Kaiwaka shearer a cut above the rest
Builder’s close call prompts battery warning
Local building contractor ‘Steve’ was nearly home from a day working at Omaha on February 28, when his afternoon took a sudden frightening turn when the back of his ute became a fiery blaze.
The fire was caused by lithium batteries used for power tools and though Steve pulled quickly to the side of the road and tried to extinguish the flames, his efforts proved ineffective.
Once the fire reached the engine, the ute exploded, setting roadside shrubbery alight with flames reportedly reaching as high as the power poles.
Traffic along Mangawhai Road was blocked for over an hour-and-a-half as three emergency services attended the incident. In the smoky aftermath, all that remained was a burnt out carcass, with the ute’s hardback canopy completely melted and work equipment destroyed.
For Steve, the shocking reality of how close he came to being severely burnt also set in.
Due to the recent recession, the builder and wife Ange, who have two young children, have had to make some tough financial decisions, and the vehicle and contents were uninsured.
Maungaturoto/Kaiwaka shearer Toa Henderson fulfilled a lifetime dream when he claimed NZ’s top shearing prize at the Golden Shears on March 1.
In the process, the 34-year-old became the first first-time Open finalist to win the glamour prize in 15 years. Days after the competition, Henderson said he was still on Cloud 9.
“We’re a shearing family and I pretty much grew-up in the shearing sheds of Northland,” he said. “Shearing was all I’ve ever wanted to do, and I’ve been dreaming of this since I was a kid.
“It’s taken years and thousands of kilometres to win that trophy, so it still feels a bit unreal. It means more to me than anything, as my wife, Phoebe, and my family, and everyone back in Kaiwaka knows.”
Henderson won the Open title convincingly, beating defending champion Leon Samuels, eight-times winner Rowland Smith, fourtimes winner John Kirkpatrick and 2015 victor Gavin Mutch. He sheared 20 sheep in 16 minutes 15.779 seconds on Stand 1, eight seconds faster than his nearest rival. Henderson went close to winning a Golden Shears title in the Senior grade in 2008, clipped only by his brother Tane.
While sourcing new tools and a work vehicle will place an extra financial burden on the family, Ange says they feel blessed that Steve is okay.
“At this stage, we’re just trying to pick ourselves up and get on with it. I'm so grateful that it wasn't worse. We can replace the items – it’ll be hard, but I’m just glad Steve got to come home.”
A Givealittle page has been set up to help the family. Steve and Ange say they are very grateful for the generous support they have already received. To donate, visit givealittle. co.nz/search?q=for+steve+ute
The recent fire in a ute, caused by an explosion of lithium batteries, highlights the importance of their safe handling in devices such as tools, vapes, phones, laptops, ebikes and scooters.
Toa Henderson in his moment of glory, winning the Golden Shears Open shearing title in Masterton. Photo, Pete Nikolaison.
March 10, 2025 - Issue 13
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Kaiwaka shearer a cut above the rest
He then sheared in Australia for nearly 12 years, but the lure of winning the Golden Shears drew him back and he started his campaign with a win at the Warkworth A&P Show in 2019. Since then, he has travelled and competed at A&P and shearing shows up and down the country.
He was the number one ranked Open shearer last season, with 11 wins in 16 finals, and now has his sights set firmly on representing NZ at the World Championships, which will be held in Masterton next March. He is already well placed with maximum points from two rounds of the selection series (eight shows
nationwide till mid-February next year).
Henderson grew up in Kaiwaka, attending Kaiwaka Primary and Otamatea High School.
He and Phoebe run a gang of 11 shearers, although his dad Mike was helping to manage the team while Toa focused on the competitions.
Other Northland shearers competing in the Golden Shears this month included Tommy Stevenson, of Ruawai, who was fourth in the Senior final (12 sheep) and Toa’s nephew Hamuera Henderson, who was fifth in the Intermediate final.
Dig, Grade, Roll and Deliver
Government supports tornado clean-up costs
Battery warning
Dig, Grade, Roll and Deliver
from page 1
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• Once fully charged disconnect from charger
are building a new house or looking to upgrade your farms access to make it more WORKS will help you get things right. We prepare, level and grade sites ready for the next stage of any project. From house sites and driveways, drainage,dams and farm races, we have the local knowledge to get the job done. also deliver various grades of LimeRoc, and Landscape products from our Kaiwaka based Quarry
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• Do not store/leave batteries or devices where they are exposed to moisture or heat such as direct sunlight or in parked vehicles
• Do not charge vapes, phones and laptops on potentially flammable surfaces such as under pillows, on the bed or a couch as they can overheat
• Device repairs and battery replacements should only be done by a qualified professional
• Battery gases, vapour and smoke are highly toxic and flammable and must not be inhaled. If exposed, seek urgent medical assistance.
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• Recycle old lithium-ion batteries, do not put them in the rubbish and do not leave discarded batteries in piles.
For more safety tips, visit www.fireandemergency.nz/lithium-ion-battery-safety
Servicing the Kaiwaka, Managwhai, Mangaturoto, Waipu and Wellsford areas
Kaipara District Council will receive up to $435,000 to cover the cost of contractors who carried out a range of work in the wake of the January tornado in Mangawhai. The fund will also cover the cost of disposing tornado-damaged waste at the Hakaru Transfer Station, which was made free over a weekend for affected residents.Kaipara Mayor Craig Jepson acknowledged the government for its support, saying unpredictable weather events can have a crippling financial impact on small councils. In the aftermath of the tornado, 6.8 tons of construction waste was sorted and recycled, more than 48 tons of household and construction waste was received at Hakaru Transfer Station and about 2500 cubic metres of green waste was collected and mulched. Council recovery manager Glynis McCarthy is still finalising the total of the clean-up and estimates the number to be well over $500,000. Some costs are also eligible for a NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) subsidy.
Servicing the Kaiwaka, Mangawhai, Maungaturoto, Waipu and Wellsford areas
After his winning performance, Henderson was swamped by whanau and friends from the north who performed a Ngati Whatua haka Ko te Puru. Henderson will be in action at the Warkworth A&P Show this Saturday.
Ruakākā solar farm approved by Environment Court
The Environment Court last month granted Meridian Energy final consent to build a multi-million dollar solar farm at Ruakākā.
The Ruakaka Energy Park at Marsden Point consists of a 100-megawatt energy storage system (BESS) and the proposed 120-megawatt solar farm.
Construction of the BESS, which will share energy with the national grid, started in 2023 and commissioning is underway.
It has a storage capacity of 200MWh, which means its maximum output – enough to power around 60,000 average households during winter – can be sustained for two hours. It will be connected directly to
Transpower’s Bream Bay substation at 33kV.
The solar farm will consist of 250,000 panels across 163 hectares and will be capable of producing 230 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity a year, enough to power more than half the homes in Northland, a Meridan spokesperson said.
Construction is expected to start around the middle of this year.
“With these two assets working together, we’ll be generating energy from Te Tai Tokerau’s fabulous sunshine through the solar farm, and storing energy in the BESS for whenever it’s needed by homes and businesses,” a spokesperson said.
“The farm will also boost the region’s resilience by reducing its reliance on electricity generated from elsewhere in the country, so it’s exciting news for the region and NZ’s electricity generation in general.”
Kaipara sunshine will also be harnessed for a $40 million, 21MW solar farm currently under construction along Gorge Road, Maungatūroto.
Named ‘Papareireiā’ in reference to the solar rays being consumed by the whenua (land), the farm is a joint venture between Tupu Tonu (the Ngāpuhi Investment Fund), Purpose Capital and Harbour Infrastructure. Although estimated to generate enough
power for 4000 homes, the farm’s 32 GWh of annual energy will have only one recipient – the retirement village business Ryman Healthcare, which owns 40 complexes nationwide. Ryman signed an exclusive 10year contract with Mercury Energy in 2023. In west Kaipara, NZ electricity generation company Lodestone Energy has consent to build a 97,000-panelled solar farm over 95 hectares on Station Road, Dargaville. Construction is planned to start in the next two years and once completed will generate 52.15MW, enough power for 10,700 households.
