Waipoua River Road closure

In October, Kaipara's roading team powered through 55% of necessary pre-seal works, in preparation for re-seals next year.

What does play look like for your whānau? Play Week Aotearoa is running from 26 October to 1 November.

Kaipara District Council has allocated over $50,000 through the Sport NZ Rural Travel Fund and Creative Communities Scheme – Arts Funding, benefiting 33 successful applicants in 2024.

Fourteen Kaipara residents marked a momentous occasion on Thursday 17 October, officially becoming New Zealand citizens in a special ceremony.

A draft Welcoming Plan for Kaipara is now open for community feedback until 1 November, 2024. 

Kaipara’s roading services were transferred to Downer Ltd on 1 July and the team have been busy recruiting, assessing the network and planning their works programme.

Kaipara District Council has awarded more than $480,000 to 32 local organisations through its 2024 Community Grant and Reserve Contributions Fund.

Shade sails are back up just in time for summer at parks across Kaipara! Every year, these sails are removed before winter for cleaning, maintenance, and storage, ensuring they’re in top shape for the warmer months.

A new strategy developed by Northland’s four local authorities looks to improve accessibility across the region, which has the country’s second highest rate of disabilities and impairments.

It’s Welcoming Week, an opportunity to make our communities more welcoming to all those who choose to call Aotearoa New Zealand home.

It’s official – starting Tuesday 20 August Mangawhai Library will provide the same professional, modern standard of services as the Dargaville Library.

Kaipara District Council and the Mangawhai Heads Volunteer Lifeguard Service have agreed a way forward to kickstart remediation and repair of the slip and surf club building.

Our roading team and contractors are carrying out slip repair work on Paparoa-Oakleigh Road (near Wairere Road), Mon 29 July to Fri 2 August.

It’s kick off time for the new loos at Pahi!

A new group of roading services contractors has been put in place to deliver road maintenance for Kaipara District Council. 

We made the most of June’s relatively dry weather, carrying out culvert placements and water tabling across the district.

Kaipara District Council and Whangarei District Council are developing a joint panel of contractors to complete the remaining emergency recovery repairs, helping to save money and time for both councils.

From 1 July Molesworth Drive southbound traffic will be diverted around Moir Point Road/Seabreeze Road for approximately three weeks.

A new delivery model for transportation services and roading construction across Northland has been confirmed following decisions made by Far North, Kaipara, and Whangarei District and Northland Regional Councils.

Kaipara District Council activated their Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) as a precautionary measure yesterday, after a Transpower tower fell near Glorit and blanket power cuts rolled across most of Northland, with no initial confirmation of when they could end.

Close to 100 people came together at the southern tip of the Pouto Peninsula to celebrate the opening of a new wharf in Kaipara.

Earlier projections of a 15.1 percent average rates increase for 2024/2025 have dropped following Kaipara District Council Long Term Plan (LTP) deliberations.

Teams are in full swing across both unsealed and sealed networks, preparing for the upcoming winter season.

New toilets are on the way for Baylys Beach, to provide safe and accessible facilities for the community and visitors. 

I am the proud patron of The Daring Trophy. The trophy is awarded to children who each year achieve noteworthy restoration of a sailing craft.

Long term plan hearings this week have given community members an opportunity to get up front and face to face with Kaipara District Council elected members.

Kaipara District Council staff are calling on the community to support them to promote respect and inclusion this Pink Shirt Day – and beyond. 

Molesworth Drive has been a hive of activity, with crew working on the third phase of the shared path spread across different zones.

Roading teams made the most of April’s dry weather, resurfacing 129,042m2 across the network and carrying out culvert replacements and water tabling.

Kaipara District Council contractors Ventia have completed another significant road repair, this time in Maungaturoto.

Commemorative ceremonies took place across Kaipara District on Wednesday in observance of ANZAC day.

Relatively dry weather in March enabled our roading team to push through our drainage maintenance and renewals.

A new online mapping tool developed by Northland’s three district councils shows the latest repair plans for the remaining slips still affecting district roads following severe weather events that hit the region during 2022-23.

We're ready to welcome visitors during the Easter break.  People from near and far will be enjoying Kaipara district's beaches, lakes and vibrant communities.

Kaipara District Council has gone to the open market for a new roading contractor as the current contract with Ventia comes to a close. 

Our team made the most of February’s mixed bag of weather.

Up to $10,000 is up for grabs in round one of Kaipara’s Rural Travel Fund for 2024. 

Kaipara District Council is grappling with compounding inflation and recovery costs.

Consultation for Kaipara District Council’s Long Term Plan 2024 – 2027 is scheduled for 4 April – 4 May 2024. In the lead up to the consultation period, Mayor Craig Jepson is encouraging everyone to get involved.

Devich Road bridge will close again from next week while contractors carry out final repairs.

January saw our teams commence routine spraying rounds, pavement repairs are full steam ahead and preseals and reseals are underway across the district.

State Highway 1 over the Brynderwyn Hills is now closed for crucial recovery works. Detour routes through the Kaipara district are open and operating.

A nationwide campaign to promote Northland during the Brynderwyn Hills closure is just kicking off and will run throughout the period of the closure.

Four Kaipara citizens have been recognised for their services to the community at the annual Kaipara Citizen’s Awards. 

Our Planners will be on hand to answer your questions general questions about development or subdividing, or talk to your Elected Members about what’s important to you.

