as well as a separate modern two-bedroom apartment The purpose-built and well-maintained property in a suburban quarter of Whitianga is home to Mercury Bay Preschool Sitting on a flat site with unobstructed street views and dual entry/exit points the 986-square metre Kupe Drive premise has a substantial customer parking yard for drop offs and pickups Mercury Bay Preschool operates Monday to Friday between 8am–5pm with up to seven staff caring for youngsters – providing 20-hours free ECE care for children aged three years and older and then charging out $7.85 per hour per child being cared for Latest Data from the Ministry of Education reports that the number of Kiwi children attending licensed early childhood services increased by six percent in the year to June 2023 Occupancy rates for education and care centres nationally remained at 77 percent amongst survey respondents Situated above Mercury Bay Preschool in the 322-square metre building is a comfortable two-bedroom apartment which is sublet by the head tenant The tenancy within 58 Kupe Drive generates annual rental revenue of $91,950 plus GST and outgoings The building was constructed to a high standard in 2008 Mercury Bay Preschool is on a current lease at the property with three further four-year rights of renewal The freehold land and two-storey building at 58 Kupe Drive on the fringe of Whitianga’s central business district are now being marketed for sale at auction on May 22 through Bayleys Whitianga Salesperson Josh Smith says that while the apartment is currently sublet by Mercury Bay Preschool the tenant is open to signing over the residential portion of the premises to any new owner of the property Smith says that Whitianga’s continuing prosperity and population growth is being underpinned by the recent announcement of a large-scale 21-hectare residential development along Wells Place sitting adjacent to the town’s existing urban boundary just a few streets back from the golden sands of Buffalo Beach Smith was responsible for the sale of the Wells Place development site earlier this year and says the developer was highly enthused about the town’s long-term economic future and young families coming to Whitianga for employment in the likes of the tourism people will need somewhere to live and daycare services such as those provided by Mercury Bay Preschool will be in demand,” he said Aligning with Smith’s assessment of the location’s demographics Thames Coromandel District Council’s Economic Development Strategy Towards 2028 paper notes: “The Thames-Coromandel area is currently experiencing higher than projected population growth from net migration as people look to districts for more affordable housing options and an improved lifestyle.” The Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that a police officer's actions during the arrest of a man in Whitianga were unjustified A skateboard-wielding man suspected of family harm and aggravated robbery used his board to smash the windscreen of a police patrol car when officers arrived at an apartment to arrest him he was sent flying through the air as an officer who claimed to have shattered glass in his eyes and to be fearing for his life The officer then got out of the vehicle and punched the man in the head seven times While the man was convicted of intentional damage and intentionally injuring the officer the officer was acquitted of common assault and assault with intent to injure when he defended the charges at a judge-alone trial last year Today, however, the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) has released its report on the March 2023 incident in Whitianga following an investigation into the officer’s conduct two officers went to an apartment complex in Whitianga following a call from the man’s ex-partner While a check on the police database confirmed he was also wanted in connection to an alleged aggravated robbery the officers checked on the family instead of pursuing him they received another call regarding the man The officers decided to return and arrest him in relation to the robbery with one driving to the scene and the other approaching on foot from another direction As the first officer drove into the carpark yelling and raising his skateboard before striking the windscreen and the driver’s window The officer was covered in shattered glass Although he initially started driving away he decided to turn back out of concern that the man would attack the second officer Upon seeing the man again walking towards him holding the skateboard the officer rammed him with the patrol car flipped upside down and landed upright between the front of the Police car and the fence.” The officer then got out of his car and punched him seven times in the head before the second officer arrived and handcuffed the man While the authority accepted that the officer acted in defence of himself and the second officer when he rammed the man with his car it found his response was a disproportionate and unjustified use of force considering that “the slightest miscalculation or loss of control could have resulted in a fatality” the authority did not accept that the officer genuinely believed the man still posed a threat Relieving Waikato District Commander Superintendent Scott Gemmell said police accepted the IPCA’s findings Gemmell said it was a confronting and unpredictable situation for the officer involved “Our investigation and subsequent legal advice found the force used was excessive and as such the officer was charged,” he said in a statement “An employment investigation remains ongoing and we cannot comment on the specifics for privacy reasons.” Gemmell confirmed the officer is still working for the New Zealand Police Tara Shaskey joined NZME in 2022 as a news director and Open Justice reporter She has been a reporter since 2014 and previously worked at Stuff covering crime and justice The Festival of Consent runs until Sunday with events including talks and a dance party My Vaccine Pass requirements have not been set for this event Auckland based alternative rock band have their debut Whitianga show on the 7th of January live at The Monkey House Frank On Tap are ready to bring their powerful live performance to Whitianga for the first time in the heat of the summer!Support TBA The Whitianga Oceans Festival attracted about 2500 people over the weekend Hot on the heels of its recent NZ Event Awards win, the Whitianga Oceans Festival celebrated another success last weekend The festival won the event award in the category best sustainability initiative in August and attracted more than 2500 people to the Coromandel town last Saturday for a taste of local cuisine and live entertainment Festival marketing manager Clare Tod said the idea for the festival came from a Destination Coromandel staff member who wanted to create an event to draw people to the eastern seaboard in the shoulder periods and thought seafood could help captivate people’s attention he gathered a small group of keen locals together to form a committee and the event was born in 2005,” Tod said and the organisation and running of the event has continued with keen locals who volunteer their time to make this event happen “All coming from a desire to promote Whitianga and recognising the importance of bringing income earning opportunities to the region in the quieter.. Tod said while Covid-19 had a large impact with the festival being cancelled between 2020 and 2022 this year’s running marked a successful day for vendors and community groups after organisers revived the festival in 2023 The event is now overseen by a voluntary Mercury Bay committee and delivered by local event contractors people had lots of fun; it was a good vibe.” Planning for this year’s event began a year in advance with months of behind-the-scenes preparations “Its economic impact on the Mercury Bay region is over $1 million,” Tod said cafes and bars and gets the retail tills ringing; the festival also incorporates many community groups providing a service to the festival or having a food stall the event would celebrate “pure Coromandel goodness” and had been named one of New Zealand’s iconic food and wine festivals “It features Kiwi bands playing the hits people know and love entertainers including stilt walkers and street performers alongside quirky interactive games incorporating a selection of tasty dishes matched with refreshing beverages.” Highlights of the 2024 programme included Mullet Man and Mim Tod said the 2024 event featured a new addition of a VIP section “It was a very popular and well received addition with 100 VIPs indulging in the festival and being treated to two cooking demonstrations and tasty food from local restaurant Blue Ginger.” -Waikato News How do you feel about Tauranga’s rapid population growth Back to top Whitianga is being called on to have its say on how best to improve the town’s wharf but costs and timelines are yet to be determined in what looks set to be a multimillion-dollar project Thames-Coromandel District Council has released six concept plans for the redevelopment project but says specific details around costs timelines and funding streams are not available until at least the end of the week as the project manager is on leave the council said the concept plans had been broken into three avenues: improvements to marine structures improvements to the waterfront area and improvements to the Robinson Rd boat ramp area The first concept would see a new public pier with the existing wharf dedicated to fishing activities Concept two would see the existing wharf expanded to create separate public/commercial use Concept three would see a multi-use open space with the creation of a reinforced grassed area for boat trailer parking and events Concept four would see the waterfront playground relocated to nearby Taylors Mistake and the area used for boat trailer parking and events Concept five would see an upgrade of the Robinson Rd