CFM Local News 1-1-2024

It was a New Year’s Eve where the weather failed to play its part, therefore keeping many revellers indoors, as 2024 chimed in. For both residents and holiday homeowners it was most probably a calendar rollover which came with a huge sigh of relief. Gone was the year which caused major lifestyle, community, business, and social disruption. With optimism running high on the back of a strong and welcomed holiday season, emergency services last night were out in force. Police demonstrated earlier in the week that they had the numbers to keep people safe and it proved to be the case dealing with several one-off situations.

The fireworks went off at midnight electrifying the skies above Tairua and Pauanui. The detonations could be heard further afield as clocks ticked over midnight. Locals telling us the weather broke with large crowds witnessing the display on both sides of the harbour.

With the forecast for the rest of the week seeing a return of fine warm conditions, coming days will have people on the beaches, walking or riding tracks and out in boats. The region’s civil defence controller reported that medical centres were busy treating people who had injured themselves, by doing things they normally wouldn’t, the example the middle-aged man riding a skateboard. Controller Garry Towler echoed the thoughts of all emergency service staff, asking people to take care out there – as he said, being laid out when you could be chilling out, is no fun.

Summer events keep rolling on – today the CFM caravan is at the Whangamata Surf Lifesaving Club as part of Whanga week with the club undertaking its annual collection. The week dates back 35 years being an initiative started by the late club patron Richard Scelly, to raise funds for the club and the work it undertakes.

At Waihi Beach the New Year Sports Day is being held also at the surf club.

Back at Whangamata today the Beach Hop team is hosting their annual show featuring some cars that haven’t been seen previously by many people in NZ. The Gypsy Fair is being held at the Whangamata Area School.

Tomorrow it is a move to Coromandel Town for the Keltic Fair which is the annual fundraiser for Coromandel Area School.

For local news, events, happenings and information to stay holiday safe go to Facebook and Coromandel’s CFM.