Weekly wrap-up: New info centre for Thames, Summer Concert, projects
Published on 15 November 2024
Thames officially welcomes new information centre
Thames celebrated a milestone this week with the official opening of its brand-new information centre, now open to the public at the Thames War Memorial Civic Centre. Mayor Len Salt led the ribbon-cutting ceremony, joined by key contributors from the community who played a role in transforming the vision for Thames into a vibrant reality.
“Congratulations to everybody,” Mayor Salt said, addressing the crowd. “I know this has been a journey of co-operation. I look around the room now and see so many people who have contributed on multiple levels to make this happen.”
The Thames Community Board contributed $50,000 towards the refit of the new site, and our Council has committed funding the operation of the information centre under Thames Business Association management for three years of approximately $50,000 per year in accordance with our Long Term Plan. This is in line with funding for information centres in our other towns.
The information centre represents a new chapter for Thames, shifting its identity from a gateway to the Coromandel to a unique destination in its own right. With a rich heritage and cultural significance, Thames has much to offer visitors, and the centre highlights the town’s local history, cultural heritage, and numerous tourism opportunities.
The Thames Information Centre has come about through community collaboration, made possible by the efforts of the Thames Business Association, Thames Community Board, Thames-Coromandel District Council, Ngāti Maru, Brand Matter, and many other groups who worked together to bring this vision to life.
Coastcare mini-conference 2024 wrap-up
To celebrate the end of the 2024 planting season, Coastcare groups, local agencies, and Coromandel residents gathered for an inspiring Coastcare Waikato East Coast regional hui (or mini-conference) in Kūaotunu. Themed “Think like a Skink,” this event last Friday brought together a record number of attendees and featured a lineup of engaging, knowledgeable speakers.
The conference was a resounding success with stunning site visits and educational afternoon talks which gave attendees plenty to reflect on and take home. The passion and expertise shared throughout the day left everyone more motivated than ever to protect our coastal lizard habitats, improve strategic weed management, and support Coastcare efforts across the Waikato coast. We were honored to have guest speakers from The Department of Conservation (DOC), Waikato Regional Council (WRC), and herpetologist Jacqui Wairepo, who shared invaluable insights into lizard conservation. Thanks to our lizard experts, we even had a few scaly guests at the conference.
A special thank you goes to Peter Johnston from Ngāti Hei for his korero, the Kūaotunu Care Dune Group for hosting and coordinating lunch, the Kūaotunu Hall Committee for providing the venue, and the Otama Ratepayers for guiding us through the work being done in Otama Wetlands. DOC also shared valuable knowledge on how the Whitianga office cares for our coastal dunes.
Our Council extends its deepest gratitude to all the incredible volunteers involved in coastal restoration efforts. Your dedication is the backbone of building a resilient coastline, and we couldn’t do this important work without you.
Find out more about communities caring for our coast here.
Sea spurge warning
Keep an eye out on our beaches this summer for signs of the invasive weed sea spurge.
Infestations of the toxic species have been found in Northland and our Council wants to prevent its arrival here in the Coromandel.
Sea spurge looks like a small shrub, usually up to half a metre tall.
Other features include:
- Multiple stems, often reddish at the base
- Distinctive, spiky, tightly packed blue-green leaves about 4-22mm long and 1-16mm wide
- Greenish flowers on the end of the stems
Sea spurge can quickly take over our dunes, push out our native plants and destroy shorebird habitat. It is also toxic – the sap can burn skin and potentially cause temporary blindness.
The weed, believed to have arrive on ocean currents from Australia, is usually on dunes or among washed-up debris on beaches. If you come across it, do not handle it as it can spread seeds and the toxic sap can cause injury if the stems are broken or cut.
Instead, take photos of the site and plant, including close ups of the leaves and flowers, record your location using GPS or Google if possible and report your sighting to the Ministry of Primary Industry on 0800 80 99 66 or online at report.mpi.govt.nz/pest.