boat ramp and trailer parking improvements while concept six would also feature a new jetty and pontoon The project was first included in the council’s 2018-2028 Long Term Plan (LTP) with a capital budget of $7 million anticipated over two years across 2023/24 and 2024/25 the capital budget was increased to $12m and the timing pushed out to three years between 2027/28 and 2029/30 The council said the proposed changes would address long-standing safety issues regarding multiple users being in a limited space and allow for growth in activity “The concept plans were borne from the wants and needs of primary users of the areas.” The Mercury Bay Community Board had identified the need for community engagement which was the main driver for stage one of the project as buy-in from the stakeholders and wider community was required for its success the council had been having discussions with a range of waterfront users and businesses to listen to their needs in the early stages of exploring options for the Esplanade redevelopment in order to work out what the viable options to take to the wider community for feedback might be Discussions had included the Mercury Bay Business Association and there had been ongoing conversations with members of user focus groups 'The team have nailed it – it’s a strategy that everyone can understand.' these Sydney-side cretins of cool been caning the floor boards & stages since they were pre-teens it’s a mix of blunt street level Ocker humour as only Aussies can deliver Thin Lizzy/Rose Tattoo twin guitar assault & a singing drummer who carries the same vibe as a young Ross Knight of the Cosmic Psychos all thrills primal rock that’s carving holes through minds & planting feet in backsides globally right now Sydney's very own hard-biting rockers; C.O.F.F.I.N are a four piece boogie rock ‘n’ roll band featuring snarling lead vocals from behind the drum kit and steady rhythms that keep you stomping along.With an infectious hip-shaking groove punk live show and a commanding voice of political activism C.O.F.F.I.N has captivated a passionate following and widespread acclaim across the globe They’ve clocked hundreds of high velocity performances countless headlinetours and unforgettable festival appearances and has shared the stage with iconic and influential bands such as Amyl and the Sniffers and the Hard-Ons to name a few.Exploring song themes on their own Australian experience C.O.F.F.I.N voice their juxtaposition between the serenity and beauty of the stolen lands we walk and live as well as the harrowing social injustices and prejudice that is deeply ingrained within Australian culture Every performance is a platform and an opportunity to voice for positive cultural change and there is never a stage too large or small to challenge and confront outdated yet modern Australian-ideals.C.O.F.F.I.N have recorded and released five studio albums Their most recent LP entitled ‘Australia Stops’ debuting at #2 on the Australian ARIA Charts winning ‘Best Hard Rock/Heavy Album’ at the National Live Music Awards and an end-of-year appearance at the highly cherished Meredith Music Festival the band received higher global recognition and acclaim reaching #5 in Vive Le Rock’s top 50 albums of the year of 2023 (UK) plus features in Rolling Stone (France) and Visions Magazine (Germany) With an unquenchable thirst for adventure and discovery C.O.F.F.I.N have set out on several international tours across the USA They’ve joined esteemed international festival bills such as Wide Awake Festival (UK) Palp Festival (Switzerland) and SonicBlast Festival (Portugal) amongst many others.Tags: coffin The Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that a police officer's actions during the arrest of a man in Whitianga were unjustified who had shattered glass in his eyes and claimed to be fearing for his life Today, however, the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) has released its report on the March 2023 incident in Whitianga following an investigation into the officer’s conduct The authority has ruled the officer was unjustified in his actions two officers went to the man’s apartment complex in Whitianga to arrest him on suspicion of aggravated robbery One officer drove to the scene while the second approached on foot from another direction yelling and raising his skateboard before striking the windscreen and the driver’s window The officer was covered in shattered glass which got into his eyes and The man became airborne before landing between the car and a fence considering that “the slightest miscalculation or loss of control could have resulted in a fatality” Relieving Waikato District Commander Superintendent Scott Gemmell said police accepted the IPCA’s findings “Our investigation and subsequent legal advice found the force used was excessive and as such the officer was charged,” he said in a statement “An employment investigation remains ongoing and we cannot comment on the specifics for privacy reasons.” Coromandel has welcomed the return of the Summer Concert Tour with Cold Chisel, Icehouse, Bic Runga, and Everclear taking the stage in Whitianga It was good news as uncertainty over the Coromandel roading network left Whitianga off the Summer Concert Tour for a second year in a row in 2024 Organisers confirmed that the 2025 tour attracted 40,000 people to shows held in Queenstown Taupō and Whitianga over the last two weekends Weather forecasts threatened to put a dampener on the Whitianga leg of the tour yesterday as the Coromandel was hit by storms early in the day The starting time was delayed by one hour due to the rain and thousands poured into Whitianga Waterways There would have been significant economic benefits for the town and wider Coromandel over the long weekend Opening act Vegas Brown suffered some issues at the end of their set as the sound went down Everclear shared a lot of banter with the audience during an enthusiastic set while Bic Runga was less about the show and more about the music Icehouse glowed with a multimedia spectacular which included scenic footage of Australia during their anthemic Great Southern Land I was fortunate to get a spot at the sound desk during their first couple of songs for a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes Crowd favourites Cold Chisel lifted the venue as frontman Jimmy Barnes exercised his powerful vocal cords Greenstone Entertainment chief executive Amanda Calvert said: “Our heartfelt thanks to all the incredible artists who performed on the 15th anniversary Summer Concert Tour “Cold Chisel who bought their milestone ‘The Big-50′ tour to New Zealand; Icehouse who joined us for one more ride following their 2017 run; and to our new friends special thanks to the 40,000 fans who sang and danced their days off we are endlessly grateful for your continued support We look forward to bringing you another epic line-up of artists in 2026 The Whitianga leg of the 2023 tour was cancelled after extensive damage to State Highway 25A from severe weather As the Coromandel worked hard to fix its infrastructure after the severe weather, Cyclone Gabrielle blew a big event opportunity Hamilton’s way The Hamilton concert in 2024 was a one-off and was not repeated in 2025 Experience the Ultimate live Summer Indie night at The Monkey House Whitianga Chart topping Mt Maunganui band Mirage play their original music & covers by Mako Road Sticky Fingers & Billie Eilish + some unreleased tracks In 2024 Mirage emerged as a must see live act at various music festivals such as Soundslash & One Love & opened for some of the countries hottest act (Summer Thieves The band released their song Summer Wont be the Same to radio The track reached No.1 on the NZ Hot Singles chart & recently became the most added song to New Zealand radio Kick off the Mirage Summer Tour & chill out to some hazy summer vibes with Mirage playing thier chart topping original hits and interpretations of tracks by Mako Road Then kick on with a live DJ until closing at 1am This show is has limited capacity & will sell out so secure your tickets early A young Whitianga boy was terrified after feeling an insect crawl inside his ear and wriggle around inside Mother Rozemarije de Ronde told the Herald her 9-year-old son was scared “because there’s a lot of people saying that insects can chew through your brain” insects crawling into your ear were more common than many would believe as her son was not the only person she knew who had experienced it De Ronde said her son was playing outside on the last day of school when he felt something crawl into his ear He went to the sickbay and his mother was immediately called to take him to the doctor “When we went to the doctor right after it happened .. they couldn’t see any insect legs or wings “It actually came across like they didn’t believe my son.” De Ronde took her son to another clinic where they discovered a Christmas beetle in his ear canal “I could make an appointment with the mobile ear specialist .. “A Christmas bug had been stuck in his ear “It stopped moving – probably died – within half an hour from when it crawled in An ear specialist eventually sucked the bug out with a small vacuum and pair of tweezers while her son writhed in pain leaving it inflamed and requiring antibiotics to avoid infection De Ronde has schooled herself on what to do if it happened again and has advice on how to get an insect out in similar circumstances she advised going into a completely darkened room and shining a torch at the person’s head a lubricant would be a good way to try to get it out De Ronde said the ear specialist told her saline solution was the best lubricant to use but an oil would do Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022 Sign up to The Daily H a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday Banana Mundo’s Farewell Groove: Dance into 2025 with Latin and AfrobeatBanana Mundo is hitting the road for a few more epic shows before we say goodbye Join us to celebrate the New Year and dance into 2025 with our infectious Latin and Funk vibes.Catch us on the 31st December at the Secret Garden for an unforgettable New Year's Eve bash with support from Disco Bush and Soulburn Funk.Then and on the 3rd January at the Colville Hall both with the amazing Soulburn Funk to keep the party going.About the BandsBanana Mundo is a collective of musicians from around the world officially the sunniest place in New Zealand this explosive 9-piece band will bring the sunshine to the stage with a danceable concoction of salsa and their own unique “Banana” sound.