Whangarei District Council

07/09/2026

Latest update: the road is open under traffic management.

⚠️ Temporary closure near the 4-Square in Otaika. Please keep to the speed limits through the detour route.

SH1 (OTAIKA RD) WHANGAREI - ROAD CLOSED - UPDATE, 9:00PM
The road is open, but down to one lane with stop/go traffic management in place. The road is expected to fully open overnight. Please check the NZTA Journey Planner for the latest updates.

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UPDATE, 7:00PM
Northpower crews are on site to carry out repairs. One lane has now opened and is under stop/go traffic management. Pass with care and expect delays.

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UPDATE, 4:30PM
The situation remains unchanged while the crew work to clear the site. Avoid the area and use an alternative route.

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UPDATE 2:30PM
Vehicle recovery crews are on scene. However, the road remains closed in both directions. Avoid the area and use an alternative route.

Next update at 4:30PM, unless the situation changes.

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MON 7 SEP, 12:40PM
Due to a crash, SH1 (Otaika Road) is closed between Collingwood Street and Mount Pleasant Road. The road is expected to remain closed for a number of hours. Expect delays and follow the directions of emergency services. ^SS

07/09/2026

We've added a grippy anti-slip edge to more stairs on the recently re-opened Drummond Track, and we've got more hand-rails on their way 🚁

🚫 A helicopter will be operating over the track in Parihaka Reserve tomorrow (Tuesday 8 September 2026) to deliver parts for the hand-rail, and the track will be closed during that time.

05/09/2026

365 days until The British & Irish Lions arrive in Aotearoa, for the first ever Howden Women’s Lions Series. 🦁

And we are so proud to host the first ever match in Whangārei on Saturday 4 September 2027.

03/09/2026

It's Welcoming Week from now until 13 September 2026! This year's theme,"Together We Belong", recognises that creating a welcoming community goes beyond a first hello. It's about building a place where everyone feels valued, connected and able to participate.

Learn more: www.wdc.govt.nz/WelcomingWeek

Welcoming Week is part of the national Welcoming Communities programme, which supports councils and communities to create more inclusive places for newcomers, migrants and long-time residents alike. Whangarei District Council joined the programme in 2023 and has achieved Committed Welcoming Community accreditation, the first of four accreditation stages. A Statement of Commitment was signed alongside Te Huinga hapū collective, NZ Police, Multi Ethnic Collective Whangārei and Multicultural Whangārei.

Earlier this year, Council adopted the Whangārei Welcoming Plan, developed through community engagement and workshops to help ensure newcomers can access opportunities, services and a sense of belonging in our district. The plan provides a roadmap for future accreditation stages and ongoing community action.

As part of Welcoming Week, new migrants, newcomers and international students are invited to attend a welcoming pōwhiri at Terenga Paraoa Marae on Thursday 10 September. Hosted by Te Huinga hapū collective, the event offers an opportunity to experience a traditional Māori welcome and enjoy the manaakitanga and hospitality that make Whangārei special. The pōwhiri begins at 5.30pm and is followed by a shared meal.

Photo: Celebrating Welcoming Communities at Taste Whangarei earlier this year.

03/09/2026

WIN: Our latest 'What's New Whangarei' email newsletter includes a chance to win free tickets for the International Rally of Whangārei! You don't need to be a subscriber for this competition, just check out the event-details and enter here:

Join in the family fun with opportunities to meet and greet with the drivers, see the cars, and watch them racing on the Pohe Island Special Stage. WIN TICKETS: We have four Gold double passes to give away.

02/09/2026

The Creative Communities Scheme, funded by Creative New Zealand, is open for applications until 30 September 2026. Start here:
✨ https://www.wdc.govt.nz/Community/Community-funding/Creative-Communities-Scheme

From the first round of 2026, eight community arts projects will share more than $34,000 in Creative Communities Scheme funding. There are three rounds per year, with the second round open now.

The funding round attracted 18 applications requesting more than $80,000, reflecting the significant demand for arts funding in Whangārei.

👹 Among the largest recipients was the Little Lost Art Festival, which received $5,584 to deliver a programme of hidden installations, pop-up performances and accessible arts experiences across Whangārei in October.

Designed as the ‘little sister’ to the Whangārei Fringe Festival, the Little Lost Art Festival aims to make art more visible and accessible in everyday community spaces.

📹 The committee also supported a film project with $5,000, providing training and professional experience for young actors and an emerging filmmaker while producing a short film exploring bullying, social inclusion, empathy and youth wellbeing.

📻 A standout project in this funding round is Beneath My Skin: Radio Drama Workshops, led by Rory Nielsen, which received $1,793. The project will give young people aged 11 to 18 the opportunity to produce, voice-act and engineer an original radio drama written by a local young playwright.

Remarkably, Rory is believed to be the youngest applicant ever to apply to the Whangārei District Creative Communities Scheme at just 12 years old, making his successful application an inspiring example of youth leadership and creativity in the District.

Pictured 📷: Rory Nielsen (12) with Kelly Gilbride, Stuart Devenie and Jesse Samu, who are some of the creative minds working on these radio plays.

🌺 The funding round also recognised the importance of cultural heritage through support for Lei Alofa – Necklaces of Love, awarded $4,000. Led by Sharna McKenzie, the project brings together around 120 Pacific community members and families to revive and share the traditional art of lei-making, a cultural practice that has become increasingly difficult to maintain following migration to New Zealand.

01/09/2026

A pōwhiri is a traditional formal welcome. New migrants, international students, or people who have recently moved to Whangārei may have never had this experience! So Te Huinga Hapū Collective are warmly inviting newcomers to come and experience pōwhiri as part of Welcoming Week 🌞

Welcoming pōwhiri for Whangārei District newcomers
📝 Thursday 10 September 2026 at Terenga Paraoa Marae (Porowini Avenue, Whangārei)
⌚ 5:30pm start time, with shared kai (food) at 6:30pm
🍜 If you can, you are welcome to bring your favourite cultural meal to share.

The pōwhiri will provide an opportunity to experience a formal Māori welcome with tikanga (customs) and manaakitanga (hospitality).

Welcoming Week is part of our Welcoming Communities programme which brings together locals, organisations and newcomers to make the places we love more welcoming for everyone.

Newcomers to Whangārei and our multicultural communities are invited to a pōwhiri, an opportunity to experience a formal Māori welcome with tikanga (customs) and manaakitanga (hospitality).

31/08/2026

How do you feel about vehicles on beaches? Have your say before submissions close 🚗🏖️
https://www.wdc.govt.nz/Whats-new/Have-your-say/Current-Consultations/Control-Vehicles-Beaches-Bylaw

Our proposed bylaw aims to help keep beach users safe, protect sensitive coastal environments, and provide clear rules around where and how vehicles can be used on beaches in Whangārei District. Whether you support the proposal, have concerns, or think changes are needed, we want to hear from you.

📅 Submissions close Monday 7 September 2026

31/08/2026

Who is already thinking about Christmas?🎄