The Tamahere youth action group’s labours are likely to bear fruit for many years to come.

In its first outing, the new group planted 22 fruit trees along the boundary of the Tamahere School and the recreation reserve today.

Joined by Tamahere councillor Aksel Bech the group planted pear, apple, plum, mandarin and feijoa trees.

The restoration of Tamahere nature reserves got a boost today when some Hamilton bank staff swapped their offices for the outdoors.

Six staff from the BNZ Hamilton branch downed office tools and picked up gardening tools to join Tamahere conservationist Leo Koppens in two local reserves – the Tamahere Reserve on Tauwhare Rd, and the Allan Turner Reserve, on Woodcock Rd.

Their big day out was part of Closed for Good, the BNZ’s annual day of volunteering.

Matangi man Robert Hos, an amateur photographer with a keen eye, has taken top spot in this year’s Hamilton Halo photo competition with his image of a rain-loving tūī.

Hos’s photo was among more than 70 entered into the biennial Hamilton Halo photo competition in July and judged the overall winner by a panel of experts.

Six years ago when they first moved onto their Matangi property, Hos and his wife were excited to see one tūī.

Tamahere’s Leo Koppens got up close with a kokako this week when he was picked to release the rare bird on to Mount Pirongia.

Kōkako once had a strong presence on Pirongia but due to constant pest threats the last birds of a diminishing population were removed in the 1990s to try to ensure their survival.

Now, they are being brought back to the mountain by the Pirongia Te Aroaro o Kahu Restoration Society, which has created a 1000 hectare, predator controlled area on the mountain.

Locals are getting behind a fundraiser for a Vanuatu family that could set them on a path to a better, more secure life.

Liz Donovan, a Tamahere School parent, is showing the movie Despicable Me 3 at Metro Cinemas, Hamilton at 4pm on Saturday, July 8 as a fundraiser for her brother-in-law’s family in Vanuatu.

The fundraising goal is to enable the family in Vanuatu to buy an income-generating boat that will give them transport, enable them to fish, feed their family and provide an income.

Tamahere sculptor Marti Wong sits in the high-backed, regal-looking throne and his hand automatically alights on the head of the dog sitting obediently at his feet.

The dog is cool to his touch. So is the throne. And a menagerie of animals ranging around them both.

Wong, the sculptor in steel of creatures both commonplace and mythological, has again been amassing a collection which will be exhibited from Thursday, June 1 at Hamilton’s Soul Gallery.

A Matangi couple have launched a website to take holidaymakers off the beaten track and into rural accommodation.

The premise is simple. There’s a wealth of beautiful spots on private land in New Zealand, and land owners could share this with holidaymakers for a fee.

“Not everyone wants to holiday with a thousand other people at one of the hot spots,” said founder Michele Connell.

Tamahere resident Philppa Stevenson has been selected by the Green Party to contest the Waikato electorate seat at this year’s general election.
The award-winning journalist and former agricultural editor of the Waikato Times and NZ Herald, has lived in the Waikato all her life, the last 28 years in Tamahere.
“I love the Waikato. I am thrilled and humbled to be selected to stand for a region that is such a vital part of New Zealand,” Stevenson said.

With its neatly trimmed topiary, groomed lawns and pristine flower beds, you could be forgiven for imagining that a team of gardeners were at work maintaining Pat and Denise Donnelly’s large Tamahere garden. But no.

“It’s just Pat and I – team Donnelly,” says Denise. “And it’s nowhere near as labour intensive as it looks.”

Tamahere is becoming a fruitful area for child care enterprises.

Building is underway on a new centre on Tamahere Drive, which is expected to be open mid-2017.

And an existing centre in Devine Rd is expanding.