Northland

Allowing a company to apply for fast-tracked consent to mine sand has galvanised opposition and brought previously disparate groups together, the plan's critics say.

An innocent bystander gave Kevin Grey a friendly nod. Moments later he and his partner were being viciously attacked.

The Azamara Pursuit cruise was the first of four set to berth at Northport this year.

They them fled with stolen items.

Police continue to investigate how the five-month-old received serious head injuries.

Residents are being warned to brace for heavy rain and gale-force winds as a subtropical low sweeps down from Northland.

A police spokesperson said emergency services were called to the Moody Avenue address shortly before 5pm on Saturday after the woman was found unresponsive.

The decision means outdoor fires can only be lit with fire permits authorised by Fire and Emergency, returning Te Tai Tokerau to a restricted fire season.

There is a high chance of the heavy rain watch upgrading to a warning in Northland.

Heavy rain and strong winds are expected to hit Northland, Auckland and Coromandel over the next couple of days.

The crash also brought down powerlines, which has cut power to a handful of properties.

Water supplies will be under additional strain when tens of thousands of people descend on the region for Anniversary Weekend and Waitangi Day.

Roads have reopened after serious crashes earlier today.

A group of eight amateur actors from Dargaville have been plucked from their local Northland theatre stage to perform on the French Riviera. The team from the Dargaville Little Theatre... Audio

Firefighters have been busy tackling scrub fires in the North Island.

Toilet vandals are costing Far North ratepayers dearly - and leaving holidaymakers with nowhere to answer the call of nature.

The Mick Griffin Memorial Trophy was taken in a burglary in which a car was also stolen.

The boy who died after falling from a cliff near Hāhei Beach in Coromandel was 13 years old. Audio

Water restrictions are being ramped up across much of the Far North, as continued dry weather and an influx of holidaymakers strain the district's dwindling rivers.