Pensioner housing repair costs rise
Kaipara District Council has had to plug a funding shortfall for the upgrade of its pensioner accommodation at Mangawhai Heads.
The additional funds were needed after staff realised that planning aspects had been missed in the original budget.
The Fagan Place community housing will receive an extra $1.2 million to finish the upgrade, following a vote by elected members at their February 26 meeting.
Chief executive officer Jason Marris acknowledged staff had recently identified additional on-site installation items for power, water and wastewater connections, as well as new paths and parking pads, which required an amount of civil work.
The extra funding would be drawn from the District Leadership Depreciation Reserves, a fund used for information technology, council vehicles and property replacements.
“Unfortunately, we underestimated the costs involved for the site works in the initial assessments,” he said. “There will be an external review of the full process as requested by elected members.”
Established in the 1980s, the 24 self-contained duplex units have been in poor condition for many years and were previously reported as being at the end of their lifecycle six years ago.
Horse chaff, kibble maize, rolled and whole barley, molasses and multi nuts.
Dog, puppy and catfoods plus a range of raw meats.
Last year, council approved $3.02 million in the Long-Term Plan to replace 16 of the existing dwellings with modular, prefabricated units, bringing the housing complex into compliance with the national Healthy Homes Standards (HHS).
However, after a further re-evaluation of the site plan, and with 10 of the existing units standing empty, it was resolved that only 14 homes were required for current tenants.
As none of the existing 24 homes meets the HHS, they will eventually be demolished in a separate project paid for through the 2025/26 Annual Plan process.
Northland-based housing provider Laminata has been working on the new builds with seven units already nearing completion.
Besides Mangawhai, council’s community housing portfolio includes properties in Ruawai and Dargaville, which were both upgraded in the late 2000s. Council has been investigating a range of different options to ensure that the Fagan Place accommodation will meet HHS before the mid-2025 deadline.
“From a council perspective, elected members are doing the right thing by our pensioners and ensuring we meet our legislative requirements by bringing the Fagan Place units up to the required standard and giving our residents warm, dry and compliant homes,” Marris said.
Horses
Ducks
There are three solar farms at various stages of development between Bream Bay and west Kaipara, including along Maungatūroto’s Gorge Road.
MANNGAWHAI 40m2
The council-owned Fagan Place community housing has seen better days and will be replaced with a contemporary design, compliant with the Healthy Homes standards.
Surf club sees light at end of repair tunnel
Slip repairs behind the Mangawhai Heads
Volunteer Lifeguard Service clubhouse are making speedy progress, inspiring hope that the lifeguard service will be back ‘home’ by Christmas.
A massive landslide behind the clubhouse, caused during the 2023 storms, forced the service to operate from temporary facilities in the carpark this summer.
The slip repairs started last December and are due to be finished before the middle of the year, allowing work to start on the repair of the damaged clubhouse.
Kaipara District Council, Te Uri o Hau and surf club representatives met with contractors
Earth Stability onsite on February 19.
A large deposit of debris was removed from around the perimeter of the clubhouse, exposing the extensive wreckage to the rear wall and providing an unobstructed accessway for the club’s building insurer to assess needed repairs.
Surf club chair Jess Costello said it was good news, despite the damage.
“Since the back of the building was exposed and recently reinspected, the building insurer says that the damage is consistent with what was seen from the inside, and the building is easily repairable,” she said.
Potential repairs to the seawall in front of
the clubhouse were also briefly discussed, as the damage could potentially have dire consequences for the long-term security of the club’s prime location.
Since mid-2024, the surf club has been working alongside Northland Regional Council to find a resilient solution to protect the clubhouse from predicted sea level rises and storm surges, and allow beach access during extreme weather events. An affordable design that met consent conditions has been finalised and funds are currently being sourced.
Over the next few months, across the white cliff face, two orange framed drill rigs held by cables and ropes will install 300 ‘rock bolts’ –
Sandmining case found lacking by economist
A leading economist says sandming company McCallum Brothers has overstated the economic benefits of its Bream Bay mining proposal.
Founder of Axiom Economics, one of Australasia’s leading economic consultancies, Hayden Green, who is also a Bream Bay resident, says that after analysing McCallum’s ‘high-level assessment of economic effects’ he found it lacking.
“The assessment is opaque, non-replicable and riddled with errors and omissions – many of which significantly overstate the economic benefits while understating or ignoring the proposal’s costs,” Green says.
He says McCallum’s economic assessment shows unsound assumptions regarding alternative sand sources, such as manufactured and land-based sandmining, and the important environmental and social
impacts of sandmining at Bream Bay are not even included.
“McCallum’s analysis is deeply flawed and fails to justify the project under the fast-track approval process, as it does not demonstrate a clear net benefit to the public.”
Bream Bay Guardians (BBG) spokesperson
Bruce Copeland said Green’s analysis highlighted how the fast-track panel could potentially receive misleading information.
“The incomplete nature of McCallum Brothers’ economic assessment makes it impossible to properly gauge the true costs and benefits of the proposal,” Copeland said.
“The panel can’t possibly place any weight on the figures in the report – they’re completely unreliable.
“Even if there are benefits, it’s unclear who would actually see them. There’s little
indication that Northlanders, or even Aucklanders, would gain in any meaningful way. Instead, it appears the main beneficiary could be a single company. That’s a far cry from ‘significant national or regional benefits’ that the fast-track bill requires.”
McCallum Brothers want to extract nine million cubic metres of marine sand from Bream Bay over 35 years.
Along with BBG, opposition group No Sandmining in Bream Bay (NSBB) mobilised 1500 people to form a human Say No sign on Ruakaka beach on January 26 and a Great Boat Protest is planned for March 16 attended by Greenpeace.
BBG has called the fast-track process “shoddy,” arguing it prioritises private profit over genuine economic benefit, Copeland says.
steel bars drilled into the cliff to a depth of up to eight metres – to hold the less stable rocks on the exposed face. A mesh wire product will then be draped down over the slip area to hold rocks in place between each bolt.
Mayor Craig Jepson said he was pleased with the progress.
“It’s fantastic and a relief to hear that it’s a fairly straightforward fix for the building. It’s been great to walk through the site and see how much work has already been done to repair the slip,” he said. “We all just want to see the surf club back on its feet and operating normally. I look forward to seeing them back in their clubhouse next summer.”
“The government says it wants to drive economic growth by cutting red and green tape, but in its haste, projects like this sandmining proposal are slipping through.
“Some companies have invested their own money into more sustainable alternatives that support economic growth while respecting the environment. It’s concerning that one company, through connections or lobbying, can have its project fast-tracked and gain access to sand potentially worth hundreds of millions of dollars for next to nothing. That hardly seems fair.”
McCallum Bros has stated publicly that concerns about the project, raised by both the Department of Conservation and locals, will be addressed through 15 comprehensive assessments of effects and technical reports being prepared.
Although sustaining massive damage, the surf club’s back wall is repairable. Surf club chair Jess Costello, Kaipara Mayor Craig Jepson, Te Uri o Hau Environ’s Shireen Worthington, Councillor Rachael Williams and surf club’s David Wheatley join Earth Stability contractors on a tour of the ongoing repair works.
Watching contractors in action as they attend to vital work to secure loose rocks along the cliff face.
Viewpoint
Grant McCallum MP for Northland
Change through adversity
I want to discuss growth and its importance for Mangawhai and New Zealand. Growth is fundamental to our well-being. Without it, we risk stagnation and, as recent years have shown, the economy can regress, leading to plummeting business confidence. Those of us in the regions often feel these impacts most acutely, especially when investment, particularly in infrastructure, is redirected elsewhere.
However, there are encouraging signs that this narrative is shifting. Ironically, one of the first signs of positive change for Mangawhai came through adversity. The tornado that tore through Mangawhai in January prompted a swift and positive response from all quarters – the people of Mangawhai were awe-inspiring and inspirational, banding together, neighbour helping neighbour. Emergency services and first responders did an excellent job. As for the Government, I was on-site within hours, soon joined by Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell, assessing the damage and offering resources from every government department to expedite the recovery process.
