Hawke's Bay Today

Eels die in stream

Hundreds of tuna (eels), including breeding stock thought to be 40 to 50 years old, have been found dead in the Waiatai Stream near Wairoa. Darren Hill, whose family has farmed the land in the Waiatai Valley for generations, noticed something wasn’t...

Too hot for hops

hawke’s Bay’s sizzling weekend weather that peaked at 37C was hot enough to close walking tracks and even shut a brewery. According to MetService, the region baked through one of its hottest days of the season, with Hastings reaching 36.5C and Napier...

Historic Criterion Hotel restored to old glory

restoring boutique accommodation to Napier’s Criterion Hotel like that which was vogue almost a century ago has been a journey of discovery for the owners. Amid a new-year season of full bookings for the first time since the refurbishment of the “Cri”...

Nūhaka’s new Lamborghini

Sonya Smith had nearly forgotten about the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust raffle she had entered nearly two months earlier when she got the news she had won a Lamborghini. The Nūhaka resident was convinced the phone call was for a survey until they...

Developers eye 500 new homes in Havelock

Developers are eyeing more than 500 new homes and villas for a corner of Havelock North. Havelock North is a popular place to live in Hawke’s Bay and has a population of about 15,000 people, according to Stats NZ. The village has expanded steadily...

Call to cut ‘firewood cowboys’

AHawke’s Bay wood merchant says a surge of unregistered wood sellers on Facebook’s Marketplace are undercutting reputable companies and putting consumers at risk. Woodstocks Firewood merchant owner John Caulton is calling for action from Inland...

Wairoa drenched by 120mm downpour

Wairoa is picking up the pieces from another flooding event in its streets as drains were overwhelmed by torrential Saturday rain. Mayor Craig Little said unlike Cyclone Gabrielle, where the flood had come from the Wairoa River upstream, and June...

Napier debt up by $70m

One Hawke’s Bay council’s debt has almost tripled in the space of a year, while two councils have bucked the trend and managed to reduce debt. Hawke’s Bay’s five councils have shared their debt positions as of December 1. Napier City Council’s...

Pharmacy floods

Ahomemaking seagull and its nest of eggs could have been the last straw in 2025 for Napier’s only remaining inner-city pharmacy. Staff found the floor flooded when they arrived on Tuesday morning after the avian miscreant’s obstruction left a downpipe...

OUR NEW YEAR HONOURS

At least nine people from or living in Hawke’s Bay are recognised in the New Year 2026 Honours List. They are headed by former Napier Boys’ High School pupil Rod Drury, now of Queenstown, who becomes Sir Rod Drury KNZM, for services to business, the...

Rain a relief for farmers

Hawke’s Bay farmers are celebrating and holidaymakers are moaning as rain moves across the region. The sun and warmth is set to return for New Year celebrations, but some strong winds could come with it. Federated Farmers Hawke’s Bay provincial...

How a dance alter ego turns doubts into power

How many times have you looked in the mirror, changed outfits three times and still walked out the door feeling not quite good enough? Napier woman Zarlia Wyatt knows the feeling too well. But she has spent the past two years rewriting it on stage as...

‘You feel pretty badass’ Sisterhood on two wheels takes off in Hawke’s Bay

Forget the beard-and-bike stereotype. If you hear a motorbike roar in the region this summer it could well be one of the Hawke’s Bay Lady Riders. What began with five riders chatting over a drink at the Patangata Tavern has become a 155-strong...

Xmas plans ruined after home scorched by fire

Aman whose hillside home was scorched by a 6ha fire that swept through Fernhill on Tuesday was waiting to see how badly damaged it was inside. The fire near State Highway 50 and the Ngaruroro River bridge was reported to Fire and Emergency New Zealand...

One in hospital as wind whips up Fernhill blaze

Awildfire has destroyed hillside structures beside a Hawke’s Bay river after a bus caught fire below the hill, witnesses say. The fire in the area locals call Puketapu Hill, was near multiple properties in Fernhill, near Hastings. The fire, near State...

A brighter Christmas

At almost 45, unable to break a drug habit, homeless on the streets of Napier, dossing in derelicts, down on the beach, life was not going anywhere with any great hope. If anything, Carl Turner says he was heading towards an early grave — at least...

Beach’s water woes

Summer at the beach should be fun, but in the community of Kairakau, residents say level 4 water restrictions have turned daily life into a constant calculation, including deciding whether the toilet really needs flushing. The restrictions, imposed by...

$20m loan for new racecourse

Loan funding of $20 million from the Government’s Regional Infrastructure Fund is expected to enable a start on Hawke’s Bay’s new racecourse within 12 months. The funding was announced on Wednesday by Racing Minister Winston Peters and Regional...