Two bridges in Tangiteroria will undergo essential works this year to improve safety and restore full vehicle access, resulting in temporary closures on Omana Road and Pukehuia Road.

Our roading teams worked hard throughout December to prepare our roads for a surge in traffic over the summer.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) has confirmed detour routes and dates ahead of the upcoming closure of State Highway 1 (SH1) Brynderwyn Hills for critical restoration work.

Hundreds of people descended on Taha Awa Riverside Gardens on Tuesday 6 February to mark Waitangi Day with music, cultural performances, activities, kai, and community vibes at Waitangi ki Kaipara.

With the Brynderwyn closure fast approaching, we’ve been busy preparing detour routes for additional traffic.

Roading crews have made strong progress improving and stabilising the local alternative routes around the Brynderwyn Hills in anticipation of additional traffic due to the upcoming closure of SH1 Brynderwyn Hills. 

Visiting Kaipara’s hot spots this summer? Please park considerately or risk taking an infringement (fine) home with you. 

We are now into the final stretch of 2023 and are pushing hard to complete outstanding work before the end of the year.

An update on the Kaipara Cycle Network Connections project from Kaipara District Council Chief Executive, Jason Marris.

Are you a local food vendor, business owner, artist or creative? Come and be part of a community event to celebrate the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi – The Treaty of Waitangi!

Our population is expected to increase during the summer break, with people enjoying Kaipara District’s beaches, lakes, and vibrant communities. 

Despite the unexpected interruption from Cyclone Lola,October was a very productive month on roads across Kaipara.

Downer, our contractors, along with community volunteers (including Friends of Mangawhai Community Park) will be knocking back pest plants in Mangawhai Community Park.

We have now finalised the design for Wood Street. A huge thanks to everyone who has been involved over the years and through the design trials to get to this permanent design.

Another round of weather events, including ex-Cyclone Lola, has affected works on Poutō wharf and extended the completion date out to the end of the summer. 

More than half of the 71 slips still impacting Kaipara roads in the wake of multiple severe weather events that hit Northland earlier this year should be repaired by the middle of next year.

Summer holidays are fast approaching! During this time critical Council services continue, with some changes due to staff availability.

Repairs on Devich Road bridge are set to start next week.

More than 250 Ripiro Beach visitors stopped to chat with representatives from Council, local authorities, and the community over Labour Weekend.

UPDATED: 9.30am Tuesday 31 October 2023.

Your chances of surviving a heart attack are improved by as much as 45% - 50% if a defibrillator (AED) is used within the first 3 – 5 minutes.

Over the next two weekends, Kaipara District Council Elected Members and Council staff will be out and about attending markets around the district.

Kaipara District Council has adopted their Annual Report for 2022/2023. The report was unanimously adopted in the 25 October meeting.

We are only just on the other side of Winter and are already feeling the benefits of warmer and drier weather.

A recent decision by Kaipara District Council has given Fagan Place community housing tenants assurance on a way forward for new warm, dry, modern and healthy homes. 

The end of another winter gave us some much-needed sunshine and blue skies. Now with Spring upon us and the days getting longer, our focus moves to pavement works.

Twenty-one Kaipara residents were welcomed as new citizens at a ceremony in Dargaville. 

Soon, Dargaville and Te Kopuru locals will see little libraries popping up around the community.

We received 320 submissions from the community on proposed connectivity improvements between residential Dargaville and the town centre.

Northland’s three District Council roading teams are gearing up for a major resurfacing and road repair programme in the hope wet weather is set to ease.

Summer is on its way and it’s time to start preparing for a drought. Meteorologists are predicting a dry windy summer.

More than 900 voices from the east and west of Kaipara celebrated te reo Māori with waiata as the clock struck 12pm on Rāpare 14 o Hepetema (Thursday 14 September). 

The ‘Trifecta Development Area’ planned on the outskirts of Dargaville moved to the next phase after Kaipara District Council accepted the recommendations of the Hearings Panel on 30 August 2023.

A new collaborative project has arisen from the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle, which aims to build Northland’s resilience to future adverse weather events by tackling the problem of fallen and at-risk trees.

If you’re driving along the beach, keep to the harder sand below the high tide mark.

The rainy weather persisted through July, resulting in 949 new pothole reports. To tackle the pothole issue, we introduced an additional pothole truck to speed up repairs.

Council staff and contractors have been working on solutions to repair or replace Devich Road bridge, which was damaged in the 24 February extreme weather event.

Be a considerate neighbour and think about how your noise might affect those around you.

Work to repair a slip on Glinks Road is scheduled from mid-September to mid-December 2023. 

Tell us what you think about proposed connectivity improvements for Dargaville.

The unsealed network has remained a significant point of focus throughout this traditionally rainy month.

Please do your part to help make our communities safe and accessible by parking in the right spot when you’re out and about

From 1 July 2023, popular and new fiction books can be borrowed rent free through Kaipara Libraries.

The Kaipara District Mayoral Relief Fund gave out a total of $532,443.94 to residents and ratepayers in the Kaipara district.

Contractors working on the finishing touches for Poutō wharf have had to down tools until conditions are more favourable to complete the remaining piling and wharf head.

It’s been nearly six months since Cyclone Gabrielle, however we are still actively repairing damages and working through a substantial backlog.

Kaipara District Council Parks and Open Spaces team manage six of the district’s cemeteries and recently funded community-led work to repair the gates to their former glory.

