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Call for Lanterns 2025

The Kaiwaka Lantern Festival is scheduled for the week prior to Matariki.  The lantern parade around the village and the after-dark fire based activities are directly associated with Matariki themes celebrating light and regeneration. This year we are hoping to see the community respond with more lanterns than ever.  All ages, please join in:  You are invited to be as creative or adventurous as you like! The only conditions are as follows:·     ...

Kaiwaka Lantern Festival 2024

Kaiwaka’s annual Lantern Festival took place on the afternoon and evening of Sunday 23rd June 2024.  Attendance this year was up from last year, with around 600 people in total visiting the event. Weather was overcast but without rain, ensuring that all of the planned activities could go ahead on dry ground around the Kaiwaka Sports Association facilities.The afternoon featured loads of family fun:  A treasure hunt captivated youngsters for an hour or so with around 200 “lucky dipâ...

Kaiwaka Lantern Festival 2023

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A skatepark is coming to Kaiwaka...

In January 2023, Kaiwaka Can received a grant to explore the development of a skatepark facility at the new McLean 2022 park bordering Gibbons Road. Initial site assessment from geotechnical supports a roll-play park provided that it does not impinge on the area immediately bordering the stream bank. Drainage is very important to consider.  Our subsequent concept design has kept the proposed skatepark above the 100yr flood plain.  Earthworks are to be kept to a mini...

2022 Mid-Winter Warmer

We had a blast on Wednesday evening at our Mid Winter Warmer - so much so we want to do it again soon!It was awesome to mix, mingle, share a meal and share ideas. A huge welcome to our newest members, we’re looking forward to teaming up with you on the multitude of projects we’ve got going on for Kaiwaka!...

2022 Riverbank Tree Planting

DONE AND DUSTED!The weather came to the party for our tree planting working bee on Sunday down at McClean Park. 380 native plants generously donated by the Rural Design team were planted along the riverbank, and the afternoon rain kicked in just after our celebratory BBQ.The plants selected will improve water quality by filtering run off, and they'll promote a wonderful habitat for native fish, insects and birds to thrive.Thank you so much to everyone who gave up their time to help out, and to e...

2022 Muck in For McClean Park

It's incredible the change that can be made in just a few hours when you've got a team of go-getters on your side.Our group of amazing volunteers (not all pictured) ripped through stage one of our Muck-In for McClean Park this Sunday - riverbank and pest-plant clearing. The kikuyu grass was no match for the Grillo mower and blokes in chaps yielding weed-eaters. Chainsaws and pole saws tidied up low hanging branches making the park feel safer and more open. The woodchipper was fed continuously, a...

Kaiwaka Footbridges

Funded with a $750,000 grant from the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF), two footbridges are soon to  be built on the western side of State Highway One in Kaiwaka.One footbridge will cross the Kaiwaka River, connecting Oneriri Road with the Eutopia Café and the Cheese Shop to the north. It will provide access to an existing underpass, giving pedestrians a safer route from the shops at the south-west of the town to the Four Square and library at the north-east end of the town.The second footbrid...