Good News

Light Up Whakatāne has recorded its biggest year yet, with organisers estimating that more than 10,000 people attended the free winter festival over eight nights.

The Ōpōtiki Matariki Festival has recorded its biggest and most successful year to date, with organisers saying strong attendance across the week reflected the community's growing embrace of Matariki.

A new partnership between Te Puna Ora o Mataatua Ltd and Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology is set to create new opportunities for people across the region to access education, training and employment pathways.

The government is investing $12.5 million in the development of the Ōpōtiki Marina, describing it as the final major piece of infrastructure needed to support the Eastern Bay of Plenty's growing aquaculture industry.

Children and families in the Bay of Plenty will soon have access to dedicated Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) assessment and support closer to home, with Kawerau selected as one of just three locations nationwide to receive a new community-based specialist hub.

Whakatāne’s winter nights are set to glow once again as Trust Horizon Light Up Whakatāne returns from 11 to 18 July, bringing a week-long celebration of light, creativity and community to the town centre and riverfront.

A new community media initiative is set to give charities, schools, sports clubs, cultural groups, community organisations, and local content creators a dedicated platform to share their stories with the wider Eastern Bay of Plenty.

A design contract has been awarded for the replacement two-lane Pekatahi Bridge, marking a new milestone in this important piece of infrastructure planned for the eastern Bay of Plenty.

The Ōpōtiki Matariki Festival is back this month, bringing the community together through culture, entertainment, learning and connection.

Bay of Plenty serviceman is taking his Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) career to new heights, swapping life on the ground for the skies aboard one of New Zealand's most advanced military aircraft.