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Community News

Storm lashes Island, disrupting peak summer travel

Severe weather is sweeping across Great Barrier Island, disrupting summer holiday plans and forcing flight and ferry cancellations as strong winds and heavy rain batter the upper North Island. An active low-pressure system moved south onto the North Island overnight,…

Community News

Locals Rally After Yacht Runs Aground

Photos / Scott Bogue

Community News

OpShop’s Jason Kerrison Joins Tiki Taane on Aotea’s Epic Summer Lineup

After a quiet spell last year, live entertainment is roaring back onto Aotea this summer! We caught up with organisers Ben Gill and Mel Jacka of Pizzazz Music about the incredible run of gigs they are putting on throughout December…

Community News

Port Fitzroy Boat Club Reopens After Two-Year Hiatus

After a two-year hiatus, the iconic Port Fitzroy Boat Club has reopened its doors just in time for the summer season, welcoming locals, visitors, and boaties back to a long-missed community hub. The north of the island now has a…

Community News

Sailing into Summer: Fitzroy Opens Doors to Island’s Young Sailors

Port Fitzroy is welcoming a new generation to its waters this summer with the launch of the island’s first-ever kids sailing club. Spearheaded by local Brad Carde, the club will offer sailing lessons for children, with the long-term goal of…

Community News

Island Whakapapa Shines as Sorensen-McGee Sweeps New Zealand Rugby Awards

Braxton Sorensen-McGee (Ngātiwai), who whakapapas to Aotea through grandfather Robert McGee, has capped her breakout year by collecting two major honours at the New Zealand Rugby Awards, shortly after being named World Rugby’s Women’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year.…

Volunteers Give Great Barrier’s DOC Huts a Summer Makeover

Two Department of Conservation huts on Great Barrier Island have been given a full refresh ahead of the busy summer period. Over six days, sixteen Backcountry Trust volunteers worked with DOC volunteers and staff — with support from Dulux and…

Tryphena Wharf stands silent, awaiting urgent repairs amidst collapse concerns.

Community News

Local Board Member Moves to Broker Rival Freight Service

A newly sworn-in member of the Great Barrier Local Board is quietly exploring a new freight service to the island, potentially challenging SeaLink’s long-standing monopoly. Sources say the member has identified a vessel and is meeting with investors, aiming to…

A mound of dumped tyres in native bush — the same material researchers say is now the country’s largest source of microplastics. Photo / RNZ

Tyre Particles Branded Biggest Microplastic Source in Hauraki Gulf

Marine researchers in Auckland have discovered what is making up the biggest single source of microplastics. They found tiny pieces of vehicle tyres were polluting coastal waters and almost half of the rubber that shed on our roads ended up…

Fanny Osborne lived on Great Barrier Island until arthritis forced her to leave at 81. Photo / Auckland Museum

Community News

How a Great Barrier Mother of 13 Became a Master Painter

The mother of 13 lived on Great Barrier Island and did exquisite watercolour paintings of native plants in the early 1900s.