The need to focus on continuing urgent road repairs due to ongoing wet weather and storm damage is delaying some routine maintenance on Northland’s council-owned roading networks.

Friends and family of the late Sibyl Canning gathered at the Moir Street Reserve to plant a kowhai in memory of Sibyl and her contribution to Mangawhai.

What do you want to see on the water tank at Moir Street?

Do you live in or love visiting Baylys Beach? Tell us what you think about a new playground for the settlement. 

Dargaville’s ANZAC Cinema is set to reopen on 1 July, in time for the start of the school holidays.

A huge shoutout to the Paparoa Cyclone Response Fundraiser Committee for their generous donation towards the Kaipara District Mayoral Relief Fund.

A new addition to Kaipara District library’s TUTU collection has arrived just in time for winter. The Home Energy Audit Toolkit (HEAT) helps assess energy efficiency and find ways to keep your home warmer, drier and cheaper to run.

This month, we have been primarily focused on clearing slips, performing tree and drainage works, and continuing with the unsealed rehabs program.

Over the next month, Elected Members and Council staff are attending community markets around Kaipara District.

There are a number of roads impacted after heavy rainfall throughout the district on Tuesday 9 May 2023.

Construction of the permanent upgrade for Wood Street will take place next year, after Council has signalled prioritising emergency works over planned projects for the upcoming Annual Plan 2023/2024.

February’s extreme weather events have impacted roads across Kaipara. Our roading network has suffered significant long-lasting damage, and many issues will not be a simple fix. 

At the April Council meeting Kaipara District Council staff presented the latest financial statements for the draft Annual Plan 2023/2024, alongside a projected rates increase averaging 4.98 percent across the district.

A healthy environment, prosperous economy and dependable roading are included in the community outcomes Kaipara District Council has set for the next few years.

Staff will explore options for a waste to energy plant after Elected Members supported a Notice of Motion at today’s Council Meeting.

Late last month a warm Kaipara sun shone on a group of farmers and growers keen to hear about a season of growing squash in Maunganui Bluff, north of Dargaville.  

Kaipara District Council is asking the community for feedback on proposed fees and charges for the 2023/2024 year.

Our roading team were kept busy all summer, responding to urgent roading issues following the extreme weather events we’ve had.

A number of agencies are offering support for those affected by February's extreme weather events.

Kellys Bay Recreational Reserve will no longer operate as a camping reserve.

If you’re looking for some activities for your kiddies in the holidays there are exciting things happening at Kaipara Libraries for the April school holidays.

The demolition of the Dargaville Town Hall (Northern Wairoa War Memorial Hall) annex may be brought forward, after recent weather events caused further damage.

The Ruawai Adaptive Pathways Community Panel is inviting the Ruawai community to help shape their planning by sharing local knowledge through an online survey or at a community drop-in session.  

If your home was damaged by Cyclone Gabrielle and you need support to find temporary accommodation, the Temporary Accommodation Service (TAS) can help you.

In a controlled opening, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency will re-open SH1 at the Brynderwyn Hills for northbound vehicles only from 8am tomorrow morning (Wednesday 1 March).

Contractors working on the Lang’s Beach bridge on Cove Road have encountered further challenges, delaying the reopening of the bridge until Wednesday morning.

I am not sure anyone would have believed me had I said we would have to contend with another extreme weather event during the on-going aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Authorities in Northland are advising travellers to stay up-to-date and amend their plans if necessary as key local roads damaged in Friday’s heavy rain around Mangawhai and surrounding areas will remain closed until midweek and in some cases, longer.

Everyone has now left the overnight accommodation centres at Campbell Park Christian Camp, Moir Point Christian Camp and the community-led centre at St John's Hall in Kaiwaka.

UPDATED: 2.18PM Thursday 02 March 2023

Kaipara District continues to respond to the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Kaipara District Mayor Craig Jepson has established a Mayoral Relief Fund to help support those affected by Cyclone Gabrielle.

After February's extreme weather events, you or someone you know, may be feeling upset, exhausted, overwhelmed or uncertain. You don’t have to manage this on your own, there are free resources available to support you during this time.

A number of Kaipara homeowners have had their houses stickered in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Media release from Northland Civil Defence.

Yesterday I was able to witness first hand some of the hard work that has been happening across the district to recover from Cyclone Gabrielle.

Our Rapid Response teams made good ground yesterday, conducting welfare checks on our isolated and hard-to-reach Kaipara communities, many of which are still without power.

After having no occupants overnight we have closed the Civil Defence Evacuation Centre at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church and relocated the team to other areas of the response.

UPDATED: 2.17PM Thursday 02 March 2023

A number of our staff have been diverted to emergency services relating to Cyclone Gabrielle. Council services will continue but some with limited capacity so please be patient. We will continue to keep you updated.

When you see the sun come out and the wind has dropped, it could be difficult to believe what we have experienced in the last few days.

In the early hours of this morning Awakino River on the northern outskirts of Dargaville breached its banks. 

It’s been a tough day, especially for parts of Dargaville, with Awakino River and some of Ruawai now being evacuated. By 7pm, high tide, we expect to have evacuated everyone from areas we think are vulnerable.

This is the second State of Emergency for Northland in two weeks. Again, as a precautionary measure, the State of Emergency was called early so we could be well prepared for Cyclone Gabrielle before it hits.

