The week's Council news: Voting packs posted, Kōpū Wharf update
Published on 12 September 2025
Local election news
Voting packs
Voting packs for this year’s local election will start arriving soon in people’s letterboxes.
People have until midday Saturday 11 October to vote in our Thames-Coromandel District Council election. They can do this by posting their completed voting documents to the return address in the envelope provided or by dropping their completed voting documents in a ballot box. Our district has boxes at each of our Council service centres in Whangamatā, Whitianga, Coromandel Town, Thames and the Tairua Library.
Click here for an interactive map showing your closest ballot box location.
Special voting
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If you’ve damaged your voting pack or it hasn’t arrived or any other reason you might have trouble being able to vote – check out this handy video that has all you need to know about casting a special vote instead.
Mobile ballot boxes
Our election team will also be travelling around our rohe over the next few weeks with special mobile ballot boxes to better enable all of our communities to vote. If people are unable to make it into a Council office, they can vote by joining us at the following locations on key dates listed below.
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Monday 29 September
- Te Rerenga School, 9am – 11am
- Kūaotunu Hall, 12pm – 2pm
- Pāuanui Hub, 10am – 12pm
Thursday 2 October
Saturday 27 September (National Voting Day)
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The three Thames-Coromandel District library branches - Thames Library, Mercury Bay Library, and Tairua Library, 9am – 12pm.
More dates and locations are expected and will be added to our Council website.
Alongside the election, Thames-Coromandel communities are being asked to take part in a referendum - whether to retain or disestablish the Māori ward for the Thames-Coromandel District Council. The outcome of this binding poll will apply to the 2028 and 2031 triennial elections.
Our candidate profiles, videos, Pre-election Report, ballot box location map and more information on the election and referendum are all available here.
Kōpū wharf public access trial
With continued public interest in the Kōpū Commercial Wharf, a trial is being launched to allow pedestrian access on weekends. The wharf will be open to the public from 9am until 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays from Saturday 13 September up to and including Labour Day, Monday 27 October. During the trial period the public will be able to access the wharf through the pedestrian access gate located next to the recreational ramp parking (via King Street).
If you are heading to the wharf, please take extreme care and follow all signage in place. Children must be supervised by adults.
River flooding and Thames protection
The flooding risk in Thames is something many locals are familiar with, going back to the gold mining days and even longer through Ngāti Maru. Much of the risk is highlighted in our District Plan and in recent work our Council has done on coastal protection which examined the need to integrate river flood management into the any solution to protect Thames from the hazards associated with sea-level rise.
We’ve been sharing updates with the community through public meetings, website updates and our TCDC social media.
A March 2025 public meeting heard from Council staff and experts from Waikato Regional Council assessing the flood risk during a significant weather event as water comes off the ranges into Thames’ streams and channels. For the area north of the Karaka Stream, a seawall or bund could trap Karaka Stream overflows behind it, which even a powerful series of pumps couldn’t drain.
A recent post on a local Thames social media chit-chat group has highlighted this flooding risk in Thames, where - as is the case across much of our district - there’s not just a single hazard we are dealing with.
For the areas north of the Karaka Stream, this combination of coastal and river flooding hazards must be carefully managed. This has led to a commitment to more detailed discussion about how best to manage these intersecting hazards, with both TCDC and Waikato Regional Council having an important role to play. The costs of any potential response are still being worked through, with funding sources not yet identified. No decisions will be made until there has been significant consultation with the community.
Learn more about our Thames Protection and Resilience Project.
Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori
Next week Te Wiki o te Reo Māori | Māori Language Week celebrates 50 years of the revival of te reo Māori, the Māori language, since a petition with more than 30,000 signatures was presented to parliament in 1975.
Take part in the nationwide challenge or wero to show an act of aroha for te reo Māori. Whether you’re just starting out or you’re fluent, there’s something for all levels. Each wero may be small — a kupu | word shared, a waiata sung— but together, they add up to a powerful statement of commitment. He mana tō ia kupu. (Every word counts).
Grab your workmates, your whānau or your mates and see what you can take on. 50 Wero Reo Māori - Te Rangaihi Reo Māori
Whakataukī
Tōku reo, tōku ohooho
My language is my awakening
Hāhei Reserves Group clean-up
This week the Hāhei Reserves Group, with support from Council's Economic Development team, hosted a successful vegetation clean-up along the popular walkway linking Stella Evered Park to Hāhei via the Cathedral Cove Walkway.
