a shooting in Gisborne on Saturday night was gang-related but the two people injured were innocent members of the public Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz spoke to Charlotte Cook See terms of use for easy access to all your favourite programmes Gisborne Centre Stage Theatre Group Sister Act The Musical to Gisborne starts at Lawson Field Theatre Heath Franklin’s Chopper – The Last Hard Bastard on Earth Multi-instrumentalist Amanda Millyclown presents new original music • The 500 Card Club: Poverty Bay Bowling Club • Fun Dancing Gisborne – Modern Sequence and Social Ballroom: St Andrew’s Church Hall • Gisborne Orchestra rehearsals. Gisborne Intermediate School, 7.30pm-9pm. New players welcome. Jill 021756364 or email gisborneorchestra@gmail.com • Sun City Spinners: Poverty Bay Bowling Club, 111 Ormond Rd, 9am-11.30am, fees apply. Dale (06)8675083 or email eastland@creativefibre.org.nz • He Kākano: Popular singalong baby session for Under-2s • Gisborne Line Dancing: Senior Citizens Hall • Hāpu Māmā Aqua Class: Focuses on keeping mums-to-be comfortably active while puku and pēpi are supported by the water junior age groups – Kiwi Shots (Years 3-6) • Mainly Music: A fun music group for preschoolers • Te Pihinga/Little Sprouts: Fun singalong and story time for 2-to-5-year-olds • Gisborne Caledonian Society Practice: Social • Badminton: Thursday morning casual group Inquiries to eastland.association@gmail.com • Gisborne Parkrun: Waikanae Surf Life Saving Club, 280E Grey St, 7.45am-10am. Register at parkrun.co.nz/gisborne/ • Tairāwhiti Coffin Club: BCR Joinery, 522 Gladstone Rd, 9am-10am. Details at tairawhiticc@gmail.com A variety of fresh and prepared goods from local farmers and growers For more information ph (06)8625741 or (06)8625856 • Feminine Embodiment Class: Nourishing dance medicine • Silent Flute Taijiquan: Movement lab for life Free one-hour Tai Chi Chuan (Mandarin) Taijiquan (Cantonese) class open to everyone • Dharma Practice and Meditation: Lama Damchoe leads dharma practice and meditation Palpung Kagyu Samten Choling Tibetan Buddhist Centre • East Coast Museum of Technology: 67 Main Rd, Makaraka, 10am-4pm, $10 adults, $5 seniors, $2 school children, under-5s free. See Facebook or go to ecmot.org.nz/ • Lions Express Train rides: Starts near Gisborne Wainui Lions Junior Cycle Park • Mahjong Club (Mon and Thurs): Gisborne Town and Country Women’s Club Thurs and Sat): Corner Parkinson and Innes streets • Tairāwhiti Aviation Museum (Tues and Sun): Gisborne Airport • Lego Club for ages 5-17: H.B. Williams Memorial Library, 3.30pm-5pm, free. See www.gpl.govt.nz for full details • Gisborne Country Music Club (1st and 3rd Sundays): Senior Citizens Hall, 30 Grey St, 1pm-4pm, $5 visitors, $3 members, $1 children. Flo (06)8677637, 0274946979 or email flo.pahuru@outlook.co.nz • Gisborne Woodworking Club (2nd and 4th Saturdays and last Thursday): Green shed opposite Enterprise Aquatic Centre carpark, Nelson Rd, 10am to about 12pm. Bill 0274507719 or email gizzywheelers@gmail.com • Gizzy Monthly Market (1st Saturday): Locally produced crafts • Gas Guzzlers’ Breakfast (1st Sunday): Behind the courthouse on Reads Quay • Irish Music Session (1st Sunday): The Rivers restaurant • Gisborne Floral Art Club: (1st Monday) Waverley St hall 9.30am-11.30am; (3rd Wednesday) Kahutia Bowling Club • Poverty Bay Blues Night (1st Tuesday): Dome Cinema • Ulysses Motorcycle Club (1st Tuesday): Bushmere Arms public bar • Gisborne Friendship Group – formerly Gisborne Combined Club (1st Wednesday): For active retirees looking for friendship Register with Noelene (06)8684473 or Dianne (06)8674294 • U3A Gisborne (1st Thursday): Social interaction and learning for mature-aged folk • Myalgic Encephalopathy/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Support Group (1st Friday): CCS • Prostate Support Group (2nd Tuesday): Cancer Society Rooms • The Country Garden Club (2nd Tuesday): Waerenga-a-Hika Hall • Gisborne Proactive Club (3rd Wednesday): Retired people’s interest group • Gisborne Camera Club (3rd Thursday): Senior Citizens Hall, 30 Grey St, 7.30pm. Details at gisbornecameraclub@gmail.com • Gisborne Sceptic Group (3rd Sunday): 11am • Te Hapara Garden and Floral Art Club (4th Tuesday): Redstone Room • First City Toastmasters: Become a confident speaker and leader (1st and 3rd Tuesday) To include your event, email details to whatson@gisborneherald.co.nz at least a week before the event CFA’s junior running teams from across the state will showcase their skills this weekend for the Urban Junior State Championships on 22 and 23 March Senior Rural and Junior Rural events on 29 and 30 March is Gisborne Fire Brigade's junior team under the watchful eye of former runner and coach for the brigade Bruce Harker Bruce is passionate about the sport and ran for almost 45 years Zack and Lincoln who recently won the under-17 aggregates at Geelong “This is the first time in the brigade’s history we