About Kaipara District

Fire and Emergency New Zealand is responsible for fire control and issues fire permits in urban and rural areas. The Northland Regional Council is responsible for smoke nuisance. 

• If you want to know if it’s OK to light a fire, the Fire and Emergency website has a great online tool to help you figure that out. They’ll ask what you’re planning to do, where and when, and let you know whether you can go ahead.  
• You can also check whether you need to apply for a fire permit. 
• If you live rurally, check out their outdoor and rural fire safety guide. 
• If you have any questions or concerns about fire restrictions or fire permits, you can call Fire and Emergency directly on 0800 658 628. 

The council is made up of two parts working together: the elected members and the organisation responsible for carrying out the day-to-day operations. The Mayor and councillors are elected by the community every three years. They set the vision for the district and are tasked with decision-making on behalf of the district that they represent. The organisation carries out the vision and decisions made by the elected members, within the various Acts and legislation that Local Government operates under. 

You can keep up to date with this work here: 

• Kaipara Elected Members: Information and contact details for your local councillors and the Mayor. 
• Council meetings are held between Mangawhai and Dargaville. Our meeting calendar gives you the times, dates and agendas of upcoming meetings.  
• Keep updated with council happenings and information on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. 
• Have Your Say: This link shows you the current and upcoming plans, proposals and projects that affect our district. We want to know what you think – click through to have your say!  
• You can also register for the People’s Panel, which is a quick and easy way for citizens of Kaipara to help shape the District by taking part in short surveys. We encourage anyone who is interested in the future of Kaipara to join the People's Panel! 
• Visit our A-Z Council Services page to see a full list of what we look after throughout the district.  
• We also have an A-Z of Forms that you might need, as well as an A-Z of Documents, including all our reports, plans and policies.  

When you live in a rural district, it’s important to know where your closest health facilities are. There are often mobile health clinics travelling throughout the area – you can ask your local medical centre for more information. 

• There are medical centres in Kaipara that you can register or enrol you and your family in.  
• For general family health, visit the Te Whatu Ora website for Te Tai Tokerau/Northland. 
• In an emergency, phone 111.  
• If you would like over the phone health advice or guidance, you can call Healthline on 0800 611 611 at any time, day or night. If you have an after-hours issue that isn’t an emergency (like a suspected broken arm), call Healthline to work out where to go and when. Healthline might call a local doctor, send you to Whangarei or call an ambulance if it’s needed.  

Spanning from Mangawhai’s beautiful beaches on the east coast, to Dargaville and the amazing Kaipara Harbour on the west, our district offers something for everyone. You can cycle beautiful trails through bush, walk through the ancient Waipoua Kauri Forest, fish off Baylys Beach, windsurf or paddleboard on Kai Iwi Lake, or simply enjoy the relaxed pace of rural living. 

• Kai Iwi Lakes (Taharoa Domain) is a beautiful place to visit and explore – enjoy the jewel-like waters and surrounding walking tracks. 
• There are parks and public spaces across the Kaipara district. The Mangawhai Activity Zone is a great place for kids of all ages, with a skatepark, two pump tracks and playground, tennis court and football field.  
• Kaipara has a range of walking and cycling tracks, including the newly opened Kaihu Valley Trail. The Department of Conservation also lists local walks in the Dargaville area and Mangawhai. 
• There is a community pool located in Dargaville, the Kauri Coast Community Swimming Pool. 

Your rates are based on how your land is used (for example, residential, commercial, dairy, forestry),  on the valuation of your land (valuations were updated on 1 September 2020), and where the property is located and if targeted rates apply to that area. Kaipara District Council also collects rates on behalf of the Northland Regional Council, which takes care of wild animal and plant pest control, coasts and harbours, the sustainable use of land, air and water, land transport planning and more.  

• The easiest way to make regular rates payments is by direct debit. You can make your payments weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly or annually. We can help you set the direct debit up and do all the administration for you. You won’t have to remember to pay your bill and there’s no need for you to contact the bank or adjust your payments when rates change. We’ll give you plenty of notice and adjust your payments annually. You can contact our friendly team by phone 0800 727 059 or email revenue@kaipara.govt.nz if you’d like help with this. 
• We also make it easy to pay your rates online. You can also find information about rates rebates, updating your contact details and changing ownership of a property.  
• If you are unable to pay your rates on time, please email us at revenue@kaipara.govt.nz to discuss any payment arrangement that you might need. 
• To see how your rates help to fund our district, visit our Rates page and click the ‘What are your rates used for?’ dropdown – you’ll see a visual breakdown to show you where your rates go. 

Waka Kotahi provides up to date information about road closures across the district, both planned and unplanned. If you’re having power or Fibre issues, you can check the status of outages through the links below.  

