Here-turi-kōkā (August) 2019 WBRA Newsletter
Kia ora e te whānau. Rain. Lots of rain (133 mm in August alone). Big puddles beside the roads, and a few property owners have discovered their low spots. Rainwater tanks should be brim full. Sunny warm days (highs around 18C), and a couple of decent frosts (low of -1.4C). The gorse is flowering, and soon the lupin will be too. Yes, it's August (Here-turi-kōkā).
This month we have burglaries, beach buddies clean up, river news, road speed changes, local body elections, coming events: dune planting and a Strathnaver BBQ.
In this newsletter …
- Burglaries
- Beach buddies clean up
- River news
- Road speed changes
- Local Body elections
- Coming Events: spinifex planting, Strathnaver BBQ.
- Property news
- Next Committee meeting
- What do you LOVE about Waikawa Beach?
Burglaries
In the last month there have been several thefts. A household gas cylinder was taken from a property on Manga Pirau Street, a Kontiki was stolen from another property in the village, and there was a burglary in Mavis Ave. Neighbourhood Support Group Horowhenua emailed:
I have received information that between 26th July and 16th August [2019] from 5pm to 12pm a property in Mavis Avenue has been broken into. This is a Holiday home.
The property was broken into via a window, a freezer in the garage has been opened and items have been stolen. In the house draws have been opened and items have been tossed about. A light has been left on in the house.
Please if you happen to have noticed anyone or anything suspicious around these dates and times please call the Police.
And also:
I have received information that between 19/6/19 and 25/8/19 a property in Drake Street has had it's garage broken into.
The property is a Holiday home and during this time the owners where at their home in Wellington.
The offenders have gained entry by smashing the lock off the door. Items stolen were a Echo chainsaw 18" bar and a Sea-horse Kon-Tiki which was set up with GPS it was red in colour and a jump starter pack.
The main home itself hasn't been entered.
We encourage you to lock up your property, ask friends and neighbours to keep their eyes open (and do the same for them) and to let us know, as well as the Police, if there are any problems. Report any suspicious activity. In early August two men and two women in an older car were going to every property, perhaps proselytising. Perhaps not.
If you decide to install security lights please keep them pointed downwards to help keep our night sky dark and to minimise disturbance to neighbours.
Beach buddies clean up
There are some folk who routinely carry a bag with them on their beach walks and who pick up rubbish as they come across it. Many thanks! Early in August bad weather dumped a lot of smaller rubbish from the sea onto the beach. A call to Blitz the beach brought a fabulous response from both locals and those farther afield. A huge thanks to all Beach Buddies for your efforts!
It took a few emails to the Horowhenua District Council, but two of the 3 dead goats delivered to the beach by storms were finally buried. A third, smaller goat was eventually mostly covered by drifting sand and then 'finished off' with a pile of driftwood. See Tickets.
River news
Removing the high-angle groyne seems to have kept the river flowing further from shore. There's a good stretch for the whitebaiters, though one report was that there were 'slim pickings'.
Road speed changes
Waikawa Beach Road has been reduced to 80 Kph for its full length between SH1 and the entrance to the village. The change came into effect on 15 August 2019. Takapu Road is now also 80 Kph. Other local roads, reduced to 60 Kph are Strathnaver Drive, Reay Mackay Grove, and, from 12 September 2019, Emma Drive and Kristin Place. Read more at Local road speeds reduced as of August 2019.
On 30 July 2019 there was a car crash at the corner of SH1 and Waikawa Beach Road, blocking the northbound lane for a couple of hours. Read more at Car crash at the corner on 30 July 2019.
Local Body elections
Local Body elections are coming up on 12 October 2019. Read who our condidates are at Local body elections 2019. Meet the Candidates at Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō in Levin on 24 September 2019 from 5.30pm to 8pm.
Coming Events
Horowhenua District Council are once again making spinifex plants available to bolster the dunes. The probable date for planting is on the last weekend of September. That'll be firmed up closer to the time. Last year about 40 volunteers made very short work of it. Will you come and help this year too?
There are a lot of new people in Strathnaver, what with all the new houses. Some of the residents felt it might be a good idea to have a BBQ at Labour Weekend so everyone in Strathnaver can get to know one another. The Horowhenua District Council will even pay for some sausages and vegan salads. We'll share more info once there's more to know. Interested in helping to organise the event? Let us know.
Property news
For Sale
Sections for sale: 24 Uxbridge Terrace, 50 Strathnaver Drive, approx 169 Strathnaver Drive. Houses for sale: 111 Strathnaver Drive. Sold: 44 Sarah Street, 9 Kristin Place.
Next Committee meeting
The next Committee meeting will be held on the morning of Sunday 27 October 2019.
What do you LOVE about Waikawa Beach?
We asked people: What do you LOVE about Waikawa Beach? We want to include the responses in upcoming newsletters. Here's the first:
Hello! My name is Amanda and we had a holiday house here with the intention of moving in a few years but it is so lovely out here we moved up early. Everyone is so friendly and my washing dries in minutes unless it gets blown away 😂
What do YOU love about Waikawa Beach? Let us know.
Which do you prefer: the view to the south or the view to the north? Me, I love both.
Ngā mihi nui,
Miraz Jordan