Table of Contents
Whakapirau Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Association
– WRRA Membership and Subscriptions
WRRA Annual Events
Tennis Court
– Community Noticeboard
– First Aid Kit and AED
Local Information
– Kaipara District Council
– Rubbish Collection/Waste Management
– Dog Control
– Fire Restrictions
– Community Response Plan (CRP)
– Police, Fire or Ambulance
– NZ Post Shops
– Local markets
– Fishing regulations
– Water Safety
Historic Buildings
– St Albans Church
– The North Kaipara Co-operative Dairy Company
Whakapirau Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Association
Welcome Pack
The Whakapirau Resident’s and Ratepayer’s Association (WRRA) welcomes you to our community. This pack has been put together to help you settle in and provide you with information that might be useful now and in the future.
Whakapirau Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Association
The WRRA is an association for the people of Whakapirau. It currently has over 60 members. It has a committee who get together four times a year to organise community events and discuss / take action if necessary on any issues raised by the members. We also liaise with the Kaipara District Council on behalf of the people of Whakapirau on matters that are of interest or concern to residents.
WRRA Annual Membership Subscriptions
These help fund the activities / events that make this community such a special place. The annual membership fee (1 January – 31 December) is $15 per person ($5 unwaged) or $30 per household ($10 unwaged). A membership form appears at the end of this pack giving details of how to pay and how to provide WRRA with your contact details for our database (if you wish) – so that you will never miss out on any of the fun!
WRRA Annual Events
ALL EVENTS ARE SUBJECT TO THE WEATHER – If in doubt, please see the Community Noticeboard or visit here.
January
New Year’s Day Activities
A fun day for everyone is held on 1st January each year. It takes place at the central point of the beach at the bottom of Oxford Street and consists of games for all ages including running races, egg and spoon and sack races and a tug of war. There are also kayak / canoe and raft races and a BBQ provided by WRRA on the tennis court. At this event, if you wish, you can buy raffle tickets / Whakapirau Calendars / Whakapirau Tee shirts – and pay your WRRA membership subs!
March / April
Annual General Meeting (AGM)
We hold an AGM each year to report on the year’s activity and elect members of the committee. This is usually held during the Easter weekend.
Sandcastle Competition
Easter is also the weekend for the Sandcastle competition which has three age categories; children 0-12, teenagers 13-19 and adults.
Easter Egg Hunt
This event takes place on the foreshore. The older children hide the eggs earlier in the day and it’s up to the younger children to find them. The eggs are donated by residents in the weeks leading up to Easter.
June
Mid Winter Swim
For the brave and hardy we hold a mid-winter swim to which everyone is invited whether you take a dip or not. It involves a costume competition for the swimmers and a delicious BBQ featuring hot bacon and egg buns and mulled wine – or milo with marshmallows – for everyone. It is held at the rope-swing end of the beach.
October
Labour Weekend Community Lunch
On the Sunday of Labour Weekend a Community lunch is held on the tennis court. The WRRA brings along BBQs so that people can cook/heat their own food, if required. It is a BYO pot luck lunch so everyone brings their own tables, chairs and shade as well as plates, utensils and glasses. It is up to you whether you bring your own food or a dish to share. Past events have seen the shared food table groaning with enough food to feed an army.
Tennis Court
Whakapirau has a tennis court on the waterfront next to the public toilets. This is free to use. There is a basketball hoop at the waterfront end of the court and netball hoops that can be put up if you would like to organise a game. You are also welcome to have a game of petanque on the court in front of the tennis courts.
Community Noticeboard
At the front of the public toilet block next to the tennis court, there is a Community Noticeboard where you will find details of forth-coming events and other information. There is also a Community website where events, historic photos, items for sale, WRRA committee member contact details and other information can be accessed here on this website.
First Aid Kit and AED
Next to the Community Noticeboard, you will find a First Aid Kit which is replenished by the WRRA when necessary. Please let someone on the committee know if you notice anything needing replacement. The AED (defibrillator) is in the same location and will provide automatic voice instructions and visual prompts if emergency CPR is required.
Local Information
Kaipara District Council (KDC)
The Council’s role is to provide local leadership and facilitate the delivery of services and activities that promote community well-being throughout the Kaipara District.
Contact details: Phone: 0800 727 059
Website: www.kaipara.govt.nz Email: [email protected]
A helpline is available for any complaints or enquiries regarding council matters. For dog, stock or noise control phone on 0800 105 890
Rubbish Collection / Waste Management
Rubbish is collected weekly on a Wednesday from the kerb-side. You can purchase either blue or green rubbish bags from several retail outlets in Paparoa, Maungaturoto and local service stations. The blue bags are collected by a KDC-contracted service that employs people with disabilities. Recycling is also available by purchasing Yellow Recycling Bags from several retail outlets in the district or at local petrol stations. You can recycle aluminium cans free in Maungaturoto by placing them in the labelled recycling bins in the grounds at Maungaturoto Primary School.
There is also a local transfer station at Hakaru (approximately 4kms past the Baldrock Road intersection on the right-hand side). Phone 09 425 8567. More information is available on the Kaipara District Council website
https://www.kaipara.govt.nz/rubbish-and-waste-collection
Dog Control
Kaipara District Council (KDC) recognises that the majority of dog owners are responsible and that most interaction between dogs and the public is positive. The Dog Management Bylaw 2019 and its associated Dog Policy were developed with the aim to achieve a balance between the control of dogs and recognition of the health benefits of dog ownership. Full details can be accessed via the KDC website www.kaipara.govt.nz or by phoning 0800 727 059.
