Hauraki District Council | News Page

Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori is a time to celebrate our Māori language. Whether it be just a kupu (word), or rerenga korero (a phrase), let’s get started!

Tourism is on the rise in the Hauraki District and a new strategy and action plan adopted by Council last week aims to ensure it is managed in a sustainable and holistic way.    

Hauraki District Mayor John Tregidga will retire with a smile on his face after new rules making it easier to subdivide and build new houses were signed off by Council this week. 

Twenty-four people have thrown their hats in the ring for this year’s Local Government Elections in the Hauraki District.

Hauraki District citizens and young achievers were celebrated in style during an evening of glitz and glamour on 14 August.

Waihi is a finalist for the second year in a row for the title of Most Beautiful Small Town in the Keep New Zealand Beautiful Awards.

Visitors will soon be able to cruise into Paeroa by riverboat in a $1.1 million development aimed at boosting tourism in the Waikato town. 

On your marks, get set…

With just over a week left before the starting gun goes off on this year’s local election race, Hauraki District candidates are slowly stepping up to the starting line.

Free driver refresher courses are on offer throughout the district for over 60s.

Two aspiring young politicians are holding a fun event in Waihi to encourage more youth to enrol and vote in the October local government elections.

Open day to show Paeroa’s new floodgates in action

Many public places in the Hauraki district are now smokefree and vapefree. 

Hauraki District Council will take urgent action on climate change.

With the exception of a pre-hearing meeting with Iwi and others who submitted on Maori cultural values, Kaimai Windfarm Ltd has decided against its planned topic-based, pre-hearing meetings, having offered submitters one-on-one meetings about its proposed wind farm project instead.

Kerepēhi business Quinn Engineering has outgrown its current site so are currently building a new, purpose-built, 1000 square metre premises at the Kerepēhi Industrial Park.

Applications for funding assistance to local arts projects and initiatives within the territory of the Hauraki District Council are now being received for projects that take place between 1 April 2019 and 30 March 2020.

Visitors to Kaiaua will have a top spot to stretch their legs, skip some stones, and munch on their lunch, thanks to a government contribution announced at the weekend. 

A group of inspiring young leaders is changing the face of local government.

Single-use plastic will be public enemy number one in the Hauraki District during July. 

Making the most of business opportunities associated with the Hauraki Rail Trail was on the menu for discussion at the third Business Bites event organised by Evolve Hauraki.

Hauraki District Council’s two new 4000m3 treated drinking water reservoirs at the Kerepēhi Water Treatment Plant will soon be up and running.

He may have retired from motor sports, but twice World Touring Car champ Paul Radisich is still ahead.  

It might be world famous in NZ for its giant bottle, but developers Tim Bartells and Jenny Wilson saw a lot more than that when they decided to invest in the town of Paeroa.

Every three years we put together a Long Term Plan that sets out what we intend to do, and how much it will cost, for the next ten years.

We’re concerned some of our ratepayers could be missing out on hundreds of dollars of savings on their rates bill per year because they haven’t applied for a rates rebate.

Ngatea Library and Service Centre will stay in the existing council building at the current site. 

Smoking and vaping in some outdoor areas and at some public events in the Hauraki District could soon disappear into clear air, if proposed new rules come into play.

Putting the weekly rubbish bag on the kerb will soon cost a little more as the cost of getting rid of waste increases. The cost of pre-paid yellow household refuse bags and rubbish disposal charges to its Refuse Transfer Stations will increase from 20 May 2019.

Hauraki District Council’s $4.4 million Kaimanawa drinking water supply project near Hikutaia is underway.

Nominations are now open for the Hauraki District Council Citizen & Young Achiever Awards.

Plans to build the 10km stretch of Hauraki Rail Trail from Kaiaua township to Pūkorokoro Miranda will be rolled out to the community at a drop-in session in Kaiaua this weekend.

Hauraki District Mayor John Tregidga has slammed the decision by Land Information Minister Eugenie Sage to block OceanaGold’s application under the Overseas Investment Act to buy land for the purpose of extending its long term operations at Waihi.

Hauraki District ratepayers will see some changes to their rates after 1 July 2019.

The Waikato Councils supported by Waikato LASS (Local Authority Shared Services) have now launched the Waikato Data Portal as a public platform to share our data.  We believe that knowledge is power and that by working together to make our data free and open it will promote progress, unlock innovation, and by its creative use, result in economic value for our region.  The Waikato Data Portal will allow external agencies and members of the public easy access to council’s open datasets which can be searched, reviewed and downloaded in a variety of formats.

