Fieldays Event producer Karina Missen
Money secured
Richard Lindroos celebrates news of a government loan for water reticulation at Fieldays. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
The New Zealand National Fieldays Society has secured a $1.35 million loan from the Regional Infrastructure Fund to upgrade the water reticulation system at Mystery Creek Events Centre, supporting the venue’s long-term capacity to host major events such as Fieldays. The $3.2 million project is now underway and will be completed ahead of Fieldays 2026.
An iron maiden
Cambridge’s 2026 Autumn festival wrapped up with a community event in central Cambridge last weekend – and among those keeping watch was the owner of the Hamilton-based Free Lunch Theatre Company Sandra Jensen.
See: Conditions perfect for carnival
See: Cambridge Autumn Festival photo highlights
Upgrade underway
Waipā Networks crews have been working in Cambridge’s Vogel Street as part of ongoing electricity network upgrades.
The work follows completion of the company’s involvement in the new Resthaven apartment development, with crews taking the opportunity to replace older nearby infrastructure.
The project includes replacing power poles and installing a new ring main unit (switchgear), which will improve network resilience and enable faster power restoration during outages.
Both lines crews and cable jointing teams are involved, with the upgrade expected to be completed next month.
Meanwhile, the hive of activity in the usually quiet residential area also saw a large blue crane installing level one balconies for the new Resthaven apartments, lifting precast concrete panels into place.
This large blue crane lifts precast concrete balconies into place at the new Resthaven apartments. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
New home for Gardner
Simon and Dominique Paduch cut the ribbon watched by Cambridge Chamber of Commerce chief executive Kelly Bouzaid. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Making Waipā their home has paid off for Simon and Dominique Paduch with the opening of their company’s new Cambridge office and the signing of their 20th build contract.
The couple launched the G.J. Gardner Homes franchise last year, initially operating from a garage at the Cambridge Showgrounds before establishing a permanent base at Te Rerenga Tce.
They marked the milestone by cutting a ribbon alongside members of the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce.
Simon Paduch previously worked for the company in Tauranga.
“Cambridge is home for us,” he said, describing the milestone as an important step in building a long‑term local business.
Dominque grew up on a dairy farm near Te Awamutu. The franchise covers Waipā and parts of Hamilton.
Ryan Nicholas (Architectural Technician), Simon Paduch (Franchise Owner), Marie Jones (Administrator), Dominique Paduch (Franchise Owner), Sara Bryers (New Homes Consultant), Paul Adams (Estimator), Blu Geddes (Construction Manager)
Guide awards
Waipā girl guides and leaders were among those honoured at a recent regional gathering in Hamilton. Totara Awards – the guides’ highest honour – went to Julie Wards of Te Awamutu, who also received a 45-year service bar, and Hayley Thomas of Cambridge. Te Awamutu’s Hayley Wards received a Fern Award. Te Kaiārahi awards went to Nina Sardelich (Cambridge Guides), Nerissa Blair (Te Awamutu Pippins) and Christy Bond (Te Awamutu Brownies) and an Arataki Award went to Stacey McNickle of Cambridge Rangers.
Enterprise shown
More than have 240 secondary school entrepreneurs from the greater Waikato have shared startup ideas with business professionals at Wintec as part of The Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme regional Spark Tank event.
Neighbours talk
Waipā District Council is liaising with its neighbours on global risks raised by the World Economic Forum. The forum found multilateralism was in retreat, economic risks were intensifying, technological risks were growing, societies were on the edge, environmental concerns were being deprioritised and a new competitive order was emerging.
AI warning
Waipā councillor Aidhean Camson says delaying the application of generative artificial intelligence technology in council is a bad idea. The council’s risk and assurance committee heard from internal assurance adviser Hare George how its response to February’s extreme weather event had temporarily disrupted work on generative artificial intelligence. “Anything we do to push gen AI out to the right is a bad idea. Don’t kid yourself that isn’t already here. I can tell you, with other hats on, that there is already work being done through the generative AI that is massively shortcutting the level of effort that you need,” Camson said.
In the finals
Peake Mews in Cambridge
Cambridge housing development Peake Mews is a finalist in the Property Council New Zealand Rider Levett Bucknall Property Industry Awards, in the Community and Affordable Housing Property Award category.