Suddenly, Mangawhai – and Northland–mattered.
And it doesn’t stop there. Nobody walks away from this thing. If any Mangawhai resident still wants my help, simply phone my office 09 407 7219.
On a broader scale, there are significant indications that the economy is on an upward trajectory, which could lead to increased disposable income for Kiwi families. A recent announcement from the Reserve Bank regarding a substantial 50 basis point reduction in the Official Cash Rate (OCR) offers hope. Such a reduction can profoundly impact the economy, acting as a potential turning point many have eagerly awaited.
Court costs recovered
In practical terms, this decrease could increase disposable income for families in the coming months. Reduced interest rates are likely to lower monthly mortgage payments for homeowners, freeing up more funds for essential expenses and discretionary spending.
This could enhance the overall economic landscape, providing families with greater financial flexibility.
Furthermore, this shift in interest rates is fostering confidence among business owners.
A more stable economic environment empowers companies to consider investments in expansion, hiring and innovation. This growth within the sector can create a ripple effect that benefits the broader economy. Last month, a report from BNZ and Business NZ noted an encouraging rise in manufacturing activity, reaching its highest level since September 2022. This is a clear sign that confidence is returning, which is crucial for long-term economic health. When businesses feel secure, they tend to thrive, creating jobs and stimulating economic activity.
That said, we must acknowledge that the journey ahead is not without its obstacles. Many families and businesses still face financial pressures, and it’s clear that significant work remains. Despite these challenges, a growing sense of optimism is emerging. Inflation appears to be stabilising, and we are steadily progressing toward economic recovery. The combination of lower interest rates and rising business confidence generates a positive feedback loop we can leverage moving forward.
By working together, we are on the right path to fostering an economy that benefits everyone and ensures growth translates into a brighter future for all Kiwis and upcoming generations.
Kaipara District Council has recouped just over $47,000 for costs incurred in defending its decision to grant consent for a 67-lot subdivision in Devich Road, Mangawhai. The appeal was lodged by 10 neighbouring residents, along with Mangawhai Developments as a Section 274 party. The appeal was dismissed by the Environment Court, which subsequently granted both council and the developer 66 per cent of their costs. Normally costs are awarded in the range of 25 to 33 per cent of a party’s actual costs, but it was argued that there were factors around the way the appellants’ had conducted their appeal to justify an award of up to 66 per cent. These arguments were accepted by the court. Developer Vermont Street Partners was also awarded costs totalling just over $240,000.
The Anchorage Lifestyle Village offers boutique retirement living on the water at Marsden Cove, with a private beach and boat ramp—unique in New Zealand. Enjoy a serene, vibrant community with beautiful gardens and a year-round holiday atmosphere.
Jim Wintle QSM JP
One of Mangawhai’s finest, Jim Wintle, was farewelled in a bittersweet life celebration of his life on February 27 that honoured a man who left behind a significant legacy created from his enduring love for the community. Hundreds of people gathered for the ceremony at Mangawhai Beach School Recreation Centre, illustrating the depth of respect the community held for the 82-year-old.
As memories and tributes flowed from his friends and family – wife of 47 years Lynda and sons Mark and Andrew – it was clear Jim touched the lives of many with his ‘cheeky’ humour, support, can-do attitude and warm spirit, as well as through his tireless contribution to multiple community projects.
CauseWay Church pastor Colin Chitty, who officiated, said that it was difficult to know where to start when telling the many stories about Jim.
“One I will share is that at the (Mangawhai) gala a few years ago, Jim had set up a holein-one for golf chipping with $1 a ball and $1000 prize money,” he said. “I said ‘Jim we’re here to make money, not to lose it’ and he said, ‘That's all right, I made the hole and no ball is going in there’.”
Colin also shared a letter from retired Mangawhai Senior Constable Graham Gough, which read, “with Jim, I’m always reminded of the Big Dig”.
“Under the cover of darkness, an exercise of subterfuge was committed by an unruly mob of Mangawhai identities – many of them sitting in this room – to reopen the harbour, all done in total secret. Not willing to compromise my integrity as a police officer, Jim managed to keep me totally in the dark! We’ve lost a mighty totara, but his legacy lives on in this beautiful town.”
Jim will be remembered for his impressive list of achievements. He was instrumental in helping to construct many local buildings including the golf club, school hall, Anglican Church, vicarage and museum, where he is immortalised in the Big Dig exhibit. Additionally, he dedicated countless hours to various local committees.
Born and bred in rural Mangawhai, the eldest son of Claude and Alice Wintle, Jim took on the family farm after his father was killed in a car accident in 1965. He met Lynda on a cruise ship, they married, had two children and Jim opened Mangawhai Building Supplies. With a business attitude of ‘it’s not all about money’, he was wellknown for supporting local projects by giving a discount rate for materials. In 2006, he sold to Placemakers and retired.
Jim helped form the Mangawhai Harbour Restoration Society (MHRS), serving as chair for five years and was awarded a life membership in 2010.
The action-man also served at various times as Mangawhai Golf Club president, club captain, patron and life member, Mangawhai Community Trust chair, and patron of Mangawhai Fishing Club. He helped set up Mangawhai’s first community patrol (the Moreporks) and lobbied the government for a local police station, was a Justice of the Peace, a Mangawhai Cemetery sexton and was involved with the setting up of Mangawhai Park and Historic Village. He was awarded the Queen's Service Medal in 1997 for services to the community.
6 January 1943 - 16 February 2025
When the Mangawhai-built vessel, the Daring, surfaced on Muriwai beach in 2018, Jim was the driving force behind bringing the 19th-century schooner home and served as Daring Trust chair right up to his death.
With all his community involvement, longtime friend Richard Bull said, “retirement was really out of the window”.
“Jim worked well with people, was full of common sense, modest and had no time for egos. He was bold, persuasive and reliable and had a vision that looked right out to the future,” he said. “I will always cherish the time I spent with him; he was a fantastic guy and I’m proud to call him my friend.”
The team that brought the Daring home in 2021, from left, Baden Pascoe, John Street, Jim, Dave Frederick and Larry Paul. (Absent, Alan Sefton)
Jim with friends, Phil Hislop, Bert Sainsbury and Haines House Haulage coordinator Tama Morehu, relocating the old Tara Road School to the Mangawhai Historical Village in 2017.
Sadly, the Wintle family has suffered a double loss with the ailing health of Jim’s oldest sister Joy Gee nee Wintle, who was unable to attend her brother’s life ceremony. Joy passed away a day later, on February 28. The Focus Team would like to extend their sincere condolences to the Wintle family at this difficult time.
Big Dig conspirators reminiscing about the event at the June 2016 unveiling of a dedication plaque, from left, KDC deputy mayor from 1989-98 Peter Bull, Jim, Noel Cullen and Bill Shepherd.
History
Cook,
Museum Manager info@mangawhai-museum.org.nz
A tribute to Jim Wintle
It feels wrong to write about anything except Jim Wintle in this issue – an obituary isn’t enough, the History column belongs to him, too.
Jim’s fingerprint is all over Mangawhai, including its museum. Even after he moved away last year, he continued to watch over the place he’d help build and open – whether it was recalling the exact brand and name of the stain on the stingray’s soffits from memory (Wattyl’s forestwood natural oil kōwhai), pulling into the carpark to lean out his old ute window to check non-slip grit was being spread across the building apron as precisely as he had done it for 10 years previously, or swaggering inside to check the latest manager was doing okay (which he did each and every visit) – Jim kept caring.
In the words of Christine Bygrave: “The [museum] site was covered in scrub and bush, but when it was cleared, Jim realised immediately that if we shifted up the hill to the east, it would enable us to build a basement area for storage and workspaces, a huge plus, so that is what we did! After initial fundraising grants, clearing and preparing the land, the work started. Jim’s ute was our office until Jim managed to procure a small building to house our plans and safety equipment. Community members stopped by to offer help, machinery, time and skills. Jim used everyone who offered, and the work included tying all the reinforcing in the trenches, laying the concrete, lining the walls and ceiling, and then building the interior and finishing the grounds, where Jim was always on site and actively involved himself. The museum opened in 2014 after five solid years of constant work by Jim and his main team – Bill, and wonderful friend and offsider Bert Sainsbury, working closely with museum designer Chris Currie. But it was a real community effort organised by Jim.”