In Whakapirau, the dog control area covers the beach and esplanade above mean low water springs from the Wharf to the south end of The Strand (the rope swing end of the beach). In the dog control area, dogs are expected to be on-leash. Outside this area, dogs can be off-leash and under control (by means of voice commands, hand signals, whistles or other effective means that results in immediate direct control of the dog).
The Whakapirau community expects – and appreciates – dog owners cleaning up after their pets and there are public rubbish bins on the fore-shore.
Dog Control: 0800 105 890 Kaipara District Council: 0800 727 059
Reg the Dog: 0800 REG DOG (0800 734 364)
Fire Restrictions
A number of functions formerly undertaken by the Kaipara District Council are now the responsibility of Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) (formally known as the New Zealand Fire Service).
For more information, see their website.
https://fireandemergency.nz/fire-seasons-permits/
Community Response Plan (CRP):
The Whakapirau CRP has been developed in conjunction with Northland Regional Council Civil Defence to ensure that the community knows what to do in the event of a disaster. A copy of the plan can be accessed online via www.nrc.govt.nz/civildefence (then select Community Response Plans and Whakapirau). Please let a member of the Committee know if you are unable to access resources online so that a hard copy will be provided.
Police, Fire or Ambulance:
In an immediate emergency, call 111 for Police, Fire or Ambulance.
Police: To contact Police for non-emergency situations, call 105 or text 111 (hearing impaired emergency service). Alternatively, Maungaturoto Police Station is situated at 99 Hurndall Sreet East, Maungaturoto 0520 (next to Sitting Duck Takeaways) ph (09) 431 1150 (no set hours of operation).
Fire: The Maungaturoto Volunteer Fire Brigade is also located in Hurndall Street East ph (09) 431 1002. Please respect local Fire Bans when these are in place as we are a 20 minute drive from the fire station!
St John Ambulance: 172 Hurndall Street, Maungaturoto operates 24/7.
NZ Post Shops:
NZ Post outlets are located at Tony’s Office Supplies Store, 147 Hurndall Street, Maungaturoto 0520 and at the Paparoa Store, 2024 Paparoa Valley Road, Paparoa 0571.
Local Markets
Paparoa Farmers Market
This market is held on Saturdays, 9am – noon every week at the Village Green in the centre of Paparoa village.
Since its inception, the market has grown steadily and has maintained a core group of regular stalls with others changing according to the season. Highlights at Paparoa Farmers’ Market are the locally grown seasonal produce, fresh flounder, oysters and smoked mussels, pickles and sauces. You will also find plants, olive oil, honey and bacon butties!
Maungaturoto Monthly Market
Maungaturoto at 15 kilometres from Whakapirau is our nearest service centre. The Maungaturoto Night Markets feature on the first Friday of each month and is held at the Maungaturoto Centennial Hall. This market has a variety of goods from fresh produce to arts and crafts. To have a stall contact organiser Terri Donaldson 09 4318 599 or email her [email protected] for details.
Fishing regulations
Everyone who fishes recreationally in New Zealand has a legal requirement to follow the recreational fishing rules. The rules change regularly – so check the rules for your fishing area every time you head out fishing.
https://www.fisheries.govt.nz/travel-and-recreation/fishing/fishing-rules/auckland-kermadec-fishing-rules/
Water Safety
Should you be venturing out on the harbour it’s wise to check in with the Coastguard. Details are on their website. For on-water assistance dial *500.
For marine emergencies either dial 111 or call channel 16 on your VHF.
Historic Buildings
There are two notable public buildings in Whakapirau that date back to early European settlement days.
St Albans Church
St Alban’s Church (Anglican), Whakapirau was built in 1896 after a period of community fundraising that enabled it to be opened debt free.
The churchyard contains the graves of a number of members of local families, Maori and Pakeha, including several of those directly involved in the erection of the church.
The church is built of kauri, supplied from Chadwicks Mill, one of the kauri timber mills formerly nearby. Its lofty belfry and prominent hilltop site make it a landmark visible for some distance along the Kaipara harbour. The interior of the church reveals the warmth of the kauri boards to considerable aesthetic effect, and its timber pews and other furniture add to its charm.
Brass plaques in the church are dedicated to the memory of the Jackman family who were closely associated with the church in its early years, and to Tyrell de Labrosse, a local farmer who was buried at sea after dying on board a troopship returning from the South African war in 1902. The first couple to be married in the church were George Linnell and Duttie de Labrisse in 1898.
Address: 39 Oxford Street, Whakapira
Service Times: 10.00am on the 3rd Sunday
Phone: (09) 431 8193
The North Kaipara Co-operative Dairy Company
The North Kaipara Co-operative Dairy Company Ltd was formed in 1904, under the directorship of H. McMurdo Chairman. The new butter factory had been designed by William Edward Percival (1856 – 1921). The building was constructed on the beach from kauri timber set on concrete piles alongside the wharf by Weber and Sons of Pahi. The official opening took place on 27 September 1904. Operations began on the same day with the first appointed factory manager Mr Drake putting the machinery into motion. Creameries were established at Ararua and, Matakohe. Cream from the two sites was transported by the first motor launch in the district to the Whakapirau factory. Despite a promising start the factory was hampered by shortages of both fresh and salt water, as well as tidal delivery of the cream which resulted in extended production hours at the site.
Operations finally ceased with the dismantling of the factory plant at the Whakapirau site in 1915/6. The building was sold to the Whakapirau Hall Society in 1929 for use as a public hall. The building was found to be not very suitable for dances because of the sloping floor which had been designed in that manner for washing down purposes. Gradual population decline at Whakapirau resulted in the Society being wound up and the building sold. After 1971, the building had a series of different owners. It is now privately owned and is being restored and renovated.
Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure that the content in this Welcome Pack is accurate. The Pack has been created on a voluntary basis, so if you spot any mistakes please let us know by emailing [email protected]