Kaipara's April roading report

Dargaville Library will close for 3-4 days (weather dependent) for repairs to the roof.

A temporary health warning is in place at Mangawhai estuary - please do not swim or gather shellfish in the area until further notice.

Proceeds from sale of a house in Ruawai are to be used to reduce debt after elected members rescinded a decision they made in December to use the money for capital projects within the Raupo drainage scheme. 

A new lead librarian and two assistant librarians are coming soon to Mangawhai! 

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.

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

Parking officers are ramping up their presence at Mangawhai Heads surf beach this Easter weekend.

Dargaville and Baylys Beach residents have responded to the call to preserve water under Level 3 water restrictions.

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

The latest round of community feedback has helped put the finishing touches on a concept design for the offstreet area of Wood street (Fagan Place area).  

In 2023, we asked the community for feedback on the Master Plan for Mangawhai Community Park. The Mangawhai Community Park Governance Committee used that feedback to prepare a draft master plan.

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.

Residents in Dargaville and Baylys Beach are urged to reduce water use after use has risen slightly since Level 3 water restrictions came into force on 12 February.

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. 

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.

Water restrictions have been introduced for Dargaville and surrounds, with residents across the entire Kaipara district being urged to use the precious resource wisely.

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.

Aerosol cans and aluminium foil or foil trays are no longer on the list for kerbside recycling collections in Kaipara district.

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. 

Passenger numbers on Mangawhai’s free bus are up again, with more than 3,100 people climbing aboard so far this summer.

Bring your friends and whānau to enjoy live entertainment, cultural performances, interactive craft and toi Māori stalls, some delicious kai, a healing space and so much more!

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!

Climb aboard the free bus and avoid the parking hassles in Mangawhai this summer.

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.

Replacement of Dargaville’s Northern Wairoa War Memorial Hall Annex after its demolished is to get a hurry-along with an Elected Member working group established to give the project more focus.

A motion moved by Kaipara District Council Mayor Jepson has paused the Ruawai Adaptive Pathways programme until the public has had their say through the next Long Term Plan consultation.

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.

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.

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

Designs for two community hubs will proceed as originally planned after a motion agreed by Council to reallocate the funding did not receive iwi support.

UPDATED: 9.30am Tuesday 31 October 2023.

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 Elected Members supported a motion by Mayor Craig Jepson regarding the Ruawai Adaptive Pathways pilot programme.

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

Elected Members agreed to commence the first two stages of a multi-year project to increase the capacity of the Mangawhai Wastewater Scheme.

A number of infrastructure renewals and upgrades completed in recent years have strengthened water security in Kaipara.

Sand, surf and sun are the stuff of classic Kiwi holidays and many memories have been made at beach campgrounds.

That beach lifestyle could be yours.

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. 

We’ve been working with Mangawhai Surf Club on temporary lifeguard facilities.

Kaipara is set to benefit from $2.6 million recently announced by the Government to boost resilience and reduce the risk of major flood damage.

Dargaville residents and visitors are one step closer to easier and safer active transport options after Kaipara District Council’s decision to progress the Kaipara Cycle Network Connections project.

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. 

Upgrading the Taharoa Domain day visitor toilet facilities, improving drainage in Mangawhai Community Park, and completing the award-winning Baylys Beach boardwalk are all on the cards for Kaipara District Council’s (KDC) work programme thanks to a cash injection from the Tourism Infrastructure Fund (TIF).

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.

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.

Sunny weather and an incoming tide provided the perfect backdrop to open the Mangawhai boardwalk to a large gathering last week.

The boardwalk is the second phase of the Mangawhai shared path project, connecting the village to the heads, and making it safer and easier to travel by foot, bike, or scooter along busy Molesworth Drive.

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

Footpath works are well underway in Dargaville.

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.

Footpath upgrades for Logan, Gordon and Onslow Streets in Dargaville have been given the green light.

An update from Kaipara District Council and Northland Regional Council.

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

Progress has been tracking well on the second phase of the Mangawhai shared path, with the boardwalk section now stretching right across the water by the causeway.

The Ruawai community have identified that flood protection, people, whānau, environment, cultural connection, local businesses and farming are the things they really care about.

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

Rubbish and recycling collection day is changing for some rural properties in Ruawai and Matakohe.

A sunny day set the scene for the official opening of Stage One of the Kaihu Valley Trail (KVT), which was celebrated with a blessing and ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by Ahikiwi Marae on Saturday 10 June.

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.

