The artist’s impression is just to give some perspective while the bowlers consider the Oaks proposal. Chris Murphy says the actual building design won’t be finalised until there is more certainty about the project proceeding.
Third retirement complex proposed
Warkworth Oaks has put a proposal before Bowls Warkworth, which if accepted, would see a high-rise apartment building and care facility built on two sides of the club in Mill Lane.
The joint venture was discussed at a meeting of club members on Sunday, March 9, addressed by Warkworth Oaks representative Chris Murphy.
Speaking with Mahurangi Matters later,
Murphy said he felt the presentation had received a generally favourable reception, but stressed that discussions were “very preliminary” at this stage.
“We’re in the process of getting an independent valuation done before a formal offer can be made,” he said. “But the ball is very much in the club’s court.”
The proposal would see Real Living, the company behind Warkworth Oaks, assist the
club to develop an all-weather covered green on the site of the existing grass green along Mill Lane, which is currently unusable. In exchange, land would be purchased alongside the club for a four level L-shaped building with two levels of rest home and hospital level care, and two levels of independent onebedroomed retirement apartments.
The existing clubrooms would be renovated, and the club would be allocated about 40 carparks on the ground level of
the seniors’ care facility/apartments.
Club president John Hurdley said the club’s 70-odd members had been given two weeks to provide the executive with feedback so it could make a decision.
The club has been weighing up future options since the membership rejected a plan to move to Glenmore Drive last year. One option was a possible merger with the
17 Neville Street, Warkworth, 0941 ph 09 425 9068 mahurangimatters localmattersnz
Oaks expansion
Mahurangi East Bowling Club, which was also discussed at the Sunday meeting.
“The Oaks proposal could provide benefits for both parties – it could potentially lead to membership growth for the club, but would also be an attractive neighbour for the retirement village,” Hurdley said.
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The proposal is a deviation from Warkworth Oaks’ original plan to build a care facility on land it owns at 14-16 Neville Street (the former Four Square site), which already has building consent.
When questioned about this, Murphy said the bowls club option was attractive, as it would be a smaller build than Neville Street, allowing The Oaks to provide care facilities sooner.
The Neville Street plan provided for 48 two and three-bedroomed units, 20-plus care units and communal areas, compared to the bowls club option of 24 apartments and 30 to 40 care suites. He said the Neville Street site would still be developed as a third stage.
Murphy said if the bowls club option went ahead, work on acquiring consents would be done during the redevelopment of the bowls club, which would happen first.
If the proposal finds favour with bowls club members, the care facility and apartments could possibly be ready for occupation by late 2028.
Real Living already operates Warkworth Oaks comprising 65 independent living units, several ground level commercial units and a basement car park, situated behind the Warkworth Hotel in Queen Street. The complex opened in 2018.
Mahurangi Matters founder Ray Chappell with the very first copies of the paper, printed in 1989. Ray printed his newsletter/paper for nearly six years before shutting down when he had distribution issues. This edition of the paper marks 500 issues from when the paper restarted under Ray and John Ross’ joint management in 1995. Ray, who is about to turn 80, still runs his printing business from his home in Summerset Falls. The Warkworth Museum is marking Mahurangi Matters’ 500th issue with a special exhibition of back issues. Further reading, see pages 30 & 31.
Keen interest in Warkworth-Te Hana at summit
The government is expecting “multiple bids” to construct the Warkworth to Te Hana section of the Northern Expressway, after opening registrations of interest at its Infrastructure Investment Summit in Auckland last Thursday, March 13.
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop said there had been “big international interest” in the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for the four-lane road.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis said she
understood there would be multiple contract bids for the road, which will include an 850m-long twin-bore tunnel in the Dome Valley.
Interested parties include large Italianbased multinational infrastructure construction specialist Webuild Group.
Registered bidders will be invited to submit a formal Expression of Interest, followed by a Request for Proposal from up to three shortlisted parties mid-year,
with a preferred bidder expected to be announced early next year and the PPP contract finalised by mid-2026.
Detailed design and construction is expected to start in late 2026 and be finished around 2034.
Ministers have said the Northland Expressway is expected to make use of Fast-track legislation, as well changes to the Public Works Act for critical infrastructure announced recently.
Watercare reveals pipeline plan to minimise disruption
Watercare has revealed details of how the new sewage pipeline from Warkworth Showgrounds to Lucy Moore Park will be built over the next two-and-a-half years. The good news is that the entire 1.6kmlength will now be trenchless tunnelling, except for one 60-metre stretch outside the row of shops on the northern side of Elizabeth Street, and even that will be done 20-metres at a time to minimise disruption.
Other plus points are that there is no longer any need for road closures or diversions along Great North Road and through Hill Street, and there will be just two temporary drilling shafts in Queen Street – one at the top of Kapanui Street and the other at the far end, on the corner with Elizabeth Street.
Project manager for construction delivery Michael Zhou told a Rodney Local Board workshop on March 12 that everything
was being planned to minimise disruption to Warkworth, from avoiding the town centre during peak season to moving the main northern construction site down from the A&P Showgrounds to Kowhai Reserve.
Acting board chair Michelle Carmichael thanked Watercare for listening to and working with businesses and residents. “Your consultation with community groups
has been amazing. You’ve acknowledged feedback and responded, and gone back and made changes – it’s great to see,” she said. “It’s a good example and I hope other departments learn from it.”
A public meeting to explain the construction methods, traffic impacts and timings will be held by Watercare at Warkworth Town Hall on Wednesday, April 2, from 6pm to 8pm. All welcome.
• Consents • Hearings & mediation • Expert evidence • Plan changes • Planning advice, due diligence
• Land development & consenting strategy
The top of Kapanui Street will be closed to traffic for six months, but open to foot traffic. A sizable chunk of Lucy Moore Memorial Park will be used as a main construction site base.
Lucy Moore Memorial Park –12 months’ duration. Main site. Construction traffic to access from Baxter Street around base of hill (past flying fox) to open grassed area.
Top of Kapanui Street – Six months, closed to vehicles (access via Wharf St.) but pedestrian access to shops, Riverside Plaza, etc. to remain open.
Queen Street – Three months, on paved area between Elizabeth Street bridge and Stirling Sports. Pedestrian access to shops and riverside walkway to stay open.
weeks (TBC).
Hill Street – Five months, on grass where flower bed is situated.
Kowhai Park – Three months, in rear left section of carpark. Dump station, toilets and Kowhai Park walking access to remain open.
Lucy Moore PS
Ratepayers facing 5.8 per cent rate rise, but more Board cash
Spending plans for the coming financial year by Auckland Council and Rodney Local Board are open for public feedback until the end of the month.
Council’s proposed Annual Plan (budget) includes the first chunk of extra money allocated to Rodney as part of its “fairer funding” approach agreed by councillors in their 10-year Long-term Plan last year.
The new scheme apportions money to local boards on three criteria – population (80 per cent), levels of deprivation (15 per cent) and land area (five per cent) – which council says will begin to address funding imbalances between the 21 boards that have existed since the Supercity was created in 2010.
For Rodney Local Board, this means an extra $8 million in its operational expenditure (opex) budget and another $1 million for capital spending (capex) for the coming financial year.
As a result, the board plans to invest $8.2 million in capex to renew and develop assets, and $26.2 million in opex to maintain and operate existing assets, as well as delivering local activities (see table). All the capex will be spent on community services, while the opex will be shared
between three services – community ($24 million), environmental ($600,000) and planning ($300,000), plus $1.3 million on governance.
Council’s group chief financial officer, Ross Tucker, said the board’s spending priorities for the year were included in the Annual Plan consultation document and he encouraged residents to take a look and provide feedback.
Other key points in the plan include a proposed 5.8 per cent rates increase, the introduction of a bed night visitor levy to fund marketing and major events, and the introduction of a targeted rate for refuse collection in Rodney and Franklin (see story p5).
There are also changes proposed for some council services, such as fees for dog adoption, cemeteries and cremation, and baches.
Mayor Wayne Brown said council was here to serve Auckland ratepayers, so it was important they had their say on what was being planned.
“We want the community’s thoughts on a bed night levy to fund major events like bringing the America’s Cup back to Auckland, hosting NRL rugby league
matches, the ASB Classic and concerts like Coldplay and Taylor Swift. None of these will happen without it, as I won’t rate struggling households to fill hotels,” he said.
“This is also a chance to tell us what they want from their Local Boards and on the proposed rates for the next year. My message to Aucklanders is speak up, help inform our decision-making.”
There will be a public event for people to have their say on the annual plan at the
Rodney Local Board offices at 3 Elizabeth Street, Warkworth this Wednesday, March 19, from 3.30pm to 4.30pm. Prior registration is essential – email rodneylocalboard@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz Consultation is open until 11.59pm on Friday, March 28.
Info and feedback forms: Available at libraries, council service centres and online at https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil. govt.nz/annual-plan-2025-2026
Rodney Local Board priorities in 2025/2026:
• improve services for all communities, with better libraries, art and youth programmes
• promote physical activity and recreation by increasing play opportunities in more places
• support community groups, volunteers and mana whenua to improve work to protect and restore our environment, particularly for waterways and wetlands, while promoting waste reduction
• increase maintenance service levels,
such as pest control, mowing popular reserves more often, and repairing tracks and car parks
• support the Rodney Greenways Plan to provide more walking, cycling and horse riding opportunities
• prepare and review plans for reserves to make sure they meet community needs
• improve the safety of our community and environment through increased education, monitoring and compliance.
Property with jetty resource consent pending put on market
The Upper Whangateau Road property at the centre of a controversial resource consent application for a jetty on Omaha River was listed by Barfoot & Thompson on March 4 as a deadline sale, which closes on March 26.
In the listing it says, “There is a pending resource consent for boat ramp and jetty at your doorstep (to be handed to the new owner).”
Mahurangi Matters contacted the real estate agent acting on behalf of the seller to ask why the property had been put on the market with the resource consent still pending, but he declined to comment.
The resource consent application is for a 20.2-metre-long timber jetty connected to a 10-metre-long gangway and a floating pontoon to be built on a narrow branch of the Omaha River (MM, Dec 19).
View from the Upper Whangateau Road property overlooking the Omaha River. Source, Barfoot and Thompson.
Location and specifications of the proposed jetty.
Council getting ready for new rubbish system rollout
Rodney householders need to start gearing up for Auckland Council’s new ratesfunded rubbish collection, which gets underway from September 1.
Replacing the current user-pays orange bag system, council is starting a region-wide, bin-based waste collection service funded by a targeted rate and charged according to bin size.
Standard 120-litre bins will be delivered to homes across Rodney during July and August, but from now until May 18, ratepayers can request either a smaller 80-litre or larger 240-litre bin.
Council’s general manager for waste solutions, Justine Haves, said the new service would still be weekly, at least for the foreseeable future – plans to introduce a fortnightly collection have met with some resistance and trial runs in selected areas still need to be held.
“Council has not yet set a date for the commencement of the trial,” she said. “Delivering the trial is subject to consultation with affected ratepayers and residents, and decision-making by elected members.
“A rollout to the entire region would also be subject to further consultation and decision-making, including requiring a Long-term Plan amendment. If it were
approved, rollout to the entire region would be implemented at the earliest in 2028.”
Haves added that the new bin-based collection service was for residential households only – commercial properties or other “non-rateable customers” would need to opt in to the service.
Meanwhile, anyone living in a rural zone has the option to use council rubbish bags instead of a bin, with the targeted rate charged according to number of bags required. Bag packs must be requested by the ratepayer or landlord and come in three sizes – small, standard and large.
Council stressed that the bag option was only for rural residents and anyone wanting them should email ruralrefusebags@ aucklandcouncil.govt.nz by May 18.
Haves said once the new service started on September 1, rubbish would be collected weekly from homes on the same day of the week as council’s recycling collection.
General info on new rates-funded rubbish collection in Rodney: https://shorturl.at/ DAcRX
Info on rubbish bags for rural properties –https://shorturl.at/acaRv
Request a smaller or larger bin: https:// shorturl.at/Sh8wj
*Assembly
Bins will still be collected weekly, while rural residents can opt for bags.
Land acquisition rules change
Landowners along the proposed Warkworth to Te Hana motorway route whose properties are being acquired by the Crown for the project would have been listening closely when the government announced plans to amend the Public Works Act (PWA) on March 9.
“In the coming months we’ll be amending the PWA to accelerate the acquisition of land needed for … the Roads of National Significance,” Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop and Land Information Minister Chris Penk said.
It is intended that amendments will come into force six months before wider PWA review amendments.
The amended legislation will feature:
• Incentive payments: To encourage early agreements, landowners who voluntarily sell their land before a Notice of Intention is issued will receive an additional premium payment equal to 15 per cent of their land’s value, with a maximum payment of $150,000.
• Recognition payments: All landowners whose land is acquired under the accelerated process will receive a
five per cent recognition payment, acknowledging the critical role their land plays in delivering essential infrastructure, with a maximum payment of $92,000.