Hauraki District Mayor John Tregidga will soon be opening a can of worms in Waihi Schools.

About 80 people enjoyed visitors from the future on April 16 in an event designed to continue the conversation about the future of the Ngatea Library and Service Centre.

The Waihi Ward is supporting two Waihi College students to represent Waihi at the United Nations Aotearoa Youth Declaration.

The number of councillors in the Waihi Ward will increase from four to five, while the Paeroa and Plains Wards will remain the same at four each, with no community boards.

Hauraki District Mayor John Tregidga is keen for council to sign up for a proposed sustainable living community education programme.

Deputy Mayor Toby Adams invited the Ngatea Library Group to a meeting at the Ngatea Service Centre on Friday 5 April. 

Business investment in the Hauraki District has more than doubled in the last year, and people are spending more too.

You can’t choose your in-laws, but you can have a say on your bylaws. 

Eleven Orchard Road is now officially off the table as a possible site for a proposed new library space in Ngatea.  At its meeting this week the Council resolved that the site will not be considered as a potential spot for future Plains Ward library services.

It’s time. With those simple words Hauraki District Mayor John Tregidga yesterday announced he won’t throw his hat in the ring for the top spot at the upcoming elections in October.

There are a number of ways people in the Hauraki District can show their support for the families and friends of those who lost their lives in Christchurch, and for our Muslim communities.  

The Independent Assessment Board that oversees Local Government Excellence Programme CouncilMARK™ today described Hauraki District Council as “a small Council doing big things” and awarded it an A rating, citing a stand out performance in governance, strategy and engagement with the community.

Work by local contractors on a new cycling/walking track around the edge of the Hugh Hayward domain is happening this week and should be complete by Friday.

Council supports local businesswomen's plan to end period poverty in the Hauraki District.

The Total Watering Ban has now been lifted 

The Council is toughening up on littering and illegal dumping in the Hauraki District. 

Submissions are now closed on Kaimai Windfarm Ltd’s proposed wind farm project.

The Council is going back to square one on its proposed plans for a new library and community hub in Ngatea. 

The staff report read at the Whiritoa Community meeting with HDC is available to view on our website.

The Ministry for Primary Industries today issued a public health warning against collecting shellfish in the Bay of Plenty/Waikato region from Te Ororoa Point, just north of Tairua, down to Bowentown Heads but not including Tauranga Harbour. 

Waihi 17-year-old Joshua Mason never wanted to be a fireman or astronaut when he grew up. Instead, he always dreamed of being a politician

For safety’s sake, only rubbish bags, crates and wheelie bins left on the ground next to the kerb on the morning of the collection day will be picked up by our contractor Smart Environmental.

A heavy rain warning has been issued for the Coromandel Peninsula from 2pm today until 6am tomorrow and our Civil Defence team is urging motorists to travel with care, expect delays, and keep up to date with information on the weather and the roads around the district.

A year on from the storm event that hit the Kaiaua Coast, including Pukorokoro/Miranda, Hauraki District Council has taken a major step forward in finding a long term strategy to managing coastal hazard risks, including sea level rise, in the area.

Further mine development in Waihi has been given the green light following the Project Martha hearings

Earlier this year we went on a road trip and asked for your feedback on the route we will navigate for the next ten years. Among other things, we presented some options to you for the future of Ngatea library.

We’re looking at whether we should work towards a smokefree district where people are encouraged to be smokefree in our public areas and at public events we put on. What do you think?

The Annual Report details the Council's performance for the year 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018 and reports against the third year of the 2015-25 Long Term Plan.

Changes in the rules around residential swimming pools mean we now have to inspect more pools, more often, to make sure they are safely fenced.

Did you participate in ShakeOut? Remember the right action to take during an earthquake is Drop, Cover and Hold - and plan in advance for a tsunami hīkoi (evacuation) if in a coastal area.

A local community group presented a business case to open a reuse centre in the Hauraki District and received a unanimous thumbs-up from the Council. No request was made for funding, but it was acknowledged this would most likely be on the cards in future.

You may have noticed we've stopped mowing some roadside berms in Waihi.

Congratulations to all our Hauraki-Coromandel Business Awards finalists and winners.

Paeroa’s iconic Battle of the Streets may be gone, but Hauraki District Mayor John Tregidga says its enormous contribution to the town will not be forgotten.

New Quotable Value (QV) figures show residential and lifestyle property values in the Hauraki District have risen sharply over the last three years.