- “This is one helluva great band that knows how to make music to make you move!” — Jack from Flash-Trax- “This band is definitely up there with the likes of The Black Seeds etc...” — Jack from Flash-Trax- “Banana Mundo brings a wonderful mix of Latin vibes like salsa and cumbia to really induce those Latino hips we all know we have somewhere.” — Chris Chick to hang out and have fun to.” — Jack from Flash-Trax- “How can you argue with 'love Muzic.net.nzSoulburn Funk is a group of musos bonded by a love of the locked-in groove they bring the funk with covers of well-known songs—perfect for getting the crowd dancing all night long.For all details and ticket links head over to bananamundo.com.Let’s make these last shows a celebration to remember Fresh from extensive tours throughout America and Europe with fellow Ipecac Records bands the Melvins and Mr Bungle New York doom gazers Spotlights commence on their first ever tour of New Zealand this November Bringing a sound that moves between beautiful atmospherics to brutal heaviness mending melody over menace and sanity battling insanity Kiwi audiences can expect to see a band at the peak of their sound and genre on the back of last years critically acclaimed album Alchemy For The Dead helping to establish them as a world wide presence and a must see/tell your friends band all is not lost New Zealand as now is your chance to discover what will soon be your favourite band vocals) and Chris Enriquez (Drums) in 2009 they have since plugged away on tour after tour the group gained traction with their debut album earning coveted spots on tours with Deftones (we did say Chino is a fan) they caught the attention of Mike Pattons record label - Ipecac Recordings enjoying word of mouth amongst musicians to land outings with the Mr Consequence praised their “unique amalgam of sounds that is both heavy and heavenly,” Brooklyn Vegan said the band balances the pretty with metallic sludge and Invisible Oranges said the album “leans on the ambient and krautrock inspired edges of post-metal.” In the wake of their 2020 EP We Are All Atomic “That a band as heavy and romantic as Spotlights have become a fixture in the rock scene Is impressive; that they’ve done so in such a short period of time is tremendous.”Spotlights occupy the space between a push-and-pull of jarring metallic catharsis and sweeping distortion neither extreme ever completely tightens its grip allowing waves of melodic vocals and expressive sonic sorcery to breathe in the middle Allow yourselves to be swept up under this sound this November Spotlights will be joined on all shows by Threat.Meet.Protocol and guests.Tickets available from Undertheradar.co.nz is excited to announce the release of their latest single will be hosting a special release show at The Monkey House Lounge & Cabaret Bar featuring a lineup of friends and fellow musicians Attendees can look forward to live performances of grim!'s entire discography along with some of their favorite cover songs.The evening will kick off with a performance by the talented Francie Lidgard and the night will close with an electrifying DnB set by the gifted Lowly God it promises to be an enjoyable night for all.RUN TIMES:Francie Lidgard - 8:30grim - 9:30Lowly God - 11:00Pre-save link for under you - https://music.drm.co.nz/underyou-g By Malisha Kumar and Al Williams of Whitianga residents have described hearing two explosions Police are investigating after three vehicles were destroyed in Whitianga overnight A nearby resident said two explosions were heard about 3am Cooks Beach plumber Jamie Bramley was on the scene this morning and photographed the damage his father father-in-law and Coromandel photographer Alan Duff described the scene as "bloody awful" "You have to nip this type of thing in the bud." Police confirmed a witness called emergency services after hearing an explosion and seeing the glow of flames shortly after 3am "Attending fire crews discovered three vehicles had been set alight at the Ferry Landing on Panorama Avenue on the opposite side of the channel to Whitianga Wharf." Police said the road was closed while emergency services responded Fire and Emergency New Zealand responded to the incident just after 3am with crews from Cooks Beach and Hahei "Three cars were on fire and it took around 10 minutes to extinguish Fire crews responded with two pumps and one water tanker "A fire investigator is to attend the scene today," a FENZ spokesperson said Anyone with information is asked to contact Police via 105 and reference the file number 240717/0766 - This story was first published by the NZ Herald New Zealand RSS Follow RNZ News To celebrate another wonderful year of music and freshly released work will be performing her original songs on guitar Elsa (grand harp) and Kat (violin) from MORELS It will be a wonderful evening of soul soothing music that we can't wait to share with the beautiful Coromandel community - and whoever else that may make the worth while journey :)Music will start at 7.30pm and finish by 9pm - we could be in bed by 10pm dwells amongst the branches of indie folk and jazz the Ōtautahi born artist draws from the heart weaving the solace of dreams and reflections of life into a poetic soundscape and internationally renowned electronic artist TALI - is bringing a live and intimate show to a town near you - in celebration of an illustrious 25 year career and 20 years since she released her first album This event encompasses Tali's back catalogue of eight albums giving us a glimpse into the inspiration behind her songs Joining her onstage will be two of her long-time collaborators and band mates as well as the brillant Orlando Cooper on bass guitar Scene of fatal police shooting in Matamata As the year draws to a close, Waikato Herald is taking stock of 2024 reporter Danielle Zollickhofer looks at the top stories each month Nationally, February 2024 was the month Warner Bros. Discovery released their proposal to shut down Newshub Also, petrol stations experienced nationwide self-service pump outages due to a software problem caused by the leap year However, in Waikato, a Whitianga rest home made headlines when six residents died after a third of residents and staff were infected with Influenza A over a 12-day period Also, police fatally shot a man in Matamata after he presented a firearm fled from officers and entered a stranger’s home where he threatened a parent and child He was later named as Christopher Taukiri, of Hauraki and it was revealed he allegedly crossed the centreline of a road and killed his passenger and the driver of another car in August 2023 Other big stories in the region were the opening of the Maersk coldstore facility at Hamilton’s Ruakura Superhub and a Hamilton mother appealing to the public for more understanding for her special needs son Debbie Bennett’s adult son Shannon Wilson has a brain condition called pachygyria which causes big mood swings — and Shannon could be screaming to get his way which caused significant upset among their neighbours Since Bennett and Wilson moved to Hamilton in 2020 there have been several complaints to police and online remarks some of which urge her to take extreme measures — including violence — to curb the yelling Bennett said she tried educating people about her son’s condition Danielle Zollickhofer is a multimedia journalist based in Hamilton She joined NZME in 2021 and is writing for the Waikato Herald Get the latest Waikato headlines straight to your inbox Monday to Saturday. Register for free today - click here and choose Local News. Cold Chisel will headline the 2025 Summer Concert Tour Coromandel’s annual Summer Concert Tour was set to be held at a new site in 2025 but economic and weather woes have hampered progress and it won’t be ready the 2025 gig would be held at the Whitianga Waterways Arena on January 26 The Summer Concert Series has had a two-year break from Whitianga after storms and cyclones caused extensive damage to roads The Mercury Bay Community Board met on Wednesday to receive an updated report on the new festival site at Moewai Rd (Sherriff Block) by Whitianga Waterways Limited Greenstone Entertainment operations officer Dean Calvert confirmed the tour had been scheduled to be held at a new site in 2025 works at the new site wouldn’t be completed on time He also confirmed Greenstone Entertainment had committed to Whitianga as a Summer Concert Tour location for the next 10 years board member and Thames-Coromandel district councillor John Grant said a new venue for the 2026 event was a certainty in future years it will be a terrific facility that we will be able to use for more than just the Summer Concert Tour.” programme manager Lorenzo Canal confirmed completion of the site had been delayed by a range of factors including severe weather and economic downturn Hauraki Coromandel Post has contacted Whitianga Waterways for comment Canal said Thames-Coromandel District Council (TCDC) had worked with Whitianga Waterways and Greenstone Entertainment to make sure the 2025 Summer Concert could take place in Whitianga after it changed venue to Hamilton last year because of the weather events Greenstone confirmed the site used in previous years on Whitianga Waterways land would again be the venue for the 2025 concert It is one of the biggest events in