Cool Drop

The footbridge linking Pataua South& North is a favorite place for kids to jump off in summer.

Threshing Engine?

It says Ruston, Lincoln, England on a plate on the end. Photographed at the Whangarei Heritage Park today.
Sorry I don't know what it was used for. Information about that company is here.

The old hose cart, and other pieces of old firefighting equipment, held in the Dannevirke Volunteer Fire Brigade's Museum.

Cute Hood

One of the more standout cars in the Whangarei Hot Rod Show in November.

Kite Surfing

A great way to spend the day, kite surfing at Waipu Cove, south of Whangarei.

Just Hanging

High voltage transmission power lines delivering power for Northland, in a valley at Oakleigh, just south of Whangarei.

On the Way Down

Another scene from the Northland fire brigades annual field camp in October.

This was line rescue training, lowering firefighters down multiple floors inside the Moerewa freezing works.

Buskers Festival

One of the star acts at the annual Buskers Festival held at Whangarei's Town Basin on Saturday, Sport Suzie from Christchurch. She skipped rope on a unicycle!

Toot, Toot

Two of these diesel locomotives are in use by a forestry company at Portland, a village just south of Whangarei.

Town Basin

I don't know why it has the strange name of Town Basin, but this shot I took today from the Western Hills shows how close the yachts can moor, beside Whangarei's central business district.

Extinguish-A-Bull

  The town of Bulls, near Palmerston North, has hit on a successful theme using its name on buildings.
See this article in the Auckland newspaper.

Kool Karts

Whangarei Kart Club held its Summer Slam competition last weekend, in perfect weather.

Those karts are close to the ground and go so fast over a tight circuit..

Through the Stone Wall

Taken on a farm beside the harbour, just north of Waitangi.

Dry Weather

The Whau Valley Dam on the western foothills of Whangarei, I photographed this morning. With the last two months of almost no rain, the water level's a lot lower than normal. The dam is the main city water supply.

This and the very high fire risk was on the TV news tonight - play video here.

Fire Training

Kamo Volunteer Fire Brigade along with a local rural fire force, at at training burn in Tikipunga a few years ago.

The old Northland Car Club rooms needed to be demolished so the owners donated it to the Brigade, for removal by fire. It is rare to have a training burn in the city limits. They are invaluable for training, and not all firefighters have been in structure fires.

In the News Today

I photographed the boat "Earthrace" in February when it visited Whangarei on a promotional tour. It was subsequently sold and renamed to "Ady Gil".

Today the front was ripped off, in the Southern Ocean,  when it was hit by a Japanese whaling boat - for the news article click here..

Old Time Pub

The Hikurangi Hotel (just off State Highway 1) just 10 minutes north of Whangarei) is one of a smallish number of New Zealand hotels (pubs) which date back to the 1800s.

It has real character and I'm told has interesting things inside on display, that hunters have caught, on sea and on land, over the years.

Morning Above Whangarei

The sun breaks through above Parihaka hill, while Whangarei's central business district hides underneath the fog.

Fire Danger

The scene at Taurikura, one of the many beautiful bays along Whangarei Heads (our outer harbour), three years ago. No properties were destroyed, due to the good work of the ground crews and helicopter.

It's much drier here (and all Northland) this year, so there are total fire bans across all Northland now.

Relaxing Way to See New Year

We went to the New Year's concert and fireworks display at Marsden Cove Marina and it was really great.

It had a real family atmosphere, thousands picnicking on the lawn in front of the marina, with the bands on a barge in the water.

One of the helicopter skydivers parachuted into the water right in front of us, wowing the crowd. Then we watched the big moon rise over Mt Manaia (peaks at the rear of the photo). Thanks to the sponsors entry was free. The music of Billy TK and the others entertained us from 6pm til past midnight.

Holey Rock

This interesting rock is on the beach at Mangawhai Heads, a small village at the southeast coast of Northland that is a very popular place to have a holiday home for Aucklanders.