Council seeking costs
Jim’s name is engraved at the museum’s entrance and his voice is immortalised in our Big Dig exhibit, but his heart and humour speak louder in echoes all around:
“Within every community there is possibly one individual who stands out as leader. Mangawhai is a fortunate community with many facilities and community assets. Almost all have enjoyed Jim’s contribution toward establishment. Jim’s ability to negotiate, and liaise with bureaucracy, and keep control of a team of men (all experts in their own field), is a talent very few possess.” B.C. Ross, They Dared the Impossible, 2007
What’s on at Mangawhai Museum?
Thu 10 Apr | Special Exhibition
Opening: The Bug Room
Fri 18 Apr - Mon 21 Apr
The Easter Book Fair – quality bargain books to raise funds for our museum
Te Runanga o Ngāti Whātua is being asked to meet some of the costs incurred by Kaipara District Council in defending its decision to disestablish its Māori ward at this year’s local government election. The application by Te Runanga o Ngāti Whātua for judicial review was declined in the High Court late last year. Council estimates the cost of defending the decision was around $160,000, made up of mainly legal fees. The maximum amount claimable by council is just under $25,000.
precious family memories since 1991
Angela
Mangawhai
Project manager Jim Wintle, left, with Christine Bygrave and Helen Curreen from the project team, meet with museum architect David Foster in late 2010 to discuss colour schemes for the museum roof and window joinery.
Jim Wintle
Kaipara general rate kept to Long-Term Plan level
Kaipara ratepayers are facing a general rate rise of 8.9 per cent in the next financial year, based on a growth rate of one per cent.
The rise is in line with the figures outlined in Kaipara District Council’s three-year LongTerm Plan 2024-2027 (LTP).
Councillors were told at a meeting on March 5 that the rate increase had been kept under nine per cent by reducing depreciation for waters infrastructure, finding unbudgeted revenue streams of $100,000 for roading activities mainly through traffic management, and reducing spend on Three Waters consultancies.
Roading and water infrastructure will continue to be the two big ticket items for council spending next year.
Over the life of the LTP, council will spend close to $150 million on roading and footpaths (operational and capital expenditure), including $9.2 million of roading recovery. It will spend on around $32.5 million (capital and operational) on wastewater.
In addition to the proposed 8.9 per cent
general rate rise this year, council will ask ratepayers for feedback on the introduction of a targeted rate to support the district’s three museums – Mangawhai, Kauri and Dargaville.
Ratepayers will be given four options:
• Contribute $14 per property a year to raise $185,000, shared equally by the three museums
• Contribute $20 per property a year to raise $267,000, shared equally by the three museums
• Contribute $14 per property a year to raise $185,000, but distribute $100,000 to Mangawhai Museum, $27,000 to Dargaville Museum, and $57,000 to the Kauri Museum
• Retain the status quo, with no museum targeted rate
Under options 1, 2 and 4, a $100,000 loan owed to council by Mangawhai Museum would be written off. Under option 3, the loan would not be written off and would, instead, be repaid over a term.
Council’s preferred option is to retain the status quo.
Consultation on the annual plan is expected to be held over four weeks in April/May, with the final adoption of the budget in June.
Targeted rates
Targeted rates are used to fund specific council activities, particularly where a specific group of ratepayers benefit from that service or where the revenue collected is targeted towards funding a specific type of expenditure.
The following is a list of existing targeted rates applied either across the whole Kaipara or in specific catchments:
• Wastewater, district-wide and assessed on a differential basis
• Water, district-wide and assessed on a differential basis
• Parks & libraries, district-wide $372.77 per rating unit
• Four Mangawhai Wastewater capital contribution targeted rates, varying
between $569.95 per rateable property to $676 per property
• Stormwater, assessed on the land value of all rating units located within the stormwater networks and applied as a uniform rate in the dollar on land value
• Land drainage – Raupō
• Land drainage – other schemes
• Mangawhai Harbour Restoration, $80 per identified rating unit
• Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Dargaville, $7.70 per identified rating unit
• CCTV Ruawai, $10.35 per identified rating unit
• Ruawai Tokatoka Hall, $36.86 per identified rating unit
• Forestry roading, a rate in the dollar on land area (hectares) across all properties used for growing exotic trees that are in the Forestry Roading Targeted Rate area. The targeted rate is $11.05 per hectare of the rating unit.
Land value rating stays
Kaipara District Council has confirmed it will continue to use land value as the basis for general rates calculations for the 2025/26 year.
Late last year, council asked the community for feedback on a potential move to base its general rates on capital value (CV) rather than land value (LV).
Council received 177 submissions, with 19 submitters heard by elected members in a session held in Dargaville last month.
Kaipara is one of the few district councils still using land value to calculate the general rate. Land value is the value of bare land, while capital value includes the land value plus any improvements made to the land such as buildings.
During discussions on the Revenue and Financing Policy last week, Kaipara Mayor Craig Jepson noted the complexity of rates
and finding the fairest way to charge them.
“Based on the feedback, we have agreed to reject what we had proposed and stay with land value for the next year,” he said. “This will give council time to drill down further and take another look at how best to use capital value for calculating the general rate. Part of that will involve coming back to the community to see if we are making the right call.”
Another proposed change was to equalise the capital costs of stormwater across the district. Elected members agreed that no changes would be made to the way the stormwater rate was currently distributed. Operating costs for the networks would continue to be split evenly (equalised) among those paying the stormwater targeted rate, with capital costs payable by those on each network. Ten per cent of stormwater activity would continue to be funded through general rates.
Kaipara Kōrero
News from Kaipara District Council
New payment gateway
Kaipara District Council is launching a new online payment portal on 19 March. If you pay your council bills online, things will look a little different, don’t worry it’s all part of the upgrade. The new online portal can be used to pay your rates, water bill, dog registration and more.
Are you signed up?
We are continuing to make progress on the Proposed District Plan. The proposed Plan is expected to be open for submissions in the next couple of months, once Council approves the plan for public notification.
Stay informed and be the first to get updates by signing up to our district plan e-newsletter.
Moir Street night closure
Road rehabilitation and drainage works are in full swing on Moir Street. One overnight road closure is scheduled for Monday 17 March, 8pm to 6am. The closure only applies to a small stretch of Moir Street outside Bennetts. Please time your commute to avoid the area or detour around Cove Road on that evening.
Thank you for your patience while we get this vital work done.
Devich, Black Swamp and Settlement Roads
Our roading team and contractors are working to seal sections of Devich, Black Swamp and Settlement roads.
Stop/go will be in place, so please drive carefully and plan your journey accordingly. If you can, use alternative routes.
Roading report
Our roading contractors finished 2024 with Whakapirau Road rehab and five Cyclone Gabrielle slip repairs. In January, they tackled complex slip repairs, seal extensions, and road rehab while also managing traffic and cleanup after the Mangawhai tornado on Anniversary Weekend.
Field days round-up
Thank you for stopping by our stall and taking the time to chat with us!
Vandalism across the district
We are facing another run of vandalism at public toilets, parks, and other spaces have been hit again, which can mean potential closures while we fix the damage and additional costs to ratepayers.
We encourage everyone to report damage through the Antenno app, call 0800 727 059, or email council@kaipara.govt.nz.
If you see this happening in real time report via the 24/7 police 105 non-emergency line.
Te Tai Tokerau Northland Impact fund
New funding is available to empower local businesses and associations to make a positive impact in the Northland region. This fund is here to support innovative projects from businesses and community organisations that foster collaboration, sustainability, and economic development in Northland.
Further information can be found at northlandnz.com.
Ngā whare pukapuka o Kaipara Library update
The Manga Collection is growing at Kaipara Libraries. Originating from Japan they read right-to-left and are usually black and white. We’ve got everything from the classic Dragon Ball Z series to Demon Slayer or Jujutsu Kaisen.
