AoteaGBI.news – Great Barrier Island News

Sun-Drenched Serenity: Medlands Beach on the East Coast of Great Barrier Island. Photo / AoteaGBI.news

Volunteers Needed for Coastal Health Survey

Organizers are calling on residents to participate in the upcoming Hauora Moana/ecological survey. The survey, coordinated by environmentalist John Bakunin, is scheduled for October 19th and 20th, 2024. In case of inclement weather, alternative dates have been set for November…

Speed will take a backseat on the island's roads come October.

Community News

Great Barrier Island Braces for Speed Limit Shake-up

Great Barrier Island is gearing up for a major slowdown, with speed limits set to be slashed across the board, pending a final nod from the Director of Land Transport. According to council employee Kathy Cumming the changes could come…

A lone Norway Rat on Motutapu Island has been tracked, and is believed to have been successfully eliminated by conservation teams (file photo). Photo / DOC / Rod Morris - Creative Commons

Environment & Ecology

Motutapu’s Rat Problem: Finally Solved (at a Cost)

A lone rat caught on camera on the otherwise pest-free paradise of Motutapu Island has been killed after months of running amok, in a sting costing taxpayers thousands of dollars. The island in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf is directly behind Rangitoto…

Aotea Locals Help Rescue Critically Ill Sea Turtle on Ōkupe Beach

DOC’s Sarah Dwyer cradles the critically ill hawksbill turtle found on Ōkupe Beach. Photo / DoC A hawksbill sea turtle found alive on Ōkupe beach, Aotea/Great Barrier Island, has been urgently flown to Auckland Zoo for medical attention, where it…

SeaLink ferry to Great Barrier Island: A costly voyage for islanders due to lack of subsidies and exemption from public transport regulations. Photo / Supplied

Community News

SeaLink Averts Strike, Reaches Tentative Agreement with Union

In what should come as a major relief for Great Barrier Island residents, the looming threat of a strike impacting the crucial SeaLink ferry service has been averted. The ferry operator and the First Union have reached a tentative agreement,…

SeaLink ferry nearing Tryphena, Great Barrier Island (Aotea). Photo / GreatBarrier.co.nz

Community News

SeaLink Makes Pay Offer as Strike Looms, Negotiations Ongoing

As ferry services brace for the Spring surge of visitors, SeaLink has made a pay offer to its workers while continuing last-minute negotiations to prevent strike action this week. The ferry operator, which services Great Barrier Island, Waiheke, and Auckland,…

Mulberry Grove's shoreline, where erosion threaten both natural beauty and critical infrastructure. Photo / MGS

Last Chance to Shape Barrier Shoreline’s Future

A final call is being issued to the Great Barrier Island community to provide their input on the Auckland Council’s Shoreline Adaptation Plan (SAP), with the public consultation period ending on October 7th. Erosion is a pressing issue across the…

Environment & Ecology

DoC Approves Large-Scale Poisoning in the South as Residents Sound the Alarm

A decision by Oruawharo Medlands Ecovision (OME) to deploy rat poison across over 1,000 hectares in the south of the island has sparked outcry from locals, following a notice quietly issued in the council-supported Aotea Advocate community flyer. The controversial…

Community News

SeaLink Workers Set to Strike Over Pay Disparity

SeaLink, services connecting Great Barrier Island, Waiheke, and Auckland, is facing potential disruptions just as the number of visitors begins to rise with Spring’s arrival. Workers have voted to strike over growing pay disparities. Starting from 24 September, around 50…

Looking Down at Port Fitzroy Great Barrier Island. Photo / DoC

Environment & Ecology

Community-Led Boat Wash Facility Proposed for Barrier

Auckland Council is proposing a community-led boat wash facility for Aotea to address the growing threat of invasive marine pests and the economic devastation caused by their spread. The facility aims to provide a safe and convenient location for boat…