Smith and Son’s Pukekohe franchise holders Melissa and Lane Vandenbrink are the masters of home transformation. They can expertly renovate your well-loved and liked home that has served you well in the past into something you will love to stay living in for the foreseeable future. With prices skyrocketing and uncertainty about the economy and borders reopening many New Zealanders…

You are invited to our third StreetFEST Event on Saturday May 8th from 10am -2pm on Great South Road. This year it is being extended into Broadway in Papakura. “We’re so excited to be holding our third StreetFEST, where we will once again be showcasing all the things that make Papakura great.” says Tracy Shackleton, Papakura Town Centre Manager. “It will be a whanau friendly…

Imagine being stuck in a ‘foxhole’ in the ground as a raging battle in the air took place and bombs were exploding all around you. This is what my father Eugene Warwood endured during his Second World War service with the Royal New Zealand Air Force in Vanuatu’s Green Islands. Eugene was a Staff Sergeant, a cook with the RNZAF Radar Group supporting the New Zealand 3rd Division…

Few New Zealanders are unmoved on April 25th, ANZAC day, by the haunting sound of the lone bugle playing the Last Post and what it represents. Steeped in history and tradition it is ingrained into every Kiwi’s heart and everyone of us can share a story of what it means to us and our families. The custom dates from the 17th century or perhaps even earlier. It is believed to have…

With its rich limestone architecture, stunning views of the Pacific Ocean from its harbour and most famous for its blue penguin colony sits Oamaru, one of the largest ‘best wee’ towns in North Otago. Oamaru was laid out in 1858 by Otago’s provincial surveyor, John Turnbull Thompson whom named the streets after British rivers. In the 1860s the town discovered riches through…

Have you ever wanted to sand that table, build a sandpit for the kids, or cut the hedge in half the usual time but find yourself lacking the right tools or the money to buy them? Well, the clever folks at Waiuku Zero Waste have come up with the solution with the establishment of the Waiuku Tool Library. The idea is much the same as a book library but instead of a book, you can…

The recent Powhiri held at Papakura High School to welcome its new principal Simon Craggs was both moving and a reflection on the proud and passionate nature of every pupil, staff member and school community member associated with Papakura High. Something that Simon felt keenly when he accepted the challenge of becoming the new leader. He brings with him a wealth of education…

Played with a simple pack of cards, Bridge is a mind sport, comparable to chess or 500 on steroids and millions of people are involved in playing it around the world. Famous players include Bill Gates, Omar Sharif, and Martina Navratilova, who is quoted as saying, “No matter where I go, I can always make new friends at the bridge table.” Franklin Bridge Club was founded in…

Change has come to Pukekohe. Less frequently are tractors seen on our streets, instead rows of houses march their way across the fertile growing soils which for many hundreds of years have sustained mankind in this district. Planned highways and high-rise buildings will further alter the character of this rural township, maybe beyond recognition. Historic buildings may fall…

Wild horses galloping through wild country, manes and tails flying as they bound through the tussock, snow capped volcanoes in the background. It’s a romantic image, one that appeals to our love of the landscape and wide open spaces and speaks to the freedom we all yearn for. But the horses of the Kaimanawa ranges have had a long struggle that’s been far from romantic, not only…

Love or loathe them, it goes without question that this time of the year they are everywhere! Trees in Gardens all over Franklin are laden heavy with glorious green berry type fruit the size, in some cases of small footballs! Feijoa stalls pop up along the roadside as people are inundated with their excesses. So what can you do with such an abundance? We set out to find a little…

On the northern end of 90 Mile Beach lie the giant sand dunes of Te Paki. Down the riverbed and behind the thick shrub, we found ourselves exploring landscapes we never knew existed in New Zealand. Te Paki was once its own island disconnected from the mainland. Over millions of years, sand built up from volcanic activity elsewhere in New Zealand, and the dunes were created.

For the third year now, Chris Hornblow and Shane Adlington have organised the annual Model A Day at Chris & Raewyn’s fantastic property in Oratia, West Auckland. This year on Saturday 27th February, there were 48 cars in attendance which included one Model T that snuck in and additionally there was also a Fordson tractor! The diverse mix of restored or barn found stockers through…

Topher and I were lucky enough to be granted access by the local iwi to one of their hidden landscapes. It's an area only a few hours north from where Bridget grew up, but somewhere that very few in the area have had the opportunity to explore. Accessing the area involves driving 10 km up a beautiful white sandy subtropical beach. The beach access limits your time exploring, as…

If the words Vapour Blasting, Performance Ceramic Coatings, and Super Finishing surface treatment solutions make your spine tingle, then Pukekohe Performance Componentry Refinishing (PPCR) at Outrider Motorcycles is the place you need to visit! Kane Middleton is the brains behind Outrider Motorcycles, a specialised shop where anyone with a genuine passion for all things…

If there is one thing that new Counties Honda franchise owner Brett Aspden revels in, it’s the opportunity to take something good and make it great. Brett has an impressive background developing businesses and people and has identified the well-established local Counties Honda franchise as a great opportunity to service the community. “The business is backed by the largest…

The buyer activity in the market continues and our past clients have been overwhelmed with their sale results. If you were thinking of selling or simply just want an updated appraisal, please give us a call. We will organise a time that suits you to introduce ourselves and visit your property. Please see our new listings we proudly present to the market. New Listings 249…

“I need to photograph my family, while my kids are growing up, they look so cute at this age! I must organize a photographer soon, something better than the images I take on my phone...” Can you relate to this? If this sounds like you, give me a call. I will photograph your family, your kids, your grandkids. If you are a grandparent and would love to get all your grown-up kids…

