Okaihau Christmas gala
Come join us at our annual Okaihau Christmas gala - Saturday 13th Dec 2025.
The event will start with a parade at 10am - the parade route starts at the Primary School turnaround, moving down Settlers Way towards the shops, turning right into Lawn st & right again into Michie st, before circling the domain & coming to a halt in the middle of the grounds - where you are welcome to have a closer look at the floats.
There will be live music by a wonderful local musician, plus lots of stalls selling food & other items.
We have our annual Christmas Tree competition.
The Fire-Engine and Thomas-the-Tank-Engine will be there for childrens' rides.
And, of course, the main attraction - SANTA!!
He has confirmed he will be able to join us for a time and we hope all those who want to will get a chance to say hi!
We look forward to seeing you all there!!
Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
The Environmental Protection Authority announced this week that a proposed mine in Central Otago (near Cromwell) is about to enter its fast-track assessment process. A final decision could come within six months, and if it’s approved, construction might start as early as mid-2026.
We want to know: Should mining projects like this move ahead?
Keen to dig deeper? Mike White has the scoop.
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53.1% Yes
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46.9% No
Poll: Over summer, how do you reclaim your sense of home in Northland?
When tourists take over the streets and parking disappears, where do you find your calm?
Or is summer’s hustle something to enjoy rather than escape?
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75% I enjoy the summer hubbub!
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25% Please, give me some peace
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0% I escape the region during summer
‘Tis the season to not get scammed ...
As Christmas gift shopping moves increasingly online, scammers are ramping up their activity across the country.
Dunedin’s Investigation Support Unit is seeing more and more people fall victim to scams and other fraudulent activity, particularly on Facebook Marketplace.
There are a few ways to avoid the scams and keep yourself safe doing online trades this holiday season, says Southern District Service Delivery Manager Senior Sergeant Dalton.
🔒 “A good first step when looking to purchase something on Marketplace is to check when the seller’s Facebook profile was created. If it’s very recent, there is a higher risk that they have just created this account for a one-off fake item.”
🔒 Another important step is to make sure the seller’s profile name and bank account name match up. “We’re seeing a lot of scammers claiming their bank account name is different because it belongs to their partner or family member - that’s a huge red flag."
🔒 “When you’re selling, never trust a screenshot anyone sends you showing that payment has been made. Check your own bank account to make sure a payment has gone through."
🔒 “Quite frankly, it’s best for all parties to agree to pay, or be paid, for items in cash and in-person. Ideally in a public place with CCTV coverage."
🔒 "If you’re buying a car, check Carjam.co.nz to see if it’s stolen or if there’s money owed on it.”
A reminder: Suspicious activity can be reported on 105
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