Bay News: Cars torched near Rāwhiti; the longest weekend in Russell

Final week on Wednesday morning, a Mercedes-Benz campervan was found torched on Whangaruru Seaside, which is on the highway from Rāwhiti to Whangārei. It had been stolen from Waipiro Bay close to the Huirangi Inlet
the day earlier than and was final seen in Rāwhiti about 8pm.

The campervan belonged to 2 French nationals who reside on a ship in Waipiro Bay and who spend prolonged durations in Northland. They’ve misplaced a considerable variety of belongings together with tents, binoculars, battery starters, bedding, pots, pans and dishes however they had been insured.

Russell’s sole-charge policeman, Mike Gorrie, appealed to the general public for data, asking anybody who has seen the campervan or who has sprint cam or CCTV footage from Whangaruru North Rd, or anybody who seen an odd automobile following the campervan or hanging across the space to contact police.

He believed those that set the campervan alight are the identical individuals who set a automobile on fireplace at Elliot’s Bay a couple of days beforehand.

Gorrie mentioned the 2 automobiles had been torched as a result of their fingerprints and DNA had been throughout them.

“Having individuals in and round our neighborhood who’re setting issues on fireplace, significantly at the moment of the yr, shouldn’t be good for any of us.”

A variety of individuals needed to know if a community-based assist line had been began so as to help the French couple. There was nothing organised at version time.

Anybody with data can contact Russell Police on 09 403 9090 or Crime Stoppers Nameless on 0800 555 111.

The longest weekend in Russell

Irish couple Paul and Wendy Moody are intrepid travellers. They’ve visited greater than 85 nations, accomplished 26 highway journeys and have travelled by highway from Gibraltar to Australia throughout Africa and the Silk Highway.

In 2020 their plan was to journey by the Voyager of the Seas for a once-in-a-lifetime expertise with what they referred to as 4000 different “ageing wannabes”. That they had heard a few virus originating in China and had purchased masks in England earlier than departure.

In early March, they arrived in Russell, booked right into a resort, and did a tour of the homes of native residents who had opened them up as a fundraiser for the native tennis membership.

That night, whereas sipping wine with their host Liz, they heard that Australia had closed its borders to all foreigners which threw their plans to go to their daughter in Adelaide into disarray.

“We made the choice to remain in Russell so I requested our host if she might advise us the place to remain and with out hesitation she mentioned we might keep at her place as a result of she was leaving for Auckland on Thursday.

“Liz had supplied two excellent strangers her retreat, declined any recompense, and we are going to all the time be indebted to her for that act of kindness.”

What was to have been a weekend in Russell was one thing for much longer. They crammed their time attending to know locals and visited all of the native and historic haunts and the eateries.

“Because the weeks handed we felt safer in New Zealand as the worldwide information worsened and our common calls dwelling to our kids in Eire had been tense at instances as a result of we had tickets on a repatriation flight which was nonetheless weeks away,” he mentioned.

“We referred to as pals in Spain who had been incredulous we’d wish to go away New Zealand once they had no freedom in anyway.”

Finally they acquired a flight to return to Eire. Their “romantic weekend” in Russell had was 32 days. That was 4 years in the past however now they’re again, with out restriction this time, to say thanks to those that cared for them as strangers in 2020.

Kerikeri Music Competition

The second annual summer time Jazz Competition takes place in Kerikeri on February 25 on the Bay of Islands Golf Membership.

A significant drawcard is the husband-and-wife duo of Dave MacRae and Pleasure Yates who’re each from New Zealand initially however moved to Australia earlier than spending 15 years within the UK. They’re now again residing in Australia.

Along with their musical collaborations which embrace the likes of Chet Baker, Buddy Wealthy Band, Ronnie Scott, Van Morrison, Gladys Knight, Cilla Black and Tina Turner, they’ve additionally launched three albums.

Requested again this yr is The Basin Metropolis Massive Band, a 20-piece orchestra from Whangārei, who will carry out basic massive band jazz from the 50s to the 90s, together with the music of Michael Bublé, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald..

Additionally performing is Evan Silva, who has been singing because the age of 15 and has 11 albums to his credit score. He’s joined by The Collaborators who embrace Ernest Semu, Alex Griffeth, Chris Neilson and Lance Bentley, all achieved musicians in their very own proper.

Within the line-up is Havana Groove, an Auckland-based Latin quartet that includes Mark Baynes on keys, Mike Sales space (trumpet), Marcelo Valencia (congas and vocals), and Ale Held (vocals and maracas). They convey the fervour of Cuban music with Afro roots, from Boleros to Cuban Solar cha cha and salsa.

Native (Kerikeri) jazz band Thelonious Punk will spherical off the late afternoon with an eclectic mixture of jazz that includes authentic tunes and requirements.

The pageant is sponsored by Craig Funding Companions in partnership with Our Kerikeri Neighborhood Charitable Belief. Tickets may be obtained from Eventfinda and The Sound Lounge in Kerikeri.

The cartographers of Jack’s Bay

In 1995 Murphy Shortland of Jack’s Bay, which is on the again highway to Whangārei from Russell, produced a map of Ipipiri, the japanese a part of the Bay of Islands. It was a restricted version run of 450 and has since been offered out.

He has determined to provide a second model of the map which has simply been accomplished. This time the map consists of Ipipiri together with the western facet of the Bay – Ōpua, Paihia, Waitangi and Kerikeri.

The map has been designed by Murphy and his spouse, Barbara, together with Raewyn Harris, an artist primarily based in Napier, whose transient was to show the map into art work by softening the contours and the hills utilizing the colors they selected from her different works.

All of these concerned within the manufacturing of the map used old school strategies of building, largely crafting the whole lot by hand.

What could possibly be referred to as an unconventional method of manufacturing concerned a template from 1905 and a truck with a body on the again however Murphy isn’t about to disclose the exact methodology “due to copyright”. He mentioned the map preserves sure historic points of the world.

“The unique names on the map had been utilized by my ancestors and, with out their preservation, they might have been misplaced without end.”

There are two maps. The bigger map is a restricted version and retails for $1200. The smaller map prices $600.

The map was unveiled three weeks in the past at Pukematu Lodge by Gayle Clifford and Barbara. It’s obtainable at native galleries and by contacting [email protected]