Police checkpoint in Mercer, at the southern border of Auckland.
Photo: RNZ / Dan Cook
Residents of the Northland town of Mangawhai Heads had a day of absolute confusion as to which alert level they were in.
The Health Order to implement the alert level changes and the official government Covid-19 website showed maps with the town outside of the Auckland area.
However, police checkpoints had been set up to encompass the town within the Auckland zone.
Over the course of the day, three Northland towns - Mangawhai, Kaiwaka and Oneriri - were part of Auckland s restricted travel zone.
Even Kaipara Mayor Jason Smith had no idea which alert level his residents were at.
Police backtrack on northern checkpoints
Queues formed at a checkpoint in Brynderwyn.
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Mangawhai residents were unable to travel north unless they were essential workers. Commerce ground to a halt in Mangawhai and Kaiwaka as the towns embraced level 3.
The covid-19 checkpoints north of Mangawhai and Kaiwaka will be removed at 6pm tonight.
Police have confirmed that checkpoints will be set up at the same five locations used in the last regional lockdown last August.
These are at the intersection of SH1 and Mangawhai Road, Mangawhai Road north of Coal Hill Road, Blackswamp Road west of Rako Road, the intersection of Mangawhai Road and Games Road, and the intersection of Mangawhai Road and Ryan Road.
Update on Auckland checkpoints (with maps) livenews.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from livenews.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.