The Waihī Beach Journal | Issue Three | Community news, events & good things at Waihī Beach

Published 7 months ago • 8 min read

Kia ora koutou,

Autumn has officially arrived, but with the sun still shining there’s plenty happening around Waihī Beach.

A quick note from us: Last weekend’s Community Quest family fun day was a great reminder of what makes this place special. The reserve was full of families climbing, playing games, sharing ideas for the future of our place, and enjoying a relaxed morning together. It was great to see so many locals taking the time to be part of shaping the future of Waihī Beach, Bowentown and Athenree. If you couldn't make it, but would like to have your say - you can do so here: https://yourplace.westernbay.govt.nz/waihi-beach-bowentown-athenree-community-quest​

The Waihī Beach Journal is designed so you can read the whole email with a coffee, or simply use the below subject titles to go directly to the sections that interest you most. There are quite a few interesting topics today, so get stuck in!

Here’s what’s happening around the Beach right now:

​Accessible Beach Day & Facility Opening:​

Something very special is happening at Waihī Beach.

With the opening of our new purpose-built Accessible Changing Facility this weekend, our community is taking a huge step forward in making the beach experience available to everyone. Together with our accessible beach mats, beach wheelchairs, accessible fountain and table, and the incredible support of Waihī Beach Surf Lifesaving Club (including access to their lift), Waihī Beach is set to become New Zealand’s most accessible beach.

Now that’s something worth celebrating! This project has been driven by Live Well Waihī Beach and Waihī Beach Lifeguard Services, guided by local accessibility advocate Dave MacCalman, and supported by an incredible community effort.

The whole community is warmly invited to join the opening celebration where Dame Catriona Williams and Mayor Denyer will officially declare the facility open.

Waihī Beach Surf Lifesaving Club
​Saturday 7th March​
​3.00pm

Come along, show your support, and help celebrate this important milestone for accessibility at our beach.

​Surf Lifeguard Patrols – Final Weeks for the Season:​

Our volunteer Waihī Beach Surf Lifeguards are now moving into the final weeks of patrol for the season.

Patrols will continue on Saturdays and Sundays until Easter, including the Easter long weekend. After that, the beach will be unpatrolled until Labour Weekend.

There will be one fun exception to this in the off-season, the Polar Plunge, so start planning your most creative and outrageous costume now!

If you see someone in trouble in the water outside of patrol hours, call 111 immediately and ask for Police. They will activate our 24/7 search and rescue squad.

A huge thank you to our volunteer lifeguards and everyone behind the scenes for the incredible work they do keeping our beach safe each summer.

If in Doubt Stay Out.

​Love Grace Handbag Appeal – Donations this Weekend:

This weekend, The Advisor Hub at Waihī Beach will once again be a local drop-off point for the Love Grace Handbag Appeal.

Created in memory of Grace Millane, a young British traveller who tragically lost her life while backpacking in New Zealand in 2018, the appeal honours Grace’s love of handbags by helping women escaping domestic violence.

The idea is simple but incredibly powerful: donate a handbag filled with new essential items such as toiletries and hygiene products. These bags are then given to women arriving at refuges with little or nothing, offering immediate practical support and a message of dignity and care from their community.

Now in its fifth year in New Zealand, the appeal is run entirely by volunteers committed to supporting wāhine in their local communities.

Last year, thanks to the generosity of people here at the Beach, over 120 bags were donated through the local drop-off point. Sadly, every single one was needed.

This year The Advisor Hub is again collecting bags for our local refuge in Thames.

The Advisor Hub​
Unit 6, 57 Wilson Road, Waihī Beach
(next to the gym, across the road from the pub)

This weekend is your last chance to donate:​
Saturday & Sunday
​10am – 2pm

Every handbag is more than a gift. It’s a message of hope, kindness and support from one Kiwi to another.

All donations will be very gratefully received.

​Learn more here.​

​ECHO Experience – Breath, Movement & Sauna by the Sea:​

Start your morning with a little magic at Waihī Beach. This ECHO Walking Festival exclusive blends movement, breathwork and ocean rituals for the ultimate reset.

Begin with breath therapist Mary Bell from Free to Breathe, who will guide you through gentle breathing techniques that turn a simple seaside walk into a moving meditation.

From there, your small group will join Beach Pilates for a restorative stretch session before stepping into the warmth of The Sauna Project’s beachfront sauna.

