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An early-blooming pōhutukawa at Mulberry Grove, as humid, storm-laden conditions push the island into a fast-forwarded summer.

Community News

Thunder, fogged-out peaks and tropical heat: what’s behind Barrier’s wild start to summer

Great Barrier Island has been hit this week by an unusual sequence of weather: thick fog clinging to the peaks, sudden cloudbursts, and hot, humid days that feel closer to the tropics than early December. According to Professor James Renwick,…

An Aotea Contractors truck lies at the bottom of a steep, bush-covered bank below Medland Road.

Community News

Concrete Truck Plunges Down Bank on Medland Road

An Aotea Contractors concrete truck went down a steep, bush-covered bank on Medlands Road between Tryphena and Medlands on Friday morning. Police said they received reports of the single-vehicle crash at around 9.50am. One person was initially reported as seriously…

8 ways to drink less during the silly season

Some simple, evidence-based strategies will help you navigate the Christmas party season without relying on will power alone.

Pōhutukawa in bloom. Photo / Robyn Jaquiery

Environment - Aotea Green

Are pōhutukawa trees flowering early this year? A botanist explains

Flowering pōhutukawa trees are the sign summer is here – and many we have seen are already in full bloom. But are they flowering earlier this year? Ecologist and botanist Associate Professor Bruce Burns, from the University of Auckland, says…

Kauri trees in Trounson Park. Photo / Sylvain Machefert

Community News

Ground Crews to Map Kauri Health on Great Barrier This Summer

Auckland Council will begin a new island-wide survey of kauri dieback on Great Barrier this summer, aiming to map how far the disease has spread and establish a baseline for future management. Council’s Senior Plant Pathogens Advisor, Shannon Hunter, told…

Community News

Jones signals openness to stricter crayfish rules

Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has told the Barrier Times he is open to supporting new crayfish restrictions around Great Barrier — and his officials are now drafting advice on how proposals could be implemented once Parliament returns after the summer…

An adult black petrel cruises over the waters of the Hauraki Gulf. Photo / Dan Burgin / WMIL

Black Petrels get a lifeline with new conservation push

Great Barrier’s endangered Black Petrels are getting a major boost, with a new three-year programme aimed at improving chick survival and strengthening the local population. With just 5,000 breeding pairs remaining, scientists hope unprecedented tracking and monitoring will give these…

Wildfire researchers at Scion say fire conditions are worsening and there are more extreme fire days each year. Photo / Scion via RNZ

Community News

Fires Banned on Great Barrier and Hauraki Gulf Islands

Fire and Emergency New Zealand has declared a prohibited fire season across the entire Hauraki Gulf from 8am today, covering Great Barrier Island, Waiheke, Rakino, Kawau, Ponui and all other islands in the Gulf. A prohibited season means no open-air…

Community News

Sunair Returns to Great Barrier Next Week Ahead of Summer Rush

Sunair will resume flights to Great Barrier Island next week, confirming its return to the route after more than four months on the ground. The restart coming just in time for the summer and Christmas holiday period. Tickets are available…

A crayfish lurks between rocks. Debate is intensifying over proposed quota increases and their impact on local marine life in the Hauraki Gulf. Photo / Jasus Edwards / CC

Community News

Local Board Sends Crayfish Crackdown Plan to Parliament

Great Barrier’s push for tougher crayfish rules has taken its next step, with the Aotea Local Board and Ngāti Rehua Ngātiwai ki Aotea Trust formally submitting a legislative proposal to Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones. The proposal, sent earlier…