Alexis Poppelbaum - Hibiscus and Bays Local Board

19/06/2026

Had the BEST time exploring rockpools with Sir Peter Blake Marine Education and Recreation Centre this afternoon!🦀🐚🌊

With the help of the amazing and knowledgeable staff, loads of families explored all around the Tor at Waiake and we found so many amazing creatures! We were super lucky to find a clown nudibranch (the colourful pic), a dedrodoris citrina (the yellow one), a dendrodoris krusensternii (navy blue spots), and a berthella ornate (round one with spots) 💙

The team are so amazing with young people, matching their excitement, sharing amazing creature features and how to explore with care. Follow their page for updates on more of these events as they come up. We fund a number of ocean exploring events that MERC deliver so they are free for the community 🙏

18/06/2026

🏍️💥 NORTH HARBOUR STADIUM IS ABOUT TO COME ALIVE! 💥🏍️

One of the biggest sporting and entertainment events of the year is heading to Albany, with the world's best Supercross riders set to take over North Harbour Stadium on Saturday 31 October.

For one night only, the stadium will be transformed into a spectacular Supercross arena featuring 600 tonnes of dirt, huge jumps, elite international riders, FMX stunts, pyrotechnics, music, fan experiences and high-energy entertainment under the lights.

Adding to the excitement, Auckland's own Cole Davies returns home as AMA Supercross 250SX East Champion to race in front of local fans, friends and family.

So great to see a very cool, world-class international event right here at North Harbour Stadium!

🎟️ Pre-sale access opens 23 June: https://ausxsupercross.com.au/events/auckland/sign-up/
🎟️ General public tickets go on sale 25 June

Who's excited to see North Harbour Stadium transformed into a world-class Supercross battleground? 🙌

18/06/2026

Something exciting is launching at East Coast Bays Library on Friday 3 July at 4.30pm! 🎉

This piece of art our local board was gifted is your clue... 👀

Can you guess what it is? Drop your guesses in the comments below ⬇️

All will be revealed very soon!

17/06/2026

🚌 Whangaparāoa Bus Station – Coming to the Coast!

Auckland Transport have updated the designs for Whangaparāoa Bus Station based on your feedback, and want to know what you think of the latest plans. The station will be a key transport hub for the peninsula, connecting local buses with frequent services to the North Shore and city centre via O Mahurangi – Penlink (SH19) when it opens. This was a project we advocated relaly hard to get onto the Regional Land Transport Plan and funded and prioritised against other public transport projects across Auckland. We went to all the relevant boards and committees to aruge why opening up Penlink without a bus service and station was not practical. It's a major win to help improve public transport options for our peninsula community.

What's changed since 2025:
✅ More 'drop off' spaces on Cedar Terrace (up from 13 to 20, including 3 mobility spaces)
✅ A bigger main building with a customer service area and seating
✅ A new outdoor courtyard for passengers
✅ Better CCTV coverage for safety
✅ Improved bike storage
✅ Space for future facilities like a coffee kiosk

I know many of you asked about park and ride during the last engagement. Given the site constraints alongside the Penlink corridor, this isn't included in current plans, but the station has been designed to be an easily accessible hub, well connected by local buses and the NX2 service.

Your local knowledge can help shape these refreshed designs. Have your say by 19 July 2026:

📍See the full designs and complete the survey: https://haveyoursay.at.govt.nz/wbs-coast

📍 Come along to a drop-in session at Whangaparāoa Library, 9 Main Street, Stanmore Bay:
• Friday 3 July, 10am–12pm
• Saturday 4 July, 12pm–2pm

16/06/2026

🚦 Have your say on proposed safety improvements at the East Coast Road and Spencer Road intersection in Pinehill 🚦

Auckland Transport is seeking community feedback on plans to make this busy intersection safer and easier for everyone to use. The proposal includes:

✅ New traffic lights
✅ Safer pedestrian crossings
✅ New footpaths
✅ Relocated bus stops and shelters
✅ Improved visibility for drivers
✅ Changes to school bus stop routes

More than 20,000 vehicles travel through this intersection every day, and the area is heavily used by school students, residents and public transport users. Over the past five years, several crashes have been recorded near the intersection, highlighting the need for safety improvements.

Community feedback is open until 25 July, and this is your opportunity to let Auckland Transport know what you think before any decisions are made.