Fourteen Kaipara residents from eleven nationalities were celebrated and recognised as new citizens at a ceremony in Dargaville on Monday.

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

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. 

Commemorative ceremonies took place around Kaipara District on Tuesday in observance of ANZAC day.

UPDATED: Friday 28 April at 1.27pm.

The Dargaville Town Hall will be closed from Monday 24 April in the interest of public safety following damage sustained during Cyclone Gabrielle.

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

A section of the Ruawai stopbank trail will be closed to the public for repairs following the recent extreme weather event.

Council has pressed pause on any changes to Kaipara’s waste and recycling services while a new waste strategy from central Government is assessed.

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.

Kaipara District Council has confirmed the governance membership for the Harding Park Committee, and appointments to the Pou Tu o Te Rangi Joint Management Committee.

The Mangawhai Surf Club and surrounding area remains off limits to the public due to a significant landslide behind the clubhouse.

With Kaiwaka-Mangawhai Road reopening this week we’ve extended the free drop-off for this weekend, 18 and 19 March at Hakaru refuse station.

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.  

In the leadup to the reopening of the eastern Brynderwyns detour route (Kaiwaka/Mangawhai/Waipu), authorities have confirmed that restrictions will again apply to truck and trailer units.

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.

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.

It’s a relief to see river levels dropping with the steady fine weather. There is still some flooding in areas around the Northern Wairoa, which we are still monitoring. We expect these to return to normal by Tuesday.

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.

You now have until Friday 03 March to dispose of flood-damaged green waste and items free of charge at Dargaville and Hakaru transfer stations. Both transfer stations are operating normal hours during this time.  

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.

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. 

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

The recent weather events have caused a significant landslip behind the Mangawhai Heads Surf Club.

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

Kaipara District Council is seeking input from the community on the future of Mangawhai Community Park. 

Mangawhai’s free bus has proven popular again this summer, with locals and visitors alike enjoying an easy journey between key spots throughout town. 

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. 

Look after your loo and Kaipara's wastewater network this summer by reminding your household members and visitors what not to flush.

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.

Fencing continues to progress in the Parore area and foundations for both Ahikiwi and Parore Bridges have been poured.

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 popular free Mangawhai bus service is back for summer!  

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.

Sea, sand, and Aotearoa New Zealand’s rarest bird were all on hand for the opening of Kaipara’s newest loos.

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.

The panel is an advisory group that will lead the conversation on how Ruawai will prepare for, and respond to, coastal hazards, flooding and sea level rise. 

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.

The newly elected mayor and councillors of Kaipara District were officially sworn into office in Dargaville at 1pm on Wednesday 26 October.

Two special artworks that adorn the Dargaville library were blessed at a joint community and Council celebration.

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.   

New toilets at Alamar Crescent are ready for the public to use in time for Mangawhai’s busy summer season. 

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

Mangawhai will soon have land designated for future public sporting and recreational facilities.

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. 

A new vision for Pou Tu o Te Rangi and Harding Park was confirmed this week, with the updated Reserve Management Plan adopted by Kaipara District Council.

Kaipara District Council staff are asking Mangawhai house owners and residents on the wastewater system to flush water through their drains, toilets and showers and prevent gases from backing up into their homes.

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.  

The second phase of the Mangawhai shared path cranks up construction next month, and includes a collaboratively designed boardwalk running alongside the causeway.

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.

A blessing event carried out with Te Uri o Hau iwi representatives earlier this week signalled the completion of the first phase of the Mangawhai shared path works.

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

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.

Last week saw the first of the pre-cast concrete slabs for Mangawhai’s new wastewater balance tank carefully craned into place.

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

At the July Council Meeting, Kaipara District Council Elected Members unanimously accepted the Private Plan Change 81 (PPC81) request from the Dargaville Racing Club inc.

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.

Kaipara District Council has completed the final step to adopt Private Plan Change 78 (PP78), which amends the planning rules that apply to the Mangawhai Central Development.

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

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. 

With the courtesy crossings for phase one now complete, the Mangawhai shared path team and contractors got the spades and mulch out and ticked off the planting, getting the final shrubs and trees in the ground last week.

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.  

The project to install a new toilet at Lincoln Street Reserve is a step closer to completion with the new facilities delivered to site last week.  

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.

Work to improve the wastewater network in Kaiwaka is scheduled to begin on 23 May 2022. 

A new balance tank for Mangawhai's wastewater treatment plant is one step closer to completion, with the first pre-cast concrete slabs poured for the tank structure.

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.

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.

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.

