Back to Blog

Kaipara average rates increase down to 3.9 percent

Kaipara District Council has agreed to reduce the proposed rates increase for the upcoming year, easing pressure on households facing ongoing cost-of-living challenges.The decision, made at an extraordinary council meeting on Thursday 4 June, lowers the projected average rates increase from 7.9% to 3.9% (after growth) for the upcoming year.Kaipara District Council Mayor Jonathan Larsen said the move responds to the multiple financial pressures many Kaipara households are experiencing.“I raised...

Cames Road upgrade completed - goodbye Goat Track

Work to build resilience into the middle section of Cames Road, Mangawhai is now complete. Elected members met with contractors, staff and local residents today to celebrate the completion.The project involved replacing the historic three metre wide, single-lane steep hill section with a new six metre concrete road across a distance of 400 metres.Council included this project in the Long Term Plan 2024–2027 to solve long-standing concerns from residents about traffic, safety and access on the ...

Dargaville Lion's Club 60th anniversary luncheon

I had the privilege of attending the Dargaville Lion's Club 60th anniversary luncheon at Dargaville Rugby clubrooms today along with Deputy Mayor Gordon Lambeth.The club was officially chartered 13th October 1965. In attendance today were two founding charter members Paul Younger and Nick Puharich QSM. Nick is still an active member of the club to this day.The club is active serving the community with local and regional causes such as rescue helicopter fundraisers, school prizegivings, and other...

Fixing Huarau Road culvert

I had an interesting visit to the site where the rebuild is set to begin on Huarau Road, with crews preparing to restore a major culvert just west of Ford Road. The culvert was badly damaged during severe weather events in 2025. Initially, one lane of the road remained open, but ongoing ground movement eventually caused the road to collapse completely, forcing a full road closure. The extent of the damage meant the roading team needed to carry out further ground investigations and redesign the r...

Upgrading Kaipara's water supplies

This morning I had the privilege of cracking the hydrant to celebrate the replacement of 825 metres of watermain pipes in Maungatūroto from Griffin Road down Gorge Road to Matai Drive.The new watermain pipes will improve the performance and reliability of our water supply network and reduce the frequency of breaks and emergency repairs. The works started in late February and finished two weeks earlier than planned. Thanks to contractor Northern Pipe and Civil for doing a great job.Looking ahead...

Mangawhai Heads surf beach carpark extension

I had the pleasure of turning the sod to mark the commencement of the Mangawhai Heads surf beach carpark extension this morning accompanied by Kaiwaka-Mangawhai councillors Craig Jepson and Luke Canton.The project will extend the Mangawhai Heads carpark at the surf beach. The extended carpark will address the demand for parking at one of the most popular destinations in Kaipara – which averages nearly 3,000 vehicles per day during the summer period. It will create more parking spaces...

New Pahi playground build commencement

I attended the commencement of the new Pahi playground build this morning, Pahi sure turned on a beautiful winter's morning for the event.Spread over 350m2, the new playground is designed to be safer, more accessible and packed with opportunities for imaginative play, the new playground – to be located near the current site, replaces the existing play area and will make room for essential water infrastructure for the public toilets.The new playground has been designed to suit a wide range of a...

Tinopai Resource Management Unit visit

Last week I had the privilege of my second trip to Tinopai in as many weeks.This time we were hosted at Ngātai Whakarongorua Marae by Mikaera Miru and Mina Henare of the Tinopai Resource Management Unit (RMU).Mina and Mikaera gave a thorough presentation about approaches to collaborative environmental stewardship and issues affecting Tinopai, its waterways and the Kaipara Harbour.Also in attendance were NRC Chair Pita Tipene, NRC Councillor John Blackwell, Otamatea Ward councillors Denise Roger...