Whether you support the proposal, have concerns, or have local knowledge that could help shape the project, make sure your voice is heard.

📢Find out more and complete the survey on Auckland Transport's consultation page:
https://at.govt.nz/projects-and-initiatives/east-coast-road-and-spencer-road-intersection-improvements

15/06/2026

🚗 Have your say on proposed safety improvements for two busy East Coast Road intersections near Silverdale.

Auckland Transport is consulting on plans to install intersection speed zones at:
📍 East Coast Road & Spur Road
📍 East Coast Road & Wilks Road / Jackson Way

These intersections carry thousands of vehicles every day and have a history of crashes, including a fatal crash and a serious injury crash in the past five years.

The proposed intersection speed zones use sensors to detect vehicles waiting to turn. When activated, electronic signs on East Coast Road will temporarily display a 60km/h speed limit, giving drivers more time to react and helping make turning movements safer.

Spur Road is the only access route to Stillwater, while Wilks Road is a key connection to North Shore Airport/bus depot/Dairy Flat, making these important intersections for our community.

Consultation is now open until 24 July. Auckland Transport wants to hear your views before any decisions are made.

👉 Find out more and complete the survey here: https://haveyoursay.at.govt.nz/intersection-safety-ecr

Please share this post with friends, family and neighbours who use these roads regularly.

Take the Survey Everyone deserves to be safe on Auckland roads. To help make two intersections on East Coast Road, at Spur Road and Wilks Road / Jackson Way, safer and easier to use we are proposing installing intersection speed zones. East Coast Road is a busy route

14/06/2026

🚨 Between 6pm and 7:30pm tonight 🚨

12/06/2026

🚨 FINAL HOUR! 🚨 Last chance to have your say on rockpools!

MPI's consultation on proposed changes to intertidal recreational shellfish harvesting rules closes at 5pm!

If you've been thinking about making a submission, please don't assume others will do it for you. Decision-makers need to hear directly from the people who use and value our beaches, rocky shores, and coastal areas.

A submission doesn't need to be long or complicated. Even a sentence or two can make a difference. Pick the option right for you. Our local board supported option 3 and along with 13 other boards we helped ensure that Auckland Council's submission supported that too- it's the most restrictive option to support recovery and regeneration and make the rules really simple.

⏳ Consultation closes today at 5pm, 12 June.

Make your submission now before it's too late.

Easy fill out form: https://form.jotform.com/luellabartlett/mpi-auckland-coromandel-review

Consultation info:
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/consultations/review-of-measures-for-shore-based-shellfish-harvesting-in-the-auckland-coromandel-area

11/06/2026

Good news for everyone who loves our stunning Mairangi Bay - Murrays Bay - Churchill Reserve coastal walkways🚶‍♀️🌊

From next week, work will begin on a series of upgrades and renewals along sections of the clifftop walkways at Mairangi Bay, Crows Nest, Murrays Bay and Churchill Reserve.

The work will be carried out in stages to minimise disruption and includes:
✔️ Renewing sections of concrete path
✔️ Replacing damaged path where needed
✔️ Installing aggregate tracks in appropriate locations
✔️ New boxed steps
✔️ A new stair structure

These coastal paths are some of the most loved and well-used walking routes in our area, connecting communities while providing spectacular views of the Hauraki Gulf. Regular renewals like these help keep them safe, accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

There may be some temporary disruption while the works are underway, but the staged approach will help keep as much of the network accessible as possible.

Thank you for your patience while these improvements are completed.

11/06/2026

A positive update for those who have been asking about the future of the Okura Bush Track 🌲🌿🚶‍♀️

I had a very happy meeting with the Department of Conservation today! They've advised that work is progressing to partially reopen the track from the southern end via Haigh Access Road. They are working alongside Treaty Partners, Ngāti Manuhiri and Te Kawerau ā Maki, as well as Friends of Okura Bush. The good news is that funding has been secured for this first stage of the project (the second stage being to eventually reroute some of the track past slips through to Dacre Cottage and Stillwater).

The stage one plan would see an approximately one-hour return walk reopened, stopping before the major slip areas (returning back via the same route). DOC is hoping to progress to tender later this year, with construction potentially completed sometime in 2027.

I know many people have missed access to this special piece of native bush, so it is great to see progress being made. There is still a long way to go and a number of unknowns ahead, but this is a step in the right direction and I will continue to share updates as more information becomes available. 💚