The Hundertwasser Art Centre has attracted 40,000 visitors in the first five months after opening in February. A visitor survey found 70 per cent of visitors were from outside the Northland region, and 61 per cent of visitors from outside the region stayed for at least one night and visited other local attractions. “The Hundertwasser Art Centre is delivering on its tourism potential and is proving to be a real drawcard for Northland,” chief executive Kathleen Drumm said. The $33m centre was completed with $18.5m from the Government’s Provincial Growth Fund. The remaining funds came from Northland Regional Council, Whangārei District Council and private and public donations.

Babysitting course online
Whānau Āwhina Plunket is offering an online babysitting course. Designed to give first-time babysitters the knowledge and skills to care for children of all ages, the course is ideal for students 14 and over. It’s presented using videos, quizzes and activities and takes about two to three hours to complete over three weeks. The course costs $50. For more info, go to www.plunket.org.nz/babysitting.

Matariki exhibition closes Sunday
Art appreciators have just under a week to get to a special Matariki exhibition at Hokianga’s eclectic community art gallery before it ends this weekend.
Village Arts’ Pūangarua Matariki Exhibition has been running since June 25 and will close on Sunday, July 24.
The beautiful body of work featuring art from mostly local artists is focused on Matariki and includes themes around whakapapa, showcasing a mix of artwork from weavers, painters, carvers and photographers.
Village Arts is in the main street in historic Kohukohu on the northern shores of the Hokianga Harbour.
Entry to the Pūangarua Matariki Exhibition is free.

Older connections
Age Concern in Kaitāia is seeking volunteers keen to spend time connecting with an older person. Interested people need to be able to give around an hour a week on a regular basis. To make a difference to the life of an older person either call in and see Age Concern Kaitāia at 16 Commerce Street or phone 09 408 2997.

Northland police are urging members of the public to report any suspicious behaviour involving animals after concerns were raised earlier this year about dogs vanishing in the region. Police say they are making further enquiries into reports of missing dogs and welcome any information from the public, particularly if someone you know has recently acquired a dog and isn’t forthcoming with information on where they got the dog from.
To contact police phone 105, or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.