Now that the weather conditions have improved and we have passed the last couple of high tides we feel it is safe for those who have been evacuated to return home.

This article will be updated with information on Kaipara District Council services during Cyclone Gabrielle. 

A precautionary state of emergency has been declared for Northland as at 4.30pm Sunday 12 February, for an initial period of seven days, as part of the regional response to Cyclone Gabrielle.

Kaipara District Council is asking residents to mow their own roadside berms to keep Kaipara neighbourhoods tidy. 

This article with be updated as information on Kaipara's roading network is available. 

Salt services, a professional dive team, spent most of a day early last week pulling an old car wreck out of the water. The car had been submerged some years ago and was resting where work was starting on the wharf head.

Kaipara communities will soon see officers regularly patrolling freedom camping hot spots, offering education and increasing awareness of proposed new national freedom camping rules.

Our team worked hard throughout December, preparing our roads for the expected influx of summer traffic. 

Improvements to the Poutō Point carpark area can progress in 2023 thanks to further funding from Kaipara District Council.

On the final stretch of 2022, the team have been pushing hard to complete outstanding work before the end of the year. Work continues on both the unsealed and sealed networks in anticipation of the summer rush and the expected increase in traffic. 

The growing season for the Kaipara Water demonstration sites has kicked off with the Maunganui Bluff site planted out with squash earlier this week.

It’s been a busy month as the new Council gets its feet under the table. In November we agreed on the committee structures for the next three years, many of which remain the same from the previous triennium.

Northland motorists are being asked to be patient this summer as the Northland Transportation Alliance battles relentless wet weather while attempting roading repairs.

Kaipara’s population is expected to explode during the summer break, with people enjoying the district’s beaches, lakes, and vibrant communities. 

The four councils in our region are working together on a plan to make our communities more accessible to live, work, play and visit.

The popular free Mangawhai bus service is back for summer!  

The construction of Poutō wharf has really been trucking along recently, with another dozen piles driven in the ground last week.

Paparoa Village Green users can now picnic and play under brightly-coloured shade sails thanks to a collaborative effort between the Paparoa community and Kaipara District Council.

Summer holidays are fast approaching! During this time critical Council services continue, with some changes due to staff availability.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is encouraging people in Dargaville to get on their bikes with a Transport Choice programme grant of approximately $8,000,000 to be provided to Kaipara District Council, announced on 4 December 2022.

The Ruawai Community Panel gathered for the second time this year to take a guided tour of the Raupo Drainage Scheme.

Thank you to everyone who submitted feedback on the Exposure Draft District Plan. A summary of the feedback received is now available to view.

With the continued improvements in weather, we are now full swing into unsealed and sealed pavement works. We have approximately 50kms of road to reseal in the 2022/23 season.

If you live in Poutō or have gone for a drive down recently, you will have seen some of the wharf construction taking shape.

Kaipara District Council staff are working to install vehicle barriers at the end of Raymond Bull Road to prevent vehicles driving through wetland habitat to the protected coastline.

Consultation is now open on a proposal for new speed limits in Kaipara’s Poutō Peninsula and West Coast catchment areas. You now have until Monday 5 December to give your feedback.

Kaipara’s newly elected Council will be sworn in at 1pm on Wednesday 26 October at the Lighthouse Function Centre, Pou Tu o Te Rangi Harding Park.   

Our roading team made the most of the warmer, drier weather that came our way in September.

The preliminary results for Kaipara District Council elections are now available.

Progress results for Kaipara’s local government elections are now available.

You can soon give your feedback on proposed speed limits changes to Poutō Peninsula and West Coast roads. 

Dargaville Library will undergo a colourful makeover during the school holidays, thanks to local artist Micaela van den Berg. 

Physical works for Poutō wharf have begun. Earlier in the month, Waikaretu marae led a blessing ahead of construction starting.

Five Kaipara residents officially became New Zealanders at a Citizenship Ceremony held in Dargaville on Friday 16 September.

A chainsaw course for Dargaville High School students saw wattle and other pest plants removed from Old Mt Wesley cemetery.  

From today, voting packs for local elections begin rolling out to letterboxes across Kaipara.

Kaipara District Council has confirmed sunflowers and squash for the second growing season of the Kaipara Water demonstration sites.

August brought a welcome reprieve from the wild weather and storm events of July. A total of 3,100 individual work items were completed throughout August.

An update on the Kaihu Valley Trail including fencing progress, funding and latest finds along the trail.

A Mangawhai Wastewater Treatment Plant Advisory Group (MAG) is helping to guide a future strategy for the growing town’s wastewater disposal.

The Mangawhai Activity Zone (MAZ) Trust will soon start work on a new Flow Bowl and Street Skateboarding Plaza, following a grant from Kaipara District Council.

Two new community hubs move a step closer with Kaipara District Council opting to apply for the Three Waters Better Off Funding Package, provided by Central Government, to help fund them

Work to construct Poutō wharf is set to begin shortly.

Wild, wet and windy weather kept crews busy in July. A total of 3,358 individual work items were completed throughout the month. 

Thirty candidates are confirmed for Kaipara District Council’s local elections on 8 October.

Candidate nominations for Kaipara District Council have now closed.

Kaipara District Council is considering purchasing land in Mangawhai for future use as public sporting and recreational facilities and wants to hear what the community thinks.

If you are passionate about Ruawai and its future, the newly created Ruawai Adaptive Pathways Community Panel is looking for members just like you!

