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We reached Egypt after navigating our way north through Ethiopia and Sudan. Both countries were experiencing political unrest and civil uprising, so it was a difficult journey to say the least! During our drive, we looked at Egypt as our safe haven destination. However, the day we crossed the border at Wadi Halfa, there was a terrorism attack targeting a tourism bus. Our safe…

It has been 13 years since we have seen sales hit over 10,000 in a month but that’s what happened last month – against a backdrop of low level of listings. There are a good number coming to the market but the high turnover rate means that there are not enough for the demand that exists. A persistent lack of stock is contributing to the rising house values – this is particularly…

The Business Association hopes you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year and an enjoyable and safe break. New Businesses in Papakura We welcome: Totally Chicken in O’Shannessey Street Xuemei Hair Dressing and Beauty in the Selwyn Centre, 182 Great South Road Where to Eat Guide Our up to date Where to Eat Guide is now out and if you didn’t receive a copy in the post, please…

That’s a very real experience for many who are dealing with addiction. Now I’m not talking about taking your phone to the bathroom, but food addiction. An issue that stems from chemicals that routinely screw with the functions in the brain. And we can break that down a bit further, because what happens in the case of food addiction, actually only happens in the “animal” or…

Choosing a gift this Christmas for a loved one is even more important after such a turbulent year and choosing the perfect gift that really means something is easy if you do it with a gift from Wrights Jewellers. The inviting brightly lit showroom on King St in Pukekohe is the perfect place to find gifting inspiration from exquisite Diamonds to awe-inspiring jewellery designs,…

It’s that time of year again when, for all things, Jolly, Joyful and generally Christmassy - Papakura is your one stop Christmas stop! Having always had always had a strong community spirit, a varied retail base with 24 new shops opened this year alone, and with numerous eatery options, your local town centre has pulled out all the stops to make this festive season the best ever!

What a year, it’s certainly been a ride! I am sure everyone is looking forward to seeing the back of 2020. What started with a hiss and a roar and usual promise of positivity and things ‘better than’, has actually become for many more than usual, a year fraught with illness, financial pressure and uncertainly. In April, for the first time since elocal started, we were unable to…

The North Island in the centuries prior to pastoral farming and introduced pests were cloaked in a fringe of red from coast to coast as the New Zealand Pohutukawa tree was in full bloom during the months of November to January, from the latitude of 38º south (New Plymouth/Gisbourne) upwards towards Cape Reinga in the north. The species formal botanical name is Metrosideros…

When locals Karen and Stuart approached Smith and Sons with what they thought was a radical idea to completely transform their Orere Pt home, they were overwhelmed with the approach and ease that the team at Smith and Sons embraced their ideas and presented them with a plan that was going to work. The multi award winning team at Smith and Sons Pukekohe headed by Lane and Melissa…

Local foodie Suzanne Braks knows a thing or two about great food and great coffee. She has been providing locals and visitors to the area just that in both the Autobahn café in Bombay and Papakura for many years. This year has seen the restaurants evolve significantly as Suzanne and her team had to adapt to the interruptions of nationwide and regional lockdowns. As the Holiday…

Traditions at Christmas time have a long and varied history. Many are steeped in custom and religious significance and while some vary between families, their beliefs and even between countries, others are universally celebrated in a manner recognised by all. Many a house around the world is decorated for the season with a Christmas tree laden with lights, ornaments and atop with…

Christmas Parades or Santa Parades as they’re more commonly referred to are parades held worldwide to celebrate the official opening of Christmas season with the arrival of Santa Claus. Typically, these parades include themed floats, dancing, marching groups and bands with accompanying Christmas songs. As moving floats there is usually a starting point as the parade moves…

Published by Penguin Books (NZ). Paperback, 304 pages. When journalist Martin van Beynen started writing Black Hands, a book about the fatal Bain family shootings in 1994, he wondered if he could finally nail who did it. The veteran reporter, who covered David Bain’s second trial in 2009 and started his journalism career in Dunedin in 1989, said starting on the book was delayed…

Published by Viking. Hardback, 768 pages. “Looking back, I sometimes ponder the age-old question of how much difference the particular characteristics of individual leaders make in the sweep of history—whether those of us who rise to power are mere conduits for the deep, relentless currents of the times or whether we’re at least partly the authors of what’s to come… “The…

In the middle of November, the Real Institute reported that the median house price across New Zealand had risen by 19.8 percent over the year to the end of October. Across the country as a whole, the median price had risen to an astonishing $725,000, while in the Auckland region the median price had reached $1 million. In Auckland city the median reached $1.2 million, on the…

Sitting high on a hill in the Awhitu Peninsula overlooking its dramatic backdrop of farmland, Lake Pokorua and the Tasman sea sits an iconic building dubbed by some as New Zealand’s most photogenic church. Kohekohe Church was designed in 1886 by Scottish emigrant, Captain Sir John Makgill, the founder of St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Waiuku in the 19th century, and a…

We would like to say a massive thank you to all of our Clients for trusting us over the past year – what a ride it has been and we are grateful to have been part of your journeys. Whilst we certainly haven't stopped yet, we're looking forward to time with family over the holidays, and will be back raring to go for 2021, ready to meet more great people! New Listings 152e Aka Aka…

I have been giving a great deal of thought and consideration to our present “Super City” Auckland Council, based on my own experience as a City Councillor of the former Auckland City Council and as a Member of the old Auckland Regional Authority. Just where is Auckland at present, what financial constraints and guidelines have been responsibly implemented, particularly as…

I love Christmas. As a child it was always a happy and fun time. Having grown up on a Northland farm, Christmas was usually a few days break from the hot hard work of either haymaking, or shearing. While there was not the emphasis on the Christian message of God taking the form of a baby, there was a celebration of being a happy family. Life had its stresses. This was usually…

The end of the year is snowballing and with it comes a culmination of many a dream build for locals who have chosen Navigation Homes to build this year. Founded in the Franklin region in 2007 by Aaron and Michelle Hall and today with 11 branches nationwide local Franchise owners, Ryan Keegan and Nathan Hall share a love of the area, with a great understanding of what goes into…