If we don’t hold a series you would like to read, let the library team know, and put in a wish list suggestion.
Growth spurs wastewater improvements
Odour complaints at the Mangawhai wastewater disposal fields on Brown Road have highlighted the need to find alternative disposal options, Kaipara District Council infrastructure adviser Anin Nama said at a councillor briefing last week.
Nama said irrigation zones were reduced by 30 per cent to address the odour issue, which had resulted in a substantial improvement for surrounding properties.
“However, the unintended consequence was the further saturation of other parts of the land,” Nama said.
As a result, council was exploring alternative disposal options at Mangawhai Golf Club, adjacent to the treatment plant.
The work was being done as part of a staged $72 million upgrade of the Mangawhai wastewater system, which is nearing capacity.
The proposed stages include consenting, design and implementation of improvements and upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant, and a new treated effluent irrigation system at the golf club.
Stage 1, costing $1.7 million, focused on improvements at the treatment plant. An inDENSE system was installed, which had raised the overall capacity from 3000 to 3550 equivalent residential connections, providing sufficient capacity for growth until around 2029.
Stage 2, costing $9.17 million will include concept design and consent plan development of the golf course irrigation system, as well as a Brown Road farm assessment and remediation plan.
Nama said council had an opportunity to work with the golf course on plans to recontour the practice fairway to enhance and expand a subsurface drip irrigation system, which could be installed at the same time.
This would also minimise future disruptions.
“This will allow council to maximise the available capacity for effluent disposal on the new practice fairway, creating optimal drip irrigation conditions.”
The cost will be about $350,000 and the golf club is seeking co-funding from council.
“Future provision for spray irrigation on areas of the golf course can be considered in the next LTP, as the current funding only allows for the completion of stages two to five.”
A procurement plan was provided in the public excluded section of the meeting.
Wastewater steps
Stage 3 – Detailed design of wastewater treatment capacity and effluent quality upgrades, and the golf course effluent transfer system. It is proposed to select preferred service providers and commission this work to start this month.
Stage 4 – Construction and commissioning of the treated effluent transfer system and subsurface irrigation system. It is estimated that construction will commence on the subsurface irrigation system on the practice fairway by late 2025 and will be done in coordination with plans for recontouring sections of the golf course where the system will be installed. This system will not be connected and live until mid-next year, when it is expected that council will have approved
consents for subsurface irrigation discharge of treated effluent.
Stage 5 – Construction and commissioning of effluent transfer system and storage tank. The work involves installation of the treated effluent pumps at the treatment plant, rising main and installation of the storage tank at the gold course. The effluent transfer system design and construction tendering will be completed by the end of this year, providing sufficient time to construct and connect to the subsurface irrigation system by mid-2026.
Arm’s length governance
Kaipara District Council is considering setting up a separate governance group to oversee the delivery of the $70-plus million Mangawhai wastewater upgrade. Staff are currently in the process of forming the group, which may include the Mayor and councillors as members, but will be separate from the elected body with a suitably qualified, independent chair.
<pic coming .. I’ll write the caption when I’ve got the pic. Im guessing it will be landscape>
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Shed support raises the roof
The Mangawhai Shed crew held a special roof shout to celebrate the completion of their new canopy recently.
Held under the brand-new structure on February 28, Shed chair Stephen Mackay said they were blessed with both community and local business support.
“We are not here today because of this glorious structure, but to celebrate the people and the effort behind it,” he said. “A big thank you to everyone who enabled us to get a bit more workspace and a cool place
outdoors for morning tea.”
The new roof and concrete pad were funded partly by the team selling their skills to the community – “fixing all manner of weird and wonderful things” – with support from Atlas Brynderwyns and local businesses Spiral Enterprises Ltd, Carters, Bunnings and Gas Mangawhai.
“The building team has a mass of collective skills and knowledge who made light work of the task. Not bad for a bunch whose average age is 72 years.”
Award open for women’s spirit of adventure
The Zonta Club of Mangawhai is inviting applications for its 14th annual Spirit of New Zealand 10-day Development Voyage Award. The adventure is a confidence building opportunity for young women aged 16 to 18 years, who have shown leadership potential or are keen to develop their skills. Applicants must reside in Mangawhai, Tomarata, Wellsford, Kaiwaka, Maungaturoto, Dargaville, Ruakaka or Waipu areas. Zonta International empowers women worldwide through service and advocacy. Since 2012, the Mangawhai club has offered the award for local women which is made possible from the group’s fundraising events such as quiz nights and the generosity of the community. Info: Sheryl Smail 027 478 2540 or visit Zonta Club of Mangawhai’s Facebook page.
KiwiRail addresses under-utilised line
KiwiRail is talking with a number of potential Northland customers about rail options for their freight, following the reopening of the North Auckland rail line last September.
Currently, there is only one return freight service every weekday between Auckland and Whangārei, when Fonterra moves processed product from Kauri (north of Whangarei) to Auckland and onto Port of Tauranga.
KiwiRail chief asset development officer David Gordon says the North Auckland line has undergone significant work to improve resilience.
“We understand the importance of resilience to customers such as Fonterra, and have improved culverts and drainage, strengthened slip-prone slopes and installed close to 500 metres of retaining structures,” he said.
Kiwirail executive general manager freight markets Alan Piper said freight trains carried imported and exported goods from timber and forestry products, bulk goods such as milk, dairy products and steel, and domestic goods.
“Conversations with existing and new customers are commercially sensitive, so it is not appropriate for us to comment further on those. We are discussing options to move freight in both directions.”
Seed collection complete
The Mangawhai Harbour Restoration Society (MHRS) and Tern Point community volunteers completed the annual collection of spinifex seed heads at Te Arai on March 3, collecting 10 bags containing around 2000 seed heads. The heads will be sent to Coastlands Plant Nursery in Whakatane who separate the heads from the seed, which then gets propagated. The seeds collected this year will be available as nursery plants next year.
MHRS will aim to plant around 3000 spinifex plants on the Mangawhai distal spit this coming season to assist with stabilising the sand. This process is critical to the ongoing maintenance of the distal spit and sand dunes.
Northland Regional Council has granted MHRS a resource consent to dredge the sandspit, with the condition that it complete bathymetric surveys before and after each dredging location.The resource consent is for the next 20 years, which is a fantastic result and will allow the ongoing annual maintenance of the Mangawhai harbour. MHRS has also renewed the Department of Conservation
Community Agreement for a further fouryear term.
On February 19, the MHRS committee met with NRC chair Geoff Crawford and councillor Rick Stolwerk to discuss a number of issues including the ongoing working relationship between council and MHRS, and how this can be improved and developed further.
We also talked about the sand build up inside the entrance of the harbour and what options are available to manage this, specifically in regards to the impact and the effect on recreational boating, as well as the ongoing mangrove management and selective removal of mature mangroves from the inner harbour. This relates to the mangroves that are choking the saltmarshes in front of Back Bay.
MHRS chair Peter Wethey recently had the opportunity to talk to DOC senior biodiversity ranger Nigel Miller about their view of saltmarshes. DOC has confirmed that saltmarshes were highly regarded and had a high degree of protection from an environmental viewpoint.
Enjoying the shade of the new roof, Mangawhai Shed crew with supporters Mangawhai Business Association secretary Indie Giles, KDC’s community and recreation advisor Gail Fotheringham, Mangawhai Shed’s chair Stephen Mackay and Atlas’ general manager Craig Nisbet.
MAZ sponsorship renewed
New World Mangawhai has renewed its sponsorship of the Mangawhai Activity Zone (MAZ).
Last year, MAZ launched a Community Partnering Programme to ensure maintenance and growth of the popular playground. Businesses, families and individuals were invited to select a section of the park to financially support.
New World owners-operators Scott and Rachael Henderson, who have two young children, were among the first to sign up and they have renewed their sponsorship this year.
“We like to encourage activities for kids in the community,” Scott says. “There’s lots of opportunities to do that up here with different sports clubs, organisations and schools, and this is one that just felt right for us.”
MAZ chair Kate Arbuckle says thanks to the couple’s consistent funding, the upgrade of the playground, which is expected to be ready by the end of March, has been made possible a lot quicker than expected.
