Regional News

Whakatāne and Kawerau will be at the centre of New Zealand’s rally scene this weekend as international drivers join the country’s leading competitors for the final round of the 2026 New Zealand Rally Championship.

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.

Minor eruptive activity continues at Whakaari/White Island, with scientists warning that more explosive eruptions could occur with little or no warning.

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.

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 people reported being assaulted during an incident at a premises on College Road in Edgecumbe late Friday night, with one person requiring medical attention.

Eastern Bay of Plenty has become the first district in New Zealand to introduce fire restrictions this summer, with permits now required for outdoor fires in several areas.

Police have launched a homicide investigation after the body of a woman was discovered at an address in Kawerau following a serious crash involving a car and a train in Paengaroa.

One person is in a critical condition following a serious crash involving a car and a train on Te Puke Highway in Paengaroa this morning.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand is urging Eastern Bay of Plenty residents to stay informed, check fire restrictions before lighting any fires, and prepare for possible evacuations as the region heads into a potentially hot, dry, and windy summer.

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.

Eastern Bay of Plenty residents are being encouraged to check their tsunami evacuation zones and practise how they would reach safety as part of New Zealand’s annual ShakeOut earthquake drill and tsunami hīkoi this Wednesday.

Eastern Bay of Plenty Police are urging trailer owners to improve security after a series of wheel thefts, with stolen wheels reportedly used in anti-social driving.

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.

Whakaari/White Island has emitted intermittent weak ash plumes, but the volcanic alert level remains at level 2 and the aviation colour code at yellow.

Five people have been arrested following a series of burglaries in the Ōpōtiki district, with Police recovering stolen vehicles and other property taken during the offending.

State Highway 2 between Matatā and Edgecumbe is closed following a truck spill, with motorists warned to expect delays while clean-up work takes place.

A poetry-inspired dining experience celebrating Ngāti Awa stories through kai, art and performance is returning to Mataatua Wharenui, with creator Rangipare Ngaropo hoping to show that world-class creative experiences can be created right here at home.

Police have recovered household goods, tools and other suspected stolen items following burglary investigations in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

The former Whakatāne mayor said his scientific background and six years of local government experience will help him contribute to key debates at the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, including restructuring, environmental regulation and climate change.

Earth Sciences New Zealand (ESNZ) said no eruptive activity has been detected at Whakaari White Island, despite large steam and gas plumes visible from the Bay of Plenty coast over the past week.

Motorists travelling between Otamarakau and Matatā should allow extra time as crews carry out scaling and blasting work near Herepuru Road this week.

One person is in critical condition following a crash on Te Puke Highway this morning.

One person has died following a single-vehicle crash on Orete Point Road in Waihau Bay, in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, on Monday.

Police have charged a 25-year-old man with murder following a fatal crash in Te Puke on Saturday morning, with a homicide investigation now underway.

Police are appealing for information after one person died, and another was left in a critical condition following a crash in Te Puke on Saturday morning.