Axed and Angry: Landowners Slam Council Over Tree Felling
"Pine-ing" for answers: Landowners left in the dark after council fells trees on disputed boundary, despite prior arborist inspection. Photo / CC
Dramatic Overnight Rescue: Kayaker Found Safe After Hours-Long Search
A dramatic overnight search and rescue operation unfolded on the east coast of Great Barrier Island Monday, after an 82-year-old man went missing during a kayaking trip. Witnesses reported a helicopter hovering above Medlands, along the peninsula to Windy Hill/Rosalie…
Pioneering life on Great Barrier Island
Coral Holroyd (née Eyre) provides a captivating look into early life on Great Barrier Island, recounting the Eyre family's experiences from the 1920s. Her story highlights the challenges of pioneering life, community development, and the impact of wartime on the…
Under Sea-ge: Erosion Battle at Mulberry Grove
Mulberry Grove’s shoreline, where erosion threatens both natural beauty and critical infrastructure. Photo / MGS Auckland Council is set to visit Great Barrier Island to engage with the community about the issue of erosion, which poses a threat across the…
Massive Mussel Drop Targets Hauraki Gulf Restoration
Over time, the gulf was dredged of green-lipped mussels, leading to their complete disappearance. Photo / NIWA / Rebekah Parsons-King Seven million kūtai (green-lipped mussels) will be deployed into the Hauraki Gulf, Te Moananui-ā-Toi, Tīkapa Moana to reverse the impacts…
A Leap of Faith or a Step Backwards? Orama’s Proposed School
EDITORIAL: The recent announcement of Orama Oasis’s intention to establish a charter school on Great Barrier Island should spark both interest and apprehension within our community. This proposal comes in the same week as the release of the disturbing report…
Toogood to Close Out Tour on Great Barrier
Jon Toogood, the renowned frontman of Shihad, has chosen Great Barrier Island as the final stop on his upcoming “Last of the Lonely Gods” tour. The intimate acoustic performance, scheduled for November 9th at the Claris Sports and Social Club,…
When Land Was Cheap and Ferries Fast
In 1991, New Zealand Geographic's "An Island Apart" reminisced about a time when Great Barrier Island land sold for just $100 an acre, setting the stage for early farms and the vast communes that still exist today. It details the…
Aotea’s Commerce Queens: Thriving Off the Grid
Originally published on 22 January 2023, "Ngā Hononga - Common Threads" explores the lives of Orla Cumisky, Felicitas Weisbach, and Andi Ross, who have turned Aotea Great Barrier Island into the base for their thriving businesses. These women navigate the…
Local Surfer Spearheads Effort to Restore Iconic Whangapoua Surf Bar
The once-thriving surf bar at Whangapoua, famous for its powerful waves and uncrowded breaks, has vanished, leaving local surfers longing for the good old days. But David Speir, a local veteran surfer, believes there’s hope to bring back the iconic…