Regional News

Police say two people have been identified after a video showing the alleged mistreatment of puppies at the Whakatāne River was shared on social media.

Households are being urged to plan ahead as rising fuel and freight costs begin to bite.

Whakatāne District Council said work on a new underground wastewater pump station at the corner of Buddle Street and Kakahoroa Drive will begin in early April.

NZTA said from April 13th to April 17th, crews will be repairing and replacing damaged boards on the Pekatahi Bridge, while continuing to assess whether steel plate installation is feasible.

Whakatāne High School has issued a statement to its community after becoming aware of a video that shows a former student allegedly drowning puppies.

Following a closure during the weekend, NZTA said State Highway 35 between Te Araroa and Hicks Bay will remain closed at the Punaruku site. 

Following an eruption last week, the volcanic alert level has been lowered to level two however, the aviation colour code stays at orange.

Motorists are being warned to expect delays across the Eastern Bay this Easter and school holidays, with multiple roadwork sites set to impact travel.

DOC said their rangers are actively working on a response to the wild dogs posing a threat to stock and native wildlife in the Waioweka Gorge.

Matatā and Ōpōtiki will be better prepared in emergency events following grants from Trust Horizon to upgrade emergency equipment.

The Bay of Plenty west of Whakatāne is under a heavy rain warning until 1am Saturday morning.

Police said they were notified of a single vehicle crash at 4:15pm on Te Teko Road.

NZTA said following public consultation, a second toll point will be installed for vehicles traveling between Domain Road and Pāpāmoa East Interchanges. Vehicles traveling the full Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road will pay the exsisting toll rates.

Wild dogs through the Waioweka Gorge have been bailing livestock, and even farm children, sparking calls for help controlling the issue.

Four Bay of Plenty councils are continuing discussions on the future of local water services, stressing no decisions have yet been made.

Vintage vehicles, axemen and century old sheep shearing tools will be on display at the Te Teko Racecourse on April 18th.

The Bay of Plenty west of Whakatāne is now under a heavy rain warning until Saturday morning and a heavy rain watch has been issued for areas north of Te Kaha.

Boulders have now been put in place to secure road access.

NZTA said while an orange heavy rain warning is in place west of Whakatāne, the Waioweka Gorge may close at short notice tomorrow.

Air New Zealand said the interline agreement is an exciting long term partnership, and the rising fuel costs and some regional flight cuts are short term sollutions.

MetService has issued an orange heavy rain warning for the Bay of Plenty west of Whakatāne from 9am Thursday.

Earth Sciences New Zealand Experts said monitoring fo the volcano could be hindered by bad weather over the coming days, but the risk to the mainland is very low.

The volcanic alert level has been raised to level 3 and aviation code orange following an eruption at 5:35pm yesterday.

Hato Hone St John said it was notified of an accident on Manawahe Road at 12:39pm this afternoon.

The first three passengers using the interline agreement between Air Chathams and Air New Zealand took off from Whakatāne Airport this morning.

A yellow heavy rain watch has been issued for the Bay of Plenty west of Whakatāne from 9am Thursday until 3am Saturday.

Water once again flows through Te Heriheri Wetland near Pukehina, marking a major restoration milestone for the Waihī Estuary.

On Friday, the TOPP2 Energy Plant was opened with over 200 guests in attendance, marking a new chapter for geothermal energy.

Two crashes occurred on Galatea Road over the weekend, one resulting in a fatality.

NZTA said the road has reopened but motorists should drive to the conditions.

An interactive online map has been launched to help communities in the Whakatāne District better understand how climate change could affect where they live.

Police said the fatal crash has left the road closed since around 7am this morning.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand received multiple calls about a building fire in Maraetotara around 5:03am on Friday.

NZTA said from Monday the gorge will be open from 6am to 8pm daily, with only stop/go traffic management in place.

Motorists heading to Gisborne will have to use an alternative route following a serious crash on State Highway 2/Matawai Road, Waipaoa this morning.

East Coast MP Dana Kirkpatrick said the community is "rightly concerned about the state of the Pekatahi Bridge," as the existing bridge deck deteriorates but significant maintenance is coming.

Whakatāne District Council have opened applications for a reference group to assist planning long term urban expansion of Awakeri.