Track work
Contractors were scheduled to start repairs on the Kakepuku Mountain tracks this week. They have also visited Sainsbury Road Reserve near Pirongia and options are being considered to safely reopen the reserve. Many other tracks on Mt Pirongia closed following February storms opened last weekend.
Kiwi head south
Arriving from Maungatautari for Kiwi Transfer to Ngaati Rangi
The first 10 of 40 Sanctuary Mountain kiwi have been taken to Karioi Rāhui, a 5300-hectare ecological project in southern Ruapehu. The birds were released into the care of Ngāti Rangi at Rangataua, near Ohakune as part of the national kiwi repopulation strategy.
One of the kiwi being transferred from Maungatautari. Photo: Lucy Schultx
Public consult on subdivision
Tony Rider
Waipā District Council has notified the public about a proposed private plan change that will pave the way for 1250 homes to be built on almost 100 hectares on the southeastern edge of Leamington.
Milan Park Stud Limited wants to rezone 98.6 hectares of rural-zoned land used for equine activities and grazing to enable the building of medium density residential development. Nearly half of the property lies within an area earmarked for future residential growth after 2035 and is designated as deferred residential, while the remainder is zoned rural.
District plan and growth manager Wendy Robinson told last week’s Cambridge Community Board meeting the application would be publicly notified.
Board chair Charlotte FitzPatrick, in in her monthly column in The News in February, said the board would oppose the change and “continue advocating for a more considered, coordinated approach to growth”.
Cambridge ward councillor Pip Kempthorne said people did not understand what a private plan change was.
It is a formal request made by an individual, company, or organisation to a council to alter an operative district or regional plan under the Resource Management Act.
Robinson said the pubic could make submissions on the application ahead of hearings and a decision.
Wilson second
Two 30-something mountain bike legends showed that class is permanent as they dominated the Cycling New Zealand Cross-country Championships in Rotorua at the weekend.
In the elite men’s race, Cooper moved into the lead on lap three after a challenging pre-race but from there was never threatened, going on to win in 1:30.55, to be 1:24 clear of 2023 national champion Matthew Wilson from the Te Miro club.
His clubmate Kayley McMillan won the women’s Under-19 race and Harley Bell was second in the men’s Under-19.
Walker celebrates
Leila Walker in action at the BMXNZ National Championships at Te Awamutu. Photo: Cole McOnie.
Paris Olympic Games riders Leila Walker and Rico Bearman claimed the elite titles at the BMXNZ National Championships in Te Awamutu at the weekend.
Cambridge’s Walker earned her second national elite title with three straight wins in the three-moto format which mixed the best elite and under-23 riders.
She grabbed the holeshot in all three motos and was never threatened.
Walker finished clear of fellow international elite rider, Megan Williams (Rotorua) and Te Awamutu’s Baylee Luttrell and Cambridge’s Brooke Penny who won the under-23 national honours.
“I was super-pleased to put down some good laps, feel good on the bike and enjoyed the amazing crowd so close to home too,” said Walker.
A busy year looms – she has some UCI World Cups in June in Europe, the world championships in in Brisbane the following monoth – and Olympic Games qualifying late in the year.
North Harbour’s Bearman headed off a trio of under-23 riders, Finn Cogan (Cambridge), Jesse Green (Christchurch) and Jack Greenough (Cambridge).
Wallaby shock
The urban discovery of a body of a dama wallaby – with a joey in its pouch – in Frankton early this month has raised concerns the pests are being treated as pets. Waikato Regional Council biosecurity officers have responded by canvassing the Frankton neighbourhood asking residents to report wallaby sightings.
Maize blamed
Tracing shows maize purchased in the Waikato region was the likely source of first velvetleaf find this season on an Auckland dairy farm. North Island velvetleaf coordinator Sally Linton said plants were discovered in pasture where last year’s maize had been fed out and along a fenceline beside a maize paddock.
Game changer
Federated Farmers have welcomed the announcement of a $4 million rural wellbeing fund for rural mental health and wellbeing. Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford says it’s no secret that mental health is a major issue for farmers and rural communities, and many factors contribute to that.
Mānuka benefits
Research led by mānuka honey company Comvita has found that five years after replanting a farm’s grazing fields with mānuka, the variety of animals living there was similar the variety in decades-old mānuka. Scientists also recorded more bat calls in the 5-year-old mānuka than in the fields, and found a stream near a mānuka forest on the farm was cleaner, and contained more water critters than one in the fields.