• Replacement objections process: Landowners who object to land acquisition for critical infrastructure projects will no longer go through the Environment Court. They will instead submit their objections directly to the relevant decision-maker, either the Minister for Land Information or the local authority, for faster resolution.
Warkworth licensed agent Greg AllenBaines said all the things Penk had in mind would go a long way to making the process of compulsory sale and purchase more palatable for those involved.
“The thing it doesn’t address and, from my enquiries the most concerning, is replacing the property that has been acquired,” he said.
“There should be a mechanism that allows for reasonable replacement of land, assets and relocation to an area or place agreed to by the parties (the Crown and landowner).”
YouSay
Answering the call
I would like to acknowledge and extend a huge thank-you to our emergency workers. Judging by the number of times the sirens have sounded in the last many weeks, the teams must have been run off their feet.
We are so blessed as a community to have dedicated, unselfish, community-minded people to call on when needed.
So to the ambulance officers, fire fighters, police officers, surf life savers, coastguard, search and rescue, helicopter crews and emergency doctors – many, many thanks. You are all much appreciated.
May God keep you safe going out and coming in.
Jean Moss, Warkworth
Unless your advertising contains a big idea, it will pass like a ship in the night.
”
David Ogilvy
Matakana speed cameras slow to start snapping
The two fixed speed cameras on Matakana Road were expected to be operational by now, but NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) has revealed they won’t be ready for enforcement action until the middle or end of the year.
The delay comes as NZTA takes over speed cameras nationwide from NZ Police and transfers them to its own network.
“Our initial assumption was that we would begin enforcing from last year. Since then, NZTA has been focusing on transferring existing safety cameras from NZ Police and installing signage, as set out in NZ’s Road Safety Objectives,” an NZTA spokesperson says.
“The cameras at Matakana Road are expected to be the first average speed/
point-to-point (P2P) safety cameras to operate in NZ under new legislation.
NZTA is taking time to ensure that all new legal requirements are fully met before we start enforcement.”
The two cameras between Warkworth and Matakana are presently being tested by NZTA.
“Before cameras go live on our network, they go through a rigorous testing process. Other organisations complete the tests and issue certificates.
“While we’re testing, we won’t enforce offences. We’ll delete the data when the testing ends.”
NZTA expects to be responsible for all speed cameras from July.
Under the hammer
We can only sympathise with the local real estate agency that found itself running a house auction last week, on the same day, and about the same time, that a gang member’s funeral was taking place next door with a large police presence. “Maybe you’ll get a cash offer,” one person quipped. Thankfully, the auction was a virtual one.
You lose
It was sad to see Street Fighter 2 Hyper Fighting in the arcade behind the Wellsford food court had been replaced by a change machine recently. One diner was there with his family and lamented the fact the popular ‘90s game beloved by Gen Xers was gone. It begs the question – what good is change if there’s no ‘streety’ in which to deposit the coins?
Safety first
Why use temporary traffic management signs when you can just change the existing ones? Some outside-the-box thinking was on full display recently, with the advisory speed limit signs on the corner just after the Oyster Shed on Leigh Road changed from 50km/h to a very conservative, and perhaps overly cautious, 5km/h while the road was being resealed. Not many vehicles heeded the warning.
How average speed/point-to-point
These work by calculating a vehicle’s speed along the length of road between two cameras. They measure the time the vehicle takes to travel between the cameras and calculate the average speed (distance divided by time).
We are fully committed to finding a caring tailored approach to your pet’s health. We treat all animals as if they were members of our own family.
The first average speed/point-topoint (P2P) cameras to operate in NZ are expected to be up and running on Matakana Road by the end of the year.
(P2P) cameras
work
All future average P2P safety (speed) cameras will use automated number plate recognition (ANPR) technology that reads number plates. ANPR matches a car’s number plate as it enters and exits the average speed measurement zone.
(Source: NZTA)
Viewpoint
Greg Sayers, Rodney Councillor greg.sayers@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
Empowering local boards
With it being an election year I am receiving queries asking what is the difference between the role of a Local Board member compared to that of a councillor?
Local Boards are elected to provide governance at a local level. They enable democratic decision-making by, and on behalf of, communities within their local board area.
Local Boards have the rewarding ability to spend local rates locally for local needs. The role of the councillor differs, requiring a focus on Auckland-wide strategic decisions, and working to make the most of the council’s ability to deliver across Auckland.
The Rodney district has nine elected Local Board members (part-time roles) and one councillor (full-time role). All are elected to work and serve the best interests of the ratepayers who elected them, rather than for the best interests of Auckland Council – which frequently requires them to challenge the bureaucracy.
A current hot topic is the Rodney Local Board proposal to enlarge a roosting area for shorebirds in Snells Beach. This would involve removing a 90-metre stretch of a popular coastal walkway. The proposal has gone out for public feedback (MM, Jan 17). The Rodney board has always had decision-making responsibility over local reserves and parks, including the Snells Beach pathway. Along with that responsibility comes accountability.
Another example of what the Local Board does is support community groups, landowners, volunteers and schools to manage pest plants, animals and pathogens, from Puhoi to Wellsford. The Board helps to carry out
In brief
native planting and stream restoration work in our parks, reserves and on public land.
Local Boards also support people to work together for a better way of life, provide local community facilities, forward plan township growth, ensure transport networks are accessible, as well as help local groups protect the environment. This is also about spending local rates locally.
I have been working closely with the Mayor to drive changes allowing Local Boards to spend even more of the rates collected, locally.
As a result, the Rodney Local Board gets a significant increase in its budget to invest back in to building local community facilities.
With the imminent restructuring of Auckland Transport coming back under direct control of Auckland Council, the goal is to devolve specific transport functions to local boards. This includes giving local boards, and thus also local communities, greater say over transport issues such as local parking policies, setting of local speed limits and approval of interventions on the roads, such as speedbumps and pedestrian crossings.
If elected members get any of these decisions wrong they can be elected out of office and held accountable by the ratepayer. For example, at the moment the Auckland Transport Board of Directors cannot be held accountable by the ratepayer and removed from their job if they get it wrong. With these greater future responsibilities will also come greater accountability –which democratically, will be a significant improvement upon how the Supercity has been running to date.
Contacts for free scout sessions
In our brief about Warkworth Scout group offering free taster sessions this term at the Den Hall in Shoesmith Road (MM, Mar 3), we inadvertently included the wrong contact details. To clarify, anyone interested should contact Amanda on 021 151 0281 for Keas (5 to 8 years, Wednesdays, 4.30pm), Julian on 028 405 9226 for Cubs (8 to 11, Tuesdays, 6pm), or Michelle on 021 714806 for Scouts (11 to 14, Mondays, 6pm). Info: https://scouts.nz/groups/warkworth-scout-group/
Bid to ease market day congestion
Road and parking markings on the main road into Matakana are due to be altered this month in a bid to ease weekend traffic congestion, according to Matakana Community Group chair Simon Barclay. He told the group’s quarterly meeting on March 3 that the centre line would be shifted over and some parking spaces lost on the stretch between Maeha Drive and the pedestrian crossing. Barclay added that while it wasn’t quite the full right-hand turn lane into the carpark next to the school that the group had lobbied for, Auckland Transport was going to try this new alignment to see if it improved matters.
•
Warkworth Homebuilders left in the dark over funding
Homebuilders’ funding contract with Oranga Tamariki, which represented 70 per cent of the provider’s annual budget (MM, Aug 19), was terminated on February 5 –around six months before it was supposed to end.
This was one of Oranga Tamariki’s many funding cuts after the coalition government reduced its contracting budget by $30 million.
As a result, Homebuilders has needed to make nearly half of its seven staff redundant, with three full-time roles axed, while another was made part-time.
However, a statement from Minister for Children Karen Chhour, on January 30, suggested the funding contract could be reinstated.
“I have asked Oranga Tamariki to pause its current review and extend existing contracts for providers who do not have a current contract, or have a contract that will end shortly, until December 31, 2025,” Chhour said.
“This will provide more certainty to providers and allow Oranga Tamariki to input into the wider work the government is undertaking on social service contracting practices.”
The statement was made after Chhour intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos Aotearoa could continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline.
But to date Homebuilders’ funding contract with Oranga Tamariki was still terminated.
Homebuilders coordinator Quentin Jukes said they had not been able to find out anything about if and when the contract was going to be reinstated.
“This statement from the minister at the end of January was that groups like ours all around the country would get those contracts reinstated. But we’ve heard nothing saying how that would happen –
Homebuilders’ Quentin Jukes said
we’re just totally in the dark about it,” he said.
“When the minister can promise something like this, and then over a month later no one seems to know what’s happening, it shows how disconnected the government is.”
Without the funding contract, Homebuilders had been surviving on its savings and benefactors, he said.
“We had been putting away money for a long time, so we had a little bit of a cushion.
“And we went to our funders who have
helped us for a number of years and they have been very supportive. So even though our organisation reduced in size by half, they pretty much met what we’ve had historically from them.
“The two main ones are the NZ Lotteries Grants Board and Foundation North. They’ve both been very supportive, but they’re under immense pressure themselves, and we don’t expect they would be able to continue to do that in the future.”
Jukes said Homebuilders planned to try to continue, even without the funding
contract from Oranga Tamariki.
“We’re just trying our best to raise funds where and when we can, and to try to keep the organisation open. Because we know if we close, that reduces what’s available hugely in the local community.
“But also, if a new provider does come into the community in the future, it won’t be a local agency, it’ll be a national organisation without connections here. We’ve been here 35 years, so we’re well-known, well-connected and trusted by local people,” he said.
their funding contract had been terminated and was still waiting to see whether it would be reinstated.
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Watercare eyes land on Hamatana Road
Watercare is currently in discussions to purchase additional land on Hamatana Road, where the Snells Wastewater Treatment Plant is under construction.
“For commercial and legal reasons, we are unable to disclose further details on the negotiations,” Watercare external communications advisor Tim Wakely said. “However, if you have any further questions regarding the Snells Beach Wastewater Treatment Plant, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.”
When Mahurangi Matters then asked Wakely via email what the land would be used for if the purchase went ahead we received no response.
The new plant is part of the North-East Growth Scheme, a major infrastructure upgrade for the region to improve water quality in the Mahurangi River and cater for growth (MM, Mar 7, 2024).
The plant is on track to be in service before the end of the year.
More road sealing for less money, board hears
Despite budget cuts, more metal roads will be sealed over the next three years than ever before, a Rodney Local Board workshop heard last week.
Auckland Transport’s (AT) Unsealed Road Improvement Programme (URIP) for the next three years has been cut from $37.5 million to $30.3 million since November, due to anticipated funding from NZTA Waka Kotahi not being awarded.
Roading corridor asset manager Peter Scott said despite this, AT could upgrade 84km of unsealed roads, instead of 64km originally planned, due to more cost effective treatments.
“Most of those will be maintenance sealed – that’s the most we’ve ever done,” he said. “
“That will make quite a difference to our network.”
After being questioned on problems with maintenance seal put down last year, Scott did concede that there had been some problems.
“We had a few sites that had quality assurance issues and
we’re working that through with our contractor, Downers. Some were due to ground conditions, some were due to construction quality,” he said.
“Maintenance seal is a sealed road that we expect a 15-year life out of and we will maintain as a sealed road for ever.”
Members also voiced concerns over unsealed roads deteriorating due to being used as detour routes when crashes closed state highways or other main routes.
Scott said after the meeting that the URIP was part of AT’s Local Road Improvements bid for the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP), but it was not prioritised by NZTA.
“The NLTP only approved a small percentage of what was required,” he said. “AT has now submitted the URIP into the Resilience Targeted Fund through NZTA. A funding decision is expected to be advised in the coming months.”
Info: https://at.govt.nz/about-us/street-maintenance/ improving-the-unsealed-road-network
‘Entitled’
visitors ignore park rules
The behaviour of some visitors to Tawharanui Regional Park is being called into question following multiple breaches of the park’s ‘no dogs or pets’ policy.
The 588-hectare park is home to numerous endangered species, including kiwi and the flightless takahe. Dedicated volunteers work alongside Auckland Council rangers to restore forest and wetlands, reintroduce threatened species, monitor animals and plants, undertake pest control, and development of walking tracks.
However, Tawharanui Open Sanctuary Society (Tossi) chair Sally Richardson says she is disappointed at how disrespectful some people are.
“Just a few weeks ago, a ranger caught a car driving through the field where the takahe live,” Richardson says. “The birds actually had to scatter to avoid getting run over. “We’ve had people with dogs and even cats on leads who have refused to leave, even when asked by senior rangers, and people arriving with fishing gear despite the fact that the park has a marine reserve stretching along its coastline. “The rules are there for a reason, but some people are so entitled they feel like they can do whatever they like and the rules don’t apply to them.”
Richardson is calling for stronger penalties that can be enforced.
