By now, for many of us, the presents will be wrapped and the groceries bought. But for those who need a last-minute gift or a dash to the supermarket, you may be in luck. many places close their doors on Christmas Day, there are a few exceptions.Here's RNZ's guide to what is and isn't open on Christmas Day.I need a last-minute Christmas gift. Are any shops open?Pharmacies and petrol stations are open as essential services on Christmas Day. Image: UnsplashChristmas Day is one of four restricted trading days in New Zealand (Christmas Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and until 1pm on ANZAC Day), meaning almost all retail shops will be closed. But if you're desperate for a last-minute gift, there are a few options.Petrol stations are generally open as an essential service, and many of them stock small gift items like chocolates, gift cards and novelty items. The same goes for pharmacies, which often hold gifts like candles and skincare sets. But with both, it would pay to check holiday hours first.Can't be bothered cooking Christmas dinner?Takeaways, cafes, and restaurants are all allowed to open on Christmas Day. Image: UnsplashIf you can't be bothered cooking, or your Christmas dinner turned out to be a disaster, you're in luck as there are a few food options.Most major supermarkets - including Woolworths, New World and Pak n Save - are closed on Christmas Day.However, dairies and fruit shops are allowed to stay open.If you're in the mood for fast food, you're in luck. Select KFC stores, McDonald's, Domino's and Pizza Hut will be open on Christmas Day.If local takeaways or fish and chips are more your speed, these establishments are also allowed to open on Christmas Day - just check opening hours ahead of time.For a sit-down lunch or dinner, a 15 percent public holiday surcharge may apply at restaurants and cafes. But it can be well worth going out for the day - some restaurants even serve up special multi-course Christmas menus, complete with Christmas pudding.How about bottle shops?If you need your Christmas Day booze, it's a good idea to stock up early as no takeaway alcohol is sold or supplied on Christmas Day.How can I get around on Christmas?Public transport will be operating on a reduced timetable on Christmas. During public holidays, bus and ferry services tend to run on weekend timetables. It is best to check your local council's website for the holiday timetable.Ubers and taxis run on Christmas Day, however, it may be harder and more expensive to secure, as fewer available cars are expected.Major airports are also open on Christmas Day with flights operating.Anything to do on Christmas?Places providing services rather than goods can open on Christmas, such as hairdressers, although many will opt to close. It's best to check opening hours ahead of time.A trip to the movies could be on the cards. HOYTS Cinemas are open on Christmas Day at select cinemas in Auckland, Hamilton and Christchurch.If you would like to get into the Christmas spirit, churches across New Zealand will be offering Christmas Masses and carol services.Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

Suzuki Fronx owners in New Zealand are being told not to carry passengers in the rear seats after a rear safety belt mechanism failed in an ANCAP laboratory crash test.If you drive one around the Hibiscus Coast, the key message is simple: keep the back seats empty until Suzuki provides a remedy.The Fronx has received a one-star safety rating from ANCAP, based on poor performance in the recent crash test.ANCAP safety ratings - Suzuki FronxThe low rating reflects poor results across all parts of ANCAP’s testing, while the seatbelt failure is treated as a serious safety concern because a similar failure in an on-road crash could potentially result in serious injury or death for rear seat passengers.There are 1,115 Fronx vehicles registered for use on New Zealand roads.Officials have met with Suzuki NZ and pushed for urgent action, including considering a manufacturer’s recall.Sales of the Fronx have been stopped in New Zealand, and owners are being contacted from today with further information and the advice not to use the rear seats for passengers at this time.Owners are being encouraged to engage with Suzuki NZ on what solutions can be offered, especially for anyone who needs the rear seats for upcoming travel.Anyone who has not been contacted is urged to contact Suzuki NZ or a local dealer urgently on [email protected] or 0800 929 394.A manufacturer’s recall has now been issued for this model, with details listed in the Vehicle Safety Recalls database.Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