have had a junior running team,” Bruce said “I’m quite pleased how they’ve gone this year and there's a lot of pride for me in the success of the team “The brigade has been running since the 1960s It’s great to have a team back competing.” Asher Kroon one of the team’s founding members loves the sport and how many opportunities it has given him especially the teamwork aspect,” Asher said “I love all the long drives and places I get to see as part of competing.” Asher is confident the team will do well but also wants to see more people put their hand up to participate “We’ve done really well this year and I think we should do well at State Championships “We only have four people which is the minimum to compete Even though it isn’t a sport you’d normally consider we would love more people to join.” CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said the State Championships are an important tradition for CFA members and regional communities “The Championships are always one of my favourite events in the calendar dedication and enthusiasm of our members in a fun environment,” Jason said “It’s always a great place to see the camaraderie among our brigades “I look forward to seeing our future firefighters battle it out this weekend for a bit of healthy competition.” firefighting equipment and training demonstrations Events at the State Championships are based on practical firefighting activities For more information and updates on the CFA/VFBV State Firefighter Championships visit www.cfa.vic.gov.au/champs View all stories View more contacts Tweets by CFA_Updates We are currently experiencing issues with our embedded Twitter feed We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land Copyright 2025 CFA (Country Fire Authority) The Townley's Building and former West Lake Hotel in Gisborne has marked a major milestone in its renovation journey with seismic strengthening now completed The seismic strengthening of the former West Lake Hotel has been completed marking a major milestone in restoring one of Gisborne’s historic landmarks With its roots deeply woven into the city’s architectural and cultural story the West Lake Hotel (Townley’s Building) has long stood as a testament to Gisborne’s rich heritage Christchurch-based property development company BME Group bought the property in July last year with plans to give the building a major makeover The company aims to lead the charge to breathe new life into the city centre It also wants the public’s help deciding what that transformation looks like In a creative move to engage the community BME Capital is launching a “Colour Palette Competition” inviting locals to submit their best external paint colour combinations for the iconic building The chosen winner will not only see their colour palette brought to life on the historic facade – they’ll also win a $1000 cash prize “This building has always been a part of Gisborne’s story,” says BME group director Slade Hocking “We believe it should reflect the heart and creativity of the community too That’s why we’re handing over the design reins – at least when it comes to the colour.” The revitalisation doesn’t stop with a new coat of paint BME Group will begin renovations on the upper floors of the building to develop a versatile collection of office spaces designed to become a vibrant central hub for local businesses and professionals Those interested in tenancy or investment opportunities are encouraged to contact BME Group directly BME Group’s mission is to revitalise Gisborne’s city centre – one building at a time To enter the competition, simply visit www.bmecapital.co.nz and click on the “West Lake Revival” tab Gisborne locals can soon access more bus services and better public transport connections with the new and improved bus network launching this weekend the bus network will introduce a fixed-two-way loop service and a pre booked service direct from Bullengarook to Gisborne Station and the section of Route 474 between Gisborne Town Centre and Gisborne Station set to benefit from the two-way loop – giving flexibility to travel around town in either direction without booking “We are rolling out a new and improved bus network across Gisborne – better connecting communities to jobs schools and public transport,” public and active transport minister Gabrielle Williams says our Bus Plan has redesigned and strengthened 83 local bus networks The loop service will deliver more coverage across more sections of the new estates while also providing connections to schools and trips during school times The Bullengarook to Gisborne Town Centre section of the current Route 474 – including Mulgutherie Way – will become a new on-demand Route 77 Bullengarook to Gisborne Station service that will only operate when pre-booked Route 77 has also been extended to run express from the town centre to Gisborne Station providing a single-seat journey to the station for Bullengarook residents The introduction