KIA KAHA

Tough times are the best of times for progress and change. Most of us are likely to believe we are encountering unpreceded difficulties and hardship right now. And I have no doubt it will be tough for most people. But spare a thought for those through history who’ve experience plague, famine and brutal war. I say this not to minimise the.. Keep Reading

It seems strange to be writing about why I love Ōtaki when I’m sitting in Victoria, on Vancouver Island.  Then again, maybe not so strange. Being so far away, and at the end of a three-week trip, I’m very homesick for my life with Mary at our aptly named piece of paradise, Ōtaki Haven. Homesick. Being sick for home. Wanting to... Keep Reading

Benji’s Mum wanted him to have a bike. Ōtaki Bike Space had them – for free! So Benji got his bike. It was that simple. On February 1, Mum Lea took Benji to the first Ōtaki Bike Space day at the Aotaki Street skate park. Among the dozens of bikes available, he chose one that suited his age and build, got some advice about how to... Keep Reading

Are you happy with vehicles on the beach, are there good accessways, should all dogs be on a leash all year round? Those are the kinds of questions likely to be raised as Kāpiti Coast District Council seeks community input on how our beaches are managed and protected. The input is part of a review of the council’s beach bylaw.  Later.. Keep Reading

Elevate Ōtaki has geared up its social media work in recent weeks, to celebrate what Ōtaki stands for and, as we say, “to help elevate our sweet little slice of Aotearoa”. The group consists of a committee of eight passionate, purposeful locals who share a vision to support a thriving, bustling, enhanced community. We work to promote... Keep Reading

Wehi and Hira Royal celebrated 70 years of marriage on February 4 at their home on Raukawa Marae, just metres from where it all began. They were married by Rev Paul Temuera in 1950 at the Raukawa whare nui, necessitated because Rangiātea Church was being restored at the time as part of centenary celebrations. It was a small ceremony attended... Keep Reading

If you’re planning an arts project this year, Kāpiti Coast District Council might be able help fund it. The council administers the Creative Communities Scheme and has about $23,000 to give in grants this round. The fund supports arts activities that celebrate Kāpiti culture, community involvement and diversity, particularly Toi... Keep Reading

It’s milk fresh A2 from the farm, filtered and chilled – not pasteurised – and it’s racing out the door at Te Horo. Faith Farm Fresh is a new venture from the Faith family, who have been farming their pastures at Te Horo since 1914. The milk is sold from a new red shed, built near where the old Red House Cafe stood before a... Keep Reading

A Te Horo woman who says she’s always had a “hand-on” approach to the birthing profession has been honoured with a lifetime membership award from the College of Midwives. Kristin Collings received the inaugural Wellington region certificate just before Christmas. She was one of four people recognised with the award, but proudly says... Keep Reading

It’s a fact that many New Zealanders enjoy boating and fishing. It’s also a fact that too many boaties are drowning unnecessarily. While the number dropped from 21 preventable boating fatalities in 2017 to just six in 2018, in 2019 the provisional number is back up to 18. Every one of these fatalities is a tragedy for a family and a community,... Keep Reading

The Finish Our Road group says it will be calling formally in the new year for a review of the Transport Agency’s (NZTA) business case regarding a Peka Peka interchange. The group is lobbying for the expressway interchange and has said NZTA’s business case is flawed. “This project is significant for the local communities, but minor in the scheme of Keep Reading

All past Ōtaki College students are invited to get together at the RSA on Friday, February 7. Foundation pupil Ron Gibbard, who has been on the organising committee for the college’s 50th and 60th reunions, says students of his age are “getting on a bit”. “At the most recent reunion last year, a few of us there thought we couldn’t wait... Keep Reading

A tyre swing vandalised in the Redwoods Forest off Rangiuru Road has been restored. A post on the Sunny Ōtaki Facebook page outraged many locals when they heard it had been cut down and burned during a recent weekend. Local beach resident David Kennedy went down to check the damage and offered to fix it. He has a similar tyre swing in his own... Keep Reading

he Seven Wonders Fleetwood Mac Showcase is a highlight of the on-stage entertainment at the 2020 Ōtaki Kite Festival. Wellington-based and featuring Ōtaki drummer Jared Carson, the band has been selling out concerts throughout the region with its Fleetwood Mac tribute songs. The band will be performing both days from 2-30pm. Rising local... Keep Reading

Anamia King saw an image of a singed kangaroo desperate for water drinking from a bottle held by a firefighter in New South Wales. The image tugged at her heart-strings. “It just broke me,” she says. “I couldn’t just share the post and do nothing else.” She was away from her Ōtaki home at the time, but knew she had to do something to... Keep Reading