Whitianga’s summer calendar with Greenstone Entertainment last month announcing dates and venues for the 2025 Summer Concert Tour The 2025 bill will feature Aussie rockers Cold Chisel and Icehouse Kiwi songstress Bic Runga and American rockers Everclear The council has a contract with Whitianga Waterways to build a concert venue at the Sherriff Block site in Whitianga using material excavated from its development sites in the town Canal said work would resume this month and be completed by October 2025 in time for the 2026 Summer Concert Tour “The completion of the site has been delayed due to a range of factors including severe weather and economic downturn; staff have been actively working with Whitianga Waterways to restart works to complete the site so that it is ready for the 2026 summer concert.” A variation to the agreement between the parties had been negotiated to have the site ready by no later than October 30 The civil engineering consultant engaged by Whitianga Waterways to design and provide construction monitoring of the site provided an updated report on the site construction programme works were scheduled to recommence with earthworks within the stage-one footprint Importation of topsoil was proposed from July 29 compaction and stabilising to the west of the site and mulching as necessary was programmed through to February 2025 with ongoing maintenance expected through to June 2025 Works were to be undertaken at Whitianga Waterways’ cost Waikato Regional Council had issued Whitianga Waterways a winter works consent for the May to October period with the acknowledgement that works might be started within that period The project’s regional consents remained valid The attached correspondence showed advice was given to the council in April 2024 about the temporary cessation of importation of topsoil from the Whitianga Waterways landholdings and associated earthworks on the festival site based on the economic downturn along with the obvious increased difficulties in continuing earthworks during winter periods was shaped with elevated ground formed and shaped in the stage-one footprint with surface water controls directing potential surface flows to sediment retention ponds All earthworks previously placed were well established in grass cover The flood bypass that diverted farm drains from upstream properties had been completed The site was serviced by a metalled access road “The site has performed well over the winter period to date.” Works within the site could start again quickly with a sediment retention pond already in place Works would include the importation and tipping of topsoil initially towards the western side of the stage-one site Existing ground in that area comprised unused watercourse and vegetation to enable controlled placement of imported topsoil Subsequent importation exercises would be made in the following months to form final grades at the southern concert stage area and eastern portions The proposed import volume was about 12,000m2 to 15,000m2 of topsoil to make up the intended 40,000m2 to achieve the proposed stage-one concert/festival platform At the southern end of the stage-one platform just to the south of the existing sediment retention pond a sand platform would be constructed with an elevated finished ground profile over an area of about 30m x 50m The sand platform was to provide competent ground strength for the stage-one festival stage area That sand platform would be suitable for the final stage-two works where the concert stage may be faced towards the south on the same footprint Whitianga Waterways had committed to completing stage-one works with the concert venue for the 2025 season having been committed to on its landholdings to facilitate the ongoing works The agreement between the council and Whitianga Waterways for the stage-one and stage-two works remained valid and Whitianga Waterways had committed to the completion of the stage-two works within the original agreement (10-year) timeframes the imperative to complete stage-one and hand over in suitable condition to enable 2026 concerts on the festival site is acknowledged and agreed.” Hundreds of boats took to Coromandel waters first thing this week for the Kubota Billfish Classic Protesters took to the sky in Whitianga to protest the Billfish Classic A group of people pooled money and rented an aeroplane flying over the start line of the fishing competition marine scientist and protest spokesman Thomas Everth said which ran for three days from March 12 to March 15 The tournament features over $1.7 million in prizes including $400,000 for the heaviest billfish jackpot options up to $1,575,000 and various category awards for tuna Marlin generally migrate through New Zealand waters and do not spend their lifetimes here “The greatest abundance is between December That’s when the peak of marlin visits happen here.” Because of increasing water temperatures due to climate change marlin numbers have increased around Aotearoa marlins are part of a species that is going down and down and down,” he said There has been a commercial moratorium on game fishing since 1987 because of concerns initiated by the bill fishing clubs about the dwindling numbers of marlins and many are tagged and put back into the water The deaths occur due to exhaustion and the aneurysms that happen in their hearts and so forth While NZ Sports Fishing spokesman Mike Plant is sympathetic to the protesters' cause he said in an email that the well-intentioned actions are directed in the wrong place Led by the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council (NZSFC) this was a hard-fought victory to prioritise the environment and rebuild the country’s billfish populations New Zealand is a global leader in billfish conservation the Billfish Moratorium was agreed upon,” he said The key pillars are commercial fishing of striped which has been banned within New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone and tagging and releasing a minimum of 50% of all billfish caught nationwide roughly 70% of all recreationally caught marlin are tagged and released,” Plant said The NZSFC echoes the protesters' worries about overfishing Billfish are highly migratory and travel through the South Pacific only spending a few months in New Zealand’s subtropical waters “Management of the marlin fishery is conducted jointly by neighbouring nations including Australia Plants said that less than 40 tonnes of marlin are estimated to be landed within New Zealand waters yearly “Yet commercially in the wider South Pacific fisheries area over 2400 tonnes are harvested by industrial surface longliners and commercial vessels yearly.” The NZSFC is not associated with the Billfish Classic but Plant said the event needs to be put into context all of the fish were shared with the community “This includes the heads and frames and offal maximum utilisation is another form of conservation.” The Billfish Classic had received plenty of support from the local community “We have had about 5000 people on the beach supporting us,” he said This is just a 'sport' that's far out of control - armed with all possible fish catching cheat-equipment they hit the ocean with all guns blazing like a massive shotgun blast to the ecosystem It all ends with back-slapping and bubbly This is so far out of the average citizens comfort zone that the entire 'competition' is just silly and irrelevant I think that even rich people are allowed to have some enjoyment in life but I think they should be allowed to do it if they want to We are all agreed about the conservational aspect of it Your point about "cheating" is a good one; I get annoyed by "heroes" who shoot a stag half a mile away with a telescopic sight and a high powered rifle then regale their friends with their prowess and put its head up as a trophy It is the same obscenity as tiger skin rugs (which are not obtainable any more.) I'm glad you posted NZ has a global reputation for it's game fishing dating back to the 30's or even in earlier While I don't like the idea of killing billfish and sharks I don't see why people should be prevented from following their passion by some lily-livered killjoys who look at the world purse mouthed and in sour disapproval Posted on 16-03-2025 21:26 | By Sea Sheppard An apalling and hypocritical example for the world as NZ has sold itself as 100% pure and considered world leading in conservation and sustainability including ironically the Mercury Bay Marine Reserve with 150,000 visitors a year (beats just 470 boats!) and yet this wanton plundering in the name of recreation is reminiscent of the whaling and sealing of NZs dark past and of 'The Grind' dolphins massacre in the Faroes how would people feel if it were dolphins in place of marlin and tuna My comment didn't venture into the money-pool yet it must be observed that 99.999% of New Zealanders would never risk the substantial cash 'tournament' entry fee in order to win in a contest that has more than a close resemblance to a quick-fire raffle and not a best-fish caught bragging-rights outing Why should we not be able to observe the difference between a laid-back 1920s billfish outing from Tauranga or Maketu and a 2020s money-fest where the 'catch' now takes second place to a pile of cold cash now reduced to a 21st century money and prize scramble at the judges tent Join us in an exploration of bass music.Seeking out interesting sonic textures Matt Rapid’s DJ sets span the broad spectrum of bass music His performances are a constantly shifting adventure of jungle found sounds and thick hefty bass and wild rhythms with unique genre bending mashups and underpinned by hefty rolling basslines and dance in all directions!Supported by:Kia Maia - with his unique style of lively Latin house and breakbeat.Tiny Diva - playing beautiful organic Whitianga residential properties are about to be charged for the water they use Whitianga residential properties are about to