of the new bus networks follows extensive community consultation – with local feedback proposing the loop to be extended past the station to pick up and drop students off at Holy Cross Primary School – better linking students and parents to the rest of the town “Local voices have helped us shape the new bus network ensuring it delivers the public transport options the Gisborne community wants and needs that connects them with the parts of town where they want to go,” member for Macedon Mary-Anna Thomas says Improving Gisborne’s bus network is part of Victoria’s Bus Plan to meet demand and deliver value for money for all passengers Australasian Bus & Coach (ABC) is the leading bus and coach publication in the region providing news directly to the local industry ABC has released monthly magazines all about buses and coaches while our website and eNewsletter continue to keep the industry updated each and every day. St Brigid’s Catholic Church in Gisborne is turning 150 this month with the parish preparing to mark the milestone with an upcoming Sunday mass The St Brigid’s Parish Gisborne working party has spent 10 months working to recognise the event with the church’s 150th anniversary falling on January 30 Parish and working party member Trish Armstrong said that part of the recognition included the unveiling of 220 named pavers at the front of the church this month engraved with the names of past and current parishioners and members of the St Brigid’s Catholic Primary School and Holy Cross Catholic Primary School communities “The pavers … [are] such a wealth of story “It’s been a privilege to be part of the working committee … it’s really offered opportunities for us to get together as a group of people … it’s been lovely,” she said “The people who share their stories … it doesn’t just make it one event … it connects them we’ve got storyboards … we’ve got a special mass celebration.” a historic gate from the former St Colmcille’s Church at Bullengarook will be installed at the site Ms Armstrong said that there have been many additions and alterations made to the church in its 150-year history and that it has been maintained as a “significant place.” “It’s one of the important landmarks of our town,” she said A Sunday mass with memorabilia displays and refreshments will be hosted from 11am–4pm at St Brigid’s Catholic Church All are invited to attend and the event will also be livestreamed Details: facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068049280933 Melbourne richlister and perenial The Block bidder Danny Wallis has come full circle opening a ride-on mower and chainsaw store in Gisborne in a nod to his first ever job as a kid Melbourne richlister and serial The Block bidder Danny Wallis is going back to his roots opening a ride-on mower and chainsaw store in a nod to his first job as a kid The IT entrepreneur started his working life cutting lawns and fixing mowers for about $6 a day in the 1980s so he could save up to buy a bike has a long list of business successes to his name and is regularly seen behind the wheel of high-end cars with 750 horsepower under the hood RELATED: Danny Wallis: How the man known as the ‘serial Block bidder’ made his millions The Block serial buyer and one of Australia’s biggest investors’ negative gearing warning ‘Devestated’: Why tradies refuse to work on The Block Lately he’s been extolling the “therapeutic” benefits of driving a 24Hp ride-on mower to clip the lawns of the Gisborne holiday home he bought off The Block in 2022 This week he opened Gisborne Mowers and Chainsaws — after buying out a recently closed local business Mr Wallis is hoping the Robinson St shop will help make the childhood hustle that got him started on his path to business success more accessible to amateurs relocating it from a nearby industrial estate as well as planning classes on more basic repairs and maintenance Wallis owns two luxury homes in the Gisborne area “I have been getting a bit more hands on in businesses lately something to keep my brain active and busy,” Mr Wallis said “And mowing feels very much like it hasn’t moved much “As a kid I probably did think I would own a mower shop but I just went past that straight to bigger business.” With a lawn career that’s now straddled decades Mr Wallis said his advice for other entrepreneurial youngsters firing up the mower around their neighbourhood on the weekend was simple not over them — not like I did when I was a younger,” he said Another of Wallis’ homes in the Gisborne area While he had been hoping to avoid buying any more Victorian properties as he disagrees with the government’s tax policies Mr Wallis said he’d made an exception for the business as he believed enterprise was a better bet in the state today than real estate in his eyes “And it will mean I can get the mowers serviced without going to Daylesford Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox MORE: Bachelor star Sam Wood and wife Snezana trying to buy sprawling Brighton home Angus & Julia Stone: ARIA Award-winning singer Julia Stone lists Melbourne apartment Melbourne: Home’s cheeky bedroom mural by famous artist David Bromley titillates buyers realcommercial.