Works to improve the sewer pipe network in Dargaville is scheduled to begin on 19 April 2022.  

The Environment Court has given the green light to Mangawhai Central’s Private Plan Change 78 (PPC 78) to the Kaipara District Plan.

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.

Two new footbridges were opened at a double ribbon-cutting ceremony in the Kaipara township of Kaiwaka on Saturday 26 March.

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.

The Waiatua Dam (on Opanake Road) may be the solution to end the Dargaville and Baylys Beach water shortages, according to a preliminary investigation, commissioned by Kaipara District Council. 

The Kaipara District Council (KDC) submission against two resource consent applications by McCallum Bros Limited (McCallum) for sand mining along the Mangawhai-Pakiri embayment, progressed today with the decision for Kaipara Mayor Dr Jason Smith to represent Council at the upcoming Resource Consent Hearing.

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.

Starting today through to Wednesday 23 February a short section of Molesworth Drive from the ITM down to Nautical Heights will go down to one lane, with flow managed using traffic lights.

Last week saw the installation of a temporary sign marking the Dargaville entrance of the Kaihu Valley Trail.

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.

The Ministry for Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has released the $3.5M needed to protect existing stopbanks against flooding, along the western side of Wairoa River between Dargaville and Te Kopuru.

Although Kaipara’s dry weather has slowed work on the unsealed road network, the roading crews are still hard at work, completing some of the remaining associated improvement work, like drainage and vegetation control.

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.

The Council is about to start constructing a balance tank, to increase the capacity of the Mangawhai Community Wastewater Scheme.

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. 

Although recent rain has been welcomed by landowners, it is causing headaches for Kaipara District Council’s Raupo stopbank improvement project, in Ruawai.

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

The FREE Mangawhai Village to Beach Loop bus service continues to run weekends and public holidays through to Monday 07 February.

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.

A new balance tank and inlet works are to be installed at the Mangawhai wastewater treatment plant to expand the existing hydraulic capacity during the peak summer periods.

All aboard! The FREE Mangawhai Village to Beach Loop bus service is running again this summer. Please let your family, friends, and all your visitors know. The bus service is free for users.

Kaipara District Council has confirmed that the Ruawai area will be the first location for the community adaptation planning, adaptive pathways process at its meeting on 15 December.

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.

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.

It begins! Fulton Hogan started physical works to improve Waipoua River Road this week.

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.

With the Christmas holidays soon approaching, there will be some changes to a few Council services.

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.

Kaipara District Council (KDC) has worked with other Northland Councils on a Drought Management Plan (DMP) to create a consistent drought classification system and approach.

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

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.

Findings of the latest LittaTrap audit found an increase of rubbish captured. LittaTraps (a simple, cost-effective net that sits inside a stormwater grate) have been installed around Northland through a multi-agency initiative.

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.

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.

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.  

Work is about to start on two of four new toilet blocks. 

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

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.

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.

The new-format Dargaville Library had its first evening test-run when author Drew Bryenton (aka Andy Bryenton) presented his book ‘Gads Army’ to an appreciative audience on Thursday 1 July.

A new stormwater network has been installed between 18 – 40 Jervois Street, Dargaville.

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. 

A small but enthusiastic team of volunteers planted hundreds of native plants on the weekend. 

From Monday you’ll see more of the United Civil team working further up Molesworth Drive on Phase One of the shared path.

Dargaville Intermediate tamariki joined forces with the Kaipara District Council parks team recently, planting approximately 400 native plants in Taharoa Domain.

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

An community planting session is happening at Mangawhai Community Park on Saturday 26 June. 

Extensive pest plant removal, the creation of extra parking, a restoration and revegetation programme, and more.

A section of Hokianga Road has been a hive of activity recently, with our contractors out busy replacing an ageing stormwater culvert.

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

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

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!

Construction work for Phase One of the Mangawhai shared path and Village intersection improvements is set to start later this month.

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

The Kaihu Valley Trail is a 40km walking and biking track being constructed from Dargaville to Donnelly’s Crossing and will form part of the Ancient Kauri Trail that extends from Omapere to Maungaturoto. 

Dargaville Library is encouraging customers to stock up with books and DVD during May before the library is closed temporarily for a freshen-up from 5pm Friday 28 May, reopening Tuesday 15 June. 

Kaipara District Council has accepted the recommendation from the Hearings Panel to approve Private Plan Change 78. 

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

In the first few months of 2021 there’s been a trickle of new information which has led to a substantial update on the long-running story of the debt levels of Kaipara District Council’s Mangawhai Wastewater Scheme. 