Worldline NZ data shows pre-Christmas spending is still down, a watchpoint for Hibiscus Coast retailers.Consumer spending processed through Worldline NZ’s Core Retail merchants totalled $3.223B for the first 21 days of December.That is down 1.3% on the same period in December 2024, after adjustments for merchants joining or leaving the network.Worldline NZ Chief Sales Officer Bruce Proffit said spending jumped sharply in the third week of December, as it often does, but year-on-year spending stayed below last year for both the week and month to date.He said Food and Liquor shops continued to lift in week three, with the busiest days still to come.He also said Hospitality was very busy on Saturday, December 20, and likely hit its Christmas peak that day, but the peak was 3.8% below the 2024 peak and below a peak day recorded in February 2025, pointing to more modest pre-Christmas party spending.Across wider Core Retail, Proffit said spending rose again from prior weeks, yet stayed below last year for electronics, gifts, clothing, furniture, appliances, sports equipment, and books.He said toy stores, chemists, jewellers, and home decorating retailers were up on last year.Proffit said the gap may narrow in the next three days, as it did in 2014 when Christmas Day last fell on a Thursday.Worldline noted these figures show general market trends and are not a proxy for Worldline’s market share or earnings.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

Police investigating a North Shore Bentley theft have recovered five vehicles and seized a loaded shotgun.Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Williams says a luxury Bentley Bentayga SUV was stolen during a burglary in the early hours of 1 December.“In the early hours, an unknown person entered a house taking the keys to the Bentley and driving away in the SUV,” he says.“Inside the vehicle were a range of valuable items including a handbag and bank cards.”Police enquiries later led to an address in Glen Eden last week. Williams says Police searched the property and found four other stolen vehicles.“Concerningly, a loaded shotgun was found hidden underneath a bed where a young boy was sleeping.”A 31-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman were arrested. Both have been charged with dishonesty charges relating to the alleged use of stolen credit cards, and unlawful possession of a firearm.The Bentley was not located at the property. Police say enquiries continued and the vehicle was eventually located and recovered in Huia late last week.“This is a fantastic result with several investigation teams from the North Shore and West Auckland working together, recovering vehicles and a firearm,” Williams says.Police say the initial burglary and theft is still under investigation, and further arrests are not ruled out. The pair have appeared in District Court and will reappear in March next year.Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

Police will be out in force nationwide over the Christmas–New Year period, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.The message to drivers is simple. Slow down, buckle up, and do not drive impaired.“Whether you’re heading to see loved ones, taking a road trip with friends, or exploring our country, please make safe choices, road safety is a responsibility we all share,” Bishop says.“Police will be visible anywhere, anytime. They will be out to deter any dangerous behaviour that impacts the safety of road users including speeding, driving under the influence, and ensuring road users are wearing their seatbelts.”Alcohol and drug impairment remains one of the biggest killers on our roads, the Minister says. He says around 30% of road deaths involve an impairing drug.“Last week, I watched one of the first roadside drug tests be administered. I am looking forward to these tests being rolled around the country and improving road safety.”Drivers are also being urged to check the weather, plan breaks, and make sure they are fit to drive. “If you’re under the influence, don’t get behind the wheel,” Bishop says.The official Christmas–New Year holiday period runs from 4pm Tuesday 23 December 2025 to 6am Monday 5 January 2026.NZTA has updated its online holiday journeys traffic prediction tool, showing predicted traffic flows over Christmas and New Year based on previous years’ travel patterns. For Hibiscus Coast drivers heading away, it is one way to plan trips and avoid long delays.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

Wondering if the kids can take new toys outside on Christmas Day?For the Hibiscus Coast, the current call is partly cloudy with light winds and a high of 25, with sunrise at 5:59am and sunset at 8:42pm, so it should suit most outdoor plans if you keep a quick indoor back-up in mind.MetService meteorologist Michael Pawley says, “Most North Islanders will be able to get outside to test their new presents on Christmas Day,” but adds that people north of Waikato may want a back-up plan as showers arriving from the north could sprinkle on celebrations.Looking either side of the big day, Christmas Eve (Wednesday) is forecast to have rain clearing to fine in the afternoon, with strong westerlies easing in the morning, while Boxing Day (Friday) is set for showers, some heavy, easing in the morning, then long fine breaks developing, with northerlies turning westerly in the morning.It is the sort of stretch where you can pop outside when it is good, then duck in if a shower clips through.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

