MetService has reached an agreement with two marae to put a weather radar station on ancestral land in the Far North.
The forecaster has installed a giant golf ball-like dome on whenua belonging to the people of Karangahape Marae and Whakaari Pukehuia Marae near Kaeo.
The Maori Land Court has also signed off on the use of the site, which was chosen for its exceptional view of the region.
MetService observations manager Tony Quayle said in exchange for the land use, they would offer annual scholarships for local tangata whenua.
He said those bursaries would be offered to children, and meteorologists would visit kura once a year to explain what the radar did.
Mr Quayle said services were being held on Monday to open the site.