Te Kopuru stopbank update

The final stop on the programme for Minister Jones' visit was at the Dargaville to Te Kopuru stopbank works site which is making great progress.This project is being delivered by Te Tai Tokerau Water Trust. The existing stopbank between Dargaville and Te Kopuru does not have sufficient height or resilience to provide adequate flood protection. The project is strengthening and raising the height of 9.2 km of the 11.7 km stopbank, including reconstruction of floodgates and associated drainage infr...

Fixing Tinopai Wharf

Yesterday we had the privilege of being visited by Hon. Shane Jones who joined us for a tour of some key infrastructure projects in the district.He is the Minister for Regional Development, Oceans and Fisheries, and Resources, and the Associate Minister for both Resources and Energy, and is therefore a busy man. We are very grateful to him for making himself available for Kaipara. Many of the positive projects we see being completed across Kaipara are the result of Minister Jones' engagement wit...

G Canal floodgate Official Opening, Raupō Drainage Scheme

Stage two of Sunday's infrastructure tour was the official opening of the G Canal floodgate.  At this event we were honoured with the attendance of not one but two MPs with both Kaipara local and keen supporter MP for Northland Grant McCallum, and Minister Shane Jones who was instrumental in securing the funding for Kaipara along with numerous other Kaipara projects over many years.After a blessing from Haki Toka of Te Uri o Hau, speeches from the gathered dignitaries, and the cutting ...

Cames Rd works commencement - goodbye goat track

Elected members and Council staff and contractors caught up with Cames Rd residents yesterday to to discuss the imminent upgrade to Cames Rd.The design will provide a 390m long 6m wide concrete roadway from adjacent to number 372 at the Lawrence Rd end all the way to the next concrete section to the east. Construction will be carried out by Shane Cullen Contracting and is scheduled to commence on Monday 4 May. With favourable conditions the project is expected to take about five weeks. This is a...

Mangawhai Heads Volunteer Surf Lifesaving Club building official re-opening

I had the privilege of attending and speaking at the Mangawhai Heads Surf Club building re-opening this morning.The original surf club started in 1963 with a tin shed up in the vicinity of what is now the car park. I had the pleasure of discussing this with life member Dave 'Haggis' Chisholm who was involved back at the start. The main surf club building was built in 1969 and then renovated in 2012. Following the devastating rockfall in 2023, the surf club team have innovated and worked extremel...

Maungaturoto Edible Village Project

I had a fascinating tour of the Maungaturoto Edible Village Project yesterday hosted by Josie Gritten and accompanied by Deputy Mayor Gordon Lambeth, and Otamatea Ward councillors Mike Schimanski and Denise Rogers - Councillor, Otamatea Ward, Kaipara.Josie is creating an amazing array of permaculture gardens around Maungaturoto with fruit trees and associated allied plants that will be available to the community to use.The first site we visited was by the centennial hall and planted in June 2025...

ANZAC Day 2026

There were nine different ANZAC ceremonies across the district at around the same time. Thank you to all of our Councillors who represented Council in paying our respects at the ceremonies.First up I attended Mangawhai's Alamar Crescent Dawn Parade down by the estuary which was blessed with fine weather and very well attended. Thanks to David 'Haggis' Chisholm for again organising an outstanding event.I then attended the Dargaville Civic Ceremony at the band rotunda by the river where I laid a w...

Selwyn Park parking and safety upgrade

Went to check out the nearly completed parking and safety improvements with Deputy Mayor Gordon Lambeth and Joesephine Nathan - Kaipara District Councillor yesterday. The project started onsite in December 2025 and included removing the unsafe State Highway 12 access, putting in a new vehicle entrance from Carrington Street, building new paths and parking areas, improving drainage, and adding fencing. The project main contractor is Red Dell. Fencing contractor is Awakino Contractors. There is st...

Victoria Street works completion

I had the pleasure to catch up with the Harrison Contracting Ltd and Downer NZ crews yesterday as they near completion of the seal and drainage works in Victoria Street, Dargaville. I was joined by Deputy Mayor Gordon Lambeth and Joesephine Nathan - Kaipara District Councillor.The purpose of these rehabilitation works are to strengthen the road pavement and improve its storm water drainage.This is a unique site. Investigations revealed that old seal situated about 200mm below the existing surfac...