go live with water meters with ratepayers now subject to user-pays charges Thames-Coromandel District Council confirmed water meters had been installed on almost all properties in Whitianga and that set charges will change from July 1 when property owners will be billed for water depending on the volume they use Funding of $4.8 million was received by the council from the Department of Internal Affairs to install the meters on the Whitianga and Whangamatā water supply systems and endorsed by the council at its last meeting of the year in 2020 Whitianga property owners would have two water charges instead of the current one The set charge that property owners pay for their water supply would drop by almost 50 per cent property owners would be charged for water depending on the volume they use A Thames-Coromandel District Council spokesperson confirmed the drop as a “bit less than 50 per cent depending on what is set in the Long-Term Plan (LTP) process currently under way” Council infrastructure group manager Mo Imtiaz said water metering had proven to be a valuable tool for tracking water loss and accurately measuring water volumes reaching consumer properties “We can make savings through locating major leaks and working with them to look at ways to better manage and conserve water.” The name of the set charge on rates notices would change from the current Whitianga Water Serviced to Whitianga Water Serviced/Metered The rate would cover the maintenance and upkeep of water supply infrastructure and the operation of the local water treatment plant Property owners would be charged from July 1 for the amount of water they used at a rate proposed in the draft LTP of $1.62/cubic metre (1000 litres) there would be no water consumption charge A separate rate notice for the volumetric charge would be issued to ratepayers twice yearly not all properties had water meters installed most of them were sites that were a bit more complex due to unbundling work required Unbundling meant separating the water connections where one connection was shared for multiple properties and unbundling work normally required more time due to the complexity A project had been submitted in the 2024-34 draft LTP for water metering unbundling and if approved it would be scheduled from 2027/28 to 2030/31 those properties would continue to be charged the full water serviced set charge ($803.90 in the 2023/24 year) Thames townships and commercial properties in Whitianga are already metered Whitianga Esplanade is to be redeveloped in what looks set to be a multimillion-dollar project A $10,000 barrier arm has been installed at Whitianga Wharf and options for a multi-million-dollar waterfront redevelopment proposal have been made public Thames-Coromandel District Council has released six concept plans for the redevelopment project Costs and timelines are yet to be determined in what looks set to be a multimillion-dollar project Council parks and open spaces manager Derek Thompson said it is proposed for the barrier to remain at the same location despite the redevelopment project entering public consultation The concept plans had been broken into three avenues: improvements to marine structures Thames-Coromandel District Council (TCDC) has opted to maintain access restrictions after it agreed to undertake a feasibility study on providing pedestrian access to the Kopu Marine Servicing and Business Precinct Thompson said the council had asked a marine specialist to look at harbour operations around the Coromandel Peninsula and one of the top recommendations was to control vehicle access onto Whitianga Wharf The barrier arm would control vehicle movements on to the wharf allowing the council to provide access to approved users only “It was frustrating and dangerous for approved users to have to manage their access among vehicles owned by the general public,” Thompson said members of the public had been dumping rubbish on the wharf from vehicles driven onto the wharf; with vehicle access restrictions in place He said a reduction of traffic on the wharf would help with increasing the life span and integrity of the structure The 6-metre vehicle barrier arm is operated via approved access cards or a pass code and was installed on December 9 council staff provided access cards to existing users of the commercial side of the wharf some contractors and staff would have access Whitianga residents were called on last month to have their say on how best to improve the town’s wharf Feedback recently closed on concepts for the project after a series of drop-in information sessions and surveys Consultation on the project began on November 21 and closed December 18 A total of 231 surveys were completed and these are now being collated Initial analysis of the feedback shows most respondents supported retaining the esplanade playground (184) compared to the other option of relocating it to Taylor’s Mistake and creating more car and boat trailer parking in its place (37) A proposed design of creating a new public pier also received strong support (95) compared to the other option of extending the existing pier (41) The options for Robinson Rd Reserve and boat ramp were closer More people supported an upgrade that didn’t allow for overflow parking at Hilton Reserve (72) compared to those who opted for the overflow (67) A number of respondents did not choose either answer opting for “Other” (51) or “I don’t know” (29) instead Usage of the passenger ferry was listed by most respondents (152) as their primary top five reason for using the areas This was followed by walking/jogging/running (142) playground (99) and recreational trailer boating (75) or 45-54 (18) and most respondents used the areas monthly (45) or weekly (30) The concept plans were created after several meetings with waterfront user groups The survey sought feedback from the wider community about what it most preferred for the Esplanade and Robinson Rd Reserve areas The feedback would be given to the project’s advisory committee which will present the findings at a Council meeting early next year and then help guide the council’s eventual decision-making process The first redevelopment concept for the Whitianga waterfront would see a new public pier Thames player Rodney Tongotea lays on the first try of the match It was another high-scoring game of rugby for the Thames Valley Swamp Foxes only for visitors Horowhenua-Kāpiti to take home a 41-35 win in Whitianga In the final round-eight game of the Heartland Championship rugby competition at Lyon Park, Whitianga on Saturday, the Foxes bumbled most of the match for only their second loss of the season. The aim was to secure a valuable home semifinal spot and to achieve that, Thames needed to beat Horowhenua-Kāpiti, a real possibility based on the current form guide. However, tactical errors and fundamental errors saw the hard-working Horowhenua-Kāpiti upset the high-flying Thames. For most of the game Horowhenua-Kāpiti led, with a 16-14 score at halftime, then a substantial 38-14 lead with only 20 minutes of the game remaining. Yet a refreshed Thames side, with players coming off the substitutes bench, narrowed the deficit to 38-28. Horowhenua-Kāpiti then pumped a long-range penalty to lead 41-28. The drama continued as Thames scored their fifth try and Fletcher Morgan drilled a conversion from out wide, taking the final score to 41-35 to Horowhenua-Kāpiti. Things were looking good for Thames as the visitors were reduced to 14 players with a player red-carded. But it was too little, too late for a dejected Swamp Foxes side. Thames Valley 35 (A. Thrupp 3, J. Tye, H. Beazley tries, F. Morgan 5 conversions) v Horowhenua-Kāpiti 41 (5 tries, 5 conversions, 2 penalties). Thames, sitting third in the competition, will now travel to Whanganui for a knockout semifinal. League leaders South Canterbury will meet their cousins Mid Canterbury in the other semifinal. After the final Heartland home game of the season, Thames Valley Rugby auctioned off the players’ jerseys as a fundraiser for Goldfields School in Paeroa. The auction raised $20,000 for the school, whose mission is “I te puāwaitanga o te harakeke, he rito whakakī whāruarua – When the flax blossoms, its many offspring begin their journey”. Goldfields School student Harper Sandford did a fantastic job as the halftime ball boy, as he wowed the holiday crowd and later nationwide television with his Thames passion and athleticism. Congratulations to Thames players Korbin Chwesik (captain) and Zeke Collier, who have been named in the New Zealand Heartland Under-20 side to play New Zealand Māori Under-18 Nga Whatukura. are four units spread over two houses that used to be part of a backpackers lodge Each of the houses contains an upstairs and downstairs unit with a total of 10 bedrooms and eight bathrooms on offer on 1006sqm of land told OneRoof her client owned all four properties and ideally wanted to sell them to a single buyer The properties had been part of the Whitianga On the Beach Backpackers Lodge but has decided to sell now their tenancies have come to an end “It’s quite unique to have the two titles and two houses on each,” Sammons told OneRoof noting the properties’ proximity to the beach and Whitianga’s restaurant and cafe strip - Homeowners at famous nudist beach rave about the view ... no, not that view - NZ's answer to Phil Spencer: My top tips for buying a house - Mike Hosking, please buy my house. You know you'll love it “There are so many opportunities,” she said “You can have a holiday home there or a home and income Two families can buy one title each or potentially someone with land-banking plans could buy both titles The properties are only one back from Buffalo Beach,” she said There was also a good chance that both titles were bought by another investor and rented out Whitianga has a real shortage of worker accommodation like many coastal and lake communities in New Zealand The long-term rental situation