East Coast MP Dana Kirkpatrick said the projects provide more jobs and growth opportunities in the geothermal sector, with Eastland Generations' TOPP2 geothermal plant opening tomorrow.

Fresh off a run of shows across Aotearoa and Australia, Coterie are set to bring their signature groove to the Eastern Bay of Plenty this weekend.

Discussions with community stakeholders will begin today after Auckland University’s Whakatāne Geothermal Temperature Gradient Well Programme received $3 million in Government funding earlier this week.  

The airline is preparing for a significant increase in fuel costs, with the financial impact expected to begin hitting from next month.

As summer winds down, Water Safety New Zealand warns families in the Eastern Bay that water confidence can be misleading—and safety cannot be assumed.

New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated CEO Colin Bond said Kiwifruit harvest is progressing well in the Bay of Plenty, despite a number of challenges for growers over recent months.

Ōpōtiki rally driver Mike Young impressed on the international stage with an outstanding result at the XCR Sprint Cup in Thailand last weekend.

A petition from ten years ago has been reopened in the hopes that NZTA will complete the promised double lane Pekatahi Bridge before 2029.

On Monday this week, a mains break occurred in Ōhope and another in Tāneatua last week, leaving many residents without water.

Kiwis are being encouraged to rethink how they shop, cook and store food as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East threatens to push grocery and fuel prices higher.

Around 4:30 am, the volunteer fire brigade's siren sounded due to a “technical fault with the paging system.”

The Government is encouraging geothermal exploration with $50 million in funding for geothermal projects across the country, including projects in the Eastern Bay. 

A flyover of the island yesterday, revealed low level eruptive activity has stopped, allowing the volcanic alert level to decrease.

Horizon Networks will be participating in a twelve month trial using 'gridADAPT' to analyse how their network would cope with increasingly severe weather in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

NZTA said the road has now been cleared following falling debris at the Goldsmith slip site.

State Highway 2 Waioweka Gorge remains temporarily closed this morning as crews work to clear slip debris.

Transport Minister Chris Bishop announced 24 hour access has been restored for the entire length of State Highway 35.

Earth Science New Zealand experts will be assessing Whaakari/White Island today following continued smoke plumes over the weekend.

A resident in the Waioweka Gorge said roads in the area are looking good and life is returning to normal two months on from storm damage.

Around 2.30am this morning there was a water mains break on Pōhutakawa Avenue, causing residents to wake up with no water.

The number of recent earthquakes in the Eastern Bay of Plenty is not unusual, but Earth Sciences New Zealand said it serves as a reminder to think about what to do in bigger events.

After nearly a five year wait, long serving Murupara GP Dr Bernard Conlon is half way through his New Zealand Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal hearing.

95 reached $3 across multiple fuel stations earlier in the week, with 91 hitting the $3 mark at Whakatāne BP this morning.

The new police BEAT team, dedicated to supporting retailers and increasing visibility in town centres across the Eastern Bay, will begin operating within the next 10 to 14 working days.

The latest Infometrics Quarterly Economic Monitor reveals tourism expenditure in the Whakatāne District rose 6.9 % in the year to December 2025, climbing to $171 million.

Police say there were three arrests for displaying gang insignia, two for driving with excess breath alcohol, one for obstruction, and three for driving while forbidden.

Following weak volcanic plume this morning, Whakaari/White Island's volcanic alert level has raised to three and aviation colour code changed to orange.

Steam and gas plumes have continued rising from Whakaari / White Island over the past week, with the volcano remaining at volcanic alert level two as scientists monitor the ongoing minor activity.

Police say locals in the area will see a visible increase in police across Ōpōtiki tomorrow and Saturday as a gang tangi travels from Rotorua.

Dancers from all corners of Whakatāne will light up the stage this weekend at the Dance Carnival, uniting the community in a lively celebration of movement, music, and connection.

A newly released business case from 2024 revealed NZTA chose to implement a cheaper but less effective option for work through the Waioweka Gorge.  

A passion for cars and a desire to give back to the community have combined to create Pukehina’s Surf ‘n’ Sand Autorama.

Community feedback now open on concept designs, aimed at revitalising key public spaces alongside the town’s new floodwall.

Air Chathams has announced it is introducing a $20 fuel surcharge on all flights, including the Whakatāne-Auckland route, due to increased jet fuel costs.