Residents on the Tawharanui Peninsula and around Mt Tamahunga will be familiar with the signs asking motorists to ‘slow down – kiwi live here’. But in case anyone thought this message was just a PR exercise, Tawharanui Open Sanctuary Society chair Sally Richardson sent this photo of a kiwi on the road outside the regional park fence. “There really are wild kiwi out there and people really do need to slow down,” she says. “This kiwi wasn’t frightened by the car or the lights, and just sauntered across the road. If I hadn’t been driving slowly, I could easily have hit it.”
residential and lifestyle community in Mangawhai Central. Interest is high in the remaining lots in Stage 1D with prices starting from an affordable $370,000 and section sizes ranging from 512sqm to 3,142sqm (more or less). With new roads and footpaths, tree-lined avenues, and services already in place, be quick to take advantage of these early bird prices with titles due out soon. All lot owners will enjoy a flat short walk to
Secure your dream section in the first stage of this master-planned residential and lifestyle community in Mangawhai Central. Interest is high in the remaining lots in Stage 1D with prices starting from an affordable $399,000. Section sizes range from 512sqm and 3,142sqm (more or less) and include wastewater, power and fibre connections with parks, walkways, cycleways, and a pontoon on the estuary planned for the future. Titles are expected to be issued soon. All lot owners will enjoy a flat short walk to shops and amenities, with sensible design guidelines to protect your investment. Perfectly positioned between Mangawhai Village, Mangawhai Heads shops and surf beach with Te Arai Links and Tara Iti golf courses nearby. Book an appointment today for the lifestyle you deserve.
Book an appointment today for the lifestyle you deserve. bayleys.co.nz/1153903
Amanda Bond
Nearby Mangawhai Estuary
Artist Impression
Sceats and Sarge score large in Far North championships
A young local sheepdog handler scored his first big trial win last month, taking out the zig-zag hunt title at the annual Northland Sheep Dog Trial Centre Championships.
Fletcher Sceats was the youngest competitor in the final at the Broadwood Sheep Dog Trial Club event from February 20 to 22, but with faithful huntaway dog Sarge at his side managed to beat four experienced senior triallists to the trophy.
Sceats, who was brought up on his family farm in Kaipara Flats and went to Mahurangi College, has been involved with working dogs and trialling for more than a decade. He’s been a member at several clubs in and around the region, including Helensville, Rodney and, most recently, Molesworth.
He has spent the last few years working
at Oneriri station in Kaiwaka, where the Molesworth Sheep Dog Trial club is based and his grandfather, legendary local dog handler Bob Sceats, is patron.
Although Fletcher has scored a number of wins and places over the past year, the Broadwood win was his first big event title, beating well-known Northland triallists Grant West, Murray Child, Scott McRae and Mike Moody with a first run score of 95 out of 100 and 94.5 on the second.
Sceats’ win coincided with centenary celebrations for the Broadwood club, which lies west of Mangamuka in the Far North. The next big trial will be a bit easier to get to – the Rodney Sheep Dog Trial Club event, which is being held on Friday and Saturday, March 28 and 29, at 324 Old Woodcocks Road, Kaipara Flats. All welcome.
Slice of music history at the Tahi
Warkworth music lovers will get the chance to enjoy a piece of New Zealand music history when Railway Pie plays at the Tahi Bar on Sunday, March 30.
Formed in 1969 in Palmerston North by a gang of mates who shared a love of old-time blues music, Railway Pie is New Zealand’s oldest surviving jug band and traditional blues group.
A jug band typically combines conventional instruments with improvised or homemade ones such as washboards and jugs – hence the name.
Railway Pie has seen a few line-up changes, but three of those original friends are still with the group – harmonica player and lead vocalist Jack Craw, guitarist and fiddle player Terry Toohill, and jug player, guitarist and singer Jim Crawford.
Bass player and singer Garry Trotman has been with the band since 1972 while Warkworth’s Al Young has also been on board for many years playing guitar and mandolin as well as sharing the vocal duties.
Railway Pie is named after a long-gone delicacy of NZ train travel – the classic meat
pie – and was once one of several Kiwi jug bands that formed when the folk music explosion of the 1960s brought with it a revival of interest in traditional roots music.
The folk boom is long over and the other bands have all faded away, but Railway Pie remains with its roots still firmly in the 1920s sounds of leading African-American jug bands, especially the Memphis Jug Band and Cannon’s Jug Stompers.
Young says that was the pop music of its day in the Southern US.
“Many people think of the blues as sad music, but the old jug bands were playing dance music to people who were out for a good time at pubs, clubs and parties, and the music reflects that,” he says.
Railway Pie’s own up-tempo, driving style of jug music has won over many audiences not to mention accolades with its recent CD release, Caution 15, a finalist at the 2024 Aotearoa New Zealand Folk Alliance ‘folk album of the year’ awards.
Now Warkworth has the chance to try a taste. Railway Pie at the Tahi Bar, 1 Neville St, Warkworth, Sunday, March 30, 4-6pm.
reception@kowhaicoastdental.co.nz
Kōwhai House Level 3, 4 Warkworth Street, Warkworth Call 09 425 0346 or online www.kowhaicoastdental.co.nz to book an appointment
Railway Pie today: seated from left, Terry Toohill, Jim Crawford, Jack Craw, Al Young. Upright bass player is Peter Parnham, filling in for regular bass player Garry Trotman.
The good old days: Railway Pie in action at the Auckland Folk Festival, circa 1974. From left, Al Young, Terry Toohill, Jack Craw, Colin Heath and nowformer members Steve Evans and Derek Burfield.
Fletcher Sceats competing with Sarge at the Broadwood trial, and with his trophy.
The General Merchant
When local business owner
Basista Gautam opened The General Merchant in Snells Beach earlier this month, it helped fill the gap left behind by the departure of The Warehouse in 2023.
As they say, when one door closes, another one opens.
“After The Warehouse went to Warkworth, we’d been missing somewhere to get garden products, art and craft supplies, pet supplies, hardware and fishing gear,” Gautam says.
“The demand was there and a space was available for the new store, so I seized the opportunity.”
Originally from Nepal, where he completed his business degree, Gautam has always been open to possibilities.
In 2013 he emigrated to NZ to further his studies, spent nearly eight years in Waikato,
then moved to Snells Beach in 2021 with his wife and inspiration Maya, whom he had met on a trip back home.
This is when he bought Snells Beach Fine Wines, which he later changed to The Bottle-O.
Gautam’s latest venture is right next door and matches the green exterior.
“At The General Merchant people get quality products that are environmentally friendly,” he says.
“Sustainability is important to me, both in my personal life and in business as well. So when I choose products for the store I always look for eco-friendly options, like the certified-organic fertilisers we sell, or our recycled plastic products.
“And that doesn’t mean we charge more money. Even though we’re a smaller store, we still offer our customers a good price,” Gautam says.
Basista Gautam
Pet of the Month
Pets Vets Corner
This is Bear, who recently turned twelve. His mind (and appetite!) is as healthy as ever, but he has developed some mobility issues, so was checked over at our Wellsford clinic. We have a range of options when it comes to degenerative joint disease. From supplements, to pain relief medications and now a monthly injection called Berensa. Berensa is becoming popular as we are seeing some great results and an added bonus is that owners don’t have to give daily medication.
Bear has been on Berensa for three months now and is back to doing victory laps around the house when his family comes home.
If your animal is slowing down as they age, it is a good idea to book them a vet appointment so we can find the best option for you and your pet.
If you are wanting to come to our Wellsford clinic, we have recently extended the opening hours.
Sweetappreciation with chocolate brown
Congratulations to Tricia Cox, who is this week’s recipient of a gift basket from Chocolate Brown. Tricia was nominated by her neighbour in Wellsford, who wrote…
Vets: Jon Makin BVSc, Danny Cash BVSc and Associates
WARKWORTH VETS
VETERINARY HOSPITAL COAST 2 COAST VETS
Know someone who deserves a big “thank you” for their community spirit? Tell us and they will receive acknowledgement in Mahurangi Matters and an amazing hamper from Chocolate Brown, 6 Mill Lane, Warkworth. Send your nominations to editor@localmatters.co.nz (subject line: Sweet Appreciation) or post to: Sweet Appreciation, Mahurangi Matters, 17 Neville Street, Warkworth. Kindly refrain from nominating members of your own family.
“ ”
Tricia is a kind person. She’s my neighbour and always puts everybody before herself – she is incredible. She helps out in hard times, gives people in need extra food and helps out in the community. During covid she made masks for people at her shop Clever Endeavours and dropped off baked goods to local businesses every morning. When we lost our brother, Tricia was a lifesaver and there for us in our time of grief.
Chocolaterie, Baking supplies, Rubs & Sauces Ph 415 8777 6 Mill Lane, Warkworth www.chocolatebrown.co.nz
Growth
Burnette O’Connor, Planner burnette@thepc.co.nz
Cart before the horse, or not?
Housing Minister Chris Bishop recently announced some policy decisions the government has made to improve infrastructure funding and financing to get more houses built. His speech highlights the house price-to-wage ratio imbalances that have significantly increased between 2002 and now. The speech cites a ratio of 3:1 in 2002 and now 6:1.
Obviously, many governments both central and local have grappled with the issue of housing supply and affordability, and the coordinated delivery of infrastructure for decades. Based on the above house:price ratios, it seems that we are not making positive progress.
It makes practical sense to coordinate urban development and the delivery of the required infrastructure. Infrastructure is often delivered by developers in conjunction with the infrastructure delivery agencies. There might be an opportunity for greater coordination between these parties as encouraged in the National Policy Statement on Urban Development.
Another aspect to consider is certainty. The planning process inherently creates massive uncertainty in terms of the process and various external influences on that process, such as legislative changes, council policy changes and political influences. An example is the Auckland Council Future Urban Land Supply Strategy, which is now updated and replaced by the Future Development Strategy. The purpose of these documents was to strategically plan for growth and the coordinated delivery of the required infrastructure. The intent is positive, but it is difficult to see how that planning occurs when the documents, the funding and the planned time frames for delivery changes about every three to five years.
Landholders invited
Infrastructure planning, funding and delivery typically take significantly longer than three to five years, as does the proper and detailed planning for the development of urban land, including the preparation and processing of private plan changes.
The funding of the required infrastructure is challenging, even when coordinated with the planned delivery of urban land, as evidenced by effective moratoriums on urban development and infill in areas such as Whangaparaoa, Silverdale, Orewa and parts of the North Shore due to water and/ or wastewater constraints.
Greenfield development provides opportunities for coordinated upgrades and extensions of infrastructure to occur at a greater scale than associated with ad hoc infill development. Auckland Council timeframes for delivery of infrastructure to the various growth areas are long-term and, in the meantime, the pressure for housing and business land – urban growth – continues and needs to be responded to. So long as the required infrastructure is delivered in conjunction with urban developers, either by the agencies and/ or developers, does the timeframe really matter? Do we lose opportunities for developers to input, provide upgrades and deliver additional public amenities just because a proposal is not in keeping with a timeframe stated in a document that has been changed three times so far over the course of the current statutory planning document – the Auckland Unitary Plan? Development definitely needs to be planned and coordinated, but it would seem there are many options to achieve the required outcomes, and potentially more options to be delivered by signalled legislative changes in the near future.
A free workshop on working with waterways, led by waterways expert Danny Klimetz, will be held at the Whangateau Hall on Saturday afternoon, March 22. Anyone with a stream or river on their property is welcome to attend. Klimetz is a stream restoration scientist with more than 15 years’ experience leading successful research projects for various government and private contracts throughout the United States, Australia and New Zealand. The workshop is being co-hosted by Auckland Council Healthy Waters and Whangateau HarbourCare, and will include a field trip to help rural landowners understand how water shapes the landscape and what can be done to protect floodprone land, streams and rivers. Organisers say the hands-on afternoon session will help participants to understand how land use impacts stream integrity and health. Participants will learn how to conduct a Rapid Geomorphic Assessment of a stream, and explore achievable management solutions for stream erosion, flooding and waterway health. Spaces are limited to keep the workshop interactive. To register: https://shorturl.at/6vlfu
Preserving precious family memories since 1991
CATARACT SPECIALIST
Dr Kate calls time on long career as community GP
After 37 years at Kawau Bay Health (KBH), Dr Kate Baddock has decided the time is right to retire and will officially hang up her stethoscope on March 31.
The dedicated and much-loved general practitioner has worked tirelessly for the Rodney community at the two KBH clinics – Warkworth Medical Centre, where she is one of five partners who own and operate the practice, and Snells Beach Medical Centre.
Baddock says she still enjoys practising medicine but wants to retire while she’s still young and fit enough to do all the things she wants to outside of work.
“I’m about to go to the Himalayas for six weeks and then later in the year I’m doing a 1000km-walk in Western Australia – these are the sorts of things you can’t do as easily when you’re older,” she says.
When Baddock started her tenure with KBH in 1988, she says the Warkworth practice was just a little weatherboard house with a house next door on the corner of Alnwick and Percy Streets, where the surgery used to be.
“So that little house got knocked down first and the surgery that’s here now got built. Then the surgery that was on the corner got demolished and the rest of the medical centre was constructed and opened in 2010.”