Council staff are asking the Kaipara community to report any antisocial behaviour around public facilities after a recent run of vandalism.

Kaipara District Council has approved the Exposure Draft District Plan for release, inviting the public to provide feedback. 

Seven Kaipara residents have been recognised for their outstanding contributions to the district’s citizens and environment at an award ceremony held in Dargaville. 

Around 30 people turned out to a meeting at the Lighthouse Function Centre in Dargaville to discuss the Draft Management Plan for Pou Tu o Te Rangi/Harding Park.

Maintenance activities have been widespread in June. During this typically wet period, there has been a focus on potholing, running metal and completing grading work.

Twenty-two community organisations have been awarded a share of $100,000.00 in the latest Kaipara District Council Community Grant.

Kaipara District Libraries will no longer charge fines on overdue items.

Visitors to Ruawai got a blast from the past at a four-day interactive expo that explored the landscape, people and traditions that have shaped the current community.

In May, we saw some great progress happening across the district. Sealed pavement rehabs are now complete, and the unsealed network has received the last of the PGF/IRG funding. 

Find out about the new wharf at an information drop-in session 3 July 2022. 

Artists, Sean Duffell and Thijs de Koning, spent three days at the Mangawhai Activity Zone (MAZ) in Mangawhai Community Park last week, adding a splash of colour and creativity to the space.  

A new Reserve Management Plan has been drafted for Pou Tu o Te Rangi, Harding Park and Old Mount Wesley Cemetery, which overlook Dargaville and the Northern Wairoa River.

The Ruawai-Raupō community adaptation planning project is underway and the project team from Kaipara District Council is organising the first community event in Ruawai.

Amendments to Kaipara District’s Speed Limits Bylaw were unanimously passed at the May Council Meeting, resulting in new speed limits in the Mangawhai – Kaiwaka (including Hakaru) and Kaiwaka West (including Oneriri Road and Oruawharo Road) areas. 

Down the road from the mighty Tāne Mahuta, a road-carpet was rolled out and lights set to green as the newly sealed 1.5km stretch of Waipoua River Road was opened for traffic.

Te Tai Tokerau councils celebrated a unique milestone in April after the adoption of New Zealand’s first region-wide climate adaptation strategy.

April’s relatively calm weather meant that Kaipara’s roading team could focus on jobs carrying over from previous months, and complete work on this year’s sealed pavement rehabs, unsealed heavy metal sites, and footpath kerb and channel renewals before the wet winter weather sets in.

Kaipara District Council has voted unanimously to adopt a ten year library strategy, paving the way forward for an equitable, modern library service.

Work is underway to implement new speed limits in the Mangawhai – Kaiwaka (including Hakaru) and Kaiwaka West (including Oneriri Road and Oruawharu Road) areas.

Projects to install new toilets in Mangawhai and Maungaturoto reached milestones recently, as the new facilities were delivered to their sites.

Elected Members have unanimously approved paying the forecasted $265,000 project shortfall for Poutō wharf, funded from the district’s financial contributions reserves.

Check out the latest happenings on the Kaihu Valley Trail progress, including the discovery of some railway artefacts.

There was a real sense of Groundhog Day in March, following on from Cyclone Dovi in February when the district was hit with a significant rain event. For Kaipara’s roading team, it was all hands-on deck with the clean-up.

On Monday 28 March, Mangawhai Community Park’s new toilets were formally opened with a blessing at the Historic Village.

Kaipara District Council is extending a stern warning to people who are parking illegally around schools and making it unsafe for young children.

Harvesting is underway across the Kaipara Water demonstration sites. 

Ongoing COVID-19 restrictions and other delays to the programme have inevitably slowed the Poutō wharf project, but the team have made progress and are now working through the tail end of the developed design.

At a recent Council meeting, staff gave an update on Gumdiggers Track and the work happening behind the scenes.

Work to build two new footbridges in Kaiwaka is entering its final stages. The footbridges provide a safer link for pedestrians to cross the river, improving connectivity for the Kaiwaka community.

A small number of people parking badly at schools around the district are making the area unsafe and obstructing lines of sight for other drivers.

Locals and visitors with their boogie boards, beach bags, skateboards and shopping bags piled on board the Mangawhai Village to Beach bus over summer, turning out in even greater numbers than previous years of the trial service.

At yesterday's Council meeting, the Kaipara District Council approved paying the forecasted $487,000 sealing project shortfall to complete Pouto Road Phase 1, from its retained earnings.

Kaipara roading teams have been putting their time to good use during the dry season, preparing for autumn when the damper conditions enable new road pavement to be properly compacted.

The truss is now up on the abutments at the north bridge, with physical construction of the boardwalk starting last week. 

Kaipara District Council’s recently approved new speed limits for the Mangawhai, Kaiwaka and Hakaru areas, are expected to take effect within the next few months.

Growth is the word of the day when it comes to the Kaipara Water demonstration sites. The summer months have seen the former grassed paddocks turn into a jungle of green activity on both sites.

The Northland Transportation Alliance’s (NTA) Unsealed Road Improvement Project remains on track to approved project milestones with 84.4 km’s of the network’s road pavement layering completed to date. 

Check it out! Our Mangawhai office now has a dedicated food scraps bin for the staff kitchen, thanks to Sustainable Kaipara and their Community Compost Collection Service.