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. RELATED: Danny Wallis: How the man known as the ‘serial Block bidder’ made his millions The Block serial buyer and one of Australia’s biggest investors’ negative gearing warning ‘Devestated’: Why tradies refuse to work on The Block Lately he’s been extolling the “therapeutic” benefits of driving a 24Hp ride-on mower to clip the lawns of the Gisborne holiday home he bought off The Block in 2022 Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox MORE: Bachelor star Sam Wood and wife Snezana trying to buy sprawling Brighton home Angus & Julia Stone: ARIA Award-winning singer Julia Stone lists Melbourne apartment Melbourne: Home’s cheeky bedroom mural by famous artist David Bromley titillates buyers The Gisborne and District Lions Club is looking forward to delivering another great Gisborne Festival for the town and surrounding communities This free community event will be held today The festival kicks off at 4.30pm on Gardiner Reserve with live music by local group GSM and musician David Allen and entertainment including the Bendigo Chinese Lions There will be a range of free activities for children including face painting There will also be a variety of market and food stalls The street parade begins at 6pm with 35 participants including a range of community groups The festival will conclude at 9.15pm with a spectacular fireworks display would not have been possible without 10 major sponsors and 20 other businesses who have also supported the festival The Lions Club estimates that about 4500 people will again attend this major community event The Bombers soared into Gisborne Primary School for a visit with year three students offering students a moment they won’t forget The visit was part of the Essendon Football Club’s AFL Community Camp where groups of players visited 10 schools across Gisborne the visits aim to further deepen connections within the community and are a great opportunity for players to connect to young students Visiting Gisborne Primary School on Monday were club captain and five-time best and fairest winner Zach Merrett midfielder Elijah Tsatas and rookie Jayden Nguyen the students asked players about topics including life on and off the field Bryan told Star Weekly that it’s important to visit schools like Gisborne Primary to connect with younger fans “We’ve got so many amazing fans out in these regions so it’s always good to come out here,” he said “I still remember when I was younger seeing AFL players come to my primary school and how amazing that was so to be able to give back to the young fans … is always good.” Some student fans even brought along their own Essendon guernseys The school’s physical education coordinator Anna Allen said that it was an awesome experience having the players visit the school and they absolutely loved seeing the players up close and personal,” she said “The students asked lots of questions and were encouraged by the players to enjoy the sport try their best and use their losses as opportunities to improve their performance.” Te Wharau School is the best school in Gisborne according to listeners of The Hits radio station Te Wharau School is celebrating after being named the best school in Gisborne The accolade comes after a week-long competition at The Hits radio station in which listeners nominated and voted for their school of preference Being named Gisborne’s best school “was a humbling experience and has built some real pride in being part of Te Wharau” highlighted just how connected and passionate the Te Wharau community is “It was a proud moment and really affirms what we already know and love about our kura – to see that our community loves our school as much as we do is very special.” At the heart of the win was a school culture grounded in people and relationships inclusive and proud school that always puts our tamariki and whānau first Relationships are at the core of everything we do – we know our kids While there was no physical prize for the competition “This win is not just for the school – it’s for the entire Te Wharau community who lift each other up every day,” Harris said “We’re proud to represent our community with aroha “This award isn’t about being the flashiest or biggest school – it’s about heart “Te Wharau is a special place and we are really proud that our community feels this Construction on a $55 million upgrade of the Gisborne Recycled Water Plant in Victoria with testing now underway ahead of the facility coming into service later this year The upgrade to the Greater Western Water (GWW) facility will more than double the plant’s capacity to treat wastewater from Gisborne where the combined population is expected to grow