• For information on road works and closures across Kaipara and beyond, check out the Journey Planner from Waka Kotahi. 
• Northpower operates the electricity grid across Kaipara. You can check the status of unplanned and planned electricity and Fibre outages online, or report an electricity fault in Kaipara to Northpower directly on 0800 10 40 40. 

Have your say on local issues!

We are a customer focussed organisation that values your feedback because it helps us improve our services. We also encourage you to get involved in helping us plan for the future of our community. 

You can share your views by responding to draft proposals and surveys, or attending council meetings. 

Rubbish collection in Kaipara is ‘user pays’, which means that you buy specific rubbish and recycling bags to leave outside your property for collection. If you live rurally, you might have a collection point where you can drop your rubbish bags.  

• Find your rubbish collection day using our online address search tool. We also have two refuse stations in Kaipara that are available for public use. 
• The rubbish bags (blue) and recycling bags (yellow) are available at most local supermarkets, petrol stations and dairies across the district.  

All dogs, including working (farm) dogs must be registered every year from the time they are 12 weeks old. The registration year for dogs runs from 1 July to 30 June each year, and your dog must be registered by 31 August. 

• You can register your dog online or in the Mangawhai or Dargaville offices.  
• The Dogs page on our website gives you information on dog registration fees, microchipping and what to do if you’ve lost or found a dog.   
• This map shows you where you can walk your dog in Kaipara. Enter an address or location, and you’ll see the places where your dog can walk on-leash, off-leash and where dogs are prohibited. 
• If you have encountered a problem dog (excessive barking, acting aggressive or attacking), you can report it to Animal Management by phoning 0800 10 58 90 at any time. 

If you’re having a council related issue; whether it’s a pothole, a potential hazard you’ve spotted, an issue with an animal, excessive noise or something else, we’d like you to let us know. Here is how you can report an issue to us:  

• The best way to report any council related issue is through our free mobile app, Antenno. You can download Antenno from the App Store for iPhones, or through Google Play on Android phones. Making a report is easy – you can add the address, photos and details of the issue, and receive direct updates as it is resolved.  
• If you have a roading issue or pothole that needs reporting, the best way to do this is through the Antenno app above. You can add the address, photos and a description of the issue for us to action.  
• If you’re having an issue with noise, read through our Noise Control page to understand what is considered excessive noise and how to lodge a complaint. 
• To report an issue with a problem dog (excessive barking, acting aggressive or attacking), you can call Animal Management by phoning 0800 10 58 90 at any time. 
• If you have questions about rules and regulations for other animals, such as stock, poultry and bees, you can call our Monitoring and Compliance Services Team on 0800 727 059. 
• To report other issues, you can use our online form, or for urgent matters, call us on 0800 727 059 at any time.  

Many properties in Kaipara have their own water tanks for personal use (including drinking water). We sometimes experience droughts during long summers, so conserving water is important. This applies to those on mains water supply, and is helpful for those with their own water tanks – these can run out in dry seasons!  

• If there are water restrictions in place, we will post information here.   
• You can collect and use rainwater for your garden, even if you're on mains water supply.  
• Conserving water can be a learning curve. Here are some tips and tricks for conserving water on your property.  
• If your water tanks are empty, there are local water trucks who can fill your tanks. Just to note: they get very busy in summer, so make sure to plan ahead and book them early. Use Google to find the local water tank suppliers in your area. 

If you have children to enrol in school, the link below will help you find the schools closest to you. Some schools may be zoned – you can contact the schools directly if you have questions. 

• There are a total of 23 primary, intermediate and secondary schools across the Kaipara district. You can find a list of all the schools and their websites and contact information on the Education Counts website.  
• Kaipara has one main library in Dargaville, and four community libraries across the district. 
• There are 14 Community Halls and sports complexes across Kaipara that can be hired for local events. These are owned and operated by each community, in partnership with the council. You can find the venue contact details here.  

The Kaipara District has its fair share of natural hazards and risks, which includes floods, droughts and landslips. It is important to be aware of the common risks in your area and be properly prepared in case of an emergency.  

• The Northland Regional Council has a great list of resources to check, including a Facebook page and audio clips of common siren sounds, so that you can easily identify a siren if you hear one.  
• Civil Defence has partnered with local communities to develop Community Response Plans in preparation for the risks they may face – flooding, tsunami, major storms, fires and more.  
• Civil Defence also provides great resources to help you develop a household plan to prepare for and react to an emergency.  
• The council also has information on our website on how to prepare for an emergency, what to do after, and the types of emergencies we may experience in Kaipara. 
• If you live near the coast, make sure to check tsunami evacuation zones in your area. Remember that tidal water can flow a long way up estuaries, so you may still need to get to higher ground even if you’re away from the coast.