Extremist jailed over stash of vile content

This article deals with the issue of child sexual exploitation and mass killing and may be distressing for some people Drawn into an extremist group online, a young Hawke’s Bay man talked about committing a mass killing, and distributed “depraved”...

Local’s Bondi family ‘devastated’ after attack

Dry spell forces tougher limits

fire and water restrictions are tightening around Hawke’s Bay as dry conditions set in. Hastings and Napier water restrictions have been upgraded to Level 3, meaning sprinkler use is now banned. A total ban on open-air fires and fireworks, including...

‘Constant confusion'

ARiverslea Village resident and the village manager have been urging the Napier City Council to upgrade what they say is a dangerous set of traffic lights. The lights at the intersection of Guppy and Meeanee Rds have no green right-turning arrow on...

‘It feels pretty crazy’

Former Hastings now Asia-based rugby player Penetana CarterSmith is eligible to represent Hong Kong China who have drawn the same pool as the All Blacks in the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

‘Gross misjudgment and disrespect’ Public pressure forces rethink after tense meeting over mana whenua voice

Napier Deputy Mayor Sally Crown has hit out at Mayor Richard McGrath’s failed proposal to not include mana whenua voices and voting rights in the council’s standing committees for the term, describing it as “gross misjudgment and disrespect”. About...

Manuu moves on show in the village

Hastings made waves on Saturday as the Havelock North Village Pool drew about 650 people to the first North Island qualifier for the Z Manu World Champs, with competitors bombing, bellyflopping and V-dropping their way towards a place in the 2026 Grand...

Girl’s tragic quad bike fall prompts safety plea

Warning: This article may be distressing for some readers. Alittle girl was sitting on a loose plywood platform on a quad bike when she fell into the path of a mower it was towing and was badly injured. Her father, who had been driving the bike, and...

Heatwave sparks fires and melts roads

Fires broke out, bitumen started to melt and people flocked to water and ice creams as Hawke’s Bay temperatures yet again hit more than 30C yesterday. A stretch of State Highway 2 at Mohaka, south of Wairoa, was closed as fire crews battled a fire in...

Fly-tippers burning trash ‘a huge worry’

Frustrated Puketapu residents fed up with ongoing flytipping in the area say the offenders are taking it to another, far more dangerous level by setting their rubbish on fire. Eight fires were deliberately lit across Hawke’s Bay in November. Four of...

Fears over Ikea forests

The highly anticipated opening of Swedish furniture company IKEA in New Zealand comes as a rural community worries about the fire risk from pine plantations. Since 2020 the company has converted six Central Hawke’s Bay farms into pine forestry.

Exhibition honours artists killed in crash

two young artists whose vibrant lives were tragically cut short a year ago will posthumously exhibit their work alongside some of Hawke’s Bay’s best. On December 9 last year, Napier brother and sister Ruben James Stockdale-Frost, 19, and Amelia...

Funding shortfall halts Horse of the Year show

Rising costs and lost sponsors force the iconic Hastings equestrian event to skip next year Horse of the Year, one of Hastings’ biggest annual events, has been cancelled for 2026. Organisers say they could not secure the funding required to deliver...

Drax Project hunt for local acts to open shows

One of New Zealand’s biggest bands is looking for some local talent to open their Hawke’s Bay show. Drax Project, the jazzy, pop R&B band from Wellington known for their platinumselling single Woke Up Late, are heading out on tour this summer and...

Maraekakaho families stung by bus change

Families in Maraekakaho say they are being left with “unaffordable” transport costs after learning the Ministry of Education will discontinue their school bus route to three Hastings secondary schools next year. The change affects about 20 students...

Govt block sits empty

Anew Napier apartment block with 30 flats for social housing remains empty five months after being completed, despite homelessness and a continuing housing crisis in Hawke’s Bay. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development ( HUD), under which...

E-scooters kicked off kerb?

The Government wants to change road rules to move e-scooters off footpaths and into cycle lanes where possible, a Hawke’s Bay MP says. Data from ACC shows the cost of e-scooter injuries has increased from just over $20,000 worth of claims in Hawke Bay...

Donut doyenne fights for survival

the owner of an awardwinning Hawke’s Bay donut business has lifted the curtain on her frantic fight to keep her business alive, saying social media can paint an unrealistically rosy picture of how well a company is doing. Hawke’s Bay Mamas Donuts...

‘Black and blue’

Disabled traveller files AirNZ complaint

Native’s eggs destroyed

Acamera in Hawke’s Bay has captured people walking through a native bird nesting site and crushing their eggs. Hawke’s Bay rivers and coastline are a stronghold for breeding banded dotterels/pohowera, supporting an estimated 16% of the total global...