by 38 per cent by 2035 The plant produces Class B recycled water for local farmers and recreational grounds said the upgrade is essential to meet the needs of the growing area “We’re investing in the Gisborne Recycled Water Plant now so we can continue to provide essential services to our community now and for generations to come,” said Burton “The upgrade uses energy-efficient technology that will reduce energy usage by 40 per cent when operating at the same capacity as the old plant while also reducing plant noise and odour for nearby residents.” delivered in partnership with engineering company Service Stream is part of GWW’s infrastructure delivery program to meet growing demand and secure water and wastewater services into the future For more information, www.gww.com.au/ Researchers at Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA) have developed a roadmap to help Australian food and beverage businesses shift.. Performance sustainability and software solutions group AMCS has deepened its Australian market presence with the acquisition of Mandalay Technologies The demanding tasks found on waste management sites require powerful All content published on this site is the property of Prime Creative Media A rendered image of the new-look isite provided by architects Warren and Mahoney Gisborne’s isite will undergo a significant makeover in the coming weeks to align its look and feel with the Visitor Information Network around New Zealand funded jointly by Trust Tairāwhiti and the Ministry of Business will modernise the isite to enhance the experience and offerings for locals and visitors alike Because of the potential relocation of the isite identified as a key project in the trust’s city centre revitalisation work the upgrades will focus on modular joinery and fixtures that can be easily relocated “We’re excited to see this long-awaited project come to life and elevate our isite experience for visitors,” Trust Tairāwhiti regional destination manager Holly Hatzilamprou said “The isite is often the first port of call for visitors to the region so it’s important that our local isite branding is cohesive and consistent with the wider network “Over 90,000 people pass through the isite doors annually – many of whom are locals – who will get to benefit from the upgraded facility.” Part of the upgrades will involve extending the floor space available for rental opportunities and shared working New advertising packages will be available for local business promotion “The main goal is to create a more welcoming and functional space for our visitors ensuring Tairāwhiti remains a desirable travel destination,” Hatzilamprou said “This will benefit the economy through increased spending and support the sustainability of the national isite network.” the mini-putt facility will be closed to allow contractor access The refurbishments will likely be completed by the end of May The 2025 season is just around the corner so EDFL Media will be previewing each club heading into Round One we chat to Gisborne coaches Bernie Marantelli and Phil Hawkes who provide some insights on their 2025 campaign Coaches: Bernie Marantelli and Phil Hawkes "This pre-season we've focused on building fitness and game toughness supporting the playing group to understand and implement fast and ensuring our new players feel welcome and connected to the club "We want to be strategic about how we train and how we communicate to reinforce structure and game plan." "Amanda Crooks and Olivia Peterson will really step up their game this year and be ones to watch Alexia Todorovic is a welcome addition as she exhibits good strength and attack at the ball and Belinda Hateley have joined us from Kyneton Women's and are always solid and smart footballers Luce Lenius will be a great addition as a utility being a new recruit and new to football "We want to make sure our two playing groups can come together to have a successful season where they grow as players and a group but also have a lot of fun and bond as a united playing group players can improve and get the most out of their football." ON THE RECORD WITH BERNIE MARANTELLI AND PHIL HAWKES Steph Brancatisano and Shannon McFerran are loyal to the club and a key reason Bernie came across Skye Sinclair does all the jobs that don't get the accolades and doesn't complain Bernie also would like to shout out President Nat Korinfsky who has worked tirelessly Player most likely to become a coach one day Peta Turnbull and Amanda Crooks (already started!) Teagan Ainslie and Steph Brancatisano without a doubt Phil: 90 per cent of the match is played in your head Gisborne is back in the senior women's ranks after a one-year hiatus and is raring to go in Division Two Women's football legend Bernie Marantelli was last year announced as coach and will be joined by Phil Hawkes who joins the club with Kyneton senior players in 2025 It's exciting to have Gisborne back in the competition in an