All Posts

The Department of Conservation will also begin regular visits to the camp to educate campers. Whananaki FM reports on the issue. DOC has committed to more regular patrols of the Whananaki South freedom camp to educate campers as well as a meeting with locals at the end of summer to talk about the future of the recreational reserve. The camp has been in the spotlight again this camping season with overflowing bins, reports of anti-social behaviour, chocka portaloos and people

Yesterday I was assaulted at work.  I’m OK, I’ve got scrapes and bruises and a shoulder that can’t move much and goes click now which I’m sure isn’t right but apart from that, physically, I’ll head to the doctor today and I hope it won’t take much before I’m back to normal.  But the emotions are all over the place.  I feel ashamed that I couldn’t protect myself properly.  I feel embarrassed that my staff had to see me flat on the ground like that.  I’m angry that a couple of

Rimu the dog, found 3rd January 2025 near Whale Bay. Gordon Pengelly was on his deck at Whananaki South when he saw a boat floundering on Elizabeth Reef. Minutes later he'd be readying his own boat and calling upon his decades of surf lifesaving skills to try to save a man and his dog bobbing around in the water. Miraculously, he got the man. It would take five days before the dog would be found alive and well near Whale Bay. What a story! Gordy tells it to Whananaki FM...

A life well lived: Richard Coldicutt joins us on Meet Your Neighbour this week! As a 16 year, local artist and academic Richard Coldicutt woke up in a nightmare. His mum, dad and sister had died in a tragic and avoidable airliner crash on landing at Pago Pago, American Samoa. Richard tells us an extraoridnary story of loss, love and a life very well lived in this awesome episode of Meet Your Neighbour. Whananaki is a real special place - in fact, it's THE special place, for

Shawn Mahoney with a previous incarnation of "Larry the Log". Photo / thetrek.co We get some interesting walkers through Whananaki doing the Te Araroa trail, but we have never met someone intentionally trying to make it harder for themselves! Meet "The Logman" - AKA American thru-hiker Shawn Mahoney - who is walking the 3,000 km Te Araroa trail while carring a 10kg log over his shoulders. An inspirational story told to Whananaki FM while the Iraq veteran was stopping over f

Kids from the Greatest School in the World at last week's kapa haka celebration. Photo / Whananaki School facebook When the time came to sit down with Shaun Tepania about the new Whananaki School calendar this week, we were pleasantly surprised he brought in some extra special guests! Our Whananaki FM studio was chocka with kids who had all the details about the new school calendar, plus shared the plans for the school's final assembly, raft race and manu competition this T

It was an extra special Meet Your Neighbour this week as our two local police officers "Rado" and "Smiley" - that is Greg and Leon - came into the studio to be put through their paces! These guys epitomise great rural policing and are regularly seen around the community on the beat and talking with locals. We chat with the boys about where they grew up, what they did before they put on the blue uniform, about how they police our district and the challenges and opportunities

Photo source: Whananaki School This Friday is my favourite day of the year. For the last six weeks the sound of kids practicing kapa haka has been echoing around the estuary and, this Friday, we all get to see the fruits of their hard work at the Whananaki School's kapa haka celebration. Starting at 4:30pm with the scores of stalls selling kai as a fundraiser, if there is one event that's a must-do on the Whananaki social calendar, this is it. It's getting a little more form

Liz & Wally Young inside Whananaki Store circa. 1972 As a really young kid (the store burnt down when I was 8), Wally & Liz Young had Whananaki Store. It was a real rabbit warren, filled floor-to-ceiling with every possible thing a local or tourist could ever need. I was absolutely fascinated. I would've spent hours there if I was allowed. There were fishing rods, hawaiian shirts, pumpkin and a toaster. You could buy a greeting card, button or a zip. You could fill the

The Whananaki FM Mystery Sound is back. Can you identify this sound? It was recorded around Whananaki sometime in the last few weeks. Play weekends at 9am live on the Greatest Radio Station in the World! Whananaki FM!

Jodi Edwards paid tribute to local stalwart Lyn Gray this morning on Whananaki FM. Lyn passed away this week. Our aroha and condolences go out to the Gray whanau. We love you guys!

Even for its owner Bruce Barron, it's hard to estimate how many people have been camping at Motutara Farm over its 50+ years as (in Whananaki FM's view) the most beautiful campground in the country. The sprawling farm camp nestled between two stunning beaches was started by Bruce's parents Hugh & Lois Barron, but since 1990 Bruce and Helen have been the people welcoming back the summer masses. For the campers lucky enough to get a booking at Motutara Farm its often generat

Bruce Powell (left), wife Brenda Powell (right) and eldest daughter Christine (middle) back in the black-and-white days. Bruce Powell first caught sight of Whananaki in 1941. Within 10 years he'd marry Brenda Barron and, later, take over his father-in-law James Barron's farm on the flat by the estuary (now the Chilcott subdivision). A chat with an awesome Whananaki stalwart about what Whananaki was like back in the old days... when the road was a track and you didn't need a

What does it take to get 40 kids fired up to crank out an amazing kapa haka performance? The presentation by the Whananaki School kids was undoubtably the highlight of the Capitaine Bougainville commemoration, and now ahead of their end-of-year performance on November 28th, we find out just how they do it. Tracey Mita and G Henry head-up the kapa haka tutorials. Here, Tracey talks about the impact the class has on the kids and how she gets the kids ready for the big stage.

Since arriving in the district in 1967 after swapping their farm in Titoki for one in Whananaki, Betty Carson along with husband Jeff have proved to be an absolute local legends. She's run the shop, was instrumental in building our local library, helped get the Te Araroa trail going and been at the forefront of many fundraisers and community projects - but while Betty would say she's just one of the many who helped build up Whananaki over the last 60 years, the truth is its

He's the man who moved to Marua to start a brewery - Ben Heaven of Heaven's Brewery has had an amazing couple of years - from being named...

Ian Peters in his role as a JP drawing a prize for Riding For The Disabled. A Whananaki legend joined us for our Meet Your Neighbour...

In a new Saturday morning feature on Whananaki FM, we meet a different local each week and find out their unique story! For our first...

Rain, hail, sun or wind she'll be out there delivering your bills and online shopping from Temu! Meet our new rural mail delivery...