In just two weeks Makeda Soper-Wirangi went from working at her local mall to walking in fashion's biggest shows.

A man has died after a workplace accident near Opotiki.

Elisabeth Easther's doing her bit to save the kiwis.

Investigations are set to continue into the blaze on board a tourist vessel just off Whakatane.

The quick actions of the skipper on the tour vessel that caught fire off Whakatane this week ultimately helped to ensure those on board could be rescued quickly.

Terrified passengers on a White Island tour boat leaped from blazing vessel into rough waters.

Elisabeth Easther takes a trip back to a time when flight was an adventure.

A man has been arrested after crashing into a police car near Whakatane this morning.

An officer activated their patrol car's flashing lights and siren, but the motorcyclist did not stop and sped away.

Find out which New Zealand towns have grown the fastest over the past 80 years.

Tauranga and Whakatane have been New Zealand's fastest growing towns over the past 80 years.

It is "highly unlikely" anyone would have felt a strong quake that rattled an offshore area east of the country this morning.

The school attended by a teenage boy who shot himself in a tragic hunting accident will close on Thursday as a mark of respect.

The father of a 15-year-old Whakatane boy who was killed while out duck shooting says his son accidentally shot himself.

A 25-year-old man is being worked on by paramedics after he was hit by a car in Whakatane this evening.

Justine McLeary and her young family enjoy an adventurous weekend in Whakatane.

Three officers were attacked in two incidents over the weekend - one in Whakatane only ended because a member of the public came to his aid.

It seems the sun always shines on the East Coast, writes Elisabeth Easther.

Which town looks set to keep its crown as New Zealand's sunshine capital? A new climate report shows one place well out in front.

Wild winds brought down a large palm tree at a Whakatane property early this morning, narrowly missing the house.

A Whakatane gang member is upset he has been told by his son's school he can no longer be a parent helper at his son's school camp.

A police officer used excessive force against a man who attempted to flee and resisted arrest, the police watchdog has ruled.

Whakatane residents do not need to be concerned for their safety, police say, as roads near the airport are closed for a manhunt.

Four of the five people charged with aggravated robbery for a Boxing Day attack on two German tourists in Whakatane have been sent to jail.

Burglars who stole guns from a Whakatane property last night repeatedly rammed police cars and even threw a chainsaw at pursuing officers as they made their getaway.

Visiting Whakatane, Elisabeth Easther discovered two isles literally fizzing with fabulousness.