We may for the foreseeable future be unable to travel overseas with the same freedoms as we had a few years ago, but that doesn’t mean we can’t experience the flavours of the world! One of the benefits of a nation developed from an immigrant background means we can experience international flavours with true authenticity and Paasha Turkish restaurant is no exception. Owner…

Autumn is here, and with-it cooler mornings and darker evenings, but don’t let that stop you from stepping out in the latest styles and colours. Baker’s Shoes is renowned for staying on top of the popular fashions when it comes to boots, shoes and handbags, and this season is no different. Despite importers and suppliers being unable to source product like they traditionally do…

Under a spreading chestnut-tree The village smithy stands; The smith, a mighty man is he, With large and sinewy hands; And the muscles of his brawny arms Are strong as iron bands. Week in, week out, from morn till night, You can hear his bellows blow; You can hear him swing his heavy sledge, With measured beat and slow, Like a sexton ringing…

In the popular sea side town of Russell in the Bay of Islands is one of the country’s most popular and historic landmarks. Nestled amongst its prominent graveyard is home to New Zealand’s oldest surviving building, Christ Church. In the 19th century, Russell, then known as Kororareka was known as a rough sea port, popular with whalers. The land on which Christ Church sits was…

“A hundred immigrants just landed have been sent here. The Government found them lodgings and give them rations . . . till they can be sent forth to their own grants of land.” These were just some of the immigrants who had recently arrived as part of the Waikato Immigration Scheme. Between October 1864 and June 1865, thirteen ships arrived in Auckland with settlers from Scotland,…

‘[This] has been the busiest, gloomiest and most exciting fortnight I have ever passed. The war has suddenly left Taranaki and broken out here.’ So wrote Rev Vicesimus Lush, Anglican minister, in his journal on July 19th 1863. Only a month before, he had speculated that the fighting was not expected to ‘extend beyond the Taranaki.’ With war breaking out within his parish borders,…

In this video, Dr. Sam Bailey discusses issues that she has been asked about concerning the COVID-19 pandemic, such as censorship, isolation of SARS-CoV-2, Lateral Flow Tests, the Great Reset, and ivermectin.

Dr Sam looks at ways to naturally boost your immune system. The 7 tips she shares will help you boost your immune system without costing you a fortune.

Dr Sam Bailey is a New Zealand medically trained doctor and research physician who makes health videos on questions from her viewers. These videos are released to all on YouTube where she enjoys a large following. She researches and covers common medical conditions but will also tackle controversial health issues. Dr Bailey is co-author of the book “Virus Mania.” Excess…

When Hugh Hewitt was exposed to COVID, his doctor quickly prescribed Ivermectin, which he had not heard of. The use of Ivermectin for COVID is the subject of a great deal of discussion. Dr Pierre Kory is a proponent of its use. A transcript of the interview is reproduced below. HH : As I have told my audience, two members of my production team have COVID. I was exposed last week.…

There has been much talk in recent years of the ‘cashless society’. Certainly, our major banks are keen on electronic banking. By closing their branches and reducing the number of human tellers, replacing them instead with ATMs, the banks reduce their overheads. Some would claim e-banking is also more secure – “the cheque’s in the mail” is no longer an excuse. It’s also…

The Government announced its latest suite of new measures to tackle the rampant housing market. From scrapping interest deductibility to a stealth capital gains tax, the hurdle for investors has been lifted. On supply, the Govt has left us waiting. There’s enough momentum in the housing market to see prices peak at 25% by the middle of the year. Growth should cool but remain in…

I have been mulling over Anzac Day on April 25 this year in New Zealand, my wife will be proudly wearing her uncle’s WW2 medals at the ceremony we attend each year. It’s noticeable, and gratifying the increase in young New Zealanders attending ceremonies wearing granddad’s or grandma’s medals with pride. The service this day remembers all these fine young men and women who gave…

Throughout my almost 14 years as Governor of the Reserve Bank, Michael Reddell was one of my most insightful advisers. And one of the many issues he warned about was the danger to social and economic stability of a continuing escalation in house prices. As a result of that warning, I commissioned a study on the issue by Owen McShane, who in turn pointed out the potentially…

I have a secret to confess: I have an unusual respect for Don Brash. Believe me; we don’t always see eye-to-eye. As a sixth-generation Kiwi, whose family’s early survival in New Zealand was in no small part due to the good-will and manaakitanga of the iwi on whose tribal lands they settled, I find his dismissive attitude towards Māori culture particularly offensive. …

There are some people who question the legitimacy of self-defence training for kids. For these people the prevailing concern appears to be that training in self defense, or for that matter martial arts are an acknowledgement that violence exists and that children will in turn be taught violence. In reality, what happens is that when children learn self-defence, they are less…

As we recently marked a year since the first Covid-19 case was reported in New Zealand, latest figures from realestate.co.nz suggest that despite the many challenges of the pandemic, Kiwis’ appetite for property hasn’t diminished. Resilient housing market shows 12.7% year-on-year price growth. The housing market has performed in a way that few people would have expected 12…

The end of the year is nigh – that is the financial year for most New Zealand businesses. For some people this can feel like the end of the world if you haven’t been keeping your business paper work up to scratch. However if you have Xero or another software package, then the sun will still shine. We are here to help with whatever your accounting issues are; book keeping, GST…

While New Zealanders were on holiday sunning themselves the housing market was hard at work. The housing market has delivered a scorching January amid what economists say is the biggest housing boom in 17 years. In 12 months the country’s median house price has jumped 19 percent to $730,000, with four regions cracking new records - The Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki and…

Group fitness for everyone Regardless of fitness level, there is a class for you! Stay motivated with always changing, tried and proven content. Daily Box-Fit, Circuit, HIIT, Low Impact and VO2Max Classes Women only Join our fast-growing supportive community for women. Work it Ladies is for women who want get moving, have fun and get fit. Keep improving and make gains,…