Baddock also saw the Snells Beach practice expand significantly.
“When I first worked at Snells, the vets were at the front and the surgery was in the back. Then the surgery grew so much the vets had to move out and we took over the entire building,” she says.
“It was never really fit for purpose and
we moved into a brand-new building just before covid, which was constructed in 2019 with state-of-the-art facilities.”
Baddock has faced many other challenges over the years in her career – not least being on 24-hour call.
“We did 24-hour callouts for 25 years and also obstetrics so we delivered babies oncall as well.
“When I was having my own children, which was between 1990 and 1995, I was still on-call and on one occasion I was up in the middle of the night feeding my baby and got a call to do a delivery, so took my baby along with me.”
So what’s the secret to Baddock’s longevity as a GP living and working in the same community as her patients?
“Outside of the practice, I might be the mum, the gymnastics coach, the hockey coach, the hockey player, or I might just be the person doing the supermarket shopping, but I’m not the doctor,” she says.
“And I have to say the community has bought into this. I’ve had my home number in the phone directory all this time and I’ve only ever received one call from someone looking for a doctor.”
Baddock says once she’s retired, she’ll miss the daily contact of seeing 30 to 35 patients.
“I want to thank the people of Warkworth, the great Warkworth community, for the privilege of being able to be part of their lives for so long and to share their lives from, in many instances, from birth to death.
“It’s been a long association. And it’s a huge privilege to have been a part of people’s lives like that.”
Friendly, personalised, specialist eye care with Dr Mark Donaldson at the Rodney Surgical Centre.
Eye consultations, glaucoma management and cataract surgery in Warkworth.
Call Eye Doctors on 09 520 9689 to make an appointment or visit www.eyedoctors.co.nz
Left, Dr Kate Baddock is retiring after 37 years at the Warkworth Medical Centre.
Nutrition
Nicole Wilson, Registered nutritionist
How your plate shapes the planet
Ever think about how your food choices impact more than just your health? The truth is, what we eat has a huge effect on the environment. From the way food is grown to how it gets to our plates, every step has an environmental footprint. But the good news? Small changes can make a big difference for both our health and the planet.
Food production is a major player in environmental issues. It takes up huge amounts of land, water and resources, leading to deforestation and habitat loss. Plus, in order to have high yields of perfect-looking products, agriculture and horticulture practices can rely heavily on fertilisers and pesticides, which often harm soil and waterways. But there are ways we can help.
Have you ever thought about growing your own food? It’s not just a fun hobby – it’s a great way to eat healthier while reducing your environmental impact. Whether it’s a full vegetable garden and orchard, a few pots on the deck, or microgreens on the windowsill, growing your own food has benefits that extend far beyond your plate. When you grow your own fruits, veggies and herbs, you know exactly what’s gone into growing them. You can pick food straight from your garden at its peak in flavour and nutrition. Plus, gardening encourages you to move your body more –even if it’s just getting up out of your seat to water your herb pots.
Growing your own food helps cut down on environmental impacts in several ways:
• Less transportation pollution – no planes, trains and automobiles, just a walk from garden to plate
• You can skip synthetic fertilisers and pesticides
• Home-grown food doesn’t come wrapped in plastic, reducing landfill waste
• Composting food scraps and using natural gardening methods keep the soil rich and thriving
When you grow your own food, you tend to waste less because you understand the effort it takes to grow it. You can also harvest only what you need, when you need it. And any scraps? They can be composted, completing the natural cycle. You don’t need a huge backyard to grow your own food. Basil, mint and parsley grow well in pots indoors or on a balcony. Leafy greens and radishes are great beginner-friendly choices, and grow well in pots, too. Hanging baskets and trellises can maximise small spaces by growing vertically. Turn kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich soil for your plants – compost, bokashi bin or worm farm.
Growing your own food is a simple yet powerful way to nourish yourself while taking care of the planet. You get fresh, tasty, nutritious food, and the environment benefits from fewer chemicals, less waste and lower carbon emissions. So why not give it a try? Even a small herb garden can be a step toward a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle.
FOOD RESCUE
SCHOOL LUNCHES
Warkworth Rotary Lions Food Rescue (WWRLFR) has two aims – to stop food being wasted, and to benefit those in our community who struggle to provide necessities for themselves and their families.
We recall picking up some 25kg of chocolate from a supermarket which had a looming ‘best before’ date. This excellent food – mana from heaven – was saved from the landfill and gave untold delight to many families.
New Zealand’s economy was recently ranked 33 out of 37 among OECD countries. Our communities suffer from the cost of living crisis. Some 40% of our schools have a school lunch programme and a number of schools in the area supported by WWRLFR, are on that programme. To qualify for the programme the school has to demonstrate that the community it serves falls into the disadvantaged category. For those who can provide the Prime Minister’s solution of a marmite sandwich and an apple, the food we provide helps with the bread, the Marmite and the apple.
The food we are able to provide moves many a recipient to tears. There may, for example, be a number of generations living at one property, some of whom have serious health issues. Other disadvantaged families are simply unable to provide the necessities for their family for a multitude of reasons not of their making.
We remain so grateful to a local couple who finance the cost of butchering when we have an animal donated. Please consider how you might help by volunteering, by providing food, or providing financial assistance to enable us to meet urgent needs when these are brought to our attention.
• We are always keen to recruit new volunteers.
• Do you have an orchard or backyard with fruit or vegetables going spare? We have, on occasions, received trailer loads of fruit and vegetables, which we are able to distribute very quickly.
• Perhaps a farm or lifestyle block owner could provide an animal, which would allow us to supply meat for the food bank groups.
Our sponsors
Matakana
Cuisine
Lauraine Jacobs
www.laurainejacobs.co.nz/blog/
In a right old pickle
One of the highlights of my summer was an invitation to judge the Warkworth Garden Club’s annual show. I am no floral expert, but luckily the committee had asked me to judge the Preserves section. I love making jams and sauces, so this undertaking was a real privilege for me.
My mother was really into preserving fruits and vegetables, like so many women of her generation. I have fond memories of her pantry filled with glistening jars of golden queen peaches, pineapple chutney, strawberry jam, passionfruit preserves and more, and I continue to make her classic tomato sauce recipe every year, which has become a family tradition. I don’t think my own kids ever tasted store-bought tomato sauce until they went out to eat at cafés or their friends’ homes.
The array of jars at the garden show was almost daunting – yet the hardest task of the day proved to be opening those sealed lids. It was a pleasure to taste my way through the concerted efforts that were on display from the talented kitchens of Warkworth women. More than 80 entries of jellies, marmalades, jams, preserved fruits, sauces, relishes, pickles and chutneys appeared. With two willing helpers, we tasted our way through them all!
to note when preserving is to stick to the recipe, as it is like baking – a formula that is almost scientific in its own right.
I thought that several of the entries had skimped on sugar. I guess we get so many health reminders about how bad sugar can be for us, but preserving is not the time to cut the quantity down. Especially in anything that has vinegar. Both are essential to preserving and there’s nothing worse than a gorgeously presented pickle that makes the mouth pucker with acidity. Sugar can be your friend.
Congratulations to all who entered and especially to the first prize winners. I loved Sally Greenwood’s aromatic blackberry jelly, and noted that two other women carried off two first prizes each – Avis Bayer’s crystalclear marmalade and her beautiful thick tomato sauce had a wonderful spicy flavour, while Gloria Wilmot’s extremely plummy plum jam was delicious and her preserved feijoas were almost a work of art.
Annette Sharp won pickles with her courgette pickle, which had a lovely spicy flavour and with a soft gentle texture. I asked her for the recipe and discovered, like so many kitchen traditions and delights, that this is a pickle that’s well known throughout the district. The original version
1.5kg courgettes
5 medium onions
½ cup salt
500ml vinegar
750g sugar
2 tbsp mustard powder
2 tbsp curry powder
Cut the courgettes and onions into small pieces, place in a bowl and sprinkle over the salt. Cover with water and leave overnight. Next day, drain off the liquid and rinse with cold water.
Put the 500mls vinegar and Mix the all spices and flour together with the vinegar until smooth. Stir in the vegetables, return the pan to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes over a very gentle heat,
A concert featuring the best loved choral music for Easter from renowned composers including Handel, Mozart, Steiner, Stanford plus sing along with your favourite Easter hymns Mahurangi Hope Church Sunday, April 13 at 4pm
TICKETS $25 from Briar Rose Flowers, Mahurangi Hope Church, Choir Members. Or at the door $30 cash only. (Students free) ONLINE bookings www.trybooking.com/nz/WEO?qr=true&qr=true
Courgette Pickle
accompanied by Helen Lukman-Fox on organ present
Latest Warkworth Theatre show dials up suspense
Before ‘Dial M for Murder’ was a famous Alfred Hitchcock film, it was a stage play at the Westminster Theatre in London
Now the classic thriller is being performed at the Warkworth Town Hall, from April 3 to 12, which will be the first production of the year for Warkworth Theatre.
Director Rosie Hutchinson says she’s always enjoyed a good thriller – something that keeps you guessing and holds your attention right until the final moments.
“Packed with twists, turns and psychological tension, ‘Dial M for Murder’ will leave the audience breathless,” she says. The production is a fresh challenge for the Warkworth Theatre actors, as the group delves into a genre that it hasn’t previously explored.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for our cast to push themselves. The characters in ‘Dial M for Murder’ are complex, and bringing them to life requires skill, nuance and impeccable timing,” Hutchinson says.
Frederick Knott’s ‘Dial M for Murder’ is widely known for its gripping plot and was
D IAL M FOR MURDER
Directed by
Warkworth Town Hall By
famously adapted into Hitchcock’s 1954 film starring Grace Kelly and Ray Milland.
“I’ve always admired Hitchcock’s ability to build suspense, and I was drawn to the idea of staging the original play that inspired such an iconic film.”
This edge-of-your-seat masterpiece has all the ingredients needed for entertainment –intrigue, deception and suspense.
“With its razor-sharp dialogue, unexpected twists, and a story that keeps the audience guessing, ‘Dial M for Murder’ is a mustsee event for theatre lovers and mystery enthusiasts alike,” Hutchinson says.
“Don’t miss the chance to experience this masterpiece being performed locally.”
The suspense is killing us.
Tickets at www.warkworththeatre.co.nz, the Mahurangi Matters office opposite Warkworth Town Hall at 17 Neville Street, and limited tickets will be available on the door. Adult $25, Senior $20, Student/ under 18 $2. Warkworth Town Hall, April 3 & 4, 7pm; April 6 & 10, 2pm; April 9, 10, 11 & 12, 7pm.
FREDERICK KNOTT
Rosie Hutchinson
3-12 APRIL
Director Rosie Hutchinson says ‘Dial M for Murder’ is a must-see.
Less is more at Rodney recycling centre
Less Waste Warkworth and Wellsford, the trading name of Mahurangi Wastebusters,is introducing bulk compost sales next month, a tool library in May and a timber yard in June.
Less manager Mark Gane says they’ve just completed doing their first trial of bulk compost in a nine-metre skip bin.
“At the moment, we only sell 20-litre bags of premium compost, but we’ve found a way to make bulk compost with minimal labour. It means that we’ll be able to sell trailer loads of value compost mix,” he says. “It’s not all the ingredients that we normally use in our premium mix, but we still have the hops from the Sawmill Brewery in it, wood chips and a few other things such as coffee grinds.
“Hopefully, we’ll also be able to sell bulk loads of premium compost as we get better at making it.”
Mahurangi Wastebusters and Less trustee Trish Allen says the way they’ve been producing premium compost has been labour intensive.
“It takes a long time to make but it’s a great product because a lot of the ingredients are from local sources, such as the Matakana
Wastebusters/ Less trustee Trish Allen and Less manager Mark Gane are behind a raft of new initiatives to upcycle and recycle waste.
Farmer’s Market,” she says.
“We want to get a woodchipper so we can actually process our own green waste to produce mulch for the compost, instead of paying to send it to Auckland.”
Next on the centre’s list is the tool library.
“We get loads of tools – hand tools, power tools, garden tools. And we’ve got an amazing volunteer who tags and tests them,” Gane says.
“So we’ve got the tools, plus we’ve got space to run a tool library so you don’t have to go out and buy a tool for one job and then throw it away. Instead you can just come and hire what you need from us for a small fee.”
There’s already an abundance of tools for sale inside the centre’s cavernous store Shop Less.
Here the public can buy a wide range of items salvaged and upcycled from the waste drop-off, everything from Halloween costumes to hardware.
“We encourage people to shop less, but if you do need to go and buy something, at least try to buy something that has been retrieved from landfill and can be reused – we probably have what you want,” Gane says.
A short walk from Shop Less, near the entrance of the centre, there is space allocated for the recycled timber yard,
which will be “like a second-hand ITM or Mitre 10 once it’s up and running”.
When Mahurangi Matters visited the site there was already an area set aside with rows of stacked, reusable lumber with nails protruding that had been retrieved from building sites around the area.