Nothing ruins a morning walk like finding bagged dog poo left on the berm.On a stroll in Millwater, two plastic bags of dog droppings were spotted on berms in front of houses, and it is hard to see that as anything but inconsiderate.Auckland Council’s Dog Management Bylaw is clear: when you are in a public place or premise, dog owners must ensure the immediate removal and disposal of their dog’s faeces, and it must be done in a way that does not cause a nuisance.The bylaw also notes that if you do not pick up after your dog, you may get a $300 fine.The practical fix is simple: carry a waste bag, pick it up, then put it in a public rubbish bin or your bin at home.Small actions like that make a real difference, and they help keep Millwater and the wider Hibiscus Coast streets clean and looking their best.Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

Auckland's mayor says it would be better if council were running the police in the city, but is adamant it's a safe place to be.There's been considerable effort to increase safety in the central city.Community Patrols NZ opened a base in the central city in September, after the launch of police's public facing CBD counter two months prior.Police beat teams and community patrollers have also been out watching the streets.Mayor Wayne Brown is hoping Aucklanders get out and enjoy the city over the summer, though safety concerns loom.He and Auckland Minister Simeon Brown released a city centre action plan in November which they hoped would benefit families, workers, visitors and businesses.RNZ met the mayor on the city's waterfront to talk summer and safety.The mayor said he loved being on the North Wharf part of the city's waterfront."You can get involved with the water here and around at Westhaven, fantastic places to walk, people walking around it's really great."But there's been some problems in the CBD with some poor behaviour."The mayor began by making his position on the issue clear."Council's responsibility is places, government's responsibility is people and behaviour," he said."I'm not the Minister of Police, although I think it would be better if the council ran the police like it does in a lot of cities."Brown said there needed to be more of a police presence, and wanted the government to spend more time addressing issues around mental health issues."The government has the responsibility with some form of mental health," he said."I've put quite a bit of my own mayoral budget into having some of our staff out there, and I've been out with them, but some of the people there are so aggressive and frightening, and they all know that my staff can't arrest them or even touch them."The mayor pointed to the council bylaws, saying they didn't work without enforcement powers."It only works when people are behaving well, we pay taxes to fix those things not rates."The action plan was supported by the Ministry for Housing and Urban Development, the Ministry for Social Development, Police, Health New Zealand, the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment, Auckland Council, businesses, and social services.It also included outreach teams connecting rough sleepers with mental health, addiction, and housing support, adding to the already increased police visibility in the CBD, and police and safety wardens focusing enforcement on areas linked to criminal activity and antisocial behaviour.It hoped to ensure public spaces, like Pocket Park at Queen Street and Fort Street, were designed to be safe and welcoming, which it said reduced crime.Litter and graffiti removal teams were set to operate "at pace", and targeted safety patrols were slated to continue.The action plan would review bylaws to make sure they were fit for purpose.Part of the action plan also focused on rolling out 207 additional houses for Housing First, and 100 social houses being made available by more efficient use of existing Housing First contracts.Wayne Brown said council wasn't paying for it."We're not funding those," he said.The mayor said Auckland was a safe city."The people that are going to cause you trouble, they're quite clearly there, don't go near them."I think the omelette has been over egged," Brown said.He hoped Aucklanders would get out and make the most of the city over Summer, especially the beaches and parks."It's a city to be involved with the harbours and the water, and it's fantastic, we're lucky for having that," Brown said."Very few cities can boast this."Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

Work on the Northland Corridor is pausing over summer, with crews taking a break from Tuesday, December 23 to Monday, January 12 after a big year of geotechnical investigations that will help refine the route into the proposed designation.The geotechnical team has drilled 360 boreholes so far this year, with 15,000 metres drilled in total.The update says the team will move further north along the corridor next year as investigations continue.On the Warkworth to Te Hana section, procurement for the project as a Public Private Partnership (PPP) is progressing.NZTA says it will move into the negotiation stage after the evaluation of proposals is complete at the end of March 2026, with the contract expected to be awarded by the end of July 2026.The successful PPP consortia is expected to start detailed design and early construction works by the end of next year.During construction, the PPP contractor will be responsible for meeting noise and vibration conditions and managing impacts.NZTA top tips for a safer summer road trip:Plan ahead – check our real-time Journey Planner before you leave for the latest information on road works, traffic, road closures and delays.Allow plenty of time and expect delays at peak travel periodsDrive to the conditions – whether it’s the weather, the road, the traffic, or the time of dayTake breaks – share the driving and stop regularlyAvoid distractions and put the phone awayBuckle up – every trip, every seatBe patient – you’re on holiday, there’s no need to sleigh the speed limitCheck your vehicle before travelling – tyres, brakes, wipers, lights, cooling system and WOF. A quick check can keep you and your family safe, and also save you money with better fuel efficiency.Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

