Update 2pm Horns can be heard at Mount Maunganui and around Tauranga as the Groundswell NZ 'Mother of all Protests' circles the city.

Vehicles are carrying signs carrying messages such as 'I don't trust 3 waters', 'Enough is Enough, and 'No 3 waters' as they head along Takitimu Drive, over Tauranga harbour bridge and on to Mount Maunganui.

"The protest was spread out,' says a SunLive reader.

"There are a lot of utes and cars, with some tractors. There were a couple of trucks. Mainly the utes had signs up and were travelling quite slow on the express way.

"They'd come in waves and then nothing and then come through again."

At 1.35pm every driver stopped, turned off their engines, opened their windows and turned up the volume on their radios where a Groundswell statement played over the airwaves on Newstalk ZB.

'Enough is enough! We are standing against the unworkable regulations that impact you and your family New Zealand,' says a Groundswell spokesperson. 'It's time to unite and force government to take notice and acknowledge Groundswell.”

'Groundswell NZ is a volunteer group of farmers and rural professionals advocating for our Grass Roots farmers and rural communities.

'It all started with a tractor protest about the National Policy on Freshwater but with overwhelming national support have grown to encompass far more.”

Groundswell NZ is also seeking a halt to, and rewrite of, unworkable regulations – freshwater, indigenous biodiversity, climate change and Crown Pastoral Land Reform bill (new regulation affecting high country farmers); a stronger advocacy voice on behalf of farmers and rural communities; seeking solutions to environmental issues that are tailored to regional/district differences; and supporting the hundreds of grassroots initiatives like Catchment and Landcare groups, QEII covenants, and biodiversity and conservation trusts.

The event on Sunday afternoon is part of the plan to build momentum towards the ‘Groundswell Gathering' that is taking place in February 2022 at Parliament in Wellington.

Update 1.15pm Farm tractors, utes and cars are starting to converge on Tauranga joining in with a long loop of protest around the city.

The Groundswell NZ 'Mother of all Protests' vehicles have been seen travelling along Takitimu Drive on the way towards Mount Maunganui over Tauranga harbour bridge.

They will then circle back along The Strand before heading on towards Poike, the Barkes Corner before returning back towards Mount Maunganui.

A SunLive reader reports driving to Greerton says that "there were protester cars all the way from Mount to Greerton on opposite side of the road from us.

"It was hard to read signs but most say 'No to three waters' and 'No farmers, no food'."

Earlier, 12pm:

Hundreds of farm vehicles, tractors, trucks, utes, vans and cars are expected to converge on Tauranga on Sunday afternoon bringing the main city roads to a standstill as part of a national protest.

Hailed as ‘The Mother of all Protests', the motorcade encircling the city is a planned stand by Groundswell NZ against what many feel are unworkable regulations.

At 11am, utes, tractors, trucks and cars leave from Pyes Pa, Katikati, Kaimai Range, Oropi, Te Puna, Paengaroa and Te Puke heading towards Tauranga.

Once arriving at the city outskirts, the vehicles will join in a large city loop that extends from Barkes Corner to Adams Ave, aiming to be circling Tauranga by 1pm.

At 1.35pm every driver has been asked to stop, turn off their engines, open their windows and turn up the volume on their radios where a Groundswell statement will be played over the airwaves on Newstalk ZB.

'Enough is enough! We are standing against the unworkable regulations that impact you and your family New Zealand,' says a Groundswell spokesperson. 'It's time to unite and force government to take notice and acknowledge Groundswell.”

Each driver has been asked to stay in their vehicles and follow Covid-19 safety guidance.

'Groundswell NZ is a volunteer group of farmers and rural professionals advocating for our Grass Roots farmers and rural communities.

'It all started with a tractor protest about the National Policy on Freshwater but with overwhelming national support have grown to encompass far more.”

Groundswell NZ is also seeking a halt to, and rewrite of, unworkable regulations – freshwater, indigenous biodiversity, climate change and Crown Pastoral Land Reform bill (new regulation affecting high country farmers); a stronger advocacy voice on behalf of farmers and rural communities; seeking solutions to environmental issues that are tailored to regional/district differences; and supporting the hundreds of grassroots initiatives like Catchment and Landcare groups, QEII covenants, and biodiversity and conservation trusts.

The event on Sunday afternoon is part of the plan to build momentum towards the ‘Groundswell Gathering' that is taking place in February 2022 at Parliament in Wellington.