It’s Time to Confront the Island’s Drug Culture—and the Nihilism Behind It
EDITORIAL
Barrier Homeowners Face Brutal Rates Hike as Values Soar
While mainland Auckland property values plummeted, homeowners on picturesque Great Barrier Island are about to be slammed from a staggering 38% average increase in their Capital Values (CVs) – the highest jump across the entire Auckland region. The eye-watering surge…
Dolphins Join Surfers at Sunset in Magical Medlands Moment
Video footage of five dolphins riding the waves with a group of surfers at Medlands Beach has captured hearts online—offering a moment of magic as the sun set behind the island’s hills, Monday. The scene unfolded with the brilliant yellow…
More Families on Outlying Islands Opt for Off-Island Schooling
More families from New Zealand’s outlying islands and remote rural communities are turning to mainland boarding schools, as increased government subsidies make off-island education more accessible—though costs still far outstrip support. New Ministry of Education data shows $3.24 million was…
Bush Tracks: Victoria – The Exponents (1982)
By the time Victoria hit radios in 1982, New Zealand had changed. The Springbok Tour protests had torn through the streets. The land marches had shaken Parliament. Muldoon’s grip was tightening, the economy was buckling, and the old British affectations…
Comvita founder credits Barrier’s Les Blackwell for putting him on path to honey empire
The founder of $250 million New Zealand honey giant Comvita has credited Great Barrier Island’s Les Blackwell as the starting point of his journey into beekeeping and natural health – a path that would eventually lead to one of the…
Search Widens for Missing Barrier Sailor
Barrier Yacht/ Skipper Disappearance Enters Third Month.
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…
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…
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