“There’s so much timber and construction waste. We’ll sort it and then bring it to a dedicated area, which will be enclosed. There will be a de-nailing zone, which we’ll need volunteers for.”
“It already looks like a timber yard. You can imagine the timber once it’s all denailed and racked-up beautifully, and cut to length so it’s easy for customers to use as is. If you were to buy the timber brandnew you’d pay a lot more per metre.”
He says the timber yard is a new and important part of the centre and they are just waiting for some drainage to be completed by contractors before it can be finished.
“So bulk compost is coming, the tool library coming and the timber yard is coming. And there are more ideas that we are hoping to do in the future – lots more,” Gane says.
Dairy farmers make Auckland environmental awards final
A Tomarata couple is among the five Auckland regional finalists in this year’s Ballance Farm Environment Awards, the winners of which will be announced this Thursday, March 20.
Troy and Karin Everson run Hermanus Dairy in the hills between Te Arai and Mangawhai Road, with 450 cows plus young stock.
They’ve been at the farm since 2000, when it was a run-down sheep farm devoid of trees or native vegetation.
They began by installing fences and water races across the 264-hectare property, improving drainage and installing water tanks, and planting crops for stock feed including rye, clover and maize.
The Eversons have also worked to restore their land, planting native bush around waterways and steep slopes, improving soil conservation and protecting wetlands. Award judges said it was clear that the couple had a vision “the moment they stepped onto the farm” and had been working toward achieving it ever since. They were impressed with the farm’s innovative effluent management, meticulous record-keeping and commitment to staff wellbeing.
“There’s a strong focus on animal welfare at Hermanus, with the result being happy and healthy stock across the property,” judges noted.
“They closely monitor greenhouse gas emissions and are reducing them via the sustainability measures they have introduced.
“Hermanus demonstrates the power of vision, hard work, and a dedication to creating a thriving and sustainable future for both business and the environment.”
The Eversons are up against four diverse farmers and growers from right across the Auckland region – Healthy & Fresh, a commercial produce business based in Karaka; Lighthouse Station Farm, rearing beef and pheasants on Āwhitu Peninsula; Chritas Wood in Franklin, a sheep, beef and timber business; and the ASB Mount Albert Grammar School Farm.
promote sustainable farming and growing by celebrating achievement and showcasing good practice. Expert judges look at animal and plant care, biodiversity, business health, climate, soil, water, waste management, and people and wellbeing.
The Ballance Farm Environment Awards Troy and Karin Everson.
Mahurangi
to save cash and cut waste Plan ahead
At a time when many families are struggling to make ends meet, it’s a sobering thought to realise that NZ households are still throwing away 130,000 tonnes of food worth $2.9 billion every year.
That’s the equivalent of three shopping trolleys full of food per household.
A new report from Hello Fresh and Kantar, Understanding Kiwi Household Food Waste, found that Kiwis are spending more on food than ever before, but some nine per cent of their weekly grocery spend is wasted.
While this is down from 12.2 per cent in 2023, Love Food Hate Waste NZ (LFHW) says the amount and value of food being wasted is still “staggering”.
Marketing and communication manager Juno Scott-Kelly says the major factor in food waste remains a lack of meal planning, with veggies, fruits and leftovers most commonly wasted.
“Food goes off before it’s eaten, leftovers don’t get used, and people over-buy because they don’t know what they already have at home,” she says.
More locally, Auckland Council’s food scraps collection service is making a significant dent in the amount of food going to landfill, with 40,000 tonnes of waste diverted since the scheme started two years ago.
Council’s general manager for waste solutions, Justine Haves, says this has kept around 26,000 tonnes of harmful greenhouse gas emissions out of landfill, which is roughly equivalent to taking 7000 cars off Auckland’s roads or planting more than 700,000 trees.
We could be doing better, however. Haves
estimated that only 35 per cent to 42 per cent of eligible households in Warkworth – the only local area where food scraps are collected – were regularly using their food scrap bins.
“Every little bit helps, because instead of food scraps going into landfill where they contribute to greenhouse gases, Auckland’s food scraps are transformed into clean energy and liquid fertiliser,” she says.
LFHW encourages shoppers to use four steps to prevent food waste in the first place:
• Check your week – who’s home, and when? Identify hectic days and plan meals accordingly
• Check what you’ve got – see what needs using up or replacing in your fridge, freezer and pantry before shopping
• Choose your meals – plan easy, flexible meals, ideally ones that allow leftovers to be used creatively, or consider using apps or meal kits
• Create your list – write a shopping list (and take it with you!) to avoid impulse buys and food duplication
LFHW has also launched a free online money saver meal planner, with tips, tools, recipes and apps to help plan ahead and reduce food waste at home.
“With the cost of living remaining a top concern for New Zealanders, reducing food waste is an easy way to cut unnecessary expenses. Households wasting food are throwing away money that could be saved,” Scott-Kelly says.
Info: www.lovefoodhatewaste.co.nz/dobetter-meal-planning.
Ultimate upcycling artist opens her doors at Kaipara Flats
What would you do with 28 old glass decanters of little use or value? Take them to an op shop? Hoick them into the recycling bin? Kaipara Flats artist and former antique dealer Joy Bell decided to use them to build a wall.
No matter that she had absolutely no idea how to achieve this; she set to anyway and, using hundreds of items large and small, slowly created a multi-panelled wall of glass to enclose her former back porch.
“I had 80 boxes of old shop stock with no commercial value and I planned it all around the decanters,” she says. “I had no idea if it would work; there was nothing on Pinterest or YouTube, so I had no guidance.
“The first layer was easy, as they sit on a ledge, but the rest wasn’t because they all wanted to keep moving.”
Bell ended up fixing the array of glass items – everything from vases, lampshades and jelly moulds to tiny flasks, lids and stoppers – in place with flexible blackened concrete adhesive.
The result is a mesmerising 3-D display of light-filled relics that command and warrant close attention, imbued as they are
with Bell’s trademark wit and style – quirky, intricate and sometimes borderline creepy.
“I started putting things within things – there are little glass knobs and stoppers, a cat’s skull I found on the railway, a mummified rat in a hip flask and a spider from the Antarctic that’s actually a spider crab.”
Visiting Bell’s studio and home, the former Woodcocks church where she’s lived since 1995, it quickly becomes clear she is a resourceful magpie, rescuing and reusing what many people would view as junk or worse, and giving it vivid new life. She transforms the old, broken and even macabre into witty, wondrous, wildly outthere items and imagery.
Dried-out bird and animal skulls, broken dolls and toys, fragmented glass and china – Bell sees promise and potential in all of them and more as source material for the constant stream of ideas that bounce around in her head.
“I’ve always been wacko,” she says cheerfully, as she leans on her granite mosaic kitchen benchtop inset with metal trinkets, agates and colourful LED lights. There are surprises around every corner,
from a large mosaic peacock whose tail drapes into her bathtub to a 17th century wax figure of a saint lying in state and covered with war memorabilia.
Bell is best known locally for her stunning mosaic pieces that adorn many public buildings, most notably the tui and kowhai on Warkworth’s clock tower, which she will soon be giving a spruce-up.
In recent years, she has put virtually all her time and creative energies into two substantial and sensitive memorial shrines to children lost too young – a 23-metre white wall inlaid with relief cast objects, such as birds, animals, fish, shells and angels, at Waikumete Cemetery in Glen Eden, and a 95-metre tile pathway inlaid with mosaic butterfly graves at Purewa Cemetery in Meadowbank.
Both have been intense and lengthy tasks, and Purewa remains ongoing, but Bell is finally starting to slow down a little and venture into other artistic areas. “I’m really at the end of mosaicking. It’s very hard on the fingers, working with concrete all the time,” she says. “I’ve started working with clay and making a lot of
concrete forms, and have had to learn to make moulds and cast from them, so I’m a ceramicist using concrete.”
The resulting works include a series of avian caricature figures based on ‘Wally birds’ – distinctive character tobacco jars made by Martin Brothers’ London pottery at the turn of the 19th century.
“I’ve also started rug hooking and textile art, I love rug hooking in the most basic primitive method, just using a crochet hook, but using vivid bright colours,” she says. Bell’s apparently unstoppable creative energy has led to her deciding to hold her first open studio exhibition this Easter, where many pieces large and small will be for sale.
“I’m technically retired, but have been playing in my studio for several years. I’ve been making all these things and I don’t know what to do with them,” she says. “It’s all just a reason to keep making art.”
Joy Bell’s studio is at 1506 West Coast Road, almost opposite Old Woodcocks Road, and will be open between 10am and 4pm from Friday, April 18 to Sunday, April 21.
Info: https://www.joybellart.com/
The stairway to the studio.
Bell’s classy glass wall.
Rug-hooking is a recent passion. Joy Bell in her studio.
Sustainable Exterior Cleaning
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RACE is on to restore Ātiu
Tree planting season is fast approaching, which means another busy winter for volunteers at Ātiu Creek, one of Auckland’s largest and most remote regional parks.
This year is the 20th anniversary of the late Pierre and Jackie Chatelenat gifting the 843-hectare Kaipara Harbour property near Tapora to Auckland Council and the nation.
Since then, Conservation Volunteers New Zealand (CVNZ) have worked with council to develop a native plant nursery and plant nearly 200,000 native plants and trees as part of the Restoring Ātiu Creek Ecology (RACE) project to restore plant cover to the park’s gullies.
“If we can restore the gullies, we can prevent sediment and runoff clogging up the precious moana,” a spokesperson says. “These restoration efforts are crucial for the health of the local ecosystem, including the protection of Kaipara Harbour’s delicate marine life.”
This season, CVNZ aims to grow and plant more than 35,000 native trees, using seeds eco-sourced from Ātiu Creek itself.
Although around a third of the park is now covered in regenerating forest, CVNZ says much work remains to restore the land to its full ecological potential.
“We’ve hosted more than 10,000 incredible volunteers, who have helped us plant more than 180,000 plants, remove vast areas of invasive weeds, look after and run the nursery, repair fences and more, but we need to do more.
“Locals are invited to actively participate in this exciting restoration journey.”
Planting days will be held on Sundays from June onwards, scheduled for June 7, July 5 and August 9, and CVNZ will provide all necessary gear.
Info: visit https://conservationvolunteers. co.nz/, call 0800 567686 or email info@ cvnz.org.nz
We Are Hiring - Environment & Marine Rangers
Exciting environmental opportunities exist within a kaupapa Māori organisation.
Both roles are based on-site at the Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust (NMST) office based in Warkworth.
Hands-on marine and environmental monitoring roles within a kaupapa Māori organisation.
Work with iwi, hapū, and external stakeholders to uphold kaitiakitanga.
Based in Warkworth, working closely with the Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust (NMST).
Join an iwi-led conservation team dedicated to protecting and restoring Aotearoa’s marine and environmental taonga.
Te tono - How to apply:
Please email heather@manarecruitment.co.nz to request an information kete or apply online
Applications close: Friday 28 March 2025 @ 5pm.
The Pest Experts at Warkworth Pest Control have the know-how and the equipment to keep your home or business Pest free while ensuring the safety of people, pets and the environment.
Before and after: A bare hillside that was planted in 2018 and how it looked five years later.
Creek
The Forest Bridge Trust
Nikki Morgan, Marketing and Comms www.theforestbridgetrust.org.nz
Smart traps, smarter conservation
Are smart traps that transmit real-time data the future of predator control? The Forest Bridge Trust recently trialled the Celium Network, a cutting-edge platform developed by New Zealand company Encounter Solutions. This technology enables conservation groups to monitor traps remotely, reducing costs with increasing efficiency. The trial, conducted on a local farm, delivered promising results. The eight-day trial used 20 live-capture traps, made possible through Auckland Council’s RENH funding. The Celium Network consists of wireless communication devices called ‘nodes’, equipped with sensors that detect when a trap is triggered. These nodes communicate with ‘hubs’, transmitting the data via cellular or satellite networks to Encounter Solutions’ cloud servers. This eliminates the need for trappers to check every trap manually, saving time, money, and effort. The Celium Network trial fostered greater collaboration between The Forest Bridge Trust’s predator control and IT teams. GIS and data lead Pablo Fuenzalida worked closely with the field team to streamline trap monitoring through the TrapNZ app, ensuring real-time updates were accessible to multiple users. Encounter Solutions provides a central portal where hub and node locations, along with their interactions, can be monitored. Integrated with TrapNZ, this system logs trap activity and instantly notifies team members. Predator control team lead Cam Rathe and a weekend volunteer received near-instant alerts when a trap was triggered, allowing rapid response.
Pablo conducted daily checks of the portal to ensure smooth operation.