Pouto Road phase one and Waipoua River Road will be completed in April, despite delays caused by wet weather in the Kaipara District post the Christmas break. 

Upgrades to numerous unsealed Northland roads are well underway, with a substantial amount of work to be completed by the end of June in the Kaipara District. 

The second season of road surfacing works commenced in the Kaipara District this month, after 14.4kms was completed in December 2021.

Representatives of the Pahi community met with Council at the wharf last week to work out where a new toilet block could go.

Across our district, our animal management officers have been out and about with owners and their furry friends

‘A breath of fresh air’ is how one industry professional describes the Kaipara District Resource Consents team since the Council made substantial improvements to their resource consent service.

A small gathering, a prayer and a blessing to keep workers safe marked the start of the work on-site for the Kaiwaka footbridges.

Construction for the Pahi wharf upgrade ended as it began months ago, with the sky lighting up slowly on the people gathered together. Voices joined in karakia and waiata, led by kaumatua Hone Martin and representatives of Te Uri o Hau swirled around the Kaipara harbour as a dawn blessing was performed to open the wharf’s gangway and pontoon.

The Kaipara District's roads continue to hold the right balance of moisture and dryness, which has allowed the NTA and Kaipara District Council to complete a lot of roading work this month, including grading on Avoca Rd, Avoca East Rd and Avoca North Rd.

With the border opening there will be increased traffic travelling through both of the worksites. Please remind your visitors ahead of their arrival that these are still active work sites in the lead up to the break – give your friends and family a heads up so they can be prepared for possible travel delays and can plan their journeys accordingly.

Kaipara District Council’s externally funded Unsealed Road Improvements Project remains on track with a little over half the project completed. Northland Transport Alliance Maintenance Lead Bernard Petersen says this includes just over 70 kilometres of unsealed surfaces upgraded.

Iwi Liaison Manager Jack Rudolph and Māori Advisor Missy Hokai joined the Council on 1 November, to strengthen a Te Ao Māori capability and viewpoint across the organisation.

Visitors to the Kaipara Water demonstration sites will spot the beginnings of green growth starting to peek through the soil.

Kaipara District Council has adopted a report recommending new speed limits in the Mangawhai and Kaiwaka area. The adoption of this report paves the way for the introduction of lower speed limits this financial year.

A tomo (sinkhole) recently appeared on Gordon Street in Dargaville.

As part of ongoing improvement of Kaipara’s unsealed roading network, the Northland Transportation Alliance is using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to confirm pavement thickness safely and rapidly across the district.

Work to install the Kaiwaka footbridges will start in early January and continue for around seven weeks. With it comes some great employment opportunities for local contractors.

Our Kaipara District Council team is excited to see the sealing start to roll out for Phase one of the Pouto Road project – the upgrade of the northern portion running down to Ari Ari Road junction.

November has been a busy roading month for the Northland Transport Alliance and Kaipara District Council, across the Kaipara District.

The $8.06M Unsealed Roading Network project that began in May last year, has crossed the halfway mark with completion of the first season’s physical pavement and associated works at a cost of $4.3M to end of October.

Sustainable Kaipara, with support from Kaipara District Council, announces the launch of Rising to the Challenge, a series of online conversations and in-person events that aim to start conversations on climate change. 

A blessing undertaken by Te Roroa last week marked the start of physical works on Waipoua River Road.

Extra low tides earlier this month allowed Huband Contractors to work on some of the timber repairs around the lower parts of the tidal stairs.

If you don’t already use Kaipara Libraries, we want to hear from you.  If you are one of our library users, we want to hear from you too.

Construction work for the new Poutō wharf will begin in 2022.

What would you like to see on the murals for two new public toilets in Mangawhai?

Creative Northland on behalf of Kaipara District Council will be the lead on public consultation to gather, analyse and prepare documentation of key findings that will inform a 10 year Arts, Culture and Heritage strategy for the Kaipara.

An onsite blessing will be held by Te Roroa on Friday 12 November to mark the start of construction on the $1.8m Waipoua River Road project.

Kaipara communities are to have a say on whether the Norfolk Pines in Pahi should remain protected or whether they can be removed, as part of the District Plan review process.

Baylys Beach access is back open for use.

As part of our Long Term Plan, we undertook to explore options to expand the capacity of the Mangawhai Wastewater Scheme to accommodate growth in the area and summer peak flows.

A total of $45,155.00 has been awarded in the latest funding round for the Mangawhai Endowment Lands Account (MELA).

There’s been significant progress on the Village intersection improvements recently. Night works have enabled the programme to see only a small delay in spite of the recent Level 4 lockdown and restrictions.

Earlier this month an extreme rain event at Baylys Beach, followed by periods of further wet weather, saw signifcant damage inflicted on the beach access.

The Huband crew have been working at the end of the wharf recently, preparing the connection for the new gangway, and replacing pile caps and stringers.

Animal management services continue to improve since the Kaipara District Council brought them back in‑house.    

Council is playing its part, helping lead the way, and supporting our communities to lower emissions and grow Kaipara’s resilience in a changing climate.

The public feedback period for the Discussion Documents as part of our District Plan review process has closed.

An update on wher ethe roading team will be working across Kaipara in October. 

It’s been a hive of activity down at the Pahi wharf recently. The upgrade has started with local contractors Huband carrying out the carpentry and repair work on the wharf.

Ngā mihi mō au korero whakahoki! 

