Balls, bullocks and bowls

16 August, 2006

ENTERPRISE NORTHLAND : MEDIA RELEASES 2006

Juggling balls and gala balls, a team of bullocks re-enacting the days of kauri logging and live demonstrations of bowls being made from 45,000 year old ancient kauri are just some of the highlights of the Northland Kauri Festival.

Running from 14 th – 30 th September to coincide with the school holidays, the festival features over 30 events taking place throughout Northland - from Dargaville to Bream Bay, from Awanui to the Bay of Islands and the Hokianga.

“There are some really diverse ways to celebrate king kauri during the Northland Kauri Festival”, says Sheryl Davis of Enterprise Northland, co-ordinator of this year's festival. “Many of the events are educational as well as great fun for the kids.  Events like The Kauri Museum's Settler's Day and Mangawhai's Celebration of History will bring to life our kauri history while the guided walks help us experience the magic of kauri today.  There's a strong message of conservation with these events that I hope will ensure we can enjoy these magnificent trees for centuries to come.” 

Despite being only two years old, the Northland Kauri Festival has already  been chosen as one of ten hero events being promoted by Tourism New Zealand in a new $6million campaign to entice more Australians to visit New Zealand.

For art lovers there are a number of exhibitions, an unearthed beauty competition and a wearable arts evening.  Food lovers can attend one of three kauri balls or use the festival as an excuse to travel around the region, following the recently launched Northland Food & Wine Trail.

Full details of all the festival events are available on www.kaurifest.com