Why I Love It Here: Toast from More FM’s Breakfast Club
Published on 02 September 2026
From surfing adventures at Sandy Bay and discovering hidden gems in Hikurangi, to favourite local eateries, community clubs and colourful characters around town, Toast knows Whangārei inside and out. As one half of More FM Northland’s Breakfast Club, he spends his days connecting with locals and sharing stories from across the region. We asked Toast to tell us about the places, people and experiences that make Whangārei special to him and his family. Here's why he loves it here.
Why I love Sandy Bay:
"My son learnt to surf on a school trip to Sandy Bay; how lucky was he to learn in such an incredible spot? I have great memories of surfing with him (sort of - I have a surfboard, but I don't really surf)."
"We normally stop at the Hikurangi Home Cookery on the way back, grab a mince and cheese pie or a sausage roll, maybe a raspberry cream bun, then we'll often check out the op shops and stores in Hikurangi."
Where to find it: Sandy Bay is located 40 minutes from Whangārei city on the Tūtūkākā Coast. Come back via the Twin Coast Discovery Highway to explore Hikurangi.
Why I love Mr T:
"My favourite person in town is Mr T. He's on a yellow mobility scooter playing his guitar. He's a bit of a local character; I love hearing him playing and singing. He's a ray of sunshine who brings music to our CBD."
Sadly, Mr T passed away shortly after this blog was written. We've left Toast's words here as a tribute to a local legend.
Why my kids love Whangārei:
"My younger son loves the ninja course at Flip Whangārei. It's way cool! Kicking up some of the balls there can be great fun. You can teach a few life lessons playing with kids in a place like that..."
Where to find it: 3 Woods Road, Whangārei.
"My oldest is often at Whangārei Youth Space. He loves that there's food, and he loves knowing that there's a place that has his back. Often teenagers can't talk to their parents, so it's somewhere they can feel supported. He's had help with his CV. They do incredible work for young people."
Where to find it: 36 Water Street, Whangārei.
Why I love Whangārei's food scene:
"One of my favourite places to eat is Rice is Nice. They have delicious food, bento boxes, really cool things. It's taught me that tofu is not so bad after all! I love their Korean chicken."
Where to find it: 13 Bank Street, Whangārei.
"We're lucky that we have so much diversity in our restaurants. We've got some great Italian with The Wayward Italian and Pasta di Gio, my favourite sushi is My Favourite Sushi. There's really good Indian at Turmeric and Khane Bahar in Kensington."
Where to find them: The Wayward Italian: 6 Quality Street, Whangārei. Pasta di Gio: The Strand, Whangārei. My Favourite Sushi: 60 Cameron Street, Whangārei. Turmeric: Quality Street, Whangārei. Khane Bahar: 2/95 Kamo Road, Kensington.
Why I love Bikes, Books & Beyond:
"One of my favourite shops is Bikes, Books and Beyond. It used to be The Book Inn; after the previous owner passed, the community really came on board to keep it open, keep it alive. They've added e-bikes and offer repairs and support. I love wandering past there, seeing people hanging out. It's become a community gathering spot."
Where to find it: 420 Kamo Road, Te Kamo Village, Whangārei.
Why I love our local clubs:
"We've recently done a series where we've met some of our local clubs on air. There are so many interesting, niche clubs and hobbies out there, even medieval combat! You'll often find the kid and I having a game of basketball at Te Ora Hou in Tikipunga. You'll see me and the other old dads trying to keep up with the kids, hobbling around on sore ankles. It's a great place to have a game and meet some new people."
Where to find them: 104 Corks Road, Tikipunga. Discover more fun hobbies in our blog Six fun ways to get active and meet new people.
Thank you to Toast for sharing why you Love it Here in Whangārei! Catch Toast and Tarns on More FM Northland's Breakfast Club (91.6).