From Gannet Safaris winning Tripadvisor acclaim, to latest from Napier Grey Power, to Sacred Heart College’s winning entrepreneurs, to Sports Park online survey, to oral history of Cyclone Gabrielle, to Hastings/Napier water restrictions, here are some announcements you might find noteworthy.
Gannet Safaris wins
Our locally-revered Kiwi gannet tour has won international acclaim, named a top 15 family attraction worldwide by Tripadvisor.
And here at home, Gannet Safaris Overland recently won the Tourism Export Council’s Small Operator of the Year award, recognising excellence in sustainability, business systems and outstanding visitor experiences.
Cape Kidnappers is home to the world’s biggest and most impressive accessible gannet colony. These migratory birds begin arriving in Hawke’s Bay mid-August, and typically stay until May. Eggs have appeared and chicks will be born this month. “It’s the most magical time of year,” says general manager Sophie Phillips. “It doesn’t matter whether you catch the gannets mating, nesting, or observe the baby chicks, it’s always an enthralling experience.”
After a rocky few years and low tourist numbers due to Covid-19, the 2023/24 season was “our biggest yet,” Sophie says. “The cruise ships were back, and we enjoyed record numbers here at the Cape.” And it feels like numbers are trending upwards once more. “It’s super exciting to have some dates already sold out for the 24/25 season, and we’re running wait lists for the days when cruise ships are in Napier Port.”
We locals can enjoy a variety of gannet safaris – sunrise tours, daytime tours, or private tours via luxury four-wheel drive.
Napier Grey Power
Their summer newsletter, edited by Maxine Boag, is hot off the press! Chock full of activities, events, advice and issue updates.
You can view it here.
Sacred Heart College’s winning entrepreneurs
A group of Year 12 business students from Sacred Heart College Napier have won the Hawke’s Bay North Regional Finals in this year’s Young Enterprise Scheme (YES).
Adalyn Homan, Amber Wright, Sneha Jenson, Sophia Unwin, Chahat Dhami, and Violet Unwin created Road Ready NZ; an innovative app designed to help young drivers practice essential skills.
The app utilises GPS technology to allow users to practice the skills required to complete a restricted test around the driver’s chosen area with traffic lights, roundabouts, and parking manoeuvres. Voice commands guide users through the simulated test routes, offering tips and highlighting common mistakes to enhance learning and preparation.
The students’ success at regionals earned them the prestigious Tumu Company of the Year Award, a $1,000 scholarship each from Massey Business School, and the chance to receive mentorship from leading Hawke’s Bay professionals, supported by Fingermark and Folkl.
With the regionals behind them, the team is now setting its sights on Nationals in Wellington on December 5.
Sports Park online survey
Have your say on future of HB Mitre 10 Sports Park.
A short survey has been launched, designed to capture community views on Hawke’s Bay’s Mitre 10 Sports Park, with the feedback to play a key role in shaping a new Master Plan for the park.
The park’s management team, supported by Hastings District Council, aims to gain fresh insights, especially from non-users, to understand how to make the facility more accessible, inclusive, and welcoming to everyone in the region.
The survey targets residents who don’t use the park, asking about potential barriers, from lack of awareness about activities to uncertainty over who can use the space. Information from the survey will be added to the input by users to inform the new plan.
The online survey is open from November 11 until 5pm, Sunday, December 1. You can take the survey at: https://www.myvoicemychoice.co.nz/hdc/mitre-10-sports-park/
Cyclone oral history
Hawke’s Bay Knowledge Bank, in partnership with the Hastings District Council and Radio Hawke’s Bay, has launched an important initiative to capture the untold stories of those affected by Cyclone Gabrielle. This project, called the ‘Oral History Pilot Project,’ aims to preserve personal accounts and experiences from this devastating event, ensuring they are documented for future generations.
In a nutshell:
- The Knowledge Bank is seeking volunteers to conduct interviews with Cyclone Gabrielle survivors and collect their stories. The goal is to complete 50 interviews by the end of March 2025.
- Volunteers can join anytime. No prior experience is needed—just a passion for storytelling and community.
- We are also looking to connect with Cyclone Gabrielle survivors willing to share their experiences, especially those whose stories haven’t yet been captured by the media.
If you are interested, please get in touch with Hawkes Bay Knowledge Bank volunteer Grant Nicholson at 027 213 4073 or 06 833 5333, or email at: [email protected]
Water restrictions in effect
Level 2 water use restrictions have been introduced in Hastings and Napier to help conserve water for the summer months ahead. The move is due to ongoing dry conditions from a dry winter and increased water usage across the region over the past few weeks.
At Level 2, hoses and sprinklers can only be used between 6am and 8am and 7pm and 9pm every second day – at odd numbered homes on odd dates, and even numbered homes on even dates.
The restrictions apply to all homes that source water from a public Napier City or Hastings District Council supply. The situation will be monitored on an ongoing basis and it is likely that Waimārama will move to higher restriction levels prior to the Christmas period in line with previous years.
The councils will be reviewing their watering programmes for parks and gardens in the same way that residents are being asked to.
Other ways you can conserve water: saving water (inside the home)
- Check for leaks and fix any leaking taps, pipes or cisterns
- Use ‘eco’ settings on dishwashers and washing machines if available and don’t run them unless they are full
- Scrape dirty dishes rather than rinsing
- Turn off taps while brushing teeth
- Take shorter showers
- Limit toilet flushing: if it’s yellow let it mellow
- Store drinking water in the fridge instead of running the tap cold.
- Follow the water restrictions
- Don’t water the concrete, use a directional sprinkler
- Reuse ‘grey water’ from the washing machine on lawns and gardens where possible
- Use a bucket of water when washing the car, rather than the hose
- Use a broom to clean paths rather than a hose.
Knowledge Bank would also like to gather as many photos, documents and memorabilia related to the Cyclone – we would take digital copies and return them back to the donor as soon as completed. Your views and records would be greatly welcomed – as would your help with the project (or other projects we have underway as well – we never have enough volunteers!)