Author Tere Davies will be talking about her book and answering questions on April 20 in Dargaville. 

Kaipara District Council has published a report about the outstanding historic debt and capacity of the Mangawhai Wastewater Scheme (MWWS). 

Our Parks team and local contractors Turf Tamer recently completed work by the Kaiwaka River (north eastern side of the bridge).

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. 

Work will begin again at the Mangawhai Community Park after the Easter break.

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

Recently we received the good news that Waka Kotahi NZTA have granted funding to complete phase 1 of our new shared path.

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). 

We recently started the evaluation for the Wood Street revitalisation project.

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.

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.

Mangawhai’s bus service proved hugely popular with both locals and visitors this summer. The bus ran daily 27 December – 17 January and then every weekend and public holiday to 08 February, picking up passengers from Mangawhai Village to the surf beach. 

Kaipara District Council will soon be seeking feedback on their proposal to develop a revitalised Dargaville civic precinct as part of their Long Term Plan consultation.

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. 

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.

Thanks very much to everyone who took the time to fill out our recent Wood Street survey. We had a good response with a total of 205 people selecting one of four options to reconfigure the parking near the entrance to Wood Street (from Molesworth Drive). 

If you're out and about around Lorne, Pirika, and Haimona Street, you may spot our team and contractors undertaking work on the Dargaville water mains. 

The interim design for the Wood Street revitalisation project has been in place since early December 2020.

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

Changes at Wood Street are part of the Wood Street revitalisation project, a community co-design that came about after the Mangawhai Business Association approached Council in 2019.  

Updates for the continued Hearing for the Private Plan Change 78 (Mangawhai Central/Estuary Estates)

The FREE Village to Beach Loop bus service is running again this summer. Please let your family, friends, and all your visitors know. The bus service is free for everyone. 

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.

We are go! Traffic is now one way on Wood Street. Entry is via Molesworth Drive (similar to last summer’s trial). Please take care and look out for the new road markings and signs.

Our parks team and contractors have been busy installing the new picnic tables around Mangawhai. 

From tomorrow (Thursday 03 December) Wood Street will change to a one way traffic system. Entry will be via Molesworth Drive (similar to last summer’s trial). Please take care and look out for the new road markings and signage, which will be in place from this Thursday. Wheel stops are also being installed to complete the improvements to the back carpark. 

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

The Private Plan Change is currently adjourned at the direction of the commissioners. 

Our contractors and their team are starting work on some of the improvements to the Mangawhai Community Park facilities later this week.

From the end of this month Pearson Street Reserve will be closed to vehicles all year round.

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

Works on the Wood Street interim design will be starting later this week!

Hats off to the Ngā Uri o Hau Native Nursery team! They have been busy replanting some of the areas down at Mangawhai Community Park recently. 

North Auckland Dog Rescue and Kaipara District Council’s offer to Community Service Cardholders to subsidise the cost of desexing their dogs have been in such hot demand they are now managing a waiting list.

Fire Station cleared in Wood Street.

New local art hanging in the Mangawhai offices.

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

Have you seen the team working down on Thelma Road South in Mangawhai? They're carrying out maintenance on the wastewater pump station, installing a new lining and lid.

Two shared path open sessions were held for the community last week. There was a strong community turnout, and those who attended were able to view the concept design for stage 1 and the route plan for the wider project. These are now available on the Mangawhai Community Plan website. 

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).

A total of $132,320.00 has been awarded in the latest funding round for the Mangawhai Endowment Lands Account (MELA).

Mangawhai Community Park work update. 

Councillors this morning voted in favour of the former fire station building at 09 Wood Street to be demolished.

The Council owned building is unoccupied. The Mangawhai Fire Station has been in its new modern premises at 191 Molesworth Drive since late 2019.

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.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has awarded funds to Kaipara District Council for the next stage in the Wood Street revitalisation project. The funds are part of the Innovating Streets programme and pilot fund, which supports councils to deliver more vibrant and people-friendly public spaces by employing ‘tactical urbanism’. The grant will fund 90 percent of an interim treatment that will inform a permanent future upgrade in Wood Street.

New road safety measures are being introduced outside several Kaipara schools to help make drivers more aware they are approaching school zones and the need to slow down.

A new governance structure has been established for Mangawhai Community Park, recognising the new level of maturity in the Park’s development.

The newly elected mayor and councillors of Kaipara District were officially sworn into office in Dargaville at 1pm on Wednesday 26 October.