1944 days ago

Time to get Neighbourly

Reporter Community News

Nicholas Boyack here, I am the Stuff Neighbourly reporter for Wellington, Lower and Upper Hutt, Kāpiti, Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa.

Neighbourly is your tool to access local news, and as a way to keep in touch with those around you. I'm here to bring you the news closest to you, in a role which will work like a community newspaper reporter. I worked for the Hutt News for two decades and had spells with the Wairarapa News, Wellingtonian and Dominion Post.

If you have any stories or interesting things happening in your suburb or area, please get in touch! Tips, insults and bribes can be sent on Neighbourly or to nicholas.boyack@stuff.co.nz.

If you see items posted about your area, please get involved and reply with your comments and thoughts on the issues at hand. I'm keen for robust discussion, and a bit of banter never goes amiss. It is a big area to cover and I hope to hear from you all. Thanks in advance and I look forward to chatting with you all!

- Nicholas 027 6420086

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More messages from your neighbours
18 minutes ago

Quote for the Day

Mike from Paraparaumu

Interviewer:
"Do you think that the British class system has finally ended?"
Upper-middle class Romance author, Dame Barbara Cartland:
"Well, of course it has; otherwise I would't be sitting here, talking to someone like you!"

Happy New Year [hopefully!]
Mike

18 hours ago

Poll: Do you set New Year’s resolutions?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

🎉 2026 is almost here!

We’re curious ... how do you welcome it?
Do you set resolutions, follow special traditions, or just go with the flow?

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Do you set New Year’s resolutions?
  • 9% Yes! New Year, New Me
    9% Complete
  • 21.9% Yes - but I rarely stick to them
    21.9% Complete
  • 69.1% Nah - not for me
    69.1% Complete
311 votes
5 days ago

Driven On The Akatarawa Rd Lately?

Marie from Waikanae

If so, its good to know you are still alive and reading this.

We have a function to go to over Christmas up that way and having heard a few hairy stories about the road, I went up there on Thursday to check it out. The road's ok, narrow and winding, but not much worse than a Wellington hill suburb. What was pretty scary was the behavior of other drivers. Three vehicles heading the other way at speed would have crashed into me if I hadn't been pulled off the road. I had pulled in to check the address when a truck came flying past, taking up all of the narrow road at speed. There is no way the driver would have been able to stop had they come around the corner immediately in front of me. The other two drivers came hurtling past as I had turned in to turn around and come back down the hill. They were also driving at speed and taking up most of the road. Coming back down I passed another car coming up and estimate that the safe speed to pass another car was about 30-35 kms.p.h. So, now we're thinking, do we go to the function or not.? Feels a bit like we're taking our life in our hands going up there. Drivers appear to be overconfident, and they are courting serious injury.