Ellen Street improvements

Great to see the works commenced yesterday to sort out the scouring down the side of Ellen Street.About two years ago, a footpath was installed on the western side of the road, along with a grass swale to take the surface water from the road. Prior to this project, the road edge was continually being scoured away by the surface water coming down the hill and washing aggregate into the intersection with Wood St.The project addressed the issue of the side of the road being scoured away. However, a...

Collaboration for the benefit of Mangawhai

I had the privilege of being invited to meet with Northland Regional Council who held their meeting at Mangwhai yesterday.We collectively met with Karen Thompson and Doug Lloyd of the Mangawhai Harbour Restoration Society to discuss the issues facing the distal spit and the wonderful work the society is doing to strengthen the spit and keep the harbour navigable.We then went to the Heads beach to discuss the deterioration of the rock groyne out to Sentinel rock, and how we can work together on a...

Meeting of the Chairs

I had a great catch up with Malcolm Welsh Chairman of the Te Uri o Hau Settlement Trust Board along with Joesephine Nathan - Kaipara District Councillor this week.We discussed matters of common interest including education, economic development and papakainga housing.I look forward to continuing this dialogue and working on opportunities of benefit to Kaipara...

India-NZ Free Trade Agreement meeting

Earlier this week I attended an information session in Whangarei about the opportunities arising from the recently signed India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement.The meeting, hosted by NorthChamber was chaired by the Consul General of India Dr Madan Mohan Sethi, and featured presentations from businesses in India setting out the many trade opportunities arising from the recently signed agreement. Further details are summarised in the image accompanying this post.This is my second meeting with Dr ...

Kaipara Education Project

There was an excellent turnout at the launch of the Kaipara Education Project at Dargaville Intermediate School this week.The meeting, convened by Ian Margan of Mangawhai and chaired by Dargaville community leader and Warioa Ward Councillor Snow Tane, received a expertly prepared presentation from Professor Doug Sutton. Also in attendance were MP for Northland Grant McCallum, Deputy Mayor Gordon Lambeth, and Councillor Craig Jepson.Professor Sutton described from his in-depth knowledge and exper...

Citizenship Ceremony

I had the pleasure of presiding over the Citizenship Ceremony for 29 new Kaipara Citizens held at the beautiful Mangawhai Golf Club yesterday.Having been led into the ceremony by Naval escort Lieutenant Commander Michael Smith, I witnessed the recitation of oaths or declarations from each of the new citizens before an audience of friends and family. Rachael Williams - KDC Councillor Kaiwaka - Mangawhai Ward was also in attendance to welcome our new citizens.The new citizens originated from all a...

Good news for Cames Rd - goodbye to the goat track 🐐

Council has this week approved and awarded the contract to rebuild the under-engineered middle section of Cames Road.  In early 2025, Council considered a longer and flatter road alignment to replace the 60m narrow concrete hill, making the road at least 6m wide. This alignment was 250m long and would have been sealed over its length using non-subsidised funding. The costing of that design came back at $1.2 million which we considered to be excessive. Delays meant that the 1 April deadline ...

Maungaturoto Volunteer Fire Brigade honours night

I had the pleasure of attending the Maungaturoto Volunteer Fire Brigade honours night yesterday and 50 year medal celebration for Senior Firefighter Neil Searle.Honours awarded were -3rd silver bar 11 years Mike Schimanski4th silver bar 13 years Eli Antunovich6th silver bar 17 years Michael Tovine7th silver bar 19 years Jody Bennetto8th silver bar 21 years Matt Browne8th silver bar 21 years Mark Guy1st gold bar 27 years Greg Holst2nd gold bar 29 years Richard Bell3rd gold bar 31 years Darryl Nee...