To help support Mangawhai’s favourite play zone, visit www.mangawhaiactivityzone.co.nz or email mazinmangawhai@gmail.com
What’s cooking?
Jeannie Davis
The Barbecue Hut Mangawhai
It’s all about the taste
My journey into the world of low n’ slow barbecue began a decade ago and since then I have not looked back. My partner and I have a passion for cooking honest, wholesome and crowd-pleasing food, and with trepidation we took the plunge and launched The Barbecue Hut in the heart of Mangawhai Village twoand-a-half years ago.
We regularly receive great feedback from our guests, many of whom we consider good friends now, and this has become the fuel that “fills the tank” and gives us confidence that our brand of Kiwi style American low ‘n’ slow barbecue is hitting the mark.
In 2023, we entered a television show called
Cooks on Fire that was styled in the vane of the Masterchef franchise, but with a heavy lean on barbecue. Putting ourselves on a plate for the steadfast judges and a national audience to critique was so far out of our comfort zone, but again the feedback blew us away. We didn’t win, but we did learn a lot about cooking barbecue and ourselves during our time on the show.
In this series of articles I will share some of our own, our guests, and whanau’s favourite dishes, sides, deserts and cocktails. So, without further ado, this is a dish we prepared for the judges of the TV Show, a personal fav and a real crowd pleaser.
Seared flat iron steak with blue cheese sauce
Method (20mins)
1. Three quarter fill your chimney with lump coal and light
2. Tip white hot coals into your barbecue and add Pohutukawa wood - target 500f
4. Lightly spray steaks with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste
5. Place steaks on barbecue, directly over coals, turn over after 2-3 minutes or when nice char appears - continue for another 3-4 minutes or until internal temp is 130f
6. Remove from barbecue and wrap loosely in tinfoil for 10 mins
7. Slice evenly across the grain and on to plating.
Danish blue cheese sauce
100g Creamy blue cheese – I use Food
Snob Creamy Danish Blue
2 Tbsp finely diced white onion
2 Tbsps NZ sauvignon blanc 300ml fresh cream
2 Tbsp butter
Method
Brown butter, and add finely chopped onion to brown. Add wine and stir until reduced. Add cheese and stir until the cheese has melted and the consistency is smooth. Add cream gradually, stir and reduce until required consistency and taste is reached. Rest before pouring, and reheat.
Signing up for another year, from left, New World owners operators Scott and Rachael Henderson, and MAZ fan, five-year-old Jacob, with MAZ committee member Ian Baker and chair Kate Arbuckle.
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Something for everyone at this year’s show
Everything from Chinese lion dancers and rodeo riders to miniature horses and medieval combat fighters will be performing at this year’s Warkworth A&P Lifestyle Show on Saturday, March 15.
The organising committee has trawled its nets far and wide to secure a range of attractions to suit everyone’s taste, from farming families to visitors passing through, with a variety of entertainment and demonstrations on stage and around the showgrounds all day.
New this year and bound to be a highlight will be the dynamic drumming and brightly coloured costumes of the Auckland-based Tung Tek Lion Dancers. This energetic Chinese cultural dance involves two people controlling each of several giant fluffy lions and performing an animated dance, accompanied by a drummer, cymbals and gongs, with the aim of driving away bad spirits and bringing good luck and prosperity to all.
Also new this year is the chance to fight a knight with the Dargaville Medieval Combat Club. The group trains in historical European martial arts using authentic weapons, including longswords, side swords, spears and daggers. As well as giving demonstration fights with their heavy steel weapons, the group will also have an arsenal of soft training swords for show visitors to have a go.
There will be a number of music and
dance performances throughout the day, including the Razza Dazzlers line dancing group, the Wellsford Variety Music Group and performers from the local Kiribati community.
Warkworth Rodeo and Cowboy Challenge North Auckland will be running a Have a Go day, featuring pole bending, barrel racing, team sorting and penning, and steer and calf riding, while Warkworth Volunteer Fire Brigade will have a climbing challenge for kids.
Other attractions include a truck show with a people’s choice award, a display of classic vehicles by the Wellsford Warkworth Vintage Car Club and quick fire raffles.
There will also be plenty of traditional show events to enjoy, such as wood chopping with the Puhoi Axemen’s Club, sheep shearing and a sheep display, cattle classes, the Donkey & Mule Society, plus a demonstration of hay baling by Sam Paddison.
For equestrian fans, there will be a mounted games tournament (see story p30), the cowboy challenge and there are more than 40 different classes in the popular miniature horse section.
As ever, children will be well catered for with free rides all day in the Fun Zone, including tea cups, a merry-go-round, the big slide and giant lawn games, plus cow milking and calf feeding. The always popular inflatable obstacle course will also be back.
And, of course, there will be a spread of impressive produce, preserves, crafts and flowers in the Indoor Exhibit section (see story p30), plus plenty to eat, drink, buy and admire at the many food trucks, market stalls and trade sites.
Entry costs $15 for adults, $5 for children and $35 for a family pass, which admits two adults and up to four children.
Info: https://www.warkworthshow.co.nz/
Garden opera returns to Waipu Cove
New Zealand soprano Deborah Wai Kapohe will be a guest artist at Opera in the Garden being held at Waipu Cove on Saturday, March 22.
Since first being held in 1997, the event has hosted some of New Zealand’s finest artists including Dame Malvina Major and Maungaturoto’s own musical theatre superstar Hayden Tee.
Organisers say they are excited to see the return of the garden event, which hasn’t been held since covid.
The theme this year is a 1930s Garden Party and patrons are encouraged to dress in the style of the day.
Deborah Wai Kapohe is a Wellington-based singer who has performed in operas, musical theatre, contemporary Māori music events, arts festivals and concerts throughout New Zealand and internationally.
The programme will also include the Opera North chorus, which will sing a selection
of well-known opera choruses, as well as a mixture of musical theatre and jazz. The choir will feature members of Te Kōrihi o te Tūi children’s choir and the award-winning Opera North Chamber Choir.
Conductor Emma Couper describes the repertoire as a “chocolate box” selection of songs to complement the 1930s Garden Party theme.
“Bring your hampers and champers, and enjoy the onsite coffee and food trucks, including a selection of Origin Northland’s award-winning cheeses from Belle Chèvre Creamery and their decadent Opera Cake.” There will be an award for the most dapperly dressed 1930s ensemble.
The concert will be held at the Tahamoana Angora Goat Farm, 566 Cove Road, Waipu Cove, from 3pm to 6pm. Entry $51.48; kids free. Tickets available at: operanorth.co.nz
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Few professional opera singers can claim so diverse a repertoire of talents as soprano Deborah Wai Kapohe, who is also highly regarded as a contemporary singer, singer/songwriter and guitarist.
Totem wings its way to new home
The largest artwork ever housed at Mangawhai Art Gallery (MAI) ‘Tsarina Tamara’ flew the nest on March 6, enroute to its new home in Matakana. The stunning 1.8 metre totem bird will feature in a private sculpture garden, along with a giant giraffe statue and over 20 free-range chickens, each with their individual ‘house’. Mangawhai artists Elena Nikolaeva and Deva Prem spent two summers creating the mosaic bird from polystyrene, concrete and thousands of cut tiles and coloured gems. Although a hefty weight, Nikolaeva, MAI chair Howard Esler, artist Shann Whitaker and Prem, along with a helpful passing local, were able to manoeuvre the sculpture through the gallery doorway on a trolley, hoist it into the old oak tree outside and strap it safely into the back of a ute, without losing a single tile.
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Art trail attracts big crowds
More than 300 people visited 27 venues, showcasing the creativity of more than 45 artists, during the annual Mangawhai Art Trail held on February 22 and 23.
There was a diverse range of art on display in Kaiwaka, Waipu and Mangawhai, from metal and ceramic sculptures, native turned wood, glass jewellery and wearable Maori art to prints, paper mosaics and paintings in a variety of media.
Mangawhai Artists chair Howard Esler said the annual event was a colourful feast for art lovers who did not mind driving the distance to remote venues.