Restore Hibiscus & Bays is thanking volunteers after a record year across its predator control network in 2025.Volunteers logged 13,537 records on Trap.NZ across the Restore Hibiscus & Bays Predator Network.That is 2,170 more than 2024, when 11,367 records were logged.The group says the jump reflects more trapping activity, stronger networks, better systems, and a community growing in confidence and capability.Waiwera stayed one of the strongest areas, with records rising from 669 in 2024 to 879 in 2025.On the ground, the network also expanded fast.In 2025, Restore Hibiscus & Bays installed 371 new trap and bait stations, including 306 traps and 65 bait stations.That compares with 171 installed in 2024.The group says more stations mean better coverage, fewer gaps, and stronger protection for the wildlife locals are working to support.Restore Hibiscus & Bays thanked volunteers for the time and care behind the numbers, from early mornings and muddy boots to shared morning teas, sorting gear in the rain, and teaching kids how to check traps safely.The group is asking volunteers to keep logging trap checks and catches on Trap.NZ to help show the full impact of the work and guide improvements.Restore Hibiscus & Bays says anyone can join, start a backyard trap, adopt a trap line, or help with monitoring.It provides free advice, trap loans, and training.Email [email protected] for more information.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

With three buying days left until Christmas 2025, we are using the Hibiscus Coast App to nudge readers toward local businesses you can actually visit, call, and go back to if something is not right.That includes the retailers in our Business Directory across Orewa, Silverdale and Whangaparaoa, the places many of us rely on for last-minute gifts, stocking fillers, and the “I forgot one” dash.Retail NZ says retail card spending figures for November 2025 showed a 1.6% increase in total retail sales year on year, with Black Friday sales dominating the month, and chief executive Carolyn Young calls that positive news and “green shoots” as retailers head into their busiest time of year.Retail NZ is also directly asking shoppers to “consider buying from retailers trading in New Zealand (whether online or in person) to ensure we support the New Zealand economy”, noting that buying local “means that the money stays in New Zealand, helps our economy and supports local businesses.”There is a practical upside too.Young points out that when you buy from retailers trading here, consumers “continue to be protected by local legislation such as the Consumer Guarantees Act, Fair Trading Act and Health and Safety Standards.”That matters if you are comparing a local purchase with an offshore platform, because local rules and local accountability make it clearer what you can expect when something is faulty or not as described.If you want an easy way to start, open the Hibiscus Coast App Business Directory, choose one local business you have not used before, and book, order, or pop in this week.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