Celium network technology has been
deployed extensively in conservation projects throughout New Zealand and Australia. The technology offers a reliable tool for removing trap-shy animals such as stoats, ferrets and feral cats. Unlike traditional trap boxes, live capture cages allow for a more open set-up, increasing catch rates. Real-time monitoring helps conservation teams respond quickly, improving predator removal and protecting native biodiversity. Wireless trapping networks provide several benefits:
• Increased efficiency – checking only sprung traps reduces labour hours and costs
• Greater coverage – Celium transmits data over distances exceeding 50km, enabling trapping in remote terrain
• Low power requirements – the system operates on long-lasting battery power
• Improved animal welfare – live capture cages provide a humane trapping method
• Cost savings – wireless technology can cut labour costs by 50 to 80 per cent, depending on the control scenario
• Integrated land management – multipurpose networks support conservation, farming, and forestry efforts, increasing stakeholder engagement
With Jobs for Nature funding winding down this year, cost-effective trapping solutions are more critical than ever. By reducing unnecessary trap visits and optimising field efforts, smart technology is paving the way for a more sustainable future in predator control. Could this be the breakthrough needed to elevate landscapescale conservation? Watch this space.
Further reading: https://encounter.nz/
MeloYelo is a very different type of ebike company, selling via agents who will take the time to come to you, offer long test rides, rider training and all the advice you need to raise your confidence on an electric bike.
Graham Tivers is the local franchisee for Warkworth and Northland, and is happy to arrange test rides at a location and time that works for you.
And with our special March test rides promotion, now’s the time to check out the range!
Matakana Country Park
Eco e-karts get the green light
When E-Volt Racing Matakana opened on March 15 at Matakana Country Park it was electric – and not just because its EcoVolt GT karts run on cutting-edge battery technology.
The driving delivered all the excitement you’d expect from karts that can reach speeds of up to 70km/h with some hairraising racing on the purpose-built, 300-metre outdoor track.
Matakana Country Park and E-Volt Racing owner Brendan Coghlan says the electric
karts were designed and manufactured in London with the assistance of Formula 1 engineers.
The karts have F1-style steering wheels and offer exceptional performance with instant acceleration plus push-to-pass boosts to test the skills, not to mention mettle, of any would-be race car drivers.
“We’ll start you on level two. When you’re confident at level two we’ll take you to level three. Once you’ve done a few laps, we can actually take you to level four. So you’ll go
faster each time,” he says.
In total Coghlan imported 10 electric karts from manufacturer BIZ Karts in England.
“We wanted a good, solid car that’s just going to last, because Kiwi drivers are notorious for breaking things.”
He says his is the first outdoor track in the world to use the BIZ Karts EcoVolt GT electric karts, with up to eight racing at one time, and two fully-charged karts in reserve in case of breakdowns.
“The track marshals have hand-held
devices that can override the cars so if someone’s being an idiot we can just slow them down, we don’t have to wave flags. We can also control them from a desktop computer.
“If we’ve got a crash, we can slow down that whole zone. The technology has made racing karts a lot safer – safety is paramount.
”The karts have roll cages and racing seat belts, and before drivers can get behind the continued next page
The bridge feature is a track highlight and the result of hours of research into course design.
E-Volt Racing owner
Brendan Coghlan sitting in one of 10 EcoVolt GT karts he imported from England.
wheel there’s a compulsory safety briefing and an instructional video to watch.
A track marshal straps everyone into their karts, checks all the helmets and the safety belts, then checks the helmets again – only then can the fun begin.
Unlike their noisy petrol counterparts, you can almost hear a pin drop when the karts are racing, even with a packed field.
“You hardly hear the karts. They’re pretty much silent, because it’s all run on electricity,” Coghlan says.
The lack of loud combustion engines also means “there’s no emissions, no fumes chemicals, and no petrol”.
As the name suggests, the EcoVolt GTs are eco-friendly.
“Petrol, fumes and noise wouldn’t have fit in with the area – we’ve got something like 20 horses on the property, the café and Sculptureum across the road. We wouldn’t have done it if it was petrol,” he says.
“So the electric karts are perfect for the rural setting, there’s no harm to the environment.
“For us, it is all about sustainable tourism. Basically, we ticked all the boxes with the electric karts. We go through Meridian Energy, and all their electricity comes from renewable supplies so that ticked another box.”
A 10-minute charge provides a 10-minute ride, a one-hour charge provides a onehour ride – it’s roughly one-to-one, Coghlan says.
“Races are 10 minutes and we have a 10-minute gap in between each race when the karts are charging.”
It’s not just the karts that are sustainable, but also the track.
“The track is made out of concrete because asphalt does leach a bit, but with concrete there is none of that.”
To design the track, Coghlan watched hours of YouTube, researching the best layouts in the world and listened to countless interviews with kart drivers to see what courses they liked and why.
“So we actually built the track around the existing trees, which is different to other outdoor tracks. We tried to keep as many trees as possible. We’ll have tyres around them to protect them,” he says.
“Normally everyone cuts the trees down, you go to a kart track and they’re quite bare. Keeping them was another way to fit in with the character of the area.”
Info: E-Volt Racing Matakana, Matakana Country Park, from March 15, 10am. $49 for 1 race, $79 for 2 races, $99 for 3 races. Must be over 12 and at least 150cm. https://www.evoltracing.co.nz/
from previous page
British racing green e-kart charging in the pit lane, where up to eight karts can be charged.
AUTUMN Sale
Paid parking in Matakana?
Weekend parking fees could be on the cards for the public carpark next to Matakana School, a community group meeting heard on March 3.
Chair Simon Barclay said he’d had an approach “out of the blue” from a private parking company offering to install a licence plate recognition camera and a payment machine for free.
The carpark was built and funded by the local community in 2017, with annual maintenance since paid for by Matakana Community Group (MCG). Although donations towards its upkeep have been encouraged, the carpark has always been free.
Barclay said the parking company had told him the group would be able to decide who exactly paid for parking and when.
“We can control it completely, so for example could set a fee for Saturday and Sunday, but allow people to park for free during the week for school and bus pickups,” he said.
“Or you could enter specific number plates to be exempt, such as school staff.”
He said if it went ahead, there would need to be new signage explaining to drivers
that all fees collected went to carpark maintenance and community projects.
“It doesn’t go to them, they make their money from collecting fines,” he added.
“There will be people, I’m sure, who don’t agree, but we’re going to get another bill for $2800 for upkeep soon.”
The meeting heard that finding people to direct traffic and collect voluntary fees in the past had been a struggle and the honesty box system wasn’t an effective permanent fundraiser.
Some attendees voiced concerns over how much the company would charge for fines and how aggressive they might be in collecting them.
“Businesses need people coming in. We don’t want to do anything that damages the reputation of Matakana,” one woman said.
Others said the majority of people who used to carpark at weekends were not local and probably used to paying much more for parking than a token weekend rate of, say, $5 for the day.
Barclay encouraged local residents and neighbourhood groups to provide MCG with feedback on the idea.
Pump track build set to start
Work is due to start next month on a controversial new pump track at Matakana’s Diamond Jubilee Park.
The 3.6-hectare park is currently home to Matakana Pony Club, which has a non-exclusive right to occupy most of the grounds from Rodney Local Board.
Matakana Community Group (MCG) plans to install an asphalt track for bikes, scooters and skaters in the northwest corner of the park, behind the tennis club, in an area designated for community use.
The Board approved its plans last September, despite pony club objections that it would be unsafe and take away parking space.
At MCG’s quarterly meeting on March 3, chair Simon Barclay said work was due
to start on April 22 and should take six or seven weeks.
One local resident asked why the focus was on a pump track, rather than community use for the wider park.
“There’s been considerable conflict,” Barclay said. “Some people are very much for the pony club, some people aren’t, but there’s no push at the moment for alternative use.
“People talk about could the football club use the space or cricket club have a base there … absolutely they could, but it’s up to the village to get together. It’s got to be driven by the whole community.”
The pony club lease is up for renewal in August.
WORLD ACTION NINJA MATAKANA
If you’ve ever fancied yourself as a flying trapeze
Action Ninja World is the ultimate destination for a birthday party, work function, school group visit or simply a fun day out for the whole family (parents included).
New Sandspit centreboard regatta ready to set sail
Sandspit Yacht Club (SYC) is launching a new annual sailing event to see off summer on March 22 that’s open to novices, newcomers and seasoned racers alike – the SYC Centreboard Regatta.
The event celebrates both the rich sailing history of Algies Bay as well as the next generation of Kiwi sailors and is a chance for the community to come together.
SYC centreboard division head Ben Molloy says their goal is to show kids, parents and anyone who’s curious that sailing can be accessible and fun.
“We’ll have safety boats on the water, instructors on hand and a relaxed environment. It’s truly a chance for anyone to give sailing a go,” he says.
On the day, club members and volunteer coaches will conduct short learn-to-sail sessions and friendly races that encourage novices to build confidence.
First-timers will be able to join short water sessions to practice steering, trimming sails and rounding marks.
Meanwhile, more experienced sailors –whether new to the region or longtime residents – can sign up for practice drills
or friendly races.
SYC commodore Debbie Aldred encourages anyone interested to stop by.
“We’ll have spare lifejackets, and we welcome families to watch from the shoreline if they’re not quite ready to hop in a dinghy themselves.
It’s about the community getting together on the water,” she says.
“There’s nothing quite like the feeling of harnessing the wind. It might spark a new hobby or even the next sailing champion, but either way you’ll have a fantastic day on the water.”
For more than five decades the calm yet sometimes challenging waters of Algies Bay have provided the perfect training ground for young sailors.
Aldred says seeing a young sailor take the helm for the first time is a special moment.
“It’s not just about learning knots and points of sail, it’s about self-confidence and discovery. That spark happens right here in Algies Bay.”
SYC Centreboard Regatta (learn-to-sail sessions, friendly races), March 22, 10am. Algies Bay, contact: Sandspit Yacht Club office@sandspityachtclub.nz
Mahu East bowls them over
Snells Beach bowlers have been making an impression at home and away in recent weeks, first reviving a major inter-club fixture before winning a tough tournament against top North Harbour teams.
On February 26, Mahurangi East Bowling Club played host to 48 players from Mangawhai in what had been an annual event prior to covid.
After bacon sandwiches to start, more than 90 players took to the greens in mixed teams for what organisers said was a great day of bowls, with plenty of friendly competition, banter and laughter. Play was followed by afternoon tea, meat raffles and drinks, and the winning players were Graeme Bull, Jill Brierly and Tom Cumber.
Then on March 1 and 2, the club achieved what North Harbour Bowls called “a stunning result” in their Interclub Division 2 competition at Browns Bay.
The two-day comp featured teams from all over north Auckland, including Milford, Takapuna, Birkenhead, Hobsonville, Browns Bay, Mairangi Bay, Northcote, Orewa, Omaha, Beach Haven and Manly.
The Mahurangi East Red team of David Hickey, Mike Bartlett, Todd Robertson,
Ian Thrush, Martin Hitchins, Phil Payne, Tom Gowie and Ross Ruddell pulled off an amazing coup, beating what North Harbour organisers said on paper seemed “an almost invincible” side from Birkenhead.
They won the final 4-1, despite securing only 46 shots compared to Birkenhead’s 51.
“The Birkenhead side pushed back to the runner-up position contained several who have been centre champions, and looked a line-up capable of beating many division one sides,” they commented after the Mahu East win.
Club president Pauline Hill said the result was awesome and a great accolade for the club, not least as there were five “juniors” in the team, who had been playing bowls for less than five years.
“Our team are so stoked with this win, as it puts Mahurangi East Bowls on the map as far as good players are concerned,” she said.
The Mahurangi East club also started its annual twilight bowls tournament on March 6, marking the occasion with a presentation to Brett Brown, who has been playing in the twilight event for 30 years at the club, which Hill said showed the comradeship that everyone got from the event.
From left, Bowls North Harbour president Neil Connell with the Mahurangi Red team – Tom Gowie, Mike Bartlett, Ross Ruddell, Phil Payne, Todd Robertson, Ian Thrush, David Hickey & Martin Hitchings.
From left, Graeme Bull, Jill Brierly and Tom Cumber were winners last month.
Centre stage: Sandspit Yacht Club is launching a new centreboard regatta where the community can come together.
“Where the heck did that time go?”
Welcome to the 500th issue of the Mahurangi Matters
That’s right, since the first issues rolled off the press at Chappell Print in Warkworth in 1995, we’ve survived the Great Financial Crisis, a pandemic, extended storm blackouts, the Supercity, newsprint shortages and some truly horrific typos. We’ve been taken to the Media Council for unfair reporting (and won), threatened, yarn-bombed and last year, we were named NZ’s top community newspaper. It’s been a heck of a ride!
Thirty years of reporting what used to
be called “parish pump” news represents thousands of hours spent at council meetings, public meetings, weekend sport, flower shows, festivals and school fetes, fire station fundraisers and honours nights, not to mention Environment Court sittings. The list is endless. Over the past three decades, the paper has changed its size several times, had several name changes, including Matakana Matters and Local Matters, and gone from a monthly to a fortnightly publication. But one thing that hasn’t changed has been its focus on presenting balanced coverage of local news. One of the earliest stories we ran was factchecking a rumour that a primary school was to be built at Snells Beach, steadfastly denied by the Ministry of Education.
Congratulations, Mahurangi Matters!