“Some studios are old favourites and others were open for the first time,” Esler said.
“Fifty people braved the dirt road geography to visit one artist’s isolated studio. The last outpost of the trail was Waipu’s Turning Post gallery, but woodturner Denis McCartain received enough visitors to say he’ll be joining in again next year.
“The Art Trail is a major highlight of our year and we’re looking forward to hosting an
Road, Marsden Point Road, SH15A, SH1, Otaika Road, Maunu Road, Walton Street, Rose Street Bus Terminal.
even bigger event next year. In the meantime, people can always pop into the
Gallery every two weeks to see the latest exhibition.”
Mangawhai
Bridget Mintoff’s quirky sculptures.
The Stylish Collective showcased the wide-ranging talent of eight artists.
Clockwise from above:
Elena Nikolaeva’s stunning totem bird, Tsarina Tamara, created with friend Deva Prem, has already flown the nest via ute to its new Matakana owner; Original mosaic guitars by Alix St Clair; Tattoo artist Johnnie Daley’s skill includes real-life airbrush paintings to intriguing abstracts; Daphne Davis’ nature-inspired artworks.
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Pursuant to the Transport (Vehicular Traffic Road Closure) Regulations 1965, the Kaipara District Council hereby gives notice that the following roads will be temporarily closed on the days and at the times below for the purpose of holding the Northern Bass 2023/24 music festival.
Thursday 28 December 2023 at 00:01 until Monday
01 January 2024 at 23:59
Open Thursday to Sunday 10am-4pm Clothes, shoes, art, pottery, jewellery & furniture.
• Settlement Road, Kaiwaka – Restricted access. Access for resident and local traffic only.
• Valley Road, Kaiwaka – from Settlement Road to Pritchard Road, Kaiwaka – Restricted access. Access for resident and local traffic only.
7 The Braigh, Waipu (Old Fire Station opposite FEOH)
• Lawrence Road to Cames Road, Kaiwaka –restricted access. Access for resident and local traffic only.
ABC LTD driveways, slabs, paths, patios and excavations. For all your concrete needs. Free quote. Workmanship guaranteed. Darren 021 2676 820.
Further information, if required, relating to this temporary road closure can be obtained from the Customers Services Team, Kaipara District Council.
NOTICE OF INTENTION FOR TARGETED SPRAYING
Kaipara District Council advises all property owners and residents of the district that weed spraying for vegetation control on edges in parks and reserves, weed control in gardens, poles/trees, urban and rural roadsides will be carried out between December 2023 and March 2024, weather permitting.
If you would prefer not to have your frontage sprayed, Council operates a “No Spray Register” which outlines agreed areas where no spraying will be undertaken during this period. You must apply to Council to be included on this register. No Spray Zone Application forms can be found on our website at kaipara.govt.
Spraying will be undertaken by Downer NZ on behalf of Council. To find out more details about this particular spray programme, call Bernie on 021802095 between 8am and 5pm Monday to Friday.
For more information about Kaipara District Council’s spraying and vegetation control, head to kaipara.govt. nz/residents/trees-and-vegetation-2/no-spray-zone Kaipara District Council
Netball Rodney Centre 2024 Annual General Meeting will be held Thursday 15th February 2024, 7pm at the Netball Rodney Centre office in Centennial Park, Wellsford.
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CARPET, VINYL, HARDFLOORING Supply and install. 100% mobile service. Ph Kaipara Flooring Co phone 021 515 415. Free quotes.
GENERATORS AND INVERTERS FOR SALE Honda and Engel from $1495. See Kevin at Mangawhai. Small Engines. Ph 09 431 5270.
DETAILS: The Rebus annual Christmas lunch will be held at the Mangawhai Golf Club, noon on Thursday December 21. Entertainment by ukulele singers. Cost $30 for members (subsidised), $40 for non-members. NOVEMBER REBUS: At the last meeting in November Rebus members were royally entertained by some members of the Mangawhai Beach School Kapa Haka group – rousing hakas and quieter waiata and poi songs accompanied by principal Aaron Kemp on his guitar. Aaron then spoke, with questions and answers, his 15 minute talk extended to 90 minutes, FOR LEASE SHOP FOR LEASE 1956 SH1
Devich Road sealing begins
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Dust nuisance will no longer be an issue for residents living along the west side of Devich Road after sealing works began on March 6. Improvements to the 1.1 kilometre gravel stretch from the oneway bridge to Lawrence Road include widening, strengthening and sealing, with the work expected to take six weeks. Mayor Craig Jepson, deputy Jonathan Larsen and councillors Mike Howard and Rachael Williams visited the site on the morning works started to meet with the Downer contracting crew, as well as a group of residents. The work is part of the Long-Term Plan with sealing also planned for Settlement Road from KaiwakaMangawhai Road to Hakaru Hall and two under-engineered sections of Cames Road.
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On the Ocean
Fish your feet first
This is the time of the year when the Mangawhai harbour is fishing at its best –early autumn. Former Mangawhai-based charter skipper Tony Orton introduced me to the delights of shallow-water angling for snapper, kahawai and trevally. When a falling tide corresponded with daybreak was the best time. Our early morning efforts were always rewarded with at least a couple of snapper each for dinner.
The beauty about getting your fishing fix in the harbour is that it doesn’t matter if conditions in the open water prevent you negotiating the bar and the grounds beyond, in all but the most extreme conditions you will be able to fish somewhere. By fishing your feet first, fuel costs are minimal – zero if you paddle or row to your spot – and if you only have time for a short session, a harbour mission is perfect.
While lures will get the job done, bait and berley was our go-to option, especially for snapper. Tackle doesn’t have to be particularly sophisticated. I fish four-kilo mono with the hook tied directly to the main line. Minimal weight is required even when the tide is in full flood as you are only fishing in 3-4 metres of water. Hook preference is for a 3/0-4/0 full recurve style that most often hooks a fish in the corner of the mouth. If you intend to release the fish, then the recurve mininises any damage, just remember to have that wet towel with you to handle the fish in such a way you don’t have to touch it with your hands.
Fishing recurves required a different approach when you have fish interested in your bait. You don’t need a hard strike to set the hook. Just reel in the slack, and the recurve should catch in the corner of the fish’s mouth. One of the most important things is to stay in touch with your bait so you can react quickly to any inquiries. If you miss the first bite,
feed a metre of so of line back to the fish, the moving target most often resulting in it having another shot.
Even small snapper in shallow water will give a good account of themselves. I have had snapper in the 45-50cm range, where most will be sub 40cm.
One of the most popular spots is among the moored craft a couple of hundred metres south of the main ramp. Find yourself an unoccupied mooring and tie up to that.
Quite often you will find yourself sharing your hot spot with shore-based anglers who have waded out and cast in your general direction, cunningly taking advantage of your berleying efforts!
Tight lines.
Clockwise from left: On days when conditions beyond Head Rock are marginal, there is always plenty of action within the safe waters of the harbour; In a short session before school Sami Orton caught that night’s dinner; First light is one of the most productive times to fish in the harbour; Trevally are a common catch in the Mangawhai harbour at this time of the year.
Photos, Tony Orton.
What’s on ...
10 Eat Well Feel Incredible free talk, St John Community Space, 194 Molesworth Drive, Mangawhai Heads, 6.30-7.45pm. Gain powerful insights and create a lifestyle that truly supports your health. Info: https://jacquikraftnutrition.co/ or 022 6018 909.
15 Mangawhai Lions Wine & Food Festival, Mangawhai Domain. 2-7pm. Live music, food/wine/beer stalls. Fundraiser for repair of surf club.
15 Warkworth A&P Show, Warkworth Showgrounds, 9am-4.30pm (see story p16).
15 Free spearfishing awareness event, Mangawhai Fishing and Boat Club. Focused on safety, equipment, local diving practices, 2pm-3.30pm.
15 Lifestyle Expo, Wellsford Community Centre, 10am-2pm. Health professionals and community organisations, free entry. Info and stands: Contact Tania on 021 264 0424 or Facebook: Support Your Local Wellsford.
