Te Mata Wetland Care Group

04/10/2025

Had a great working bee this morning, which almost fitted between heavy downpours! Eight of us were able to complete a tidy-up of weeds and plant 4 trays (128 plants) of manuka and kanuka, kindly donated by Aaron at Waimata Native Plant Nursery.
Woohooo!

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02/10/2025

Just a reminder that we will be planting and weeding in the area below the skate park tomorrow. The forecast is for showers, so we'll hope for the best. If it's tipping down and looking set-in I'll update at 9.30 to postpone, otherwise we'll be going ahead and will work around the showers.

Saturday, 4 October
10.00 till 12.00
meet by the skate park

Bring boots, sunscreen, and a spade or favourite weeding implement. I will have a few hand Sharks.
If the weather is no good, we'll postpone to Saturday 11th.

20/09/2025

What an awesome morning today. Over 15 volunteers had a great time, planting around 1200 native plants, with help from the awesome team at Project Parore. There was lots of chatter and laughter as we continued the process of restoring the health of Te Mata Reserve, one of the very few remaining coastal wetlands in the country.
A big thanks to Western Bay District Council for their support, the Project Parore team, and all the volunteers.
If you're interested in this work, PM me or keep an eye on this page. We have more working bees coming up over the rest of the year.
Alan Campbell

11/09/2025

Planting day.
Here's an invitation from Western Bay District Council to join in a planting day on 20 September. Everyone is welcome. Details below.


Jake Andersen
Sep 10, 2025, 11:41 AM (2 days ago)
to me

Kia ora,



We’re getting in touch to let you know about a special opportunity coming up for our community – and we’d love your help to spread the word.



Western Bay of Plenty District Council is hosting a Community Planting Day at Te Mata Reserve, Waihī Beach, on Saturday 20 September (10am–12pm).



More than 19,000 native plants are being established at the reserve - including kahikatea, puriri, tī kōuka (cabbage trees), harakeke (flaxes) and carex species. This is part of a wider restoration project to improve stream health and replace vegetation removed during earlier erosion protection works.



The planting day is a chance for locals to roll up their sleeves, enjoy the outdoors, and make a positive difference to a much-loved reserve.



Event details to share with your group:

What: Te Mata Reserve Community Planting Day (with a bite to eat afterwards)
When: Saturday, 20 September, 10am–12pm
Where: Te Mata Reserve, car park accessed between 6 and 10 Hillview Road, Waihī Beach
Bring: Water bottle, warm layer, decent shoes, spade and gloves


Please share this invitation with your members, whānau, and friends. The more people who come along, the bigger the impact we can make together.





Ngā mihi nui,



Jake Andersen
Reserves and Facilities Volunteer Coordinator
Kairuruku kaitūao – Whenua Rāhui me Whakaurunga

Send a message to learn more

21/11/2024

After a very long time of silence from me, it's time for a little update, and an invitation. You might have noticed, if you walk around the wetland regularly, that there have been quite a few changes over recent weeks.
The old, poisoned willows are starting to break down and collapse, so the old, tall titri is now dominating the canopy.
The flax and titri are just beginning to flower, so the tui are playing, especially in the flax.
We have been operating a set of predator traps and have taken out several rats and two stoats so far.
While the plantings are thriving, so are the weeds. A couple of us have been doing a bit of weeding in the past week or two, just to keep the plantings clear, and it is making a big difference along the walkway.
The invitation:
I will be there at 9.00 am on Wednesday next week, 27 November, to carry on with some weeding. It'd be great to have some company. So if you are free come on down to the carpark by the skate park, bring some sturdy footwear, work gloves and a weeding tool, and we'll see what we can do in an hour or so. I hope to have a few "shark" weeding tools, but if you could bring a decent sharp implement to cut away the grass that could be good.
Everyone is welcome.
Cheers
Alan

15/05/2024

What a fabulous day yesterday! The tamariki from Waihi Beach Primary planted 700 native wetland plants that they had grown at the school in their Trees for Survival growing unit. Judging by the noise, they had a wonderful time doing it too.
One of the features of the day was that it was made possible with support from HELP Waihi who prepared the ground in advance, Trees for Survival who support the propagation unit and provided the seedlings Western Bay District Council and Bay of Plenty Regional Council who provided funding and technical advice, and of course a great bunch of volunteers who dug all the holes on the day.
Awesome work everyone!

13/05/2024

Don't miss out! Planting at Te Mata wetland reserve tomorrow with the kids from Waihi Beach Primary. Any time from 8.00am until about 2.30. Stay as long as you can.
The job is to dig holes and help the kids to plant 700 native plants. Heaps of fun and a fair bit of dirt. Bring boots and a spade.

06/02/2024

A quick reminder about our weeding session tomorrow, Wednesday 7 Feb. We will clean up last year's plantings. As always, meet in the carpark beside the Community Centre at 9.00. Bring boots, and gloves.
Work for one hour, followed by coffee.

Support the work that these kids have been doing for three years now!

Woohooooo!

02/02/2024

Today is World Wetlands Day! It's a good day to remember that we have a regionally significant wetland right here in Waihi Beach.
Te Mata wetland is right beside the Community Centre on Beach Road and the kids from Waihi Beach Primary have planted over 2500 native plants there over the past three years.
Now the Western Bay District Council and Bay of Plenty Regional Council have come on board with funding to accelerate that restoration work.
If you would like to be a part of that, come along on Wednesday morning 7 February at 9.00 and help out for an hour clearing weeds away from last year's plantings. Everyone is welcome. Meet in the carpark beside the community center. Bring boots, gloves and your favorite weeding implement.

30/01/2024

Had a great working bee this morning with a small but perfectly formed group of volunteers. In one hour we were able to free up the plants along the pathway below Beach road, ready for the contractors to carry out follow-up spraying.
We still have other areas needing to be tidied up and it would be great to get a bigger group of volunteers to help out next Wednesday (7 February) at 9.00am for one hour. We will particularly focus on the most recent planting area where the plants are most vulnerable.
So if you have an hour to spare come on down, meet some great people and make a real difference.
Meet in the carpark beside the Community Centre on Beach Road at 9.00am on Wednesday 7 February. Bring boots and gloves as well as your preferred weeding tool.
Cheers
Alan

29/01/2024

Working bee at Te Mata reserve tomorrow 30 January at 9.00am.
This is an extra weeding session because it has been such a fantastic growing season for grasses and other weeds, they're almost smothering last year's plantings.
Everyone is welcome. We'll be working beside path near Beach Road.
Cheers
Alan