Warning after pest grass found on peak

An invasive weed that is a serious threat to Hawke’s Bay’s agriculture, environment and regional economy has been found on Te Mata Peak. Invasive pest Chilean needle grass has sharp, needle-like seeds that cling to animals, vehicles, machinery,...

Te reo fest kicks off bumper Bay weekend

The Toitū Te Reo festival has kicked off a series of events across Hawke’s Bay with thousands turning out to “celebrate” Māori language. Founder Jeremy Tātere MacLeod said everyone was embracing the culture, with an estimated 5000 people attending...

Police block Fight for Life boxing event

AFight for Life charity boxing event in Wairoa has been sucker-punched after police declined to give it a permit as it could cause tension between rival gang members. Wairoa Boxing Club had planned to hold the event, involving 21 fighters, on...

Small fall offers some relief to renters

The average rental price has dropped slightly in Hawke’s Bay after years of big increases, marking a “slight correction” in the region’s rental market, a property expert says. The change has been attributed to a combination of factors, including...

‘Really bad luck’

Hawke’s Bay Coastguard says a recent boat flip is a reminder that bad luck can happen in an instant to even the most prepared boaties. As the weather and ocean around the region warms, the Coastguard is coming into its busiest time of the year. It...

Bay’s flood reality

Hawke’s Bay has been ranked third in terms of the most flood-exposed regions across the country during severe rainfall events, new research has shown. Only West Coast and Nelson have worse flood exposure according to the data. Last week, Earth...

Six-storey housing on 44 streets

Napier City Council has updated its building rules, opening the door to sixstorey terraced housing and apartment-style living on dozens of streets near the central city and Taradale. The changes to the proposed District Plan take effect after all...

Pāua & pistol in CHB beach bust

A41-year-old man has been arrested in Central Hawke’s Bay after allegedly throwing his pāua into the sea when police officers went to inspect it. Police had stopped a vehicle within the marine reserve at Blackhead Beach about 11.55am on Tuesday as...

Waiohiki Bridge a step closer

The Hastings and Napier councils have started a survey to determine the alignment for the Tūtaekurī River’s new Waiohiki Bridge. The fortnight-long survey was launched at a community hui at the weekend, with three options presented. One option...

Mum caught in crossfire of firebomb attack

Aformer Waipawa woman caught in the crossfire of an alleged firebomb attack in Australia says it felt like she was being “flash fried”. Penelope (Penny) Travers was left with burns to 25% of her body, including her face, neck, chest and arms, after...

$10m payout ‘long overdue’

More than 2000 Hawke’s Bay health workers have been paid their share of nearly $10 million in historical holiday pay and leave entitlements. One health union says the payments are long overdue. Last week, Health NZ paid roughly $9.6 million to more...

Empty Kāinga Ora homes to go on market

Government housing agency Kāinga Ora has confirmed a small village of 10 homes on Napier’s Ahuriri beachfront is empty because they are being readied for sale. The village fronts seafront Hardinge Rd with four homes at numbers 35 and 36, and has six...

YOU ARE NOT TO BLAME

An estimated 30,000 Hawke’s Bay women will experience sexual abuse or harassment in their lifetimes. Survivors say they want change, and they need those like them to know it’s not their fault. Rafaella Melo reports on our region’s silent crisis in this...

Jaw-dropping revival of creative arts village

If there was anything that was definitely going to be recreated after the devastation of Cyclone Gabrielle, it was the Waiohiki Creative Arts Village. And so it’s proved. The village marks its revival with an 11am-4pm public open day on Saturday. On...

Change of guard: Sophie Siers new regional-council chair

Sophie Siers has been elected as chair of the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council by her fellow councillors. In her acceptance speech at the council’s inaugural meeting the Napier Conference Centre on Wednesday, Siers said she had a 50-year vision for Te...

‘I couldn’t move’

AHastings man wants to thank his heroes after he nearly died when he became tangled in abandoned fishing line while diving at a Hawke’s Bay beach. James Campbell was in the water in search of mussels with a friend on Saturday, near where the...

Fires out but risk remains

Firefighters have extinguished three large wildfires that burned for six days near the village of Pōrangahau in Central Hawke’s Bay, with the focus now turning to how to reduce the risk in the district over summer. MetService issued an eight-hour...

‘Incredible stress’

Many Hawke’s Bay business owners are under “severe stress” and facing difficult decisions about the future of their companies, a business leader and mentor says. However, she said there is help available for owners as they face a “perfect storm” of a...