is tight in the town with single rooms in shared homes commanding up to $350 a week in rent 1A Bruce Street offers an upstairs and downstairs unit and is being pitched as an investment opportunity 1B Bruce Street has four bedrooms in the upstairs unit and two bedrooms in the downstairs unit Richardsons agent Abby Lawrence said the new-build market in the town was struggling not all builders are coming out even or with a bit of fat on top,” she said citing the high cost of building materials but was unlikely to achieve that number in the current market “I would say sections are the last sector of our market to see a surge in inquiry But that is understandable given the cost of building is $4500 per sqm.” Both Lawrence and other agents are reporting more footfall in the town since State Highway 25A from Kōpū and Hikuai reopened to traffic in December last year The road was washed away in January 2023 and had been closed “The Coromandel was hit hard across all sectors Since the road reopened we’ve seen more stability and positivity,” she said An African-inspired Adobe home for sale at 22 Protea Crescent A five-bedroom waterfront home is up for grabs at 14 Stormont Lane more people going on the glass bottom boats more life in our town has been lovely to see." Lawrence said “bread and butter” real estate listings - three-bedroom brick and tile homes - had been turning over well “Ma and Pa Kettle and their kids still need a place to live when they come to our beautiful area.” However there had been a slight pullback at the high end which was on the market for the first time in 36 years - 1A and 1B Bruce Street, in Whitianga, Thames-Coromandel, go to auction on October 17 Whitianga Oceans Festival will feature a range of live entertainment and cuisine An annual celebration of Coromandel seafood born nearly 20 years ago will return in 2024 after surviving three punishing years of Covid-19 and experiencing a rebirth in 2023 The Whitianga Oceans Festival will see thousands converge on the Coromandel town in September for a taste of local cuisine and live entertainment Festival marketing manager Clare Tod said Covid-19 had a large impact with events being cancelled between 2020 and 2022 organisers revived the festival with more than 3000 attending Tod said the event was overseen by a voluntary Mercury Bay committee and delivered by local event contractors Planning began 12 months in advance with months of behind-the-scenes preparations “Its economic impact on the Mercury Bay region is over $1 million The 2023 event raised $10,000 for LegaSea – a non-profit organisation dedicated to restoring the abundance biodiversity and health of New Zealand’s marine environment Tod said the event had been named a finalist for the best sustainability initiative category in the 2024 New Zealand Event Awards The idea to stage a seafood-themed celebration in the Coromandel town came about when a Destination Coromandel staff member identified the need to create an event to draw people to the eastern seaboard in the shoulder periods and identified that “scallops” could help captivate people’s attention he gathered a small group of keen locals together to form a committee and the event was born in 2005 “All coming from a desire to promote Whitianga and recognising the importance of bringing income earning opportunities to the region in the quieter shoulder season.” She described it as one of New Zealand’s iconic food and wine festivals “held in the stunning Coromandel and sustainably produced” “It features Kiwi bands playing the hits people know and love incorporating a selection of tasty dishes matched with refreshing beverages “Also being held in a picturesque waterside Whitianga location punters could expect a festival “that was as lively as the Coromandel itself and one of the region’s highlighted weekends of the year,” she said “Festival goers will have a chance to let their hair down enjoy the location and great times with their friends or family.” Gates open at The Esplanade from 10am on Saturday Event information can be found through Facebook and oceansfestival.co.nz Whitianga.A substantial block of under-utilised commercially zoned land in the middle of Whitianga has been placed on the market The corner site property in the Coromandel Peninsula town consists of an approximately 2,861-square metre landholding with a modest three-bedroom home in the middle of the property Located on the corner of Mary and Campbell streets the property is immediately adjacent to the Mercury Bay Club hospitality venue which uses some of the property for patron parking It is surrounded on other sides by retail and light industrial premises including a supermarket and several motor vehicle repair and maintenance garages The versatile site is just a few hundred metres off the town’s main shopping strip along Albert Street while boat launching amenities onto the estuary and Whitianga Marina are located at the end of Campbell Street The freehold flat land and residential dwelling at 27 Campbell Street in Whitianga are for sale through deadline with Bayleys Whitianga Salesperson Josh Smith said that with its commercial zoning the address offered a huge range of redevelopment options underpinned by the ability for any new owner to draw holding income from the comfortable residential home on site while development plans were lodged with the council “The rectangular-shaped site offers so much – being in Whitianga’s central business district receiving solid vehicle and foot traffic exposure along Campbell Street and having minimal structures currently in place,” said Smith “It has already been suggested that subject to council approvals the site could easily sustain a low-rise multi-level mixed-use style premises encompassing boutique retail units at street level with the likes of a three or four-star commercial accommodation provider operating suites on the floors above "The location’s proximity to Whitianga’s hospitality outlets along the estuary foreshore make it a prime venue for guests staying in town "Alternative commercial uses for the site could also include a purpose-built light industrial hub of tradie tenant units around 200 square metres in size "Commercial land is scarce in the town centre precinct so subdividing the Campbell Street site into smaller parcels would certainly fill that demand gap.” The Campbell Street/Mary Street location sits on the edge of Whitianga’s pedestrian core zone which allows for 80 percent site coverage and a build height of up to 12 metres and contains some of the town’s most visually appealing commercial and mixed-used properties Whitianga has grown to become New Zealand’s foremost big game fishing destination – with bountiful billfish found off its shores and anglers coming from within the country and abroad to partake in the recreational activity Demographic data in Thames Coromandel District Council’s 2018-2028 Long Term Plan showcases Whitianga’s prominence in the region – spotlighting that Whitianga is one of two towns in the province to experience the biggest growth in the number of homes being built “The projected dwelling and rating unit growth rate (for Whitianga) is higher than population projections due to the on-going growth in holiday homes Mercury Bay (which includes Whitianga) is projected to experience the greatest growth in population,” the statistics-based council report noted “The number of houses is projected to increase across all parts of the district over the next 30 years - with an increase of around 3,580 new houses between 2018 and 2048 Much of the projected growth in the number of houses is expected to occur in the Peninsula’s popular holiday settlements – Tairua and Whitianga.” Smith said that with Whitianga’s population continuing to grow steadily there was also a parallel need for growing the district’s commercial property infrastructure – particularly to support the residential construction sector amongst builders all of which could utilise the tradie style units mooted for 27 Campbell Street Lodestone Energy has started construction on its fourth North Island utility-scale solar farm near Whitianga Lodestone’s Whitianga solar farm will generate about 50 GWh of clean renewable energy each year – enough electricity to power more than 6800 households The site will have more than 53,000 solar panels supported by 7150 piles Construction is expected to be completed by November 2025 The Whitianga project includes a partnership with the local electricity network operator which is building a new substation on the same site Lodestone Energy managing director Gary Holden said the latest North Island solar farm continues the company’s strategy to develop a diverse spread of regional solar resources to serve the needs of customers across New Zealand “The challenges seen in the energy market in recent months are a testament to the need for new affordable energy supply and we are continuing to bring this to market at pace.” Lodestone is again using an agrivoltaic design to maximise electricity generation while preserving the farm’s productive land Setting the panels widely apart and high above the ground allows machinery to operate and sheep grazing or horticultural activities to continue around them Whitianga is Lodestone Energy’s fourth farm in its Phase 1 programme and follows solar farms near Kaitaia Manawatu and Canterbury are set to commence construction starting in 2025 Lodestone Energy has plans for a total of 18 utility-scale solar projects across New Zealand with the addition of its Phase 2 and Phase 3 development plans Fire and Emergency volunteers cut a motorist free of their vehicle after it crashed off the road north of Whitianga on Wednesday A vehicle has rolled 15m down a bank with the sole occupant trapped for just under an hour before being cut free by fire fighters, at Ōpito Bay, about 15km north of Whitianga A Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) spokesperson said five trucks