The project not only improves the visitor experience but also helps protect the natural environment and is a great local connection. A big thank you to the volunteers and staff who rolled up their sleeves to support this mahi.
Caring for our coast
This September, our coastal communities are coming together to care for the dunes – and you’re invited to join!
Tairua Planting Bee
Where: Meet at Tairua Surf Club
When: 9.30am, Saturday 13 September
Help restore the sand dunes between Beach Access 7 and the Surf Club by planting native spinifex. The hard work will be taken care of with holes pre-dug, all you’ll need to do is settle the plants into the sand. After a morning of mahi, stick around for a hot cuppa, BBQ sausage and morning tea.
Whangamatā Planting Morning
Where: Meet at Beach Access 17 (off Tangaroa Road)
When: 9.30am, Saturday 27 September
Join the Whangamatā Dune Protection Society and Coastcare Waikato for the final planting day of the season. Together we’ll be infill planting native spinifex and doing some light weeding along the dunes between Beach Access 11 and 18. Holes will be pre-dug, making it easy for everyone to get involved. Afterwards, enjoy a well-earned cuppa and a fresh scone for morning tea.
What to bring:
- Covered footwear, warm clothes and a rain jacket
- Your own water bottle
- Gloves if you’d like to use your own (planting gear will be provided)
- Friends and family – all are welcome!
RSVP
In case of bad weather, postponement details will be sent out via email and posted on Coastcare Waikato’s Facebook page (@CoastcareWaikato).
Whether you join us in Tairua or Whangamatā (or both!), it’s a chance to connect with nature, meet your community and give our coastlines a helping hand.
Upgrades for beach stairs
Work to upgrade two sets of stairs leading to the beach begins on Monday.
If you’re heading to Grays Beach or Rings Beach near Kūaotunu you might see some of our team working on renovating the old stairs which are each in need of a birthday.
Work is expected to last until 29 September. As these will be construction sites during this time, we ask people to avoid the area until the new stairs are installed and ready.
People can still access the beach via one of the other sets of stairs at Rings Beach, and at Grays Beach, people can use the grass verge to the north.
Road network resealing
As we move into warmer weather, we’re undertaking our annual resealing programme.
Our crews will be working hard over the next two months to undertake work needed to maintain our roads. Resealing will begin on Monday focusing on the Thames and Whangamatā areas. Residents in affected areas will receive individual mail drops.
Next week’s programme is:
Please note this is subject to weather and other unforeseen circumstances. We will update you on any changes. Apologies in advance for any delays this might cause you on your journeys.
One-hour closures of Refuse Transfer Stations
Refuse and Recycling Transfer Stations (RTS) in Thames, Whangamatā and Tairua and Whitianga will be open for an hour less for one day each in mid-September due to weighbridge stations having to be calibrated.
Wednesday 17 September
- Thames RTS will open at 9.30am (instead of 8.30am)
- Whangamatā RTS will close at 3.30pm (instead of 4.30pm)
Thursday 18 September
- Tairua RTS will open at 9.30am (instead of 8.30am)
- Whitianga RTS will close at 3.30pm (instead of 4.30pm).
Thank you for your patience as we make sure our transfer stations are up well maintained.
State Highway speed consultation
A reminder to get your feedback on NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi’s speed limits review affecting:
• the townships of Kūaotunu and Wharekaho on SH25
• between Thames and Tararū on SH25
Sections of SH2 in Waihī and Karangahake towards Waikino are also being reviewed.
Consultation will run until 3 October 2025.
View here
Te Kooti Whenua Māori last info seminar
Our Council is working with Te Kooti Whenua Māori (Māori Land Court) to deliver a series of information seminars presented by Pae Manawa Maria Graham. These sessions are designed to help you better understand Māori Land Court processes, review application pathways and requirements, and learn how to complete your application correctly. This will be the final workshop and will guide you through Trust Applications & Trustee Duties.
When: Friday 26 September (9.30am – 12.30pm)
Where: Council Chambers, 515 Mackay Street, Thames.
Go the Blues
This week's adoptable dog is called Blue. He's a young male, about six months old. While he can be a little shy to start with, once he gets to know you, he is a fun-loving boy who loves playing and cuddles.
What are you waiting for? Get in touch to discuss how you can give Blue the home he deserves.
Join our team
We offer a diverse range of career opportunities. Our current job vacancies are: