Kia ora koutou,
Boy, has it cooled down over the last few weeks! But don't worry, Waihī Beach has plenty to keep you busy over the winter months, as you'll no doubt see from this bumper edition of The Waihī Beach Journal.
Here at Waihī Beach Events & Promotions, we've been busy behind the scenes working on our summer events, and we can't wait to share more on that with you soon (yes, we're already deep into Christmas planning, we can hardly believe it either!).
In the meantime, if you haven't already picked up the Winter Edition of It's About Time, our free local magazine, copies are available from local stores, eateries, the library and the Information Centre. The feedback on this one has been truly wonderful, and we're already looking ahead to the Summer Edition. If you have an article idea or would like to advertise, we'd love to hear from you at hello@waihibeach.co.nz.
Enjoy this round-up, and we'll see you out there!
The Waihī Beach Journal is designed so you can read the whole email with a coffee, or simply scroll to the sections that interest you most.
Here's what's coming up:
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Excellence Awards: Nominations Are Open!
The Katikati & Waihī Beach Excellence Awards nominations are open now, and we'd love for you to take ten minutes to nominate someone who deserves a little recognition.
This year, the awards are judge-led rather than a popular vote, which means someone only needs to be nominated once to be in the running. With 11 categories available, chances are you know someone who belongs in one of them.
If you get stuck on any of the questions in the nomination form, don't let that stop you, just pop in what you love about that person or business, or something you think our judges should know. Every bit helps.
Nominate now at waihibeach.co.nz/awards
Brought to you by Barfoot & Thompson. Organised by Waihī Beach Events & Promotions and Katch Katikati. Supported by Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Rotary Katikati and Craigs Investment Partners.
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Op Shop Ball: VIP Tables Back On Sale
This one sold out fast, but we've managed to release a small number of additional VIP tables, and they're live right now!
VIP secures you and seven friends a table, champagne, and food brought straight to you on the night. General admission is also down to the last 100 tickets, so if you've been sitting on the fence, now is the time.
The Waihī Beach Op Shop Ball: Studio 64 will be an unforgettable evening, and you'd be silly to sit this one out! So grab your tickets before they're gone.
Book now at Eventfinda
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Matariki Dawn Viewing: A Quiet Beginning to a New Year
Matariki is the name of a star cluster that rises in the midwinter sky, its appearance marking the beginning of a new year in te ao Māori. This is a time to remember those who have passed, reflect on the year behind us, and look forward with intention.
This year's guiding theme is Ururangi, the star connected to the winds of the sky, traditionally observed to help predict the weather patterns shaping planting, harvesting, and travel. Ururangi reminds us that by looking up, we might better understand what lies ahead.
Our celebration starts before the light. People arrive in the dark, wrapped in oodies and blankets, beanies pulled down against the winter air. Fires burn in braziers along the reserve outside Bowentown Coastguard. There are marshmallows. There is kōrero. Following the dawn viewing, the morning continues with a pōwhiri and shared breakfast at Otawhiwhi Marae, grounded in manaakitanga and community.
Whether Matariki is something you have grown up celebrating or something entirely new, this gathering is open to all. There are no expectations to know the stories beforehand, only a willingness to listen, learn, and be present.
When: Thursday 9 July | Arrive 5.45am for a 6.00am start | Where: Bowentown Coastguard Reserve, 511 Seaforth Road, Bowentown, Waihī Beach. Parking available on-site. Followed by breakfast at Otawhiwhi Marae. All are welcome. We'd love to see you there.
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T.I.D.E: Save the Date
Our next T.I.D.E business networking event is coming up, and this one is not to be missed.
Tuesday 18 August | Waihī Beach Community Centre
This session is all about you and your business. The Community Board wants to hear directly from local business owners about how they'd like to see the business area develop. What would make it more vibrant and welcoming, what would bring more people here, and where the boundaries of the business area should be.
Maps and discussion prompts will be on hand to get the kōrero flowing. This is a genuine opportunity to have your say on decisions that will directly affect your business and our village, so we really encourage every Waihī Beach business owner to come along and be part of the conversation.
More details to follow, please save the date and watch this space.
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Innovation Garden Club: Winter Garden Challenge Ramble
A lovely one for garden lovers. After months of planning and planting, the Innovation Garden Club are now eagerly anticipating their upcoming Garden Ramble and Laundry Basket Challenge Display.
Saturday 4 July Free Garden Ramble | 10.00am–3.00pm Laundry Basket Challenge Display from 10.00am at Waihī Beach RSA, 99 Beach Road
Sunday 5 July Free Garden Ramble | 10.00am–1.00pm Laundry Basket Challenge Display | 10.00am–2.00pm at Waihī Beach RSA Prizegiving | 1.00pm at Waihī Beach RSA
Garden Ramble pamphlets and maps will be available from the Waihī Beach RSA from 10.00am, Saturday 20 June onwards.
For more information: innovationgardenclub@gmail.com
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Te Ara Mātauranga: Waihī Beach Library & Service Centre
The library has two new wonderful free programmes running for tamariki, a great reason to pop in and explore everything this fantastic local resource has to offer.
Bookworms Book Club A kids' book club that explores a new genre every month, paired with a fun book-themed craft or activity. Perfect for young readers of all kinds.
Last Tuesday of each month | 3.00pm–4.00pm
Good Fun Craft Club An after-school craft session where tamariki can dive in and learn something new. Upcoming sessions:
June 23 — Air Drying Clay Charms
August 18 — Frame Loom Weaving
September 15 — LEGO Printmaking
3.00pm–4.00pm
Both programmes are free and based at Te Ara Mātauranga, Waihī Beach Library & Service Centre. Keep an eye on their channels for any updates.
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Waihī Beach Mural Project: Call for Artists
Something special is in the works at Waihī Beach, and Live Well Waihī Beach and Waihī Beach Lifeguard Services are looking for a Bay of Plenty artist to help bring it to life.
Following the opening of the Accessible Changing Facility at the Waihī Beach Lifeguard Services Club, artists are being invited to help create a welcoming, uplifting space for people of all abilities. The facility supports those with disabilities, wheelchair users, and people with complex needs, helping them prepare for and enjoy time at the beach with greater comfort and confidence.
This project is about more than a mural. It's an opportunity to give back through creativity, and to help people feel calm, included, and connected to the beach experience from the moment they arrive.
Thanks to funding from the Creative Communities Scheme, coordinated by Creative Bay of Plenty, the project is now able to move forward.
How it works: Submissions are open to artists across the Bay of Plenty until mid-July. A judging panel will select a top three shortlist, which will then be shared with the local and accessible community for a public vote. The winning design will be announced at the end of August, with the mural to be completed ahead of summer.
For full project details, including information on the space and budget, get in touch with Cindy at hello@livewellwaihibeach.co.nz
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Creative Connections Lunch: Waihī Beach
Creative Bay of Plenty is bringing their popular Creative Connections Lunch to Waihī Beach, and we'd love to see plenty of our local creatives there.
These lunches are a wonderful opportunity to catch up with friends, grow your network, discover new collaborations, and leave feeling inspired and connected. They sell out fast, so get in quick.
When: Thursday 25 June | 12.00pm–2.00pm Where: Flatwhite Café, 21 Shaw Road, Waihī Beach Cost: $34 per person + booking fee
A menu selection will be required at checkout, with options including seafood chowder, beer battered fish and chips, wagyu burger, three little pigs burger, and roast beetroot salad (with or without chicken). Gluten free bun options are available on the burgers.
Reserve your place here
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Community Hāngī: Celebrating Our Volunteers
As part of Te Wiki Tūao ā-Motu, National Volunteer Week (14–20 June 2026), Live Well Waihī Beach and Waihī Beach School | Kura are hosting a special community hāngī to celebrate all of the incredible volunteers and tūao whose generosity, dedication, and kindness help our community thrive.
When: Thursday 18 June | 12.00pm Where: Waihī Beach Kura | School
All volunteers are welcome, RSVPs to Cindy Clare, Community Coordinator at Live Well Waihī Beach: hello@livewellwaihibeach.co.nz
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Farewell to Roy & Shirley: 55 Years of Aroha
Last week, we said 'see you around' to two of the most beloved faces at the Waihī Beach Information Centre, Roy and Shirley. After 55 years (half a century!) of showing up, getting stuck in, and giving everything to this community, it's their time for a rest. Their warmth, dedication, and genuine love for this place has been felt by every visitor they've welcomed and every person they've worked alongside.
As Shirley so perfectly put it: "Waihī Beach is a place where everyone just gets stuck in and gets it done." No one embodies that spirit more than these two.
We wish Roy and Shirley all the very best in their well-earned rest, though knowing them, we suspect they won't be sitting still for long!
And while we have you, a heartfelt thank you to all of our wonderful Information Centre volunteers. You are the friendly faces that welcome visitors, answer their questions, and show them the very best of Waihī Beach. What you do matters more than you know. Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa.
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Phew!! That was a big one huh!!
We hope to see you out and about soon, and remember, there's always a warm corner waiting for you here.
Ngā mihi nui,
Hollie Jones,
Waihī Beach Events & Promotions
Please note: All information in this email is subject to change. We recommend checking official event pages and social channels for the latest updates.
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Proudly brought to you by Waihī Beach Community Events & Promotions: a local not-for-profit dedicated to bringing our community together through great events and celebrating Waihī Beach as one of New Zealand’s top coastal destinations.
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