off-field victory hopefully some on-field success can come with it There was plenty of keen competition on the bridge tables this week April 28 – Sean Shivnan Pharmacy Championship Pairs 3 Howell Movement: Katrine Matthews/Hans van der Kuijl 59.05; John Hudson/Vicki Taylor 58.57; Eileen Lee/Ann McCombe 57.50; Bette Parker/Beverley Evans 55.24; Vicki Nickerson/Frank Roach 53.33; Helen Kerisome/Joy Marden 50.95 North/South: Carolyn McMurray/Elizabeth Jackson 69.01; Robyn Cheyne/Eileen Lee 60.68; Beverley Evans/Bette Parker 56.25; Katrine Matthews/Glenys Evans 53.91 East/West: Ann McCombe/Vicki Taylor 68.18; Caroline Taylor/Anne Roberts 56.25; Avril Gibb/Brent Turnbull 55.40; Caroline Kirkpatrick/Liston Meintjes 53.41 May 1 – Ryman Kiri Te Kanawa Village Junior Championship Pairs 3 Howell Movement: Leigh Gibson/Jenna Paterson 64.29; Kuba Jerabek/Tracy Clayton 58.33=; Tina Gai/Dinyar Gai 58.33=; Pamela Clay/Mark Fleming 55.56; Sharon Kelman/Linda White 54.63 Howell Movement: Anne Roberts/Bette Parker 67.19; Elizabeth Jackson/Glenys Evans 59.90; Brent Turnbull/Vincelle Marvin 55.36; Janine Robinson/Joy Marden 52.60; Margaret Amor/Annabelle Sutton 48.81 In an exciting new chapter for women’s football the Kyneton Women’s Football Club and the Gisborne Football Netball Club women’s football team have announced a new partnership for the 2025 season Both clubs have come together to form a hybrid team—Gisborne-Kyneton United—to compete in the Essendon District Football League committed clubs with shared values of inclusivity Both clubs have a rich history of success and pride and this partnership presents an exciting opportunity to elevate their women’s football programs in the region having featured in the Riddell League grand final in both 2023 and 2024 The team won their first premiership in the inaugural year of the RDFNL 2023 senior women’s competition dissatisfied with gender equity at Kyneton FNC decided to form their own club at the end of last season the GFNC women’s team has demonstrated a strong commitment to growth and achievement quickly gaining recognition for its player development programs The club has also worked with talented coach and VWFL life member Bernie Marantelli to relaunch their senior women’s program for 2025 Gisborne-Kyneton United will combine the best elements of both clubs experience and resources to form a competitive team for the 2025 season This partnership will foster a stronger environment for player development while emphasising community and teamwork “It’s a really exciting time for both clubs,” said Natalie Korinfsky president of the Kyneton Women’s Football Club “This partnership with Gisborne allows us to grow both of our women’s teams together for the season sustainable and competitive moving forward This collaboration will give our players the opportunity to stay together in 2025 while also learning from the talented players and leaders at Gisborne FNC.” “We’ve been eager to grow our women’s football program and this partnership is a fantastic way to do that,” he said “The shared values between our clubs are undeniable and we’re looking forward to what we can achieve together in 2025 This is a huge step forward for both our teams and our local women’s football communities.” This partnership will last for the 2025 EDFL season with the Kyneton Women’s Football Club planning to reapply for the RDFNL in 2026 While the collaboration will span just one season both clubs hope this partnership will pave the way for continued growth and greater opportunities in the region “We see this as a unique opportunity to build something special,” added Kyneton’s coach our focus will be on creating the best environment for our players we’ll work hard to return to the RDFNL for 2026 and Gisborne will undoubtedly continue to grow with their revamped women’s football program Both clubs will carry valuable lessons learned from this partnership as we continue to develop our women’s football programs.” spoke highly of the first combined training session “It was fantastic to see both the Gisborne and Kyneton players coming together There was a high level of motivation and commitment to working collaboratively and inclusively – See our Football and Netball Liftout in tomorrow’s Midland Express for more about the squad We're sorry but the page you're looking for is not on our website with the state government aiming to improve public transport services and access in the region and introduced a fixed-two-way loop service with no booking required and a pre-booked service direct from Bullengarook to Gisborne Station Routes 473 and 474 will be replaced with new routes 73 and 74 aiming to create a simple and fixed two-way loop around Gisborne The pre-booked service from Bullengarook to Gisborne Station via town centre will have more services on weekdays and new weekend services It will be available for four return trips per weekday Bookings for this route can be made on the Gisborne Transit