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.

Tamahere man Tim van de Molen has has been selected by the National Party to contest the safe Waikato electorate at next year’s general election.

A farmer and rural banker, van de Molen became a member of the Tamahere Community Committee at its October election.

Waikato is currently held by retiring, long time National MP Lindsay Tisch with a majority of more than 16,000.

Tamahere School librarian Theresa Kewish has issued 16,000 books this year and believes everyone can read for pleasure.

The key is to find the right book or series and hook for a particular child.

It is a personalised journey finding the genre, author or style of book to fit a particular taste.

Tamahere has a significant number of home-based businesses, which more than likely means more than a few of us make and take business calls in our PJs.

Along with the short commute, that might be one of the advantages of working from home but as many have found it can also have a social downside.

That’s prompted local Maxine Yearsley to put the call out to Tamahere people who work from home who’d like to meet some of their business neighbours.