Nearly two months on from a sewage spill that completely destroyed their crops, Mahurangi oyster farmers are still waiting to see a full compensation package.More than a thousand cubic metres of sewage overflowed from a Watercare pump station in late October contaminating thousands of oysters in the Mahurangi river and preventing the farmers from harvesting for nearly a month.Watercare agreed to give a million dollars in compensation to 10 affected farmers, who split it between them.The organisation also promised to provide a second payment before the end of the year.But as that date creeps closer the farmers are still waiting and getting increasingly desperate.It has been around two weeks since Tom Waters was able to reopen Matakana Oysters.It means he has only been able to farm for around six weeks of this year.With little time to harvest, his bills and debts have quickly built up, and the $100,000 in compensation he got for October's sewage spill was gone in 48 hours.He has already considered closing the doors on his business twice this year, and if Waters does not see more compensation soon, he is not sure how he will carry on."This year's been diabolical, I wouldn't even be in business if it hadn't been for lovely people who had donated and kept me going"But Waters said even the money can't quantify the damage done to his business.He is worried the reputational impact is also too much to bounce back from."[The spill] was just devastating, I personally just struggled a lot after that spill, it was the worst feeling, because we'd just been trying to get the reputation back up again because all of us have suffered from people not wanting Mahurangi oysters because they're legitimately concerned about their safety."Both sides agreed to an independent loss assessor reporting on how much further compensation was needed.A few days after the report was lodged, Watercare came back with a request for more information from the farmers.However, the farmers said they have already given them all the information they have.Jim Aitken from Mahurangi Oysters said he is close to losing all faith."They're stalling, they're not believing us, we've sent an email saying no we've given you everything you've asked, they're simply not believing us, come and see us if you don't believe it. We're here, we exist, these are all our oysters, and we're sick and tired of jumping through hoops for Watercare."Much like Waters, Aitken's compensation went straight into paying off debt incurred from the sewage spill.While he was able to finally reopen his farm two weeks ago, the spill means they have missed out on the peak season and lost thousands of oysters."Without that money you just sit there in the red looking at your debt get bigger and bigger because quite simply even if we are open, it's not like we can sell every oyster we have right then and there, we have to start this whole new process, get customers confidence back."While Aitkin said he has lost all confidence in Watercare, he is still hopeful that they will pay up."I want compensation to make up for the fact that I've had to stop two roles because I can't afford to pay them, so I want compensation to be able to employ people so they can continue to work and keep the farm running."I want to make sure that this never happens again... and actual accountability from Watercare, so if this ever happens again it's just an immediate fine."Chair of the Mahurangi oyster farmers association, Lynette Dunn said she is disappointed by the back and forth with Watercare.She said they were originally promised compensation by the 19th of December."We've been fighting for the last seven years, we've been going into more and more debt. So with that last payment sort of income that came through that just got gobbled up into paying all our expenses that had occurred over quite a period of time, so there's nothing in our accounts to get us through the next three months, four months."As the clock ticks on Watercare's promise the farmers have all agreed on one thing.They have got a long road ahead, not just to recover financially, but also revive their product's reputation.In a statement to Checkpoint, Watercare chief operations officer Mark Bourne said they expect the loss assessment report to be finalised in the new year.He said Watercare acted quickly and in good faith to respond to the impacts, by first providing $1 million to the oyster farmers affected, and then appointing an independent loss assessor with aquaculture expertise."The assessor has met with the oyster farmers and is now assessing losses on an individual, per-farm basis. This is a complex process, and care is being taken to ensure assessments are thorough and fair."He said with the information in the report they will be able to confirm the next steps and timing.This will involve Watercare contacting the oyster farmers individually to discuss outcomes and arrange any final payments.Bourne said they know the overflow caused considerable stress to the farmers, who they reassured that Watercare will learn from the incident.Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

If your daily drive has been rattling over cracks, help is on the way this summer. Auckland Transport has launched its annual Summer Road Reno programme, with plans to repair and reseal more than 450km of Auckland roads between Monday, December 29 and Monday, February 23, aiming to keep disruption to motorists as low as possible. AT says the work is about road safety, durability and resilience, and it is asking drivers to take care through work sites, follow temporary speed limits, and treat road workers with courtesy and respect.For Hibiscus Coast locals, some of the larger January projects are planned for major routes including Hibiscus Coast Highway and Dairy Flat Highway, so it is worth allowing a little extra time if you commute runs that way.Last summer, AT resurfaced 427km of roads and renewed 80km of footpaths, supported by extra investment and resources from Auckland Council and the NZ Transport Agency.GM Road Asset Maintenance & Renewals Alan Wallace says, “We’re building on last summer’s success, where we resurfaced more than the distance between Auckland and Taihape. This year, we are targeting more than 450km to keep Auckland moving and make our roads safer and smoother to drive on.” Updates and more information are available at at.govt.nz/roadrenoSeen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

Happy Sunday, Coasties! Grab a coffee and settle in. This is your essential 5-minute download of the week's biggest Hibiscus Coast news and updates. Don't miss a thing!Red Beach Park Gets Permanent Pump TrackRead more → Coastie Summer Garden Survival: Compost, Mulch, WaterRead more → Wēiti River Bridge Pylons Set To Hit 60mRead more → Three Red Beach Dads Launch Simulator GolfRead more → Hot Days, Cool Dogs: Summer Safety GuideRead more → Never miss a beat again. Get instant alerts and local updates delivered straight to your pocket. Download the Hibiscus Coast App now for news, events, and essential community info, anytime, anywhere.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