Elected and rejected

Imagine being hired for a new job and at the same time being told you’ll have to depart in three years because you’re not the right fit. For Hawke’s Bay’s Māori ward councillors outside of Wairoa, that’s the reality they now face after the region’s...

Winds close gates for Show’s opening day

Strong winds caused power outages and cancellations across Hawke’s Bay yesterday as wild weather returned. Temperatures also soared, with Hastings recording a high of 31.8C. It marked Hastings’ hottest October day since MetService records began for...

One dead, one rescued after boat overturns

Two fishermen whose boat capsized off the coast of Napier were found 90 minutes apart on Tuesday, with a rāhui now in place following the tragedy. One of the pair died, while the other, who was found first, is recovering. Police were contacted at...

Bumper weekend ahead

Hawke’s Bay is getting ready for one of its biggest and busiest events weekends of the year as Anniversary Day this Friday rolls straight into the Labour Day long weekend. With Six60 returning home to play at Puketapu’s Shed 530 and the A&P Show...

Teens keen to take charge

ANapier cafe is putting its confidence in Generation Alpha. Puāwai cafe has decided to put two teens — aged 13 and 14 — in charge of running the Latham St cafe one day a week. Generation Alpha refers to people born from 2010 onwards. Puāwai cafe is...

Family turns school bus loss into business gain

The joy of buses — you wait ages for one, and then three show up all at once. Think of this as a pertinent metaphor for one Central Hawke’s Bay family, who decided to start a bus company at the start of the year after their child’s school bus was...

Find the bomb, and the enemy

The cadets arrived at CHB Motors in Waipawa on a mission. Their target was clear, but curveballs were inevitable.

New blow for growers

Wattie’s New Zealand is further reducing fruit and vegetable crops it sources from its home of Hawke’s Bay, citing an ongoing struggle against cheaper imports. Growers of key crops beetroot, corn and tomatoes will be affected by its recent crop intake...

Councillor-critic wants top job

Newly elected Hawke’s Bay Regional councillor Louise Parsons has set her sights on the top spot at the table. “I’m not there to be an ornament. I want to be chair or at least deputy, and I have the capabilities to do it,” Parsons said. “I’ve got a...

Making a mountain out of a mound?

A seemingly unremarkable mound in a seaside Hawke’s Bay community has found itself at the centre of a complaint and council investigation. A neighbour says it has triggered an “important talking point” about what community members can, and can’t, do...

Portrait of Jesus survives chapel fire

Afire that completely destroyed a chapel in Hawke’s Bay left a portrait of Jesus untouched. Firefighters were called to the blaze in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Chapel in Te Hauke, about 21km southwest of the city of Hastings, at...

Mayoral sea-change

The region has voted for a swap at the top with three sitting mayors from Hawke’s Bay and the Tararua District voted off councils – while the race for the Hastings mayoralty is still too close to call.

Temporary pools a ‘grave hazard’

Napier toddler Aromaia Morehu Leoni Duff drowned in a relative’s temporary swimming pool in March 2023. A coroner has recommended that unfenced pools ‘should never be in operation’ when young children are around due to the challenge of constant...

‘He was one of our family’ Pastor’s grief for fatal house-fire victim

Aman who died in a Hastings house fire is being remembered as a much-loved member of a church he had found solace with. Firefighters were called to a blaze at a single-storey, Duke St home about 2.40pm on September 29. Police have named the victim as...

Welcome to the 2025 Ram Catalogue

Here we give you the opportunity to learn about the allimportant ram sales and read about what some of our New Zealand breeders are up to. We’ve an interesting selection of articles which we hope will inform, entertain and provide food for thought....

Feasibility funds flow for Bay dam plan

Fundraising for a new dam in Central Hawke’s Bay has raised enough cash to get a feasibility study off the ground. A group of about 60 Hawke’s Bay businesses and water users have now given the Tukituki Water Security Project (TWSP) almost $3.8 million...

Swept away by cyclone?

The mysterious disappearance of Joseph Ahuriri has been added to an inquest into deaths associated with Cyclone Gabrielle and the extreme weather events of early 2023. Coroner Erin Woolley has been conducting inquiries into the deaths of 18 people...

Benson’s final wish on quake rules within reach

Napier property owner Pat Benson’s final wish was for New Zealand to relax earthquake-prone building rules, which he believed were excessively cautious. Now, after the Government announced a significant shake-up to the rules on Monday, his family say...

Local extremist’s plot for mass stabbing

A young Hawke’s Bay man who’d been sexually exploiting children online started planning a mass stabbing attack. He was about to execute his plan before police tipped off by the FBI - raided his home.