News in Brief
Road works ahead
Waipā District Council has unveiled a list of 50 roads which will be part of the summer season’s resealing programme. The longest project is Cambridge Rd in Te Awamutu at 8.225km and the shortest 15 metres of sealing in Orchardist Way, Ngāhinapōuri.
Christmas parades
Luke East, pictured during the Te Awamutu Christmas parade.
Te Awamutu will run with the theme of Christmas Movies at its annual festive season parade on December 6. In Cambridge the following day the theme will be a sporty Christmas.
Flamenco flavour
Cambridge will host a Flamenco Feria on Saturday as a party with dance and music comes to town. Cambridge based organiser Pepa Torre, who grew up dancing flamenco and looking forward to the feria season in Andalucía, Spain, is bringing a version to the Town Hall. “Flamenco is a street art, it’s like whānau art,” she said. “You find the little kids dancing with the grandparents, everybody’s included… that’s exactly what I want to bring, that philosophy.”
Reserve transfer
A 30ha scenic reserve south of Maungatautari is changing hands. Ngāti Koroki Kahukura has gifted Te Reti reserve – one of four reserves in Waipā vested in Ngāti Koroki Kahukura as part of a 2014 claims settlement – to Parawera Marae.
Kaimai closure
State Highway 29 over the Kaimai Range will close for five nights from Sunday, between 7.30pm and 3.00am as maintenance work including clearing drains, sign maintenance, road marking and surface repairs is carried out.
Tributes paid
Waipā mayor Susan O’Regan has paid tribute to the work two outgoing colleagues – Hamilton mayor Paula Southgate and Ōtorohanga’s Max Baxter, who are not seeking re-election.
New plan
Waikato Regional Council has approved notification of a decisions version of a new coastal plan, which will have implications for the region’s 1150 kilometre-plus coastline including west coast harbours like Kāwhia, Aotea and Whāingaroa. The new coastal plan aims to protect the region’s coastlines, marine ecosystems and community values while enabling sustainable development.
Band on tour
Hamilton’s Big Band is doing a mini tour this month – and it will include a performance in Te Awamutu on October 11. The “Back to Basie” programme also includes Hamilton and Morrinsville.
Award winners
At the 2025 Dairy Industry Awards last weekend in Mount Maunganui, Putāruru’s Thomas and Fiona Langford were named the 2025 New Zealand Share Farmers of the Year, Martin Keegan from Taranaki the dairy manager and Pieter Van Beek from Hawke’s Bay-Wairarapa dairy trainer of the year.
Book signing
Author Roimata Small will return to her marae, Te Koropatū Pa just north of Te Kūiti on Saturday to launch her book Hauoroa, and for a workshop based her first book, Understanding Te Tiriti.
Cancer appeal
The Breast Cancer Foundation is calling of people to volunteer for the charity’s Pink Ribbon Appeal which will be held on October 17 and 18.
Ramble date set
Tickets have gone on sale for Te Awamutu Altrusa’s 30th Home and Garden Ramble.
The event has been a significant fund raiser since 1995 – by 2014 the club had distributed $300,000 into the community and it has raised a further $231,527 in the last decade.
This year the ramble will feature a dozen venues and is a mix of garden sizes, in both new and renovated homes – and includes a chapel and a bush walk.
Robyn Atherton told The News the ramble will also feature stalls with crafts, ceramics, garden art and hand sewn little girl’s dresses and woollen coats.
“Also, this year we have a large number of vegetable plants, flower plants and bouquets of fresh flowers.”
She noted the November 2 Sunday event was well timed as the Te Awamutu Rose Society hosts its annual show on the Friday and Saturday of that weekend.
The Te Awamutu Health Shuttle, Life Education Trust and Te Awamutu Food Forests have been selected as major recipients of funds raised this year.
Money raised also goes to Club Literacy and other community projects, which this year includes books for newborn babies and books for Plunket, Kainga Aroha, Loving Arms and Women’s Refuge, and a day out for grandparents raising grandchildren.
