Young Farmers Regional Final in Waipu
The National Bank Young Farmer Contest is New Zealand’s Ultimate Rural Challenge inspiring excellence, showcasing innovation and growing human capabilities.
The Northern Regional Final starts at 8am 31 March 2012 Read more
Pedal Power – a Fun Bike Event in Waipu
9am Sunday 15 April People are invited to ride bikes, unicycles and trikes, skate, scoot, drive mobility scooters, push pushchairs or just plain walk up and back along South Rd. to show their support for the proposed Waipu to Waipu Cove cycle and walking trail. Read more
Waipu Grand Pageant – its on again…
The Grand Pageant of Waipu – Jan 11th & 12th – 2013
Put these dates in your diary, its 9 years since the last Pageant and the Waipu Museum is keen to make this a 10 yearly event. Last time commemorated 150 years since the first Nova Scotian settlers arrived in Waipu, next year it will be 160 years and once again, the Waipu Museum, Lauchie McLean and local volunteers will be pulling together another unforgettable experience. Read more
Waipu Easter Carnival
Waipu Easter Carnival
Easter Saturday April 7 2012
Waipu Caledonian Park from 9am – 2pm Read more
Home is Waipu
Home is a story about the Scottish immigrants coming to Waipu.
It premiered in Wellington at the Fringe Festival in 2010 and has toured twice since then – how it is our turn to see it right here in the heart of Waipu. Read more
The Private Lives of Fairy Terns
Ali McDonald from DOC Whangarei writes:
Fairy tern and a breeding NZ dotterel on the spit at Waipu
Fifteen years ago I watched David Attenborough’s ‘The Private Life of Plants’ and almost overnight it transformed my perception of the flora that surrounded me, from the benign green stuff I took for granted into a complicated and surprisingly sophisticated world of intrigue. Though I have long been an admirer of birds it is fair to say my short time spent working closely with our little tara iti (New Zealand fairy tern) has had a similar effect. Read more
Fraser gets a suprise on his 80th
Fraser Sim
Fraser Sim has done it hundreds of times – donned his kilt and piped in a special guest, or piped out a loved one at a funeral. Yesterday he thought he was piping in Trevor Vaile to receive a medal a the Waipu Firestation, but in fact it was a ruse, he piped himself in to his own surprise 80th birthday.
And he never missed a beat – as you can see in the You Tube clip.
Fraser is a much loved Waipu resident, descendent of Waipu’s original settlers, and teacher of the Bagpipes, it was a treat to see his smile and friends and family gathered around.
By some miracle the secret was kept and Fraser was surprised!
Go Fraser!
War has never been so much fun!
Disguised behind the benign palms, elegant landscapes and authentic Devonshire teas on Waipu Cove Rd there is a real life war zone:
You’ve blasted your way through virtual battlefields from Halo to Gears of War to the gritty realism of Black Ops. You’ve been splattered with paintball pellets and crawled through the bush in full camo. But somewhere in between you know there must be a middle ground – a game which gives you the visceral thrills and the tactical rush of simulated combat without the expense and the big bruises…
This is it – Northland Airsoft
You strap into a full-face mask and helmet, load up your totally accurate replica AK-47 and flip off the safety. Out there among a third-world shantytown with gravel streets and camo-netted shacks your friends are waiting, armed to the teeth. In the next hour you’ll experience all the action of virtual reality games like Counterstike and Modern Warfare in real life, as you plant bombs, steal intel, snipe, outflank and duck into cover.
This is the hot new sport of Airsoft – essentially a game of soldiers amped up to adult levels and played out on a custom made indoor battlefield.
Will Browning is the tactical mastermind behind this new and exciting Waipu destination – right next to his parents’ brand new garden centre and cafe on Waipu Cove Road. He’s created a safe and controlled environment for friends to meet and shoot at each other, based on his experiences with Airsoft both here in New Zealand and in the United Kingdom.
And despite the menacing guns and military armor, this really is as safe as a game of tag. Kids as young as 10 can enjoy playing airsoft with parental supervision, and with the protection of a helmet, mask and goggles the ‘tag’ from a 6mm plastic pellet is far less painful than the solid whack of a paintball. Rules are strictly enforced to make sure that every game is fair and risk-free.
Players (as many as five per side right now) compete in multiple game types, with an emphasis on teamwork and tactics as they navigate alleys, shacks, oildrums and tyres in the battle zone. The fast-paced games last about an hour, with twists and special rules to keep the action fresh.
If you’ve played paintball, if you’re a keen gamer, or if you want to try an exciting new sport with your mates (one where you get to shoot them!), then Airsoft is for you. Gather your ‘special forces’ and get out of virtual reality and into real adrenaline-pumping action these holidays!
Rosemary adds her postsript: Pacifist that I am – I am on for a game – have had a lot of fun at the lazer strike with a group of friends in Whangarei.
Contact Details: Will northlandairsoft@aol.co.uk 09 4321 579 02102885616 533 Cove road, Waipu
Northland Airsoft
Fairy tern chicks learning to fish in the estuary
Article from the Latest Bream Bay News – Read it on line here
The first fairy tern chicks to be successfully reared at the Waipu sandspit in four years are now in the process of learning to fish with their parents down at the Waipu estuary.
Department of Conservation ranger Ali McDonald said the chicks, in separate nests at different ends of the sandspit, coped well with the heavy downpours in the last week of December and now have most of their juvenile feathers.
Just before Christmas they were banded with metal rings on their legs, which will identify them for the fairy tern volunteers and DOC staff who are working on the recovery of this very endangered bird species. Ali said the chicks are exercising their wing muscles and have been making short flights.
They are starting to practise fishing for themselves though they will be reliant on their parents for some time to feed them enough to meet their energy demands.
“The good news is they are now at an age where they have the option of flying away from some of the numerous threats which made them so vulnerable as chicks, however this is only if they can react in time and predators such as cats and harrier hawks certainly remain a very real.”
Accommodation Options in Bream Bay
Are you wondering where to stay in Waipu and Bream Bay – for you or your friends? This Bream Bay Community website has a google map link off the home page to all the available optionsa to stay in the area.
From camping grounds to amazing luxury lodges and everything in between, Waipu and Bream Bay has some great options for people wanting to stay around here.
If you have a holiday let not on this map, please let me know and I will add it.
I have just opened my own place The Red Door on Riverview which is going great – have been full up for 3 weeks! I have a 2 bedroom self contained apartment and a room available for women travellers. I have met some great people – and so far on AA Been There have had 10/10 reviews which is so cool.