including two rescue tenders with cutting equipment attended the incident after a call was received by emergency services at about 12.45pm on Wednesday Crews from Kuaotunu, Whitianga and the Coromandel spent about 40 minutes extracting a person from the vehicle A Fenz shift manager said crews arrived on the scene about 12.53pm and extracted the person about 1.34pm saying the vehicle had left the road and ended up 15m down a bank on Black Jack Rd Police said the sole occupant suffered moderate injuries Hato Hone St John Ambulance has been contacted for comment Sonic Delusion is bringing the groove to the North Island this summer with a string of energetic live shows that promise to be full of funk Known for their unique blend of indie pop that’s “too funky for folk and too folky for funk,” Sonic Delusion’s high-energy performances have been captivating audiences around the world is teaming up with French-born Sev Thiebaut on Latin-flavored keys and bass to create an irresistibly boogielicious live experience.Sonic Delusion has performed over 1500 shows across Switzerland delivering feel-good music that’s bound to make you smile In the words of music critic Graham Reid: “Sonic Delusion is funny fresh and funky…a welcome breath of entertainment and smiles.” Their loop pedal-driven sound bursts with upbeat layered with Sev’s vibrant bass grooves and Latin keys toe-tapping drum rhythms.NZ Musician Magazine's Amy Maynard describes Sonic Delusion's music as full of catchy melodic hooks that make you want to get up and dance and this summer tour promises plenty of that feel-good vibe Whether you’re in the mood to kick back and soak in the sunshine or get up and dance this is a tour you won’t want to miss.The trio will be performing on the 4th of January at the Monkey House Theatre in Whitianga the 5th of January at the Kauaeranga Valley Community Hall in Thames the 6th at the Secret Garden in Waihi Beach and wrapping things up with a bang at the “Sounds in the Sands” event on the 11th of January in Ōpunake.Prepare yourself for an unforgettable summer of feel-good music and dance-worthy beats with Sonic Delusion Cold Chisel is headlining this year's Summer Concert Tour Coromandel will welcome the return of the Summer Concert Tour with Cold Chisel, Icehouse, Bic Runga and Everclear set to take the stage in Whitianga It spells good news as uncertainty over the Coromandel roading network left Whitianga off the Summer Concert Tour for a second year in a row in 2024 The Whitianga leg of the 2023 tour was cancelled after extensive damage to State Highway 25A from severe weather in January As the Coromandel worked hard to fix its infrastructure after the severe weather, Cyclone Gabrielle blew a big event opportunity Hamilton’s way The Hamilton concert in 2024 was a one-off and would not be repeated in 2025 Greenstone Entertainment confirmed it would celebrate the 15th anniversary in 2025 with a welcome return to Whitianga - marked down in the diary for January 26 It is one of the biggest events in Whitianga’s summer calendar with Greenstone Entertainment announcing dates and venues for the 2025 Summer Concert Tour today, traditionally held in Whitianga, Queenstown and Taupō Greenstone Entertainment operations officer Dean Calvert said he was excited to be bringing the event back to the Coromandel “We were always coming back; Whitianga and the Coromandel were an integral part of our tour.” Calvert said Coromandel was one of the top three holiday destinations in New Zealand given the damage to infrastructure following 2023 weather events “Whoever looked after the roading there did a good job.” Having been to every Summer Concert Tour gig over the years he said Coromandel was a highlight for many of the artists “We love the people there and they love coming out and supporting the show.” Thames-Coromandel Mayor Len Salt said it was exciting news for the Coromandel “These artists were part of my life growing up as a young musician learning to play guitar Cold Chisel and Icehouse defined the soundtrack to our lives.” Salt said he was at a Cold Chisel gig in Auckland when the band had an unannounced special guest join them on stage “Ian Moss and Jimmy Barnes both continue to be exciting and dynamic performers and with their own bands; having the original Cold Chisel band back together is not to be missed.” Salt said the Icehouse song Great Southern Land penned by band frontman Iva Davies was a “quintessential Aussie anthem” “Add in the pure homegrown talent of Bic Runga and her iconic catalogue and you’ve got a great concert lineup that will be the highlight of the year “And it’s all happening back where it belongs It is set to be in one mammoth anniversary celebration as Cold Chisel celebrate 50 years and Icehouse marks 45 years since its first New Zealand tour Greenstone chief executive Amanda Calvert said: “With this being our 15th anniversary we are privileged to celebrate it with Cold Chisel The Summer Concert Tour had cemented itself as an annual pilgrimage where friends got together and enjoyed some of the best music of their lifetime “To think that over the years we have entertained so many people at our shows had a massive economic impact on regional towns and have made friends with so many great people along the way “We are so looking forward to the 2025 Summer Concert Tour and delivering our best concert series yet.” The 2025 Summer Concert Tour would play in Queenstown on Saturday January 25 and make its return to the Coromandel at the Whitianga Waterways on Sunday January 26 – the Taupō and Whitianga shows falling on Auckland Anniversary weekend Cold Chisel would be bringing its 50th Anniversary tour ‘The Big Five-O’ across the ditch to celebrate with a Kiwi summer They recently announced 23 dates across Australia with 20 shows selling out within hours of going on sale After frontman Jimmy Barnes underwent open heart surgery in 2023 the rocker admitted he never thought he’d see the milestone performances come together “The Big Five-0 is a landmark moment; there have been plenty of times where I never thought I’d live to see this day so I’m going to make the most of it I can’t wait to celebrate with my mates and with all the fans who have been such a big part of our story.” the band’s lead singer and musical creative force 10 top-40 albums and over 15 top-40 singles in the New Zealand charts including Great Southern Land “We loved touring New Zealand in 2017 with the Summer Concert Tour and can’t wait to be back again to be part of the 15-year celebrations in January,” Davies said Since the release of her first single Drive in 1996 Bic Runga has been awarded almost every musical honour in New Zealand including the prestigious Apra Silver Scroll songwriting award She has won the most Tui Awards (New Zealand Music Awards) by any individual (20) and in 2016 was the recipient of the Legacy Award at the New Zealand Music Awards and inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame one of the leading alternative rock bands to emerge from the 90s has enjoyed a lengthy career spanning 11 studio releases including four that had been certified gold or platinum Coromandel residents can secure limited tickets from 9am on Thursday at the Whitianga i-Site and Pauanui Information Centre One NZ customers can be among the first to secure tickets during a 24-hour presale for all shows Greenstone Concert Club members have priority access to pre-sale tickets from 10am Thursday with general public tickets on sale from noon on Monday Ticket prices start from $159 plus a booking fee or until sold out VIP and Greenstone Club options are available Kim Anderson (aka Kim Can Draw) is of Māori and Singaporean Chinese descent She says the Fellowship provides her with the “time energy and resourcing” needed to develop a graphic novel translator & community leader Tauanu’u Perenise Tapu Sitagata the book is designed to introduce children to the rich cultural heritage of Samoa and the environment by drawing on a wealth of traditional wisdom that can appeal to younger readers of all ethnicities in Aotearoa Headway is issuing a strong and urgent warning to whānau and young people about the deeply troubling ‘Run It Straight’ trend a challenge gaining popularity among rangatahi that encourages participants to charge at each other in full-speed collisions This is not a sport; it’s a direct assault on developing brains offering clear skies and mild winds — a rare gift in the Tararua Range which averages over 160 days of gale-force winds and 200 days of rain annually The Commissioner will work alongside the Secretary for Education who will remain actively involved in the negotiations Their advice and expertise will be central to his decisions From the return of a legendary cultural relay to a brand-new forest trail course and a kids' run that brings schools together in celebration of movement this year’s event promises to be one of the most vibrant and community-driven editions yet A cliffside rescue is underway at Hahei Beach on the Coromandel Peninsula with emergency services teams from several agencies working together to get people to safety and rescuers are working into Saturday night to try to reach them Firefighters were using lines rescue equipment an ambulance and a first response vehicle were called to the scene at 8pm Saturday They referred any other questions to police and a popular Coromandel Peninsula summer holiday destination Emergency services were also working at a wildfire north of Whitianga, at Kūaotunu, lateon Saturday night Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday A helicopter has been sent to an emergency at Hahei Beach firefighters are trying to combat a scrub fire that has sent smoke over Coromandel beaches and forced the closure… A man has died after what police described as a water-related incident One person has died following a crash between a truck and pedestrian on State Highway 3 this morning Fire investigators