Mayors Taskforce for Jobs (MTFJ)
Group photo, L-R: Kathleen Makiri - our Council’s Social Navigator, Rudy Lopes – Brian Walker Builders Building Apprentice, Brain Walker - Employer, Mayor Len Salt, Simone Hughes – Whangamatā Youth Trust, Gary Smith - Whangamatā Ocean Sports Club Manager, Tyrese Ratu, Meat at The Beach Butchers Apprentice, Steve Braithwaite – Employer and Helen Flynn – our Council’s Community Partnerships Co-ordinator.
Mayor Len Salt met with employers last week in Whangamatā who have taken on young MTFJ jobseekers. Two of these have now begun apprenticeships, one as a butcher and one as a builder.
“Their dedication to providing mentorship and opportunity not only helps our jobseekers, but also enriches our wider community,” says Mayor Len. “Together, we’re building a future rooted in mutual support and shared success.”
Photo, left: Meat at the Beach emerged with a Bronze Award at the 2024 Dunningham Sausage Competition for their 100% Pure Beef Sausages—a remarkable achievement with Tyrese mastering the award-winning sausage-making skills from Steve.
MTFJ is a movement of mayors around Aotearoa who advocate for a bottom-up approach to employment solutions to deliver the Community Employment Programme (CEP) along with broader initiatives. In particular, CEP is a nationwide partnership between Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) and the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) that’s delivering great outcomes in our rural and provincial communities. It’s championed by mayors who are working together towards the vision of all young people 16-25 engaged in employment, education, or training in their communities.
Find out more
Always pick up after your pooch
Remember to
Lead the Way for a cleaner, healthier district.
When you’re out with your dog, always carry a waste bag and pick up after them. It’s not just the right thing to do—it’s the rule.
Failing to pick up your dog’s poo can result in an infringement, so let’s all do our part to keep our public spaces clean and hygienic.
Learn more
Project updates
Whangamatā stormwater project
Our drop-in information sessions for property owners to find out more about how our new stormwater flood modelling affects their section have finished. Thank you to all those who attended.
If you own a property in Whangamatā and received an information letter in mid-October but couldn’t make our drop-in sessions, please get in touch to talk to a member of our team by putting in a Request For Service (RFS) either by:
Our Council has modelled stormwater flooding in the township in order to understand where infrastructure work to alleviate the issue needs to be carried out.
To access the stormwater flood model maps, visit our website: www.tcdc.govt.nz/whangamatstormwater.
The flood maps can be reviewed to take into account any property-specific information. You can request a review of the flooding risk that has been identified on your property. Gather all your relevant property information, contact us by one of the means above, and we’ll be in touch to review your situation.
Mautohe Cathedral Cove update
The Department of Conservation is making good progress in the reinstatement of walking access to Mautohe Cathedral Cove to open in December.
Pest plant work has been undertaken by Predator Free Hauraki to help the biodiversity and scenic values of the location.
Repairs have been made to the Grange Road turnaround area, along with re-painting the drop off zone. Contractors on-site are making good progress on repairs to the damaged track, with materials being flown in this week.
However, contractors are still experiencing dozens of visitors a day entering the closed track, walking around barriers, signage and staff. People are being turned around which is delaying progress and is a serious safety concern. You can help share the message to visitors to wait until the repairs have been completed before going down the walking track, this will ensure repairs can be made in time for opening this summer.
Our Council is working to install signage in Hahei Village to better manage the flow of vehicles. Logistics of a park and ride service are being explored as no parking will be available at the Grange Road lookout this summer – drop-off and pickup only. No buses will be allowed access to the Grange Road lookout, this is due to ongoing structural challenges in the lookout area. Vehicles will be able to park in the Hahei Visitor Carpark. Or in paid parking on Lees Road.
Visitors can walk from the Hahei Visitor Carpark through Hahei Village to the Grange Road track entrance, or take a shuttle.
Alternatively, visitors can take a private farm walk from the Cathedral Cove Gateway Carpark to Mautohe Cathedral Cove.