website and must be made by 6pm the day prior to travel The state government said the introduction of the new bus network “follows extensive community consultation,” with local feedback proposing the loop to be extended past the station to pick up and drop students off at Holy Cross Primary School Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas said that “local voices have helped us shape the new bus network.” Information regarding the new services can be found on the Public Transport Victoria (PTV) website with the Independence Unit Cup they won on Sunday came to Gisborne last weekend and it was a blast Music from sideline speakers accompanied the onfield action and the support from spectators rivalled anything heard at Eastern Premiership games this season Skill levels ranged from Eastern League second division to Eastern Premiership Four teams contested the Independence Unit Cup played a round robin at Childers Road Reserve on Sunday The day’s competition culminated in a final between the Waikato and Gisborne Zimbabwean teams Gisborne won a penalty shootout 3-1 after their goalkeeper thanks to goals from left-winger Joseph Sithole (2) and right-winger Allan Kamote Kamaki Gisborne’s first-half goal came from Kudzai Ziwakaya Second-half strikes from Waseem Mohammed and Gibson Simon took the game to penalties The Zimbabwean community in Gisborne is about 20 families strong About 15 of those families take part in local football cricket and football share top billing for sporting popularity but the Gisborne Zimbabweans are heavily weighted in favour of football at the moment Organisers of the Gisborne tournament included Innocent Nyasha and former Gisborne Thistle player Max Mika who played for the Auckland team and scored four goals during the tournament is player-coach of Papakura City’s third team He was playing for the Auckland team at the last Zimbabwean tournament held in Auckland at Labour Weekend last year and won by the hosts The next Zimbabwean football tournament is scheduled for Labour Weekend at a venue yet to be confirmed In excess of 400 runs in successive matches has boosted Gisborne’s confidence with McIntyre Cup finals coming up from 80 overs against Rupertswood at Gardiner Reserve on Saturday was highlighted by 154 (174 balls — 23 fours and a six) by run machine Riley Vernon Gisborne welcomed back captain Jarryd Vernon who had been sidelined through injury and he compiled 55 in ominous signs for opposition bowlers in the finals Rupertswood’s slim chance of figuring in the finals would need a remarkable batting performance on the second day’s play Top team Woodend encountered more opposition from Broadford batters than in the previous round with the visitors making 259 with half centuries from Gareth Sharp and Jake Zerella Warren Else continued his good form with 4-48 Woodend batters now have the challenge of ensuring they go into the finals on a winning note highlighted by 93 from free-scoring Thomas Boyer at number four Taylor Stevenson and Chris Burkett also got among the runs and another century from Alex Browne would put the Redbacks under pressure Bottom side Sunbury Kangaroos compiled 231 against fourth-placed Sunbury United with Jason King scoring 100 and paceman Senura Perara capturing 6-68 in the best bowling performance for the day There was plenty of action across the five lower grade grand finals played on Saturday There was a thriller between Lancefield and Riddell then defended the total to win by six runs despite Hayden Castle making an unbeaten 75 for the Bombers Man of the match was wicketkeeper Lachlan Mitchell who scored a fine 61 for the Tigers and combined in a vital partnership with captain-coach Alan Sinclair who made 33 Malmsbury skipper Matt Cox inspired his side by making 82 and taking three wickets in the Jensen 2nds grand final against Rupertswood Peter Bosanko was the star for Woodend in the Jensen 3rds grand final compiling an unbeaten 65 and taking three wickets against Sunbury Kangaroos And Sunbury Kangaroos could only manage 9/119 Gisborne won a one-sided grand final against Lancefield The Dragons scored 224 from their 35 overs and bundled Lancefield out for 113 in 24.5 overs Steven Freeth scored an unbeaten 51 for the winners and Bailey Freeth made 32 and then captured 4-15 won the Club South grand final by scoring 6/210 c.c. Gisborne District Cricket Association match scores from Saturday include: Vernon 55) v Rupertswood; Broadford 259 (G Browne 3-90) v Macedon; Sunbury Kangaroos 231 (J Sheahan 58) d Broadford 84 — Sheahan 3-12); Rupertswood 202 (B D Kilmore 120; East Sunbury 6/107 c.c lost to Wallan 6/108; Aintree 156 d East Sunbury 6/107 Wittingham 56) d East Sunbury 8/176; Aintree 9/176 d Diggers Rest/Bulla 9/155 d Riddell 6/163; Jensen 2nds — Malmsbury 7/194 d Rupertswood 8/181; Jensen 3rds — Woodend 7/169 d Sunbury Kangaroos 9/119; Club North — Gisborne 224 d Lancefield 113; Club South — Harkness 6/210 d Rupertswood 125