The total ban on sprinkler use in Hamilton will end this month. As of Thursday 1 May, Hamilton residents may resume watering gardens and lawns without restriction. The total sprinkler ban was introduced in January after unprecedented dry weather and high water consumption in the city. With drought conditions persisting for months and the levels of the Waikato River dropping significantly, the ba... more...

As the dust settles after the biggest weekend Hamilton has ever seen, Council elected members have nothing but praise for how Hamilton residents responded to the challenge of hosting the largest annual event in New Zealand. And while infrastructure deconstruction is underway, a post analysis of the event and planning for next year has already begun. Numbers over the V8 weekend surpassed all expe... more...

Entry to The Trust Waikato National Contemporary Art Award is now open, offering artists from both Hamilton and right across New Zealand the opportunity to showcase their work in this prominent national competition and feature in a major exhibition at the Waikato Museum. The annual Trust Waikato National Contemporary Art Award is hosted by the Waikato Museum. The impetus behind the awards is to p... more...

When the Last Post echoes out this Anzac Day, special tribute will be paid to the vital part wartime women played in the New Zealand war effort. "Our wartime women were quiet heroes", says Hamilton Mayor Bob Simcock. "whether knitting socks for the boys on the front, stretching rations or being 'manpowered' into essential industries – making do was their mantra". A large number of women were 'ma... more...

Hamiltonians are invited to extend their ANZAC Day experience this year at Waikato Museum through a programme of remembrance, including a preview performance of the play Strange Resting Places. The impetus behind the programme of remembrance is to honour the sacrifice of the ANZAC soldiers and contribute to sharing the ANZAC legacy with all generations through a blend of educational and reflectiv... more...

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It's usually a cold day in a hot place when you'd see Ford and Holden "it" boys Greg Murphy and Jason Bright waving the same colours. But the cold day is here. Come race day both motorsport legends are going green to make the most of pit stops and maximise their vehicle performance with Hamilton City Council's Drive like a Saint campaign. Bright says that "Fans can be winners this race weeken... more...

From midnight Wednesday 16 April [tonight] all roads that form the Hamilton 400 V8 race circuit will be completely closed to all vehicles until 6am Monday 21 April. This includes the appropriate sections of Mill Street, Tristram Street, Norton Road, King Street, High Street, Empire Street, Lake Road and Hall Street. All vehicles that residents and occupiers want to be able to use over the race... more...

Council is utilising the Hamilton 400 in conjunction with V8 Supercars Australia to increase awareness of environmental sustainability issues as they relate to major events and to positively impact on environmental behaviours over the race event weekend. The native trees being planted at Whitiora School represent 2000 native trees that Council will be planting in the gully along Resolution Drive ... more...

Hamilton City Council is planning a comprehensive review of the V8 Supercars event, as required under the event Resource Consent, and has decided the process will be managed by an independent chair person. Hamilton Mayor Bob Simcock says there are sure to be some learnings from staging the event this year and it is important that the process is seen to be as thorough and independent as possible t... more...

    This Sunday [13 April, from Saturday night midnight] the Lake Road/King Street intersection and roundabout will be closed to traffic for the installation of the cross track pedestrian overbridge. Access to properties and businesses will remain open until Wednesday night midnight.   The intersection will remain closed until 6am Monday 21 April following the Hamilton 400 rac... more...

Hamiltonians and visitors to the city are invited to walk the track for the new Hamilton 400 V8 Supercar event on Thursday 17 April. This is a unique opportunity with the circuit being complete and closed a day before the racing starts. The circuit will be closed only from the Friday in future years, thus this being a one-off opportunity to see the event area from the track, just as the drivers ... more...

In response to notification from Environment Waikato regarding declining river levels, Council is proactively preparing for the possibility of levels dropping below the natural intake points for the city's water treatment plant. A 14 m barge will be launched into the Waikato River today to form part of a pumping system being tested in contingency planning to ensure undisrupted water supply to the ... more...

Environment Waikato and Hamilton City Council are to help shift more than 200,000 litres of contaminated liquids and sludge away from the site of the still burning Tamahere industrial fire. After the fire broke out on Saturday, Environment Waikato staff went to the site to carry out the regional council's primary role in this disaster of ensuring that the health of waterways are protected. Liqui... more...

As the big V8s prepare for their first ever showdown in the inaugural Hamilton 400, a special timetable of free bus services designed to lessen the amount of traffic congestion and reduce the carbon footprint of the event has been announced. All city buses and additional services to and from the Hamilton 400 will be free from 17-20 April thanks to a special partnership formed between the Hamilto... more...

The inaugural Hamilton 400 festivities will be launched in style with Hamilton mayor Bob Simcock hosting the Hamilton Mark Porter Memorial Dinner on Thursday April 17. The black tie gala event will be held at the Hamilton Gardens Pavilion and will honour the memory of local V8 driver, Mark Porter. The evening will also raise funds for Hospice's pediatric service Rainbow Place, which is devoted to... more...