Find out more
Coromandel Town - Total Watering Ban
The Watering Ban for Coromandel Town has now been lifted. We'd like to give a big thank you to the local community for your support and patience.
Network Resealing Programme
Work continues on our Council's district-wide road resealing programme.
The contractor will distribute letters to all affected households before urban streets are resurfaced. These letters will provide all the additional information required including the planned date of surfacing. In addition to letter drops, updates of the work programme will be provided on our web page tcdc.govt.nz/roads and on our social media.
Please park vehicles off the road on the day of the works to allow the full width of the road to be surfaced. Any vehicles parked on the road following notification may be towed to a nearby towing yard at the owner’s expense. While the work is being undertaken traffic will be controlled by traffic controllers and temporary traffic management. We will attempt to minimise inconvenience to motorists. However, we ask the motorists are patient and follow the directions of traffic controllers and temporary speed restriction signs.
Following completion of the surfacing, there will be speed restrictions in place and loose chip on the road surface in the early stages after the work. Where necessary, sites will be re-swept at later dates.
Tairua Refuse Transfer Station (RTS) – Refuse pit unavailable
Please be advised that due to the installation of new equipment, the refuse pit at the Tairua RTS will be unavailable on:
- Tuesday 26 November
- Wednesday 27 November
- Thursday 28 November
During these dates, only refuse that can be hand-unloaded into a large skip bin will be accepted. The refuse pit will not be accessible to trucks or tip trailers for tipping.
For information on locations and hours of all seven of our RTS, please visit tcdc.govt.nz/rts.
What's on in the Coromandel?
Have you grabbed your tickets for the 2025 Greenstone Entertainment Summer Concert yet? Don’t wait too long – a few local-priced tickets are still available at the Whitianga and Pāuanui Information Centres.
Join in celebrating 15 incredible years of the Summer Concert Tour. This summer, get ready to enjoy live performances from Cold Chisel, Icehouse, Bic Runga, and Everclear at some of New Zealand’s most breathtaking venues including Whitianga Waterways Arena.
Tickets here
More upcoming events
Surveys and workshops
Our District Libraries have teamed up with Public Libraries of New Zealand (PLNZ) to conduct a nationwide survey. This is an opportunity for everyone in New Zealand to share what they value most about public library services and programs. Whether you're a regular visitor or haven’t yet explored what libraries offer, your input matters.
Your feedback will help us showcase the positive impact libraries have on our communities. Here’s your chance to let people know about the impact of libraries on your life.
Take the survey
Tukua tō reo kia rere | Let your voice fly
If you live, work, or play in the Thames-Coromandel, Hauraki, or Matamata-Piako areas, we want to hear from you about what matters most, to help our community groups and our Council make decisions that matter.
The first 2,000 people to complete the survey will go into the draw to win one of 80 gift cards valued at $25 each – one in every 25 wins.
See more
Emergency preparedness workshops
Our Council has partnered with Age Concern Hauraki Coromandel to offer Emergency preparedness workshops.
The workshops held so far have had a great turnout. This initiative aims to educate and support older persons on emergency preparedness and identifies the steps to developing their own emergency plan.
These helpful sessions cover important topics like understanding hazards, how to stay informed and personal preparedness. Participants work through the contents of an emergency plan and how to prepare your own plan.
Don’t miss out - being prepared makes a difference.
Upcoming Workshops:
- 20 November: Whangamatā, 9:30am
- 27 November: Thames, 9:30am
More details
Free basic bike maintenance workshop
Building and planning consent Christmas processing times
We'd like to remind you that both the Building Act 2004 and the Resource Management Act 1991 pause the statutory processing clock over the Christmas and New Year period. This means that from Friday 20 December to Friday 10 January, the processing timeframe of 20 working days will be on hold.
Any Resource or Building Consent applications submitted on or after Friday, 20 December 2024, will only start to be processed on Monday, 13 January 2025, due to the holiday break.
To ensure your consent is processed before Christmas (unless further information is needed, which could pause the clock), we recommend submitting your application before Friday 22 November 2024.