16 The Great Boat Protest, Bream Bay waters. 12-2pm. To protest against McCallums fast-track sandmining proposal. Subject to weather conditions (see story p4).
16 Settlers’ Market with artisans and stalls, 980 Port Albert Road, Wellsford, 10am-2pm.
19 Junior Rugby Muster, Tomarata Rugby Club, 5.30-6.30pm. Under 7s, 9s & 11 year olds.
20&27 Mangawhai Poker night at The Bunker, Mangawhai Central. Every Thurs. 6pm. $30 buy in. Event supports Mangawhai Heads Volunteer Lifeguard Service. All welcome.
21 Gibbs Farm Sculpture Park Forest Bridge Trust Fundraiser, Gibbs Farm, 2421 Kaipara Coast Highway, Auckland, 10am-2pm. Adult: $95 and Child (Students with ID and 16 or under): $65 Tickets: www.humanitix.com/nz
21&28 Mangawhai Bowling Club housie at The Club, every Fri, 11.30am-2.30pm. Raffles, refreshments.
22 Mahurangi Pasifika Festival, Mahurangi Hope Church, Warkworth
22 Opera in the Garden, Tahamoana Angora Goat Farm, 566 Cove Road, Waipu Cove, 3pm. Info: operanorth.co.nz (see story p16).
27 Mangawhai Chess Club outdoor game night for adult players, Mangawhai Heads public courtyard opposite Brewed As. Every Thurs 6.30-7.45pm Info: Request to join Mangawhai Chess facebook page.
29 Kids Fishing Workshop for beginners, age 8-12. Mangawhai Fishing Club, 9am -12pm. $100. To register email Nicky nicky@limitlessscaffolding.co.nz
29 Repair Cafe, Mangawhai Shed at the Domain, 9am-12pm.
6 Wellsford Kindergarten Fundraising Market Day, Wellsford Memorial Park. 9am-12pm. Second-hand goods, face painting, raffles. $20 per stall. Raffle donations from businesses and community very welcome. For information, message Kindy via facebook.
10 Gibbs Farm Fundraiser, Restore Rodney East, 2421 Kaipara Coast Highway. 102pm. Tickets through Humanitix or email facilitator@rre.org.nz
11&12 Molesworth Sheep Dog Trials - 75th Jubilee Trial, 616 Oneriri Road, Kaiwaka, daylight hours.; visitors welcome. Info: 09 431 2192.
12 Pahi Boat Club Fishing Contest, fish anywhere in the Kaipara, prizegiving 6pm. Tickets $25.
18-21 Book Fair, Mangawhai Museum. 10am-4pm. All welcome.
19 Waipu Easter Carnival, Caledonian Park. 9am-2pm. Food, live entertainment, and activities.
20 Mangawhai Muscle & Classic Car Club’s Easter Hop car show. Mangawhai Domain. 10am-2pm. $5 entry. Car registration $20. Kids entertainment, stalls, live music, Miss Hop competition.
Triathletes head for Kai Iwi Lakes
The Fireco Kai Iwi Lakes triathlon will be held on Saturday, April 12, featuring three different courses for adults and options for teams. There will also be junior courses for ages four years to 15 .The main course starts with the swim leg at the main lake followed by the cycle and run courses, which will include some significant hills. The majority of the run will be off road with each transition occurring at Pine Beach. This year introduces the inaugural Battle of the North, where triathlon clubs from the upper North Island will compete for the Kauri Shield. Both participation and podium points will be on offer with the winning club taking home the shield and other prizes. Categories (swim, bike, run) for adults include Try a Tri 100m + 10K + 2K, Short 350m + 10K + 3.5K; and Long 700m (or 1500m kayak) + 20K + 8.5K. For kids, 4-6 yrs: 50m + 2K + 500m; 6-10 yrs: 100m + 4K + 1.5K; 11-15 yrs: 150m + 8K + 1.5K. Info: https:// raceroster.com/events/2025/98544/fireco-kai-iwi-lakes-triathlon-2025
Cato Bolam Opens a New Office in Mangawhai
Cato Bolam is thrilled to announce the opening of its new Mangawhai office, bringing dedicated, on-theground expertise to local property owners, developers, and the community.
Leading the Mangawhai office is Survey Manager Brad Mowat, working alongside Simon Reiher (Director and land development expert) and Myles Goodwin (Planning and Environmental Director). Together, they offer tailored solutions for rural and residential developments of any scale.
“For over 20 years, Cato Bolam has helped shape Mangawhai’s growth, delivering key projects on Estuary Drive, Bream Tail Farm and Te Arai South Golf Course. Until recently, much of this work was managed from Whangarei, Orewa, or even local kitchen tables! Now, it has a dedicated home.” shares Simon.
Strengthening Local Connections
A Mangawhai local, Brad Mowat played a key role in establishing the office. “Mangawhai is a fantastic place to live and work, so setting up here made perfect sense. The response from businesses and residents has been incredible, and we’re excited to strengthen those connections.”
“Being local means we can meet face-to-face, pop out
to site, answer questions quickly, and keep projects moving efficiently,” continues Brad. “When timing is critical, having an office just down the road is a game changer.”
Navigating Changing Rules
With the Kaipara District Plan under review, Cato Bolam is ready to help locals understand the current and future planning rules.
“Many rural landowners want to balance succession planning or adding value to their property while preserving Mangawhai’s coastal and rural character,” says Myles. “We can help them explore their options under both the existing and new rules once they’re operative.”
The Cato Bolam Advantage Cato Bolam provides a fully integrated approach to land development, offering in-house expertise across planning, surveying, civil engineering, environmental management, landscape design, and architecture.
“What sets us apart is our ability to manage every aspect of land development under one roof. We’re committed to overseeing every detail to deliver successful outcomes for our clients.” says Simon.
Visit us in Mangawhai
Visit our new office at 1B Molesworth Drive. Call 0800 2 CATOBOLAM to book an appointment today.
From left to right, Tristan McArley, (Ecologist), Brad Mowat, (Mangawhai Branch Manager), Simon Reiher, (Director) and Myles Goodwin, (Planning & Environmental Director).
Oceans of talent at surf lifesaving festival
For the third successive year, a dedicated team of athletes from the Mangawhai Heads Volunteer Lifeguard Service competed in Oceans – Festival of Junior Surf Lifesaving at Mt Maunganui last month.
More than 700 young people from 48 surf lifesaving clubs attended the event, which was marking its 25th year.
Over four days, the juniors participated in a range of sport surf lifesaving events ranging from beach flags to run-swim-runs and water rescues.
Surf Lifesaving NZ national events manager Matt Cairns says Oceans provides an opportunity for surf club members aged between 10 and 14 to compete, challenge themselves, and celebrate the camaraderie of surf lifesaving.
Mangawhai’s junior surf coordinator Vanessa Fulton said the young people at Oceans were the surf lifeguards of the future.
“This is where a lifelong passion starts and where they learn the skills and resilience that will ultimately save lives,” she said.
The Mangawhai team was thrilled with its results over the four-day competition, taking home five medals in what is a notoriously tough ocean arena, with the big eastern bay clubs often dominating the field.
The Mangawhai Oceans team was Cameron Brown, Lily-Mae Holtzhausen, Bekker Pienaar, Lara Lay, Lola Wood, Ryder Sax, Jordyn Hollows, Dallas Fulton, Ane Pienaar, Ethan Purcell, Zoe Farmer and Inez Fulton.
Congratulations go to: Lily-Mae Holtzhausen – 2nd in U11 female beach sprint and 3rd in the U12 female board relay team; Lola Wood – 3rd in U12 female board relay team; Lara Lay – 3rd in U12 female board relay team; Ryder Sax – 1st in U12 male run swim run and 3rd in U12 male diamond; Inez Fulton – 1st in U14 female board race.
The Mangawhai juniors who competed in Mt Maunganui. Photo, Vanessa Fulton.
Lily-Mae Holtzhausen. Photo, Jamie Troughton.
From left, Jordyn Hollows, Dallas Fulton and Ane Pienaar. Photo, Jamie Troughton.
Oceans is the largest junior carnival of the season. Photo, Jamie Troughton.