Warkworth Museum congratulates Mahurangi Matters on reaching its 500th edition!
We appreciate your ongoing support and dedication to sharing Warkworth’s rich history and stories with our community.
Rodney Councillor Betty Paxton was doing an early version of the Viewpoint column in 1995, which continues to give our local politicians a platform today. Dr Warwick Palmer was introducing Drs Bruce Sutherland and Elspeth Dickson to the community, and Constable Terry Mills was telling readers to be on the lookout for “winter burglars”. Not a website address or mobile phone number was in sight.
You could buy a section (with a sea view) in Algies Bay for $66,000 and Janice Bogue was selling a three-bedroomed house in Warkworth, just a “gentle walk away for the township”, for $245,000. Correspondents were also busy on the letters page, complaining about neighbours planting tall trees and blocking their view,
and the state of the roads. One of the longest running stories on these pages has been the Hill Street intersection, with many local advocates promising that “a fix” was just around the corner, including the late Rodney Mayor Sir Gordon Mason. The front page in October 2004 was all about the transformation of a timber yard in Matakana into a marketplace, which would open on Labour Weekend, “when Auckland moves en masse to Matakana, lured by the beginning of spring, the Matakana School Gala, Morris & James annual sale, Matakana Country Park Farmers Market and the Leigh Preschool Gala”.
continued next page
The Warkworth Museum is marking Mahurangi Matters’ 500th issue with a special exhibition of back issues.
Jannette Thompson General manager, Mahurangi Matters
Rising rugby stars.
An open day, prior to the Johnstones Hill tunnels opening in 2009.
Countdown build underway in 2011.
St Andrews returned to Matakana in 2007.
The Jane Gifford in Okahu Bay.
Of course, none of this would have been possible without the steadfast support of some loyal staff, particularly our indefatigable administration manager Angela Thomas, and advertisers such as Ray White Real Estate, Insite Security, Drummers, Wharehine, Warkworth Glass, Haigh Workman engineers and TW Wright, who have been with us all the way. This 500th anniversary is being marked from the days when the late John Ross, and Ray and Ann Chappell, assisted by Diane Norburn, were at the helm. However, we have just recently learned that the very first iteration of Mahurangi Matters was printed by Ray Chappell in 1989. It was a single coloured (blue or red) four-page newsletter, with advertisements and notices, which
was distributed to about 2000 homes in the Mahurangi East area. Ray’s wife Ann is credited with coming up with the name Mahurangi Matters
The media landscape has certainly changed since then. Today, newspapers struggle to compete with digital media, as online platforms provide instant news updates and draw more advertisers away from print. Rising production costs have forced many newspapers to downsize or shut down, so it is a privilege to have travelled through the past three decades with the community so staunchly behind us. So here’s to the next 500 issues – assuming we don’t get replaced by AI!
John has been a local solicitor and identity for nearly 40 years. He has overseen the legal aspects of many land developments within every council district north of Auckland. He has had many dealings with all of the councils and continues to do so.
He values relationships with clients which can require a special insight into the future needs of growing families. Out of all these
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relationships comes vital information that he utilises to assist clients on their way.
Dominique is a qualified legal executive and has worked off and on with John for many years and she is now full time in the Warkworth office, except Tuesdays. Dominique can be contacted by calling my Warkworth office, 09 973 3665.
09 973 3665 | 021 475 630 | john@johnallenlaw.co.nz | Shop 2 The Oaks, 9 Queen St, Warkworth | PO
from previous page
Construction of the The Oaks starts.
More photos online at www.localmatters.co.nz
Whatever happened to the Warkworth’s Waddles?
How we miss the patisserie’s vine fruit and rosemary loaf!
A typical post Matakana School gala scene.
Warkworth Town Hall restoration.
TTE DESIGNS
Thomas F. Errington Dip. Arch. ARIBA
ThomasF.ErringtonDip.Arch.ARIBA
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Warkworth Ph
P 09 425 0512
M 0274 532 495
E ttedesigns@xtra.co.nz
W www.ttedesigns.co.nz
Classifieds
FURNITURE REMOVAL
Experienced Owner Operator 30 years. Single items Flat/ House lots. Silverdale based. Ph Gavin 0274 973 867
History
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www.albertland.co.nz
Relocation, settler style
PEST CONTROL Eradication of rats & mice. Competitive Rates. Ph 426 2253 Ph 027 286 7321, www.noratsandmice.nz
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APPLICATION FOR A CLUB LICENCE
Under Section 127(3), Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012
Tapora Golf Club (Inc), 648 Okahukura Road, Tapora, 0977, has made an application to the District Licensing Committee at Auckland for the renewal of a club licence in respect of the premises situated at: 648 Okahukura Road, Tapora. The general nature of the club to be conducted under the licence (type of club, eg. darts club, cricket club, RSA), and its trading name is: Tapora Golf Club (Inc).
The days on which and the hours during which alcohol is intended to be sold under the licence are Monday - Sunday 12pm - 10pm.
A copy of the application can be requested by emailing alcohollicensing@ aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
Any person who is entitled to object to the renewal of the licence, may file a notice in writing of their objection. The objection notice must be filed no later than 25 working days after this notice has first been published online. Any objection must be in relation to matters specified in section 131(1) of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012.
Address you objection to: The Secretary of the District Licensing Committee. Mail to: Private Bag 92300, Victoria Street West, Auckland 1142 Email to: alcoholobjections@ aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
This application has been published on the 17 March 2025.
School Bus Drivers
Needed – Warkworth
Get on Board with Go Bus Transport and come join our great team in Warkworth.
This is an ideal chance to make a change in your life and try something different with a great company. If you are thinking of re-joining the workforce or looking for extra hours this role may well suit you.
We are looking for Casual On-Call School Bus Drivers
What you need:
• Class 2 Licence
• P endorsement (we can help you obtain this)
• A responsible and caring approach
If you want to be part of a business that is making a difference in your community then we want to hear from you!
Our recruitment process includes a Drug and Alcohol Test and Police Vetting check.
Don't let this role drive by!
Apply here online or email Carol on carol.monteith@gobus.co.nz
TO DELIVER THE MAHURANGI MATTERS NEWSPAPERS Runs available. Suit retired or school aged children. Contact 425 9068, admin@localmatters.co.nz
As we plan to relocate a 160-year-old printing press to our museum, I called for strong volunteers to help. However, my more experienced fellow volunteer, Sean, quickly pointed out that if relying on brute strength was my first instinct, then I was already thinking about it the wrong way! That comment sparked my curiosity. How did early settlers move entire churches, houses and other large structures across the district – sometimes over great distances and multiple times – without modern equipment, and often with little hesitation or doubt?
In earlier times, it was not unusual for houses along rivers, once the main transportation routes, to be relocated closer to newly built roads that gradually reshaped the landscape. Without power or electricity, moving a house was, in some ways, simpler than it is today. In 1873, when the Prictor family home was relocated in Port Albert, it was hauled up a hill and down the other side, carefully rolled on logs, with each log repositioned as the house moved forward. Remarkably, the family continued to live in their home each night, undisturbed by the slow, steady progress. There were no power lines or underground utilities to navigate – with the job done using just ingenuity, manpower and the skilled use of bullocks, horses, rolling logs and timber jacks.
Our extensive archives show that many churches, halls and schools were also relocated. This included
the small Hoteo Valley School, established in 1907 to serve 20 children from families like the Smyths, Williams, Parkers, Logues and McDonalds, and others who had previously travelled some distance to attend North Albertland, Te Arai South and Wayby schools. Built on three acres gifted by Mrs Parker in 1906, the school’s first teacher was Jane Kane, who was followed by Dora E. Moore in 1909. Dora’s legacy was the pine trees her students planted on Arbour Day, across the windswept hill, leaving them with this pearl of wisdom: “Trees are like men – they grow according to the way they’re planted and the nourishment they take from the soil of life.”
In 1912, teacher Miss J.G. Coe-Smith fell ill for an extended period, which saw her students return to Wayby and Te Arai South schools. After standing vacant for years, the building was repurposed in 1916, when Hakaru settlers petitioned for its use after their children had been learning in a local hall. That September, bullocks and sledges moved the old school to a new site near Valley Road on the Blackwell property, where it served the community until its closure in 1932, making the Hoteo Valley School the second shortest-lived school in the Wellsford district.
It seems these early settlers had a strong understanding of sustainability and repurposing long before it became a modern trend.
10.30am Holy Mass Timetable: Phone 425 8545
Vigil: 6.00pm
Peter & Paul Church
8.30am www.holyname.org.nz
Holy Name Church, 480 Matakana Road
PEST CONTROL www.localmatters.co.nz
Museum
Shifting Port Albert Gaol from Port Albert to Wellsford.
Hoteo Valley School
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Regular pool servicing and green pool clean ups
The Women’s Centre is here to help and support all women in our community. We know there are unique challenges for everyone and we are here to help navigate them.
On-site water testing and chemical balancing
Regular pool servicing. Equipment supply, repair and installation.
Equipment supply, repair and installation
POOLWERX
M: +64 02 1227 3104
E: hamish.blampied@poolwerx.co.nz
Wellsford CLINIC VET
116 Rodney Street, Wellsford (opposite McDonalds) Phone 423 8008 wellsfordvet.com
Contact us on 09 425 7261 or 0800 2DROPIN (0800 237 674) Email: info@womenscentrerodney.org.nz www.womenscentrerodney.org.nz 10 Morpeth Street, Warkworth OPEN 9.30am to 2.30pm Monday to Friday Courses | Groups | Telephone Support Legal Clinic | Counselling | Massage Supported by Mahurangi Matters
We provide:
• Care for all your veterinary needs.
• Four dedicated Vets and friendly office staff, who deliver a comprehensive service.
• An after hours emergency service in Wellsford.
Animals
Neil Warnock, Wellsford Vet Clinic https://wellsfordvet.com/
Crucial cruciates
Most people know of cruciate ligaments (or ACL) because their favourite soccer or basketball player has damaged one. But a lot of people don’t know it is also a common injury for dogs. Cruciate tears in dogs are thought to be caused by a combination of wear and tear, genetics, obesity and poor knee structure. Dogs suffering these tears will exhibit an intermittent, low grade and hind limb lameness, which may sometimes be confused for hip dysplasia. Without treatment, the condition can worsen over time, causing a significant joint instability, severe lameness and resultant arthritic development.
In humans, surgeons try to repair the ligament by harvesting a tendon from elsewhere in the body and putting it in the knee. Unfortunately, our furry friends just don’t sit still long enough for these types of repairs to be successful.
In dogs, to allow for their boisterousness, the best method of treating a ruptured cruciate is to change the mechanics of the joint and eliminate a force called cranial tibial thrust. This procedure is called a TPLO (Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy) and it allows them to run
Mahurangi regatta results
The Mahurangi Cruising Club held its annual regatta in the Mahurangi Harbour on Saturday, January 25. Participation has dwindled in recent years and organisers would like to encourage more entrants, especially in the mid-size category.
Winners (on handicap) Sailing dinghy: Kiteroa • Te Haupa division for classic wooden yachts
around at full speed without the need to repair the ligament.
Traditionally, TPLOs were only performed in specialist clinics but they are slowly becoming more available in first opinion practice. We are glad to say we can now offer these surgeries at Wellsford Vet Clinic and we had our first patient in this month.
Milo is an 11-year-old labrador who had been feeling sorry for himself lately as he hadn’t been able to chase his favourite ball since injuring his cruciate ligament a couple of months ago. His mum dropped him off for surgery in the morning and he went home that afternoon, with a new bionic knee. His rehab is going well and he had his skin sutures removed this week. Now he just needs to rest, let his body heal, and by the time June comes around, he will be back charging around the garden, chasing balls like he’s a puppy again.
Regardless of your dog’s age or size, the TPLO procedure has been proven to be the most effective way at getting your pet back to normal weight bearing while minimising the development of future arthritis in the joint.
under 20ft: Kaiarahi • Traditional spirit for yachts of any age and construction conforming to a traditional spirit in design: Heliotrope • Mid-century classic: Juanita • Stewart 34-class: Phantasy • Mahurangi division for classic wooden yachts pre-1955 design: Julienne • A-class division for yachts over 40ft designed/ built before 1985: Ariki
Marine
Sam Woolford, LegaSea Project Lead sam@legasea.co.nz
Fisheries ‘reform’ exposed as scam
Former chairman of Sealord turned Minister for Oceans and Fisheries Shane Jones is using his new-found power to propose significant changes to the Fisheries Act, which will impact your fishing future. The 71-page proposal document (which can be found here: https://www.mpi.govt. nz/consultations/fisheries-reform-proposedamendments-to-the-fisheries-act-1996) outlines a suite of changes, deceptively branded as a ‘reform’ to cover up the dirty truth Fisheries NZ don’t want you to know – an effort to privatise New Zealand’s fisheries to allow for more fish to be caught and exported. The public and marine environment are once again the losers. Fisheries reform? Sounds more like a scam to me.
