Our weekly wrap up: Award win, year in review, initiatives and updates

Published on 21 November 2025

TCDC commended for inclusive development 

Thames-Coromandel District Council has earned a Highly Commended Award for Excellence in Inclusive Development and Wellbeing at this year’s Economic Development New Zealand (EDNZ) Awards, celebrating its pivotal role in bringing back the Auckland–Coromandel ferry service.

Hosted at Auckland’s Wynyard Quarter recently, the EDNZ Awards shine a spotlight on the people, councils, iwi and organisations driving real, measurable change through projects that boost local economies, create jobs and strengthen communities.

EDNZ praised the ferry reinstatement as “a great example of purpose-driven collaboration” noting the impact that’s possible when community, council and business move together with a shared goal.

Read more here

Over the past year, we’ve focused on following through on our long-term planning —delivering the services, budgets and projects we committed to in Year 1 of our Long Term Plan, while staying flexible in the face of some big challenges.  

Council request as coastal reserves damaged from cutting, poisoning

Our Council is asking people who are interested in the maintenance of our coastal reserves to work with us or a recognised Coastcare group instead of taking independent action. 

There has been a spate of damage to trees and plants at some of our seaside reserves through poisoning, cutting and dumping – without our Council’s permission. 

In addition to the cutting and poisoning of native plants, people have also been spraying herbicide, dumping green waste and even topping Pōhutukawa trees.  

One example of the unauthorised activity resulted in damage to about 400 metres of coastal vegetation. 

Mayor Peter Revell says our coastal reserves are not just beautiful scenic spots, they play a vital role in protecting our shoreline from erosion, providing habitat for native flora and fauna and help to create a safe, enjoyable space for everyone. 

“Unauthorised work can undo years of effort. It can also harm protected species and even breach the law,” Mayor Revell says.

“Disturbing these areas can also affect archaeological sites which is another reason for people to tread carefully.” 

Read more here

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Libraries tested safe from contaminated

All our district libraries are open again after testing has revealed that Tairua and Thames libraries are safe from possible play sand contamination.

Following the recall of contaminated products nationwide, an investigation into Council facilities had revealed that products from the official recalled list had been used recently in the Thames Library and the Tairua Library.

Tairua was closed for one day this week and Thames for two days as a precautionary measure advised by WorkSafe while testing was carried out for asbestos.

Further investigation by Council found that the sand used at Tairua Library was not the product from the recall list, so the library was reopened on Thursday. Tests of the product that had been used recently in the Thames Library have returned negative for asbestos and Council was given the all clear to re-open.

WorkSafe confirmed that Council’s action taken is in line with guidance from the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment and Health NZ.  

If you are concerned about exposure at any location, WorkSafe advises that you should reach out to your medical advisor.

If you have any concerns about possible exposure at any location, WorkSafe recommends contacting your medical advisor. For information about the product recall, and how to dispose of contaminated sand, see our earlier news release.  

Libraries Community Impact Survey

What do you love about your local library? Public Libraries New Zealand’s Community Impact Survey helps public libraries like ours understand what you value about the services and activities we offer. 

The survey is open until 5 December. 

Complete the survey here

Roading updates

Owera Road – Emergency closure

Ventia NZ, on behalf of our Council, is carrying out urgent repairs to a damaged culvert on Owera Road.

To complete the work safely and efficiently, Owera Road will be CLOSED from 75 Owera Road (see map below for details), 7:30am – 4:30pm from today, Friday 21 November - Friday 28 November (weekdays only). There will be no access for residents or pedestrians during closure times.

Outside of this closure period a priority give way will be in place for light vehicles only. Emergency services will always have access.

Traffic controllers will be on site, please follow their instructions for your safety.

Thank you for your patience and understanding while we complete these essential works.

SH25A reopen

Great news for Coromandel travellers — State Highway 25A (SH25A) is now open.

The road had been closed for a major rebuild in steep and narrow sections. Thanks to fine weather, careful planning, and hard work from the crews, the project wrapped up ahead of schedule, allowing the highway to reopen on Tuesday 18 November.

While some finishing work remains, this will be completed under speed restrictions and occasional stop/go traffic management.

What was done during the closure:

• A significant road rehabilitation upgraded both the drainage system and the road surface, improving long-term resilience and safety.
• The project covered 480 metres of road, including 3600m² of chip sealing, delivering an even and more durable surface for road users.
• Crews completed 5 mill-and-fill patches, restoring pavement strength and quality.
• A reinforced wall was built near Troop Falls.
• More than 200 individual maintenance jobs were done, including edge break, shoulder and pothole repairs, vegetation control, signage maintenance, culvert clearing and other drainage and surfacing work.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi thanks the community and businesses for their patience and understanding during the closure. These improvements will help ensure the Coromandel roading network is safe and resilient for summer and beyond.

See more here 

Whangamatā bridge work going well

Waka Kotahi's urgent deck work is progressing well on the Moana Anu Anu Bridge (also known as the Wentworth Bridge) on SH25, southwest of Whangatmatā. 

The bridge closed to all traffic late last month and is on track to open again on Tuesday 9 December. The closure runs 24/7. 

The repairs include a full deck replacement, new safety barriers, resurfacing and other work which can be done during the closure. 

The detour through Whangamatā uses Mayfair Avenue and Martyn Road, adding only a few minutes to normal journey times.  

Citizenship Ceremony a success

On Thursday 20 November we welcomed 28 new citizens to Thames-Coromandel in the first Citizenship Ceremony for our newly elected Mayor and Councillors.

