Happy birthday, Mr Fix It

Happy birthday, Mr Fix It

“Whenever I’m travelling and I go through immigration with my passport, for example, it always amazes me how few people actually pick up on what my birthday is. “And that’s even after looking at it…

Jurassic fun for museum kids

Have you ever panned for gold, dug up fossils or met a raptor called Tai in Te Awamutu? Those looking for some school holiday fun in town last week found just that at Te Awamutu…

Seconds out – it’s cube time

“Is that scrambled enough?” I ask. My efforts are futile – of course – and I should have known better, really. Tamahere Model Country School student Dylan Heerikhuisen, 9, holds most existing club records at…

Rain, rain and sunshine

The Festival One concert wrapped up on Monday – but like its two predecessors was a victim of circumstances. The first four-day Christian music festival was staged  at Karāpiro’s Hartford Farm – and the impact…

Waka ama success celebrated

Gisborne’s Horouta Waka Hoe has entered unchartered waters – winning the Waka Ama Sprint Nationals Club Points trophy for the 10th straight year. The week-long 2024 sprint nationals at Lake Karāpiro wrapped up on Saturday…

John, a man of many words

John Herbert has commentated on so many races he’s been called the voice of waka ama. The Waka Ama National Sprint Championships head announcer has only missed two years in the event’s 34-year history, calling…

Waka ama – a whānau affair

The week-long 2024 WakaAma Sprint Nationals at Lake Karāpiro will inject millions of dollars into the economy. Accommodation providers district wide are reported to be “packed” as the event, which started on Sunday, progresses. The…

First competition for siblings

There may have been just a touch of sibling rivalry on display as this trio set out to make a splash at this week’s 2024 Waka Ama Sprint Nationals. Mostly though, they were beaming with…

Kustom made for kids

The 2023 Stragglers Rod and Kustom Charity Custom and Classic Car Display raised nearly $30,000 for charity, the highest annual total in the event’s 17-year history. The display, held last month, is New Zealand’s biggest…

Hall future known soon

The future of the 65-yearold Piarere Hall destroyed by fire last month will be decided after a repair estimate arrives next week. Crews from Tīrau, Matamata, Cambridge and Tokoroa battled a blaze which engulfed the…