have established exactly where a serious wildfire started near Whangārei - now they are working on how it got started Officers were called to the Holly Street property shortly after 1.30am Mercury Bay Boating Club’s mission to relocate its clubrooms is a step closer to completion The Department of Conservation confirmed a panel hearing of submissions were held in Whitianga on Wednesday at Aotearoa Lodge DoC received a proposal from the club to establish and operate a community facility on land at Dundas St Through a publicly notified process forming part of decision-making DoC sought submissions on the club’s proposal Each submitter had 10 minutes to speak to their submission followed by questions from members of the panel Mercury Bay Boating Club commodore Simon Rawlinson confirmed the hearing was held in Whitianga on Wednesday Rawlinson also confirmed the club had secured a ground lease for the footprint of a container at Buffalo Beach Reserve in Whitianga The board accepted the report on Wednesday and agreed to a ground lease The club has a 40-foot container, which through agreement with the Thames-Coromandel District Council was placed on part of the Buffalo Beach Reserve to allow the junior sailing programme to continue following the Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 which badly damaged the land currently leased to the club the club requested a further 12 months while they secured a permanent location The club wanted to set up shop in Whitianga’s Dundas St after its old facility was left teetering on the water’s edge as ex-cyclone Hale eroded metres of foreshore the club launched an application to relocate its clubrooms to the site with DoC which informed them in March that the matter would follow a publicly notified process Mercury Bay Boating Club reached out to the Mercury Bay Community Board in hope of gaining support Following discussions with the community and feedback received during public drop-in sessions the board decided not to make a submission to DoC since there was “no clear consensus within the community regarding the proposal” Dundas St was identified as the only suitable alternative in the area for a number of reasons including proximity to the water and location close to the town’s marina The club’s first application to relocate the clubrooms was lodged with DoC in December 2023 they were told it could be between six and nine months before they would hear back the club proposed leasing an area of 2374sq m bounded by the Whitianga Harbour on one side and Crown Land leased by the Whitianga Marina Society on the other “The proposal would not unduly restrict public access to the reserve or boat ramp,” the club said Submissions on the Mercury Bay Boating Club’s application closed on May 9 the club wanted to stay at the current site The original clubhouse was officially opened in 1997 and there is minor flooding and debris on other roads in the Coromandel area following heavy rain overnight Thames-Coromandel District Council said 100mm of rain fell across the peninsula overnight meaning that all streams and rivers are running high until later in the morning "Take extreme care if travelling or walking the dog this morning," the council advised Share your stories and pictures with us at newsroom@thesun.co.nz About 100 homes in Whitianga were without power on Thursday morning with reports of surface flooding and debris on roads in the area Thames Coromandel civil defence controller Gary Towler told Morning Report the rain and wind had caused "minor" issues He said the rebuild done after Cyclone Gabrielle meant things were more resiliant than they were and there wasn't the "carnage" there may have been in the past Towler said power was expected to be back mid-morning There were "debris around the (roading) network" and drivers should take care After a night of heavy rain in much of the country Thursday was promising another day of severe weather with thunderstorms Coromandel and the Bay of Plenty had the worst of the weather overnight MetService Duty forecaster Heath Gullery said Taranki had 100-150mm of rain while Tasman had up to 250mm in some areas MetService's rain radar showed the rain band moving across the upper North Island and the centre of the country early Thursday morning MetService meteorologist John Law told Morning Report the "band of rain" was likely to be stuck over the country for a few days The wet weather was taking it's time moving on from Coromandel and Bay of Plenty but in general things would clear up in the North Island during Thursday However things would ramp up in the southeast of the South Island "It's an incredibly wet situation down across the likes of Otago." But he said there were "plenty of severe weather watches and warnings" nationwide And it was likely to remain wet over the weekend and Waikato should expect more showers then In the afternoon, up to two months' worth of rainfall could hit in parts of the South Island National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) said NIWA forecaster Seth Carrier said Thursday would see "a plume of moisture coming down from the north" carrying heavy rain that could impact the Bay of Plenty and East Cape before the heavier rain crops up in the South Island The MetService has issued a swath of warnings and watches Southland were under yellow heavy rain watches Orange heavy rain warnings were in place for Coromandel Peninsula A severe thunderstorm watch runs until 11am for Coromandel Peninsula A strong wind watch was in place for Great Barrier Island There was a road snowfall warning for Lindis Pass (SH8) and Crown Range Road -RNZ. Police at a roadblock in Coromandel soon after shooting in which one person died and another was injured on the remote 309 Rd The man shot and killed in Coromandel was a father of five and his grieving mother has paid tribute to her “ratbag died after being shot on the remote 309 Rd between Coromandel Town and Whitianga on Coromandel Peninsula on Friday friends and five sons,” she wrote on Facebook “He will be arriving home on Monday morning; We are keeping this day and Tuesday for family only,” Jane said in another post Kevin Mabbott died in a shooting on the 309 Rd on Friday “We invite anyone who would like to come and see Kevin on Wednesday 18th December from 9-1pm “It will be an informal gathering to share and celebrate his life.” Another person - also believed to be male - was flown to Auckland City Hospital with gunshot wounds after Friday afternoon’s incident The injured man remains in a serious condition in hospital this morning and a post-mortem examination on the deceased victim would take place today has been charged with murder and attempted murder granted name suppression and remanded in custody Kevin Mabbot died after being shot on the remote 309 Rd between Coromandel Town and Whitianga on Coromandel Peninsula He appeared in the Hamilton District Court Saturday morning The owner of nearby tourist attraction Waterworks told the Herald a person ran onto his property about 2pm on Friday saying someone was lying on the ground near the road The person was “shot in the chest” and was pronounced dead at the scene “I ran out with my first aid kit and put him into the recovery position .. I gave him CPR for 15 minutes before the Westpac helicopters arrived.” who he believed had been shot in the shoulder It appeared the victims had been pig hunting “There was a pig on the back of [the deceased’s] ute and it looked like he was in the process of butchering it “It appeared he had tried to move away from the vehicle but I found him lying on the ground beside his ute.” The dead man appeared to be about 30 years old “The other person wasn’t in the vicinity where I was -NZ Herald a retired paediatric surgeon and medical researcher At 77 years of age, Whitianga resident Dr Kevin Pringle is taking on his second Dry July challenge to raise funds for a campaign close to his heart Dry July is a nationwide campaign that challenges people to go alcohol-free for a month to raise funds for Kiwis affected by cancer knows the disease all too well as he has lost six family members to cancer Talking to the Hauraki-Coromandel Post, Pringle said he was participating in honour of his wife Carol, who died from leukaemia in 2022 Pringle said he was the only sibling who had not been diagnosed with cancer died in 1991 from prostate cancer; mother Valerie died in 2005 from colon cancer; brother Alan died in 2008 from lung cancer; and brother Dennis Pringle said it was his late wife who inspired him to participate in Dry July for the first time in 2023 After hearing of another Whitianga resident who had undertaken the challenge it was an obvious choice for Pringle to participate Pringle said he had never been an excessive drinker and stopped altogether for 10 years in the late 1960s and 1970s He enjoys a beer at weekends or if he is out for dinner “It is actually fine staying off the booze for a month “The evidence is there; there is no safe consumption of alcohol – reduction is good for you.” He had some frustrations with the progress of cancer research and had hoped there would be better cures treatments and more trials during his lifetime is the access to controlled trials is abysmal,” he said “There is no dedicated funding for research and not a lot of desire.” He always advised cancer patients to try to get themselves into controlled trials “The results of trials are better than the results of no trials I went looking – there wasn’t a single trial in New Zealand she would have been eligible for.” Pringle studied in Otago and worked in the United States for a decade before returning to New Zealand where he was based in Wellington until his retirement in 2015 another New Zealander receives life-changing news that they have cancer The funds raised during Dry July are going to the charities Look Good Feel Better Prostate Cancer Foundation New Zealand and PINC & STEEL Cancer Rehabilitation Foundation