If you’ve ever wondered what ‘fractions’ looks like in class, a new online guide may help. The Ministry of Education’s Parent Portal is now live on the Ministry of Education website with every learning area of the refreshed, knowledge-rich curriculum from Year 0 to Year 10, including draft areas.Education Minister Erica Stanford says it is designed to help parents see what their child will learn at each year level in a clear and understandable way. For Hibiscus Coast families, it means you can pop in, click through the year levels, and get a feel for what the proposed new curriculum looks like across every learning area, with more activities and resources also due to be added to support key learning at home over summer. The first new resource will be a curriculum-aligned, freely available online maths practice tool for children in Years 3 to 8, due next Tuesday.It will cover basic facts, fractions, rounding, working with money, place value, counting patterns, square numbers, and word problems, with further content planned for January for children ready for more topics. Consultation is currently open for feedback on the Year 0 to 10 draft learning areas, so locals might see this become an easy go-to for a midweek hit or a weekend catch-up.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

Have you had a Christmas gift from your KiwiSaver provider?A small number of KiwiSaver schemes have been sending gifts to members this Christmas.RNZ has discovered an umbrella sent to a member from Generate KiwiSaver, who said he received a gift last year, too.Pie Funds said it liked to give gifts to recognise customers."Christmas is a time for giving, and at Pie Funds we view our investors as whole-of-relationship clients, not just account holders," chief executive Ana-Marie Lockyer said."At this time of year, we like to recognise and thank our clients for the trust they place in us and have been lucky to be able to do so in person with many over the last month at our annual investor updates."Any Christmas gift we provide is personal to the individual client and reflects that relationship, rather than being a broad promotional item or incentive. There is no universal entitlement or set criteria - it is about acknowledging our clients in a thoughtful and appropriate way at the end of the year."MAS, while not giving a gift to customers, is giving gift bags showcasing New Zealand food and beverage products to customers at random through the pre-Christmas period.The largest KiwiSaver provider, ANZ, said it was not sending gifts.Simplicity did not give gifts but donated to charity. Milford said that was its strategy, too. It had donated $66,600 each to Nurturing Families, Pet Refuge and Pillars this year.Bodo Lang, a marketing expert at Massey University, said showing customers they were appreciated was "seldom used but is an incredibly powerful tool to keep customers for longer, particularly when the relationships are likely long-lasting and revenue and profit from each customer is high"."So sending gifts to every person who buys Wattie's baked beans would not be feasible but sending gifts to highly profitable customers in subscription industries, such as banking and finance, can be well worth it. The success of such tactics would have been calculated in advance. The campaign would have taken place because that analysis showed it would likely be profitable."Mike Lee, of the University of Auckland, said it could help keep the KiwiSaver provider top of mind for a service that did not have many opportunities to provide immediate benefits."So just something to remind their customers that the relationship still exists and potentially to stop them from transferring their funds to another provider."Rupert Carlyon, founder of KiwiSaver provider Koura, said people were better off to pay lower fees and miss out on Christmas gifts.Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