Thank you for your feedback. We had a fantastic response to our recent survey asking for help to select one of the trial crops for Kaipara Water demo site two. The winner by community vote was kaanga ma.

A progress update on the Kaihu Valley Trail.

Fill has washed away from a Paparoa-Oakleigh Road bridge, leaving a large tomo.

Dawn broke over the land and water this morning, as Te Uri o Hau kaumātua Hone Martin led a blessing ceremony to begin construction down at Pahi wharf.  

Spring has sprung and so has action at our Kaipara Water sites. The project team is busy with planting plans and site preparation and now we need your help.  

Kaipara District Council (KDC) began consultation today on a proposed model of representation.

Want to stay connected with what's happening in Kaipara? Heard about Antenno? A free mobile app that sends you posts & alerts – and lets you report Council-related issues directly to us. 

A reminder to Have Your Say on our Discussion Documents, and some changes to our plans because of COVID-19.

Council and the Pou Tu o Te Rangi Joint Management Committee are preparing new reserve management plans (RMPs) for the Pou Tu o Te Rangi historic reserve and Harding Park (including the adjoining Old Mount Wesley Cemetery).  

The Council has awarded the contract to design and build the two Kaiwaka footbridges to Bridge It NZ.

While our libraries are closed during Level 4 and Level 3, online services are available and brimming with choice. eBooks, magazines and newspapers, audiobooks and more are on offer, and all free! 

As part of the District Plan Review, Discussion Documents are now out for comment.

Kaiwaka township has seen a number of safety improvements recently, with our team and contractors Ventia busy working along Kaiwaka-Mangawhai Road.

A progress update on the Kaihu Valley Trail.

A significant change in the programme for the much-needed Village intersection improvements will see the work finished in early December, ahead of schedule.

Construction to upgrade the Pahi wharf is set to start later this month.

Pouto Road Phase One and Two - what's been happening?

The United Civil team are starting to work in the road (Stage Two of their work staging plan), focusing on the area at the western entrance to the Moir Street / Insley Street intersection.

Winter weather has slowed the reconstruction work to upgrade our unsealed roads, but no time is being wasted. Teams are clearing vegetation and drains in preparation for when reconstruction work can start again.

Kaipara District Council has been awarded a grant from the Creative NZ Local Government Arts Fund to develop an Arts, Culture and Heritage Strategy.

Council has decided to make a stand by voting to oppose the recently granted Dome Valley Landfill resource consent, at the June council meeting.

A survey of Ripiro Beach users to understand their concerns relating to beach use received over 1,700 responses.

Kaipara District Council today endorsed a future-focused Long Term Plan (LTP) which aims to respond to a growing population while caring for the environment and keeping rates increases low. 

The Dargaville Library was blessed on Tuesday as it reopened its doors to the community.

An update on the Kaihu Valley Trail progress

Each year our Northland Transportation Alliance (NTA) safety team prioritises a number of high risk rural roads  for assessment, design, and safety improvements.

A total of $13,049.00 has been granted from the first round of the Rural Travel Fund to eight schools and sporting organisations across the district.

Construction work on the Mangawhai Village intersection improvements started this week. 

We are stoked to be part of an excellent collaborative project, trapping and assessing rubbish before it finds its way into our waterways and out to sea.

Nine infrastructure renewal projects are being rolled out across Kaipara District this year. 

The Kaipara Kai Hub team have been in the news a lot recently with all their peanut trial mahi!

Every year the Council surveys residents to see how we are tracking. 

Kaipara District Council has developed a new formula for unsealed roads that results in a more durable, and lower maintenance, surface.

A fresh, new, tikanga-based approach to organisational change, a new strategy designed to overcome the digital divide, and two examples of outstanding personal leadership have helped Northland councils scoop four awards available to local government managers.

We are so proud to support the ANZAC commemorations around our District. 

Some of Kaipara’s arts projects got a boost recently with $14,894.80 awarded in the latest Creative Communities Scheme funding round. 

A number of improvements have been made at the Kaiwaka end of Kaiwaka-Mangawhai Road. 

Ripiro Beach runs from the bottom of the Maunganui Bluff through to Pouto Peninsula.

A friendly reminder to take only photos and leave only footprints at the Taharoa Domain when exploring the wonderful jewel of Kaipara.

The Council will be reviewing its representation arrangements later this year and is calling for community feedback now before formulating any specific proposals.

Kaipara District Elected Members have voted in favour of a proposal to temporarily store the 157-year-old ship the Daring next to the Mangawhai Museum. 

We’re having some issues at the moment around bad parking behaviour at both Mangawhai Beach School and Dargaville Primary School

The first part of the Pouto Road sealing project is set to start this week from Wednesday 24 March, kicking off one of Kaipara’s most significant road sealing projects.

Gumdiggers Track is a walkway formed by the Mangawhai Recreational Charitable Trust (the Trust). 

Two footbridges are to be erected in Kaiwaka, parallel to State Highway 1 and crossing streams at the northern end of the township.

Construction work for the Pahi wharf upgrade is set to start April 2021.

Kaipara District Council has begun a review of local electoral boundaries to ensure our rapid growth is reflected in our elected representation and to accommodate a new Māori ward.

Two pōhutukawa trees have been poisoned by vandals in Mangawhai. The trees – approximately fifteen years old and growing on Council-owned coastal reserve – are exhibiting crown damage and other signs of herbicide poisoning.