Our new citizens came from:

• England
• South Africa
• United States of America
• Philippines
• Zimbabwe
• United Kingdom
• Germany
• Uganda
• France
• Thailand
• Netherlands
• Wales

We welcome our newest residents and ratepayers to our beautiful district.

Greenstone Summer Concert Tour update: Whitianga event not proceeding

Greenstone Entertainment has announced that the 2026 Summer Concert Tour date planned for Whitianga is being moved to Auckland.

The concert had been scheduled for Monday 26 January (the Auckland Anniversary public holiday) at the Sherriff Block, a recently completed Council-owned open-air venue in Whitianga. However, Greenstone Entertainment has advised that it has opted to shift the Coromandel leg of the tour to Auckland’s Spark Arena on Thursday 29 January.

The Summer Concert Tour has been a much-loved fixture of the Coromandel’s summer events calendar for many years, attracting tens of thousands of visitors and contributing to the vibrancy of the region.

Further details here

Smarter recycling, gadget drop-offs and festive fun

Changes are underway to boost sustainability and strengthen community connections. These initiatives are designed to cut waste, promote reuse, and bring people together for a greener future.

Matarangi's new resource recovery drop-off

A new resource recovery container drop-off system for reusable goods starts this weekend at the Matarangi Refuse and Recycling Transfer Station. 

This is a great way to rehome your house or bach with pre-owned furniture and household items, instead of being disposed at landfill. 

It’s similar to initiatives at Tairua and Pāuanui transfer stations (pictured), which are working well.  

The drop-off will be open every weekend from Saturday 22 November from 8.30am – 4pm. There will also be extended hours over the summer period that will be communicated soon.

The drop-off system has been made possible by collaboration between our Council, our Solid Waste contractor WM New Zealand, and our key resource recovery partners: The Seagull Centre, Mercury Bay’s Wāhi Tukurua and Coromandel Town's ‘The Goldmine’.

Coromandel Town Transfer Station upgrade

We’re making improvements at our Coromandel Town Refuse and Recycling Transfer Station to make recycling and glass drop-off more effective.    

At the moment, glass and recycling materials are placed into open bins and bunkers. We’re now setting up a fully enclosed bin system for both materials, with slots for inserting the accepted material. This new system will protect dry recycling from wet weather and ensure it’s in good shape for recyclability. It’s also a more operationally efficient way to collect and transport the glass recycling. There are similar systems for customers at Matarangi and Pāuanui transfer stations. 

Temporary drop-off solutions will be set up starting on Wednesday 19 November. They’ll be in place for 2–3 weeks while necessary work takes place to prepare for the new bins. We expect the permanent bins will arrive on site by mid-December. We appreciate your patience and support until we complete this work. 

Coromandel’s Great Gadget Drop and Shop

Got old electronics gathering dust? Bring along anything with a plug (except whiteware) to 150 Pound St, Coromandel Town, between 10am-3pm on Friday 28 November and help keep valuable resources out of landfill. They’ll make sure your unwanted gadgets are diverted from waste and given a second chance. (Please note: disposal fees may apply).

While you’re there, browse a range of tested and tagged second-hand electronics - great gear at great prices, and better for the planet. 

Drop it. Shop it. Make a difference. 

Brought to you by the Seagull Centre and Coromandel Independent Living Trust. 

Celebrate with Seagull Centre this Christmas

You’re invited to this year’s Seagull Centre Christmas Party on Sunday 21 December. Festivities will be happening across all four sites - Thames, Pāuanui, Tairua and Matarangi — with Thames hosting the main event. 

Thames will host the main festivities — including an ice cream truck, coffee cart, sausage sizzle and special in-store sales throughout the day. 

It’s their way of saying thank you for your support in 2025, which helped keep thousands of reusable items out of landfill. 

Come along, celebrate with our Seagull Centre partners, and wrap up another big year of reuse together! 

See more here

Dogs on leads

Dogs must be on a lead in all urban areas, including town centres and roads. Always keep your dog under control. When in doubt, keep them on lead. 

Not following the rules could result in an infringement.  

Be a responsible dog owner: learn more about our dog rules and take our dog rules quiz and be in to win a $100 Prezzy Card. 

Find out more

Inflatable fun at Centennial Pool

Summer’s here and there’s lots of fun to be had at Thames Centennial Pool.

The pool’s inflatable obstacle course will be up on Sunday 30 November between 11am and 3pm. 

Challenge yourself and your friends to get from end to end without falling off!  

Find out more

LIMs over Christmas

If you want to receive a Land Information Memorandum (LIM) before Christmas, get your application in by: 

Applications received after these dates will be delivered after Monday 12 January 2026. 

Our normal LIM service resumes on Monday 12 January. 

By law, LIMs must be completed within 10 working days, but the period from 20 December to 10 January in any year is excluded from the definition of working days. 

Building and Planning Consent Christmas processing times

We'd like to remind you that both the Building Act 2004 and the Resource Management Act 1991 pause the statutory processing clock over the Christmas and New Year period. This means that from Friday 20 December to Friday 10 January, the processing timeframe of 20 working days will be on hold.

Any Resource or Building Consent applications submitted on or after Friday 19 December 2025, will only start to be processed on Monday 12 January 2026, due to the holiday break.

To ensure your consent is processed before Christmas (unless further information is needed, which could pause the clock), we recommend submitting your application before Friday 21 November 2025.

For changes to delivery of other services over Christmas and New Year, see our Summer Info web page.

Job opportunities 

We offer a diverse range of career opportunities.  Our current job vacancies are:  

Thames Coromandel District Council Jobs - Join Our Team