We can’t sit back and watch without protest. The team at LegaSea has launched a campaign pushing back against the proposals and we need your help. Only strong public opposition can stop these changes from becoming legislation. Submission deadline is March 28.
Your freedom to successfully fish is under threat. As soon as next summer, we could see 19 new Marine Protected Areas alongside changes to the Fisheries Act that further restrict your freedom to fish for food. What’s more, your ability to have your voice heard on important fisheries matters could be eroded. The Minister’s plan to reduce “unnecessary regulations” will place more power in the hands of commercial fishing interests. Allowing them to influence when and how much fish they catch. If it’s considered necessary, FNZ may give us an opportunity to submit once every five years.
Since the introduction of cameras onboard commercial fishing vessels, we’ve been given an insight into what’s really happening in our fisheries – the results are damning. Official Information Act data shows a 46 per cent surge in fish thrown overboard, compared to what was previously reported. So, it’s no surprise that the Minister is now seeking to backtrack on efforts to increase transparency. Proposals include allowing onboard cameras to be turned off at certain times, limiting your ability to access the damning footage.
Don’t want to address the problem of excessive amounts of dead fish thrown overboard? No problem, just change the regulations. To support “commercial fisheries to be more productive”, the Minister wants to allow for more fish discards. A more productive solution would be incentivising the industry to transition to using more selective fishing methods.
The term ‘fast-track’ perfectly encapsulates the proposed changes, focused on removing barriers that protect the marine environment just to gain a few extra dollars from exporting our seafood to foreign dinner plates. These proposals are the first batch of amendments that signal significant changes to our fishing future. Our access to a healthy and abundant fishery is on the line. Don’t let it be cut. It will take less than five minutes to have your say by scanning the QR code below to fill out LegaSea’s submission form by March 28. We believe all Kiwis deserve a fair go. Let’s reject the Fisheries Reform Scam and have your say before it’s too late.
Tomarata junior rugby muster The Tomarata junior rugby muster will be held Wednesday March 19 from 5.30- 6.30pm, at 710 Mangawhai Road Tomarata. Age groups include U7’s, U9’s and U11’s which will represent the club in the sub union local competition. Games and a BBQ provided. Existing players and new players welcome. Email tomaratarugby@gmail.com or facebook Tomarata Rugby Football Club Inc
Warkworth Scout Group
Warkworth Scout Group is offering free taster sessions this term at the Den Hall in Shoesmith Road. Info: https://scouts.nz/groups/warkworth-scout-group/ or contact Amanda on 021 151 0281 for Keas (5 to 8 years, Wednesdays, 4.30pm), Julian on 028 405 9226 for Cubs (8 to 11, Tuesdays, 6pm), or Michelle on 021 714 806 for Scouts (11 to 14, Mondays, 6pm).
Kickboxing
Free kickboxing classes this term for 12-18 year olds will be held at the Wellsford Community Centre on Tuesdays from 7-8pm (finishing April 15) and at the Connect Striking gym in Snells Beach on Fridays, from 4.30-6pm (finishing April 11). Funded by the Rodney Youth Project, participants will learn Muay Thia skills that translate to strong self-confidence. Info: www.connectstriking.com or Facebook Rodney Youth Project
Warkworth Hockey Turf
Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Warkworth Hockey Turf on Saturday March 22. The schedule is from 11-11.45am – junior games, 11.45 to midday – presidents speeches, midday onwards –Warkworth Hockey Club matches. The Sports Club will be open from 2pm. Warkworth Rugby Club fields (opposite Pak N Save crn Hudson and Great North Rd). Info: warkworthhockeyturf@gmail.com or online at Warkworth Social Hockey Club (see story p40)
Wellsford Charity Colour Run
Wellsford’s Rodney College (new location) will be filled with crowds of people and clouds of colour on Saturday, March 29. Registrations start at 8.30am. Fundraiser will be for the Wellsford Volunteer Fire Brigade. Open to runners and walkers: 5km walk, 5km run or 10km run. Food trucks, games, and activities for the whole family. Tickets and registration at barefootsport.bbtiming.com or Facebook Wellsford Charity Colour Run
7:26pm3.0 1:25am0.9 7:47am3.1 1:54pm0.9 8:15pm3.0 2:10am0.8 8:32am3.2 2:37pm0.9 8:59pm3.1 2:51am0.8 9:13am3.2 3:17pm0.8 9:39pm3.2 3:28am0.8 9:51am3.2 3:54pm0.8 10:16pm3.2 4:05am0.8 10:28am3.2 4:30pm0.8 10:52pm3.1 4:41am0.9 11:04am3.1 5:05pm0.8 11:27pm3.1 5:18am0.9 11:39am3.1 5:41pm0.9 12:03am3.0 5:57am1.0 12:17pm3.0 6:18pm0.9 12:42am3.0 6:40am1.1 12:57pm2.9 6:58pm1.0 1:26am2.9 7:28am1.2 1:40pm2.8 7:44pm1.1 2:17am2.8 8:22am1.2 2:29pm2.8 8:37pm1.1
6:18am2.8 12:21pm0.8 6:47pm3.0 12:45am1.0 7:06am2.9 1:05pm0.7 7:29pm3.1 1:29am0.9 7:51am3.0 1:47pm0.6 8:11pm3.2 2:12am0.8 8:35am3.1 2:29pm0.6 8:53pm3.3 2:56am0.7 9:18am3.2 3:11pm0.5 9:36pm3.3 3:40am0.6 10:02am3.2 3:54pm0.5 10:21pm3.3 4:26am0.6 10:47am3.2 4:40pm0.5 11:07pm3.3 5:12am0.6 11:34am3.2 5:29pm0.6 11:56pm3.3 6:01am0.6 12:24pm3.1 6:22pm0.7 12:47am3.2 6:53am0.6 1:20pm3.1 7:21pm0.8 1:42am3.1 7:50am0.7 2:22pm3.0 8:25pm0.8 2:41am3.0 8:53am0.7 3:28pm3.0 9:30pm0.9 3:45am3.0 9:58am0.7 4:33pm3.1 10:33pm0.8 4:50am3.0 11:02am0.7 5:34pm3.2 11:32pm0.7
17 Warkworth Men’s Rebus monthly meeting & AGM, Shoesmith Hall, 10am. Info: Ron 422 3111
17 Low Vision support meeting, Summerset Falls Retirement Village, Mansel Drive, every 3rd Monday, 1.30-3pm. All welcome, free. Info: Claire McDonald at admin@mcdonaldadams.co.nz or 09 425 9646
18 Warkworth Quilt Club meeting, Shoesmith Hall, 10am-2pm. Guest speakers, demonstrations and help with quilting. New members and guests welcome. Info: Jenny Warren 09 422 4046
21 Gibbs Farm Sculpture Park Forest Bridge Trust fundraiser, 2421 Kaipara Coast Highway, Auckland, 10am-2pm. Adult: $95 and child (students with ID and 16 or under) $65. Tickets: www.humanitix.com/nz
22 Mahurangi Pasifika Festival, Mahurangi Hope Church, Mansel Drive (behind The Warehouse) Warkworth, 10am-4.30pm. Colourful and joyful celebration of Pacific cultures. All welcome
22 Sandspit Yacht Club Centreboard Regatta, Algies Bay, 10am. Contact: office@sandspityachtclub.nz (see story p29)
22 Waterway workshop, Whangateau Hall, form 1pm. Free. To register: https://shorturl.at/6vlfu (see story p15)
25 Community Service Information Day, Warkworth Town Hall, 2 Alnwick Street, 10am-1pm. Presented by organisations from across Rodney and the wider Auckland area. Find out about the different services available for you and your whanau
25 Warkworth Ladies Rebus meeting & AGM, Besoul, 3/12 Gumfield Drive, Warkworth, 10am. Guest speaker; new members welcome. Info: Pam Chapman 021 079 8551
26 Inspirational Breathing, Warkworth Library, 1 Baxter Street, 10.30am. Jefferson Chapple, experienced breath coach, shares his knowledge. Free. Info: warklib@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
28-30 Art Affair Warkworth Hospice, Tui House, 47 Morrison Drive, Warkworth, 10am-4pm. Donate art to Harbour Hospice. Auction, sales and exhibition. Info: www.harbourhospice.org.nz
28 Tea and Toast, Warkworth Masonic Hall, 1 Baxter Street, 10am-midday. Free weekly drop in session every Friday. Info: warklib@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
29 Wellsford Charity Colour Run, Rodney College, 9am. Fundraiser for Wellsford Volunteer Fire Brigade. Delicious food trucks, games and activities for the whole family. Races include a 10km run, 5km walk and 5km run. Tickets and registration: https://barefootsport.bbtiming.com/
30 Connect & Inspire, Matakana School Hall, 952 Matakana Road, 9.30am. Speakers sharing expert knowledge on restoring the environment. Register at Humanitix or facilitator@rre.org.nz
30 Community Market, Snells Beach School Hall, 62 Dawson Road, Snells Beach, 10am-2pm. Live music, food, stalls, kids activities, local artists and more. Info or to book a stall: Email sbc4market@gmail.com
30 Railway Pie Jug Band play at the Tahi Bar, 1 Neville Street, Warkworth, 4-6pm. Expect toe-tapping beats and rich harmonies. Info: www.facebook.com/ TheTahiBar (see story p12)
31 Folk Club night with harpist Úna ní Fhlannagáin, Whangateau Hall, 7pm. Admission $15. Contact for possible harp workshop. Tickets: whangateaufolk@ gmail.com or whangateau.co.nz
April
2&9 Demystifying Dementia, Old Masonic Hall (next Warkworth Library), 10.30am. First of two presentations by Paddy Sullivan from Age Concern Rodney. Info: hp@ageconcernrodney.org.nz
3 Mystery in the Library series Badness in Brokenwood, Warkworth Library, 2 Baxter St, 5-9pm. Join five local storytellers for a terrific evening of criminally good conversation.
3-12 Dial M for Murder Theatre, Warkworth Town Hall, 2 Neville Street, 7-9pm. April 6, 2pm only. April 12, 2pm and 7pm. For tickets www.warkworththeatre.co.nz or Mahurangi Matters
4 Chess Club, Warkworth Library, 3.30-5pm. Suitable for beginners to skilled players, children to adults. Free weekly sessions. Info: warkworth.library@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
9 Warkworth Area Liaison Group Totara Park Hall 7pm. Share ideas and concerns, keep local communities proactively updated All welcome. (Note: Moved one week later to avoid clash with Watercare public meeting)
10 Gibbs Farm Fundraiser, Restore Rodney East, 2421 Kaipara Coast Highway, 102pm. Tickets through Humanitix or email facilitator@rre.org.nz
World-class Warkworth turf turns 10
Time flies when you’re having fun at the world-class Warkworth Hockey Turf facility.
This year, the turf turns 10, and everyone is invited to come and celebrate the anniversary at the ground on March 22, from 11am onwards – a decade to the day after it was first unveiled.
It’s a fitting way to mark the occasion as this is a community facility enjoyed by all, not to mention part of the funding came from locals for its construction.
Warkworth Hockey Turf Charitable Trust chair Brett Illingworth says the purposebuilt synthetic turf cost about $1.8 million to construct, with Auckland Council contributing around $800,000. “We had to raise the rest as a community
group. We did that through Pub Charity and ASB Community Trust grants, and we did a heck of a lot of fundraising,” he says.
“Local schools and businesses got behind it and were very supportive and we also had some very generous donations from people in the community.”
Illingworth says the facility is all run by volunteers.
“The council pays nothing towards the running of it. We pay for all the lights, we pay for the maintenance, we pay for everything, and we do it by fundraising. We’ve had good sponsors along the way too.”
He says in three years they’ll need to replace the shock pad, which is the underlay beneath the artificial grass, for around
quarter of a million dollars.
This type of upkeep is why fees are charged to use the turf. For one hour, it costs $115 for full turf with lights; $65 for full turf with no lights; $54 for half turf with lights; and $32 for half turf with no lights.
“We can’t not charge for it because we’re running a facility that needs maintenance,”
Illingworth says.
The facility hosts numerous men’s, women’s and mixed hockey teams, North Harbour Hockey competition fixtures, kids’ hockey on Saturday mornings, social grades, local schools, clubs, practices and more.
“In the winter it gets used seven days a week,” he says Famously, the ground hosted two matches between the Vantage Black Sticks Men and
Canada in 2018, on October 17 and 18, with the New Zealanders winning 3-0 and drawing 0-0.
Despite continual use over its 10-year lifespan, when Mahurangi Matters visited the facility, the condition of the turf looked almost brand-new.
Illingworth says the mat or surface of the turf might need to be replaced soon but otherwise it’s held up pretty well. It might be called hockey turf, and that’s what the ground mainly accommodates, but it’s actually a multi-use facility and is available for other sports.
“Anyone can use the ground – whether it’s for hockey, soccer or lawn bowls, all you need to do is book.
“It’s there for everyone to enjoy,” he says.
On their turf: Brett Illingworth says the facility is there to be enjoyed by the community.