Heading Off: Chatham Islands
'Heading Off' is our weekly travel segment when we jet off to either a local or international destination. Today we're staying close to home and heading to the Chatham Islands. It's a big week for the community because the annual Festival of Science kicked off for its fifth iteration. One of the lead organisers is Alicia Cui and she joins Jesse live from the Chathams.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
19 hours ago
- RNZ News
Air New Zealand's online payment system down
A Boeing Dreamliner 787, from the Air New Zealand fleet. Photo: Supplied/ Air NZ Air New Zealand customers are unable to make online bookings due to a problem with the company's online payment system. "We are currently experiencing an issue with our online payment systems," the airline said on social media. "Customers can't make payments for bookings through our website or app." Air NZ said in-person payments at airports and the Airpoints Store are no affected. "Our teams are working hard to fix the problem and get things running again as quickly as possible," Air NZ said. "We apologise for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience while we work through this." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
20 hours ago
- RNZ News
Landowners back plans to block Cape Palliser access due to 'shocking' vandalism
Cape Palliser Lighthouse. Photo: 123RF Private owners whose land is being used as a thoroughfare to reach a remote part of the Cape Palliser coast say the damage being done is shocking and public access is no longer tenable. The South Wairarapa District Council wants to block use of a paper or unfinished road that leads to the Cape Palliser coast line due to continued vandalism and destruction. The council's proposal has caused backlash , particularly among surfers who have been surfing the "gem" of a surf break for decades. The road passes through private and Crown land before ending at the rugged beach. People including four wheel drivers, quad bikers and campers use the road, along with surfer and hikers. The hapū representing some owners of the land said the whenua is deeply scarred and access needs to be closed indefinitely to allow it to heal. Ngati Hinewaka spokesperson Haami Te Whaiti told Checkpoint the land owners feel very angry and sad about the "shocking" range of damage done to the land. "We've put up with this situation for a very, very long time. We've tolerated vehicles running through. We've never tried to stop them. We always discussed this with the council and we've obeyed the law. We haven't prevented anybody from driving through there," he said. Te Whaiti said the number of vehicles going out to the Cape Palliser coast has significantly increased over the past five to 10 years. "There's been a number of four-wheeled drivers going there just to use it as a playground for them to do wheelies and all sorts of things that they do to create a whole lot of ruts," he said. Te Whaiti said the land was significantly damaged by a large fire in the 1990s and these activities threaten to undermine the hapū's attempts to regenerate the land. "It's terrible and we pride ourselves on having exercised our kaitiakitanga after the fire, we fenced off a whole area so that the land would revegetate. So, anything about pristine is what we've done ourselves to bring it back to that," he said. "But it's not pristine if it's going to have all these ruts and vehicle evidence using it... as a track for their enjoyment." South Wairarapa District Council said it has engaged with local hapū, Ngāti Hinewaka and have agreed the "continued vandalism, disrespect to the land and its owners and the poor social behaviours displayed are not acceptable". The council said the proposed bylaw is being developed using powers under the Local Government and Land Transport Acts but acknowledges that restricting walking access to the paper road would not be legally enforceable. However, that right of access doesn't extend to the adjoining private land, and council is responding to issues raised by the hapū around ongoing damage to land bordering the paper road. It is accepting feedback on the proposal until 19 August , which will then be reviewed before a final decision is made. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
21 hours ago
- RNZ News
Hapu says Cape Palliser path needs to be closed
The South Wairarapa District Council wants to block use of an unformed paper road between the Cape Palliser light house and several Maori owned blocks of land through to the Waitutumu stream because of vandalism and damage to sensitive areas. People, including four wheel driver, use the road, along with surfer and hikers. The hapu representing some owners of the land have said the whenua is deeply scarred and access needs to be closed indefinitely to allow it to heal. Spokesperson for Ngati Hine-waka Hapu, Haami Te Whaiti spoke to Lisa Owen. To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
