News

Bay of Plenty Regional Council said it has delivered progress on public transport, flood protection and environmental restoration, while recording an operating surplus of $24.7 million for the 2025/26 financial year.

Earth Sciences New Zealand warns of growing dryness concerns across the Eastern Bay of Plenty, with warmer temperatures and fewer widespread rain events expected over the coming months.

Whakatāne District Council is considering investment options ranging from $20 million to $59 million for the future of the Rex Morpeth Recreation Hub, as it looks to balance community needs with affordability.

Traffic has moved onto two new teardrop roundabouts on State Highway 2 near Ōpōtiki, marking a major milestone in the Wainui Road to Ōpōtiki safety improvements project.

Whakatāne will host a new reggae and seafood festival next summer, with organisers hoping the event will become an annual fixture for the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

Whakatāne Hospital’s Neonatal Unit will increase its capacity from three to four cots as part of a major refurbishment aimed at improving specialist care for newborns and their whānau in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

A New Zealand Army engineer with strong roots in the Bay of Plenty has helped renovate a medical facility in Indonesia as part of a multinational humanitarian and disaster relief exercise.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council said it has delivered progress on public transport, flood protection and environmental restoration, while recording an operating surplus of $24.7 million for the 2025/26 financial year.

Whakatāne District Council is considering investment options ranging from $20 million to $59 million for the future of the Rex Morpeth Recreation Hub, as it looks to balance community needs with affordability.

Whakatāne’s Boon Street bus station and public toilets are set for a major upgrade, with demolition of the ageing facility expected to begin before the end of the year.

Residents, iwi, hapū and others with connections to Te Kaha are being encouraged to help shape a new masterplan that will guide the area’s future development and investment.

Two young people have been arrested following a serious hammer attack in Edgecumbe and an alleged vehicle incident in Kawerau.

Police are appealing for information following the death of a woman in Kawerau over the weekend, with investigators seeking sightings of a silver Mitsubishi Lancer.