Weekly wrap-up: Local elections, creative funding, projects and more
Published on 01 August 2025
The race is on for our 2025 local elections
Nominations have officially closed, and we’re excited to see such strong interest in shaping the future of our district.
There’s been great energy from across the community, with a solid turnout of candidates for Mayor, Council and Community Board positions. It’s fantastic to see so many residents and ratepayers putting their names forward to lead and represent their communities.
Next steps: make sure you're enrolled to vote
If you enrol or update your address after today, your voting papers won’t be sent to you in the mail. You'll need to contact our Electoral Officer on 0800 922 822 and request a special vote.
The last day to enrol is Friday 10 October 2025.
Every vote matters. Make sure yours is counted. Head to vote.nz to enrol or update your details.
Want help promoting your Meet the Candidates event?
We’re keen to spread the word about any public events where people can hear from those running for Mayor, Council, or Community Boards in this year’s local elections.
If you’re organising one, send the details to elections@tcdc.govt.nz and we’ll add it to our elections events page.
Creative Communities Scheme
Applications for our Council's Creative Communities Scheme are now open, so be sure to get yours in by Friday 29 August.
The scheme, backed by Creative New Zealand, aims to increase participation in the arts, broaden the range and diversity of the arts available to communities and enhance and strengthen the local creative sector.
Got a project in mind? If it meets one or more of the funding criteria below, we’d love to hear about it.
- Access and participation – The project will create opportunities for local communities to engage with and participate in arts activities.
- Diversity – The project will support the diverse arts and cultural traditions of local communities, enriching and promoting their uniqueness and cultural diversity.
- Young people – The project will enable and encourage young people (under 18 years) to engage with and actively participate in the arts.
Find out more Fill out the online form
Need a hand with your rates rebate?
Applications for the 2025/26 rates rebate year from Te Tari Taiwhenua | the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) are now available. We’re holding a series of rates rebate clinics around the district if you’d like a helping hand to apply.
Before attending the clinic:
• Find out if you qualify here
• If you qualify, request a summary of income from the last tax year (1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025) and bring it with you, as we'll need this for the application process.
• If your only source of income is superannuation, we'll have those figures for you.
• Bring your SuperGold card if you’re over the age of 65 years.
• If you receive interest from your bank or investments, you’ll need to get a Resident Withholding Tax (RWT) certificate from your bank or investment company
Booking required: Thames
• From 4-8 August: Thames, 515 Mackay Street. Call during office hours to book a spot on 07 868 0200.
No appointment needed: Whangamatā | Whitianga | Coromandel Town
Any time until 30 June 2026, you can visit us during office hours at:
• Whangamatā, 620 Port Road
• Whitianga, 10 Monk Street
• Coromandel Town, 355 Kapanga Road
No appointment needed: Pāuanui | Tairua
Thursday 7 August (one day only), drop by:
• Pāuanui Community Hub from 9.00am to 12.00pm
• Tairua Library from 1.00pm to 4.00pm
Find out more about the process
Coromandel Town stormwater network upgrade
We’re upgrading a section of the Rings Road stormwater network in Coromandel Town, specifically along Victoria Street. Our contractors will be replacing the pipe beneath Victoria Street, which will require a temporary road closure as approved (details below).
Residents immediately affected were notified last week and a wider letter drop is being carried out by our contractors this week. Driveway access will be maintained at all times and the road will be reopened outside of working hours where possible.
Works are scheduled from Tuesday 5 August to Friday 22 August, between 7am and 6pm (weather dependant). While the road closure won’t be in place for the entire period, please follow the detour signs when closures are active.
Toilet upgrade coming to Buffalo Beach
From
Monday 4 August, we’ll be installing a brand-new toilet block at Buffalo Beach, Whitianga.
New toilets are being installed to replace outdated facilities that are no longer fit for purpose.
These toilets have been built off-site, so installation will be quicker and smoother. The work will take about 2 to 2.5 weeks and includes removing the old toilets.
While the work’s going on, there’ll be a portaloo on site for you to use. You can also head to the public toilets at Mother Brown Creek (north) or Wharf Reserve (south).
This is an active construction site, so it’ll be fenced off and managed with a traffic plan. For your safety (and to help the crew get the job done), please keep clear of the work area and follow any instructions from the team on site.
Thanks for your patience as we continue to improve local facilities!
Progress update: Thames water main upgrades
Work on Thames’ drinking water pipeline upgrades is tracking well, with progress ahead of schedule.
The upgrade on Parawai Road is now complete, wrapping up within the expected timeframe.
Construction along Pollen Street (between Grey Street and Willoughby Street) is also moving ahead of schedule, with water connections anticipated to take place next week.
If this continues, work on the final stage along Ngāti Maru Highway (from Maramarahi Road to Deeble Road) may begin earlier than the original start date of 18 August.
These upgrades are part of a wider project to bring drinking water pipelines up to current Council standards and ensure a safe, reliable supply for the future.
To complete the next stage of the project, we need to connect a new line to the existing water network.
To do this safely, water supply will be temporarily shut off on Tuesday 5 August, from 9am to 3pm, affecting the following addresses:
- 202 – 209 Grey Street
- 109 Mackay Street
- 212 Pollen Street
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience while we carry out this essential work.
Find out more
Boat ramp closure
Two of our boat ramps will be closed for about three weeks in August while maintenance/repair works take place.
- Wyuna Bay boat ramp will be closed for the public for three weeks from 25 August.
- Long Bay boat ramp will be closed to the public for three weeks from 11 August.
Caring for Our Coast
Due to the recent severe weather, the Whangamatā Pipi Road dune planting event has been rescheduled to Friday 8 August. Meet at Beach Access 11, 9:30am on Friday 8 August. RSVP to samantha.telfar@tcdc.govt.nz or info@whangadunes.org.nz.
Please bring covered footwear, warm/rain-appropriate clothing, your own water bottle and your favourite gloves if you have them. Planting equipment and refreshments will be provided. Bring a friend or the whānau and help protect and restore our beautiful coastline - we look forward to seeing you on the dunes.
New Term 3 events at our District Libraries
Term 3 is here, and we’ve launched some brand-new, free after-school activities at our District Libraries in Tairua, Thames and Mercury Bay.
- LEGO® Club: Tuesdays at Tairua Library. Build something spectacular with the library's selection of LEGO® bricks.
- Crafternoon: Tuesdays at Thames Library. Join us after school to try out some awesome craft activities! Ages 8+. Bookings essential.
- Chess Lab: Thursdays at Mercury Bay Library. Play chess with others, build your own chess pieces, and learn more about this fun game! Ages 8+.
Check out our full What’s On Guide
Adoptable dog of the week
Rally of Coromandel returns this August
The Rally of Coromandel returns as part of the New Zealand Rally Championship, with racing on Saturday 23 August and a Street Party kicking off festivities on Friday evening in Whitianga.
There’ll be rally stages across iconic Coromandel roads and a special spectator stage, plus a chance to see the action up close at Rally HQ at Mercury Bay Sports Park.
A colouring competition is open to local primary school students, winners will ride in a rally car!
Note: Road closures will be in place on 22-23 August.
Find out more
Calling all artist for this year's Artbeat Spring Festival
