Tauranga and Bay of Plenty

Whakaari/White Island pictured at 12.30pm today.

Two 'short-lived' eruptions confirmed at Whakaari/White Island

The first eruption took place at 12.30pm on Thursday, followed by a second at 6.40pm.

Friday 3:25pm

The former landfill on Cambridge Rd in Tauranga was closed in 1998 and became Cambridge Park. (Source: Alisha Evans)

'Slip up' costs council $1.49m to fix leaking Tauranga landfill site

The infrastructure upgrades will stop the discharges of leachate and stormwater from the old Cambridge Rd landfill site into the Kopurererua Stream.

Thu, Oct 30

White Island alert raised after 'possible eruption' unfolds

Earth Sciences New Zealand said the possible small-low energy eruption occurred at around 12.30pm.

Thu, Oct 30

Joseph Yorke (left) and Kanan Clarke (right).

Man fatally shot in Te Puke named, pair sought by police

The man, named today as 29-year-old Tristan Oakes, died in hospital on October 25 after he was shot in his Te Puke home.

Tue, Oct 28

Mayor Mahé Drysdale rated himself a seven out of 10 for leadership.

'Harsh critic of myself': How Mahé Drysdale rates his leadership as mayor

Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale and councillors rate their performance after a year.

Tue, Oct 28

Two 'short-lived' eruptions confirmed at Whakaari/White Island

The first eruption took place at 12.30pm on Thursday, followed by a second at 6.40pm.

Friday 3:25pm

'Slip up' costs council $1.49m to fix leaking Tauranga landfill site

The infrastructure upgrades will stop the discharges of leachate and stormwater from the old Cambridge Rd landfill site into the Kopurererua Stream.

Thu, Oct 30

White Island alert raised after 'possible eruption' unfolds

Earth Sciences New Zealand said the possible small-low energy eruption occurred at around 12.30pm.

Thu, Oct 30

Man fatally shot in Te Puke named, pair sought by police

The man, named today as 29-year-old Tristan Oakes, died in hospital on October 25 after he was shot in his Te Puke home.

Tue, Oct 28

'Harsh critic of myself': How Mahé Drysdale rates his leadership as mayor

Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale and councillors rate their performance after a year.

Tue, Oct 28

New Zealand bowler Zak Foulkes, right, celebrates after taking the wicket of England batsman Ben Duckett during the One Day international cricket match.

England's Ashes stars struggle in the first ODI against NZ

The Black Caps have taken the early lead in the three-match one-day series against England, with a four-wicket win at Mount Maunganui.

Mon, Oct 27

The Blue Baths are currently fenced off and in disrepair following their 2021 closure.

Building law shake-up gives hope to Rotorua's historic Blue Baths

The Blue Baths were closed in 2021 after the building was determined to be earthquake-prone, but proposed changes to the system could see the site reopened.

Mon, Oct 27

Homicide probe launched after man shot in Te Puke dies in hospital

Police said it received a report of a person having been admitted to hospital with a critical gunshot wound at about 10.30am on Saturday.

Sun, Oct 26

Cyclist in critical condition after collision with car in Bay of Plenty

Police were called to the crash at the intersection of State Highway 29 and Poripori Road at 11am.

Sat, Oct 25

An X-ray of the 13-year-old's abdomen after he ate up to 100 small magnets.

Boy, 13, has major surgery after eating up to 100 magnets

Surgeons had to remove part of the boy's bowel after he ate up to 100 of banned neodymium magnets, according to a case study in the New Zealand Medical Journal.

Fri, Oct 24

Van driver not to blame over fatal logging truck crash – coroner

The coroner criticised a subsequent police investigation into the crash, which suggested one of the men, the driver of a van involved, caused the accident.

Thu, Oct 23

The water fountain in Tauranga's Memorial Park.

Four-year-old drowned after climbing into public fountain

Four-year-old Nia Lohchab's life was tragically cut short when she drowned in the fountain at Tauranga's Memorial Park in 2023.

Tue, Oct 21

Damage from vehicles to the berm on Harbour Dr in Ōtūmoetai.

'Pattern of behaviour': Burnouts, drug use on Tauranga waterfront

Resident Matt McHardy said drug use and dealing happened in cars parked on the grass verge across from homes, at all times of day.

Sat, Oct 18

Byron Smith is refusing to let a cancer diagnosis and intense upcoming surgery stop him from living life.

Brain injury, now cancer - Tauranga man faces 'mother of all surgeries'

A cancer diagnosis eight weeks ago has left Byron Smith facing a major new obstacle.

Sat, Oct 18

Jason Butler with his daughter Maata and mokopuna

Charge laid over disappearance of Jason Butler – family issues plea

Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Wilson said it had been a long and extensive investigation while the whānau waited four years for answers.

Fri, Oct 17

Waterlines on the hull of this boat show how far out of the water it is as an extra low tide leaves it sitting on the river floor at its Whakatāne berth.

Silt build-up makes Whakatāne berths unusable – boaties

A Whakatāne boat owner says he's had about $30,000 worth of damage to his boat due to build-up around council berths.

Fri, Oct 17

Police say children were involved with drug dealing in Ōpōtiki

Police said at one address, children and young people were present and implicated in the supply of cannabis, which was of "serious concern".

Thu, Oct 16

Police were first called to an address on Sabana Pl, in Tauranga's Bethlehem, after a person reported a relative being shot at by an individual shortly after 8am.

Sponge rounds and Taser stop armed, fleeing driver in Bay of Plenty

Police were first called to an address in Bethlehem after a person reported a relative being shot at shortly after 8am.

Thu, Oct 16

The proposed location of the new liquor store on Hinemoa St.

New liquor store for Rotorua CBD halted after more than 700 objections

Senior Sergeant Samuel Parata said police evidence suggested the liquor store would worsen harm in an already high-risk, high-deprivation area.

Thu, Oct 16

Invercargill City Council has a close race on its hands for the final seats.

What happens if votes are tied in local elections?

Westland’s mayoral race is separated by just four votes.

Tue, Oct 14

Hundreds of pregnant Eastern BoP women forced to go to Tauranga to give birth

"Trying to reassure a mum in full-blown labour in an ambulance, it's like a two hour ride or even more, it's just the impact on me has been quite emotional," one midwife says.

Tue, Oct 14

Former Green Party MP Nandor Tanczos is Whakatāne's mayor elect, with former mayor Victor Luca tailing by 96 votes and Philip Jacobs, who also stood on a platform of cutting spending, trailing in fifth place.

Whakatāne opts for Nandor Tanczos and his 'nice-to-have' approach

While rates rises have been blamed for at least 31 regions ditching their mayors, Whakatāne has opted for a mayor more welcoming of nice-to-have projects.

Mon, Oct 13