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EV Uptick in NZ, But Sales Still Well Below Peak

There was a flicker of life in New Zealand’s electric vehicle market last month — but it’s a long way from the glory days of the Clean Car Discount boom. Fully electric vehicles made up 5.5% of new vehicle sales…

Locals guide stranded whale back to sea off Aotea’s south coast in a powerful moment of community and care.

Community News

Locals Usher Stranded Whale Back to Sea

Locals Rally to Guide Whale Back to Sea A dramatic rescue unfolded off the island’s southern coast earlier this month when a whale became stranded in shallow waters. Locals including Barney Scott formed a human chain to guide the whale…

The AT520-AI is a solar-powered, fully automated trap that uses artificial intelligence, camera sensors, and mesh networking to identify and kill pest species with zero by-catch.

Tech - Aotea Green

This Kiwi-built AI trap identifies, targets and kills pests — with a photo to prove it

A New Zealand-designed pest trap powered by artificial intelligence, solar energy, and long-range wireless networking is being hailed as a breakthrough in pest control technology — one that could render mass poison drops obsolete. The AT520-AI combines an automatic resetting…

Nurdles scattered along a shoreline. These plastic pellets are often found embedded in seaweed or sand. Photo / hockadilly / Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Plastic Pellets Wash Into Hauraki Gulf

Hundreds of thousands of plastic pellets — known as nurdles — have washed up on beaches across the Hauraki Gulf, including Oneroa Beach on Waiheke Island and the northern shore of Motuihe. The pellets are used in the manufacture of…

Tech - Aotea Green

New Battery Tech Could Store Power and Remove Carbon

Photo / Sweetie Khatun By Daniel Commandeur, University of Surrey; Mahsa Masoudi, University of Surrey, and Siddharth Gadkari, University of Surrey

Culture - Aotea Green

Streaming Is Killing Local Music in New Zealand

By Oli Wilson, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University; Catherine Hoad, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University; Dave Carter, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University, and Jesse Austin-Stewart, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University

Aotea Green

Aotea Winter Planting: A Comprehensive Guide

Our Gardening Guides Grow From You. We’re already prepping our Spring Gardening Guide. Got advice, ideas, or photos to share? Email editor@aoteagbi.news and help shape the next issue.

Environment - Aotea Green

Beneath the Ice, a Collapse Begins: How Antarctic Change Hits the Food Web

Jacqui Stuart, VUW, CC BY-NC-ND

Community News

Trial Brings Urgent Care Boost to Great Barrier Island

Great Barrier Island will be one of six rural communities to pilot a major new Government initiative aimed at transforming after-hours and urgent healthcare, with a $164 million investment unveiled in the lead-up to Budget 2025. Currently, after-hours urgent care…

Barrier Bach Wins Top Honours at 2025 Architecture Awards

The Hauraki Gulf took centre stage at the 2025 Auckland Architecture Awards, with homes on Great Barrier, Waiheke, and Kawau all honoured for designs that embrace fragility, remoteness, and raw coastal beauty. From off-grid elegance to urban ferry terminals, the…