The 51ha Titoki Sands quarry in central Tamahere has been given the go ahead to operate six days a week under resource consents that run for up to 34 years.

In decisions running to 120 pages released this week, Environment Waikato and Waikato District Council have granted Titoki Sands consents to operate the quarry 12 hours a day, Monday to Friday, and six hours on Saturdays on land bordering Tauwhare Rd and SH1.

The three commissioners who considered the proposal have applied a raft of conditions to the controversial quarry proposal, which brought concerted opposition from Tamahere residents including a specially formed group, Community & Environment Tamahere.

Investigations are continuing on plans for a Tamahere village hub following feedback at last month’s public open day.

Community views on the two hub design options are divided. Nearly half (29) of the 62 responses favoured Option A – retail development located on the corner of Devine Road and the proposed link road. Sixteen responses supported Option B – retail development located central to the proposed link road and recreational area – but a further 17 responses were unsure about either option.

Tamahere’s Hilltop Wines’ vineyard concert on Saturday, March 19 brings together a top line-up of some of New Zealand’s most famous country performers for an all-star country jam.

In six hours of live music Brendan Dugan, Eddie Low, Jody Vaughan, Ashley Cooper, Michael Tipping and the Brandan Ham Band will belt out any and every country music style – rock, hootenanny, and swing.

The concert from 3pm to 9pm at the Pencarrow Rd winery can be enjoyed glass of wine or beer in hand while dining on guests’ own picnic food or meals bought from a range of vendors on site.

The online auction of an attractive, framed, coffee sack-turned-artwork is underway in another local fundraiser for the Christchurch earthquake appeal.

The charity auction, which is being run on Trade Me, is the latest fundraising initiative by local cafe Red Cherry, which has also donated $800 so far to the appeal from the sale of (unframed) hessian coffee sacks.

Red Cherry has been helped to create the coffee sack artwork by a number of Waikato companies, and a Christchurch molding business whose premises were destroyed in the earthquake. Read on for more and a link to the auction.

An innovative local idea for raising funds for the Christchurch earthquake appeal is proving, well, appealing!

Red Cherry Cafe is selling coffee sacks for $20 each and in just five days has sold 33, raising $660.

What can you do with an old coffee sack? Let us count the ways.

Tamahere Gully Care’s annual seed collection field trip is on this Sunday, March 6.

The group welcomes people on the trip and to help with propagating and raising plants in coming weeks at its community native plant nursery adjacent to the Tamahere Community Centre.

Also, coming up on Monday, March 7 is the opening night of the Tamahere Indoor Bowling Club.

The Waikato District Council is inviting public comment on the projects it undertakes and its overall direction at a workshop at Tamahere on Monday, March 14.

The council last got feedback from the community on how the district will develop in 2004-05, and the vision decided then is now under review.

Five guiding principles – what the council calls ‘community outcomes’ – form the basis of everything the council does. They are broadly labeled accessibility, sustainability, thriving, health and safety. There are a couple of ways people can have a say.

“New Zealand we need you to have our backs. Aside from practical support which we thank you for, we need you to understand how draining and anxiety-causing these aftershocks are. We need you to give us your strength, kindness and support to help us get through this anxiety-ridden time.”

The appeal comes from Christchurch Press reporter and mother of four Vicki Anderson in a moving account of yesterday’s disastrous earthquake.

There are a number of things we, in Tamahere and the Waikato, can do to answer her call.

Popular New Zealand culture, kitsch kiwi icons and 20th century vintage items seen through the eyes of leading New Zealand artists are featured in the latest exhibition at Tamahere’s Inspirit Gallery.

From this Friday, February 25, the Pencarrow Rd gallery will pay homage to the classic kiwi apron, give a modern twist on 60s ceramics and display classic car panels transformed into contemporary art works.

Also in the Retro-Perspective exhibition will be vintage cushions and retro scarves made from 1950s bark cloth fabric – our culture and kitsch icons reinterpreted in an engaging line-up of mixed media works.

Ground or geotechnical testing began this week as part of the study for a future road network south of Hamilton, including Tamahere.

Designed to provide a better understanding of the area’s geological, soil and water table conditions, the ground tests involve hand-drilling, probes, borehole drilling and soil testing.

The long-term study known as the Southern Links project is a joint one by the NZ Transport Agency and Hamilton City Council, which aim to develop a network of well-connected state highway and urban arterial routes linking State Highway 1 from Kahikatea Drive to the Waikato Expressway at Tamahere, and State Highway 3 from the airport to central and east Hamilton.