Paeroa Domain public toilets will be reopened between 6am and 9pm every day from today. 

Hauraki District Council customers might notice a change in the way they’re greeted from next week. 

Already known as the town with a heart of gold, Waihi is now in the running for a new claim to fame as New Zealand’s Most Beautiful Small town. 

Last week Minister Jones spent time with all three district Mayors to hear what sort of projects could benefit from investment from the Provincial Growth Fund, which has $1 billion per year in its coffers over the next three years, to drive economic benefits in the provinces.

Work to switch most street lights in the District to new state-of the-art LED lights is underway

Kaimai Wind Farm Limited has lodged a resource consent application with Hauraki District Council and Waikato Regional Council for a proposed wind farm at the northern end of the Kaimai Ranges at Tirohia, near Paeroa.

News the government will pick up the $214,330 tab for repair work on a storm damaged section of the Hauraki Rail Trail has put an early spring in Mayor John Tregidga’s step.   

The recent flurry of fibre-related activity on Waihi residential streets is a particularly welcome sight for Councillor Austin Rattray. A member of former community group Connect IT Hauraki, he’s been on a mission to get ultrafast broadband into Hauraki communities since 2015

Kaimai Wind Farm Limited has lodged resource consent applications with Hauraki District Council and Waikato Regional Council for a proposed wind farm at the northern end of the Kaimai Ranges at Tirohia, near Paeroa.

Describing herself simply as a mother and worker who cares, Ngatea woman Marie Holtham is on a mission to see her home town lead the way in the war against plastic.

OceanaGold (NZ) has lodged resource consent applications with Hauraki District Council and Waikato Regional Council for further mine development in Waihi. The applications, which will be processed jointly by the two Councils, cover the proposed Martha Project announced by the company in March this year.

A tomo that opened up on Trig Road South, Waihi, last Tuesday evening (19 June) also opened a can of worms that the Council has spent the last week investigating and repairing. 

More people can now sit up and take notice of Paeroa thanks to separate donations from Paeroa community identity Norm McMillan, and Paeroa Rotary.

The reality of having your home flooded is difficult to understand unless you have been through the experience. Know how to prepare before what never happens, happens.

The Waihi community will be the first in Hauraki to be able to connect to Ultra-Fast Broadband as Chorus begins rolling out their fibre network next week.

The Morgan Park Recreation and Community Centre rolled a step closer last week when the netball pavilion was moved
from its former site to greener pastures.

The future looks brighter than ever for Hauraki District thanks to a funding boost from NZ Transport Agency. Over the next few months most street lights in the District will be converted to new state-of-the-art LED lights.

The Hauraki Rail Trail Charitable Trust welcomes the Government’s announcement of co-funding to complete the Hauraki Rail Trail.

Ten years ago he was made to scrub his drawings from the old Paeroa skate bowl. Today he’s being paid to paint a mural at the town’s new skate park at Railway Reserve.  

The Waihi community will be the first in Hauraki to be able to connect to Ultra Fast Broadband as Chorus begins the roll out of their fibre network in May this year.

When it comes to business activity, Councillor Ross Harris predicts an exciting ride for Hauraki over the next few years. Recently taking the wheel as Economic Development Subcommittee Chair he’s keen to build on progress made by Deputy Mayor Toby Adams, who held the position for six years.

Property owners considering raising the floor level of homes or buildings following coastal flooding in the Kaiaua Coast area in January now have one less thing to worry about.

The Council has asked the new government to consider home owners in Waihi before finalising its proposed Overseas Investment Amendment Bill.

The Mayor paid a surprise visit to Waihi East School last week to present Deputy Principal Rachael Coll with a special award for her contribution to local Matariki Celebrations.

The Government will pitch in and pay $215,830 towards toilet and wastewater improvements at Karangahake Reserve.

Civil Defence Minister Kris Faafoi announced today that the Government will contribute $15,000 to the Hauraki District Council Kaiaua Coast Disaster Relief Fund.

Traffic is flowing smoothly through a former bottleneck near Paeroa’s big bottle, thanks to the installation of a temporary roundabout.

Resource consent to create 43 residential lots on part of the former Paeroa Racecourse has been granted.

An application to create 45 residential lots on part of the former Paeroa Racecourse is currently being processed by Council.

Adopted on 28 September at the last Council meeting of the previous Council, Hauraki District Council’s new Economic Development Strategy was presented to Prime Minister John Key on Wednesday last week during his visit to Allied Faxi New Zealand Food Company, the District’s new Chinese-owned ice cream factory at Kerepehi.