Kaipara District Council is consulting on their proposed plan for the next ten years and Elected Members will be on hand to talk about it and answer questions.

Are you missing some stock? Our Animal Management team has collected some wandering sheep from Maungaturoto last week.

Kaipara District Council has laid out its vision for the next decade of development in its Long Term Plan (LTP) and is asking the community if they agree.

Earlier this month Rīpia Marae representatives blessed the site of Motu Wheteke, ahead of physical works starting at the quarry. Kaipara District Council contractors are preparing to reopen the site, primarily for the Provincial Development Unit-supported Pouto Road sealing project. 

Creative Communities Scheme is now open for funding applications. The funding is available to support a wide range of arts projects – previous recipients include Te Kopuru School for their Matariki celebrations and the Mangawhai Museum for their Winter Series.

The Kaihu Valley Trail is one section of the Ancient Kauri Trail that will be developed in stages and eventually link Ōmāpere, on the Hokianga Harbour, to the Mangawhai Coast.

Since our last update, the Kaipara Kai Hub team has been busy managing crop trials, engaging with local growers looking at crop diversification, and supporting the kick-off of local projects. The trial site at Te Roroa’s Kai Iwi farm is looking lush. 

Bad parking can endanger other drivers and pedestrians, particularly around busy shopping areas, parks, schools and beaches.

When Brian Armstrong and David Buttenshaw joined Fire and Emergency NZ as volunteers, they were both looking for the chance to give back to his community.

Kaiwaka footbridges will form part of the Kaiwaka walking and cycling network and will reduce severance caused by the state highway and rivers. 

If you want your berm looking immaculate it’s OK to mow it yourself if you want to.

After months of planning, the Wood Street revitalisation project really got rolling this month, with key changes implemented following the latest community co-design workshops.

A labour of love now blessed.

Kaipara District’s 2020 Citizen & Environmental Awards have been presented.

See the results from surveys and events we've undertaken recently as part of our Long Term Plan. 

Some Council services and offices will be closed over December/January.

Your next property revaluation is set to arrive in early 2021.

Kaipara District Council has been consulting the community about lowering speed limits in the Mangawhai and Kaiwaka area. 

The weather turned out and so did the people. The Marine Hall was buzzing recently during a community open day for the proposed Pouto wharf. 

Two proposed demonstration sites for the Kaipara Water project have been given the green light from Council, which will serve as real-life working examples of the best ways to irrigate high value horticultural crops.

How can we make Northland more accessible for people with disabilities, older adults, migrants, or families with young children?

Spring has been busy for the Kaipara Kai Hub.

Find out more about the new Pouto wharf at our upcoming community open day.

The beautiful stretch of weather we’ve been enjoying is great for the beach, but not for water supplies. Being wise with water at the beginning of the season can ease the pressures later on. Let’s streeeeeeech the supply as far as we can.

There’s been a lot of exciting mahi happening in Taharoa Domain recently. This year our Parks team and their contractors have planted more than 12,500 native trees as part of a regenerative planting plan and a successful pest cull has been undertaken around the Kai Iwi lakes area.

Fire Station cleared in Wood Street.

Council looking for feedback to help with the Long Term Plan.

Kaipara District Council is seeking feedback on proposals to set new speed limits in the Mangawhai and Kaiwaka areas, including the Mangawhai urban area. 

More than $180,000.00 has been awarded in the latest Kaipara District Council funding rounds for Reserve Contributions Contestable Fund, Rural Travel Fund, and the Creative Communities Scheme.  

Dargaville pontoon completion kicks off Kaipara Wharves project

Collaborative stormwater project kicks off with first LittaTrap installed in Mangawhai

The Kaipara District Council has passed a review of its accreditation as a recognised agency to conduct food verification with flying colours. 

Work is underway at Selwyn Park to upgrade lights.

Kaipara District Council has closed off parts of the Northern Wairoa War Memorial Hall (Dargaville Town Hall) at 37 Hokianga Road after an air quality test revealed mould in elevated levels in various parts of the building relating to ongoing water egress.

Work is progressing at pace, as a result of $2.87m recently allocated to Kaipara District from the Te Tai Tokerau Redeployment Package. A total of $9.32 million is allocated across Northland. The funding package through the Provincial Growth Fund is providing urgent economic relief for those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, by creating immediate work opportunities for local people and businesses.

Approval from the Provincial Growth Fund and the release of $2.8 million means Kaipara District Council can progress with sealing the second section of Pouto Road (Phase 2).

Kaipara District Council Elected Members opted in to the first part of a reform of the three waters system when they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the end of August.

Minister Shane Jones has announced $15 million for Kaipara District Council for shovel ready infrastructure projects

Construction work for the new Dargaville pontoon is set to begin next month. The work is part of Kaipara KickStart, an umbrella programme led by Kaipara District Council and funded by the Provincial Growth Fund, to grow the district’s economy and increase community wellbeing.

Business and community groups affected by Covid-19 lockdown are benefitting from support offered by Kaipara District Council.

More than $122,000 has been awarded in the latest Kaipara District Council funding rounds for Community Grants, Rural Travel Fund, and Creative Communities Scheme.

An online talk with NIWA, Plant & Food Research, and Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research will present valuable climate and soil research for the district’s landowners. 

Approval from MBIE on the Kaipara Water Transport Network and Wharves Feasibility Study and Programme Business Case means the Council can embark on the next stage of the project.

Treat water like gold.