A claim the East Coast could become "the Texas of the south" is an overstatement, a local oil exploration expert says.

Jamie Morton and Alan Gibson arrive at the North Island's most easterly point.

Jamie Morton suffers a bruised rear-end and discovers 'hard-luck camping'.

Canadian oil company Apache has been talking up the prospects for onshore oil finds on the North Island's East Coast and is trying to play concerns about fracking and the local environment.

The uncle of a drowned toddler asks if the tragedy would have occurred if the local council was pushed harder to erect a fence.

We've rounded up some of the best events happening all over the country this long weekend.

Mt Hikurangi, the mountain of Maui, is the first place in New Zealand to see the new day.

There's nothing quite like a weekend of incredible food and wine to wash away the blues.