Coast Chronicles is our regular deep dive into the stories and decisions that shaped the Hibiscus Coast you live in today.Christmas, 1926. More than 100 cars sit nose to tail on the East Coast Road near Silverdale, wheels spinning in thick clay, drivers beaten by the “winterless north”.It was not a one-off bad patch.It was a public failure, right in the middle of the holiday rush, on the route people relied on to reach the Hibiscus Coast.To see why it got that bad, go back before cars.The Weiti River was the real highway, used by Te Kawerau ā Maki and Ngāti Kahu, with portages that connected people to Whangaparāoa and its shark fisheries.Early European life clung to the riverbank for the same reason.The clay roads were often impossible in winter, so the settlement grew where the water still moved.The place was first known as “The Wade”, a twist on the Māori name Weiti.In 1911 it was renamed Silverdale, partly to escape the jab of “Muddydale”.But a nicer name did not change the ground.By the 1920s, motor transport was overtaking river steamers, and the road network was lagging badly.The East Coast Road mattered because it linked Devonport to Silverdale, yet it was described as being in a “very bad state” and a serious block to trade.Local politics did not help.Silverdale sat in the Pukeatua Riding of the Waitemata County Council, where Albany members were said to refuse funds for the northern road.The Christmas jam was the breaking point.Locals stopped waiting for a vote that never came and went straight to the Minister of Works.Their offer was blunt and practical.If the government paid for the metal, Silverdale residents would supply the labour and spread it themselves.That “Battle for Metal” changed the trajectory.In the late 1920s and early 1930s, road works followed, including the Birkenhead to Silverdale road being metalled for £6,800.The old river economy felt it quickly.By 1930, the Northern Steamship Company’s Omana stopped servicing the river route, and the steamer era was effectively over.Silverdale began to turn away from the river that had shaped it and toward the roads that could carry it into Auckland year-round.In the 2025, that clay-road isolation is hard to picture.Silverdale is now a commercial gateway for a Hibiscus Coast population said to have grown past 69,000, and the Silverdale statistical area rose to 2,043 residents, up nearly 50 per cent from 2018 to 2023.The argument today sounds different, but it rhymes.People still talk about holiday choke points, only now the hope is pinned to projects like Penlink, rather than a fresh layer of metal over clay.The point is not nostalgia.It is a reminder that this connection has always been hard-won, and that Silverdale’s growth was never inevitable, it was built the moment locals refused to stay stuck.Coast Chronicles is written by the Hibiscus Coast App editorial team, under the shared byline “the Coast Chronicler.”Got a local memory or a news tip?We’d love to hear it. Send it to [email protected]

No parent expects a bus ride home to end in fear.A new Facebook group, HBC Bus Safety – Community Action Group, has been formed by local mum Lucy after she says her 16-year-old son was assaulted on a local bus travelling from Albany to the Hibiscus Coast on Tuesday, December 9.According to Lucy’s post, her son was sitting upstairs with friends when a group of teenagers approached.One girl accused him of “staring” and, without warning, punched him several times in the mouth, cheek, and throat.His inner lip was cut and bleeding.Another teenager stood in a blocking position beside the attacker, making it hard for anyone to step in.A third teen held a phone and tried to film, or pressure him into making hand gestures.Lucy says her son and his friends heard threats to “get him at the next stop” or “finish it”.Lucy says several adult witnesses have since come forward, confirming the behaviour, the filming, the threats, and the assault.When the bus arrived at the Hibiscus Coast Bus Station, she says her son and his friends ran straight to a security guard for help.They were frightened, shaking, and unsure if the group would follow them.Afterwards, Lucy says she posted online asking for witnesses and the response was overwhelming.People replied with story after story of similar experiences, she says, with some involving violence and others involving intimidation.The group, she says, is there to collect stories, support each other, identify patterns, and present clear evidence to Police, Auckland Transport, and local representatives.Staying safe on public transportWhatever your view, it’s clear this has left one Hibiscus Coast family shaken, and it has struck a nerve with others.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

The Government has put $12 million into wiping out yellow-legged hornet in Auckland after North Shore detections earlier this year.Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says the funding will cover the cost of the response through to Tuesday, June 30.He says the hornet is a predator that poses a serious threat to honeybees and, by extension, to New Zealand’s agricultural sector and overall economy, and that it is crucial to stop it establishing here.Biosecurity New Zealand will contribute $2 million from its baseline funding, with the remaining $10 million coming from reprioritised funds.If costs rise, Mr Hoggard says the Government will consider further funding.He says Biosecurity New Zealand is working with industry partners under the Government Industry Agreement, including cost sharing for the response, and is engaging with beekeepers via their groups.The response escalated after it began on Monday, November 3. Biosecurity New Zealand says it has so far:Detected and safely destroyed 37 queen hornets and 28 nestsDeployed more than 730 traps, with the surveillance zone extended to 11kmWorked with beekeepers on surveillance around hives, with over 575 registered apiaries within the 11km zoneSearched thousands of properties within 200m of confirmed findsSet up an independent technical advisory groupBought electronic tracking gear to trace nests by tagging foraging worker hornetsLaunched a national advertising campaign and community awareness efforts“I can’t overstate the importance of public vigilance,” Mr Hoggard says, urging people to report suspected sightings immediately to Biosecurity New Zealand. For Hibiscus Coast locals, the ask is the same: keep an eye out, and report it fast if you think you’ve seen one.Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]