The experience includes:

  • Guided breathwork walk
  • Restorative Beach Pilates session
  • Sauna rotations and ocean dips
  • Traditional aufguss ceremonies
  • A grounding cacao ceremony

Saturday 21st March 2026

6am session – now fully booked​
Spaces still available at 7am and 8am

This is a true Waihī Beach experience, the perfect way to recharge, refresh and reconnect at the Beach.

​Book online here.​

​Flavours of Plenty – Cake & Cocktails Picnic:​

Inspired by the global “cake picnic” trend, this event blends delicious flavours, relaxed beach vibes and the Bay’s coastal charm. Bring along your homemade cake to share, anything from a classic sponge to your wildest flavour creation, then fill your platter with slices from everyone else’s bakes while enjoying two specially crafted Wilderkin cocktails whilst looking over the ocean.

In true Pushing the Palate style, guests are encouraged to experiment with unique flavour combinations that showcase local produce. We'll be beach front with music, great people and high vibes!

We're covered rain or shine, so grab your friends, get your tickets and get baking!

Your ticket includes two welcome drinks from Wilderkin Spirits.

Waihī Beach Lifeguard Services
​26 April 2026​
​3.00pm – 5.00pm

​Book tickets here.​

​Waihī Beach Events & Promotions – Constitution Update:​

As a charitable organisation, Waihī Beach Events & Promotions is required to adopt an updated constitution to align with the latest requirements for incorporated societies.

To do this, we’ll be holding a special general meeting where the new constitution will be formally presented and approved.

We’ll also take the opportunity to confirm or update committee members if needed.

Everyone is welcome to attend.

Waihī Beach Information Centre, 26 Wilson Road, Waihī Beach​
​Thursday 19th March​
​5.30pm

If you’re interested in how the organisation operates, please feel free to join us.

​Volunteer Hop – New Date:​

The team at Volunteer Services have decided to postpone the Volunteer Hop originally scheduled for Sunday 8th March.

The event will now take place on:

Sunday 28th March

We'd love to see you there. We have some incredible organisation within Waihī Beach who could really use your help.

​Learn more here.​

​Sailing Arriving in Athenree This Weekend:​

Athenree Hot Springs is hosting part of the Matakana Raid sailing event this weekend.

Sailors from the Tauranga Yacht Club, including the Tornados fleet, will sail from Tauranga through the harbour and Omokoroa to Athenree on Saturday, before returning via the open ocean on Sunday.

If you’re around the harbour, keep an eye out for the fleet arriving.

Contact the team at Athenree Hot Springs to find out more information.

Aqua Aerobics Returns:

Aqua aerobics has started again at Athenree Hot Springs.

Wednesdays
​9.15am

For more information visit: https://www.athenreehotsprings.co.nz to get in touch.

​Junior Fishing Competition:​

The Waihī Beach Bowentown Boating & Fishing Club is hosting New Zealand’s largest one-day junior fishing competition.

Saturday 7 March 2026​
​6.00am – 4.30pm

Juniors can fish from boats, jetties or land with multiple species categories, spot prizes, and the return of the popular Last Junior Standing challenge.

All junior anglers receive a goodie bag packed with surprises.

Tickets available from ReelnWave or the club.

Easter Harbour Fishing Competition:

Athenree Hot Pools & Holiday Park and the Waihī Beach Bowentown Boating & Fishing Club are hosting their Easter Harbour Fishing Competition.

Sunday 5th April 2026 (daylight savings day)​
​6.00am – 6.00pm

Cash prizes for Snapper, Trevally and Kahawai, plus a prize for heaviest Kingfish.

Tickets: $35

Everyone is welcome.

​Find more information here.​

What’s happening at the Boating & Fishing Club:

  • Live music every Sunday | 4–7pm
  • Quiz night with an Irish twist
  • Early St Patrick’s Day celebration

More information:
​https://www.waihibeachbowentownbfc.co.nz​

​Plans for medical centre at Waihī Beach reserve withdrawn:​

Primary Health Care (PHCL) has withdrawn its proposal to build a new medical centre at Beach Road Recreation Reserve in Waihī Beach.

The decision follows a 10-week community consultation, led by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, with results indicating that 56% of submitters opposed the development at the proposed location, 42% supported it, and 2% were unsure.

Public submissions demonstrated broad agreement on the initiative to build a new medical centre in Waihī Beach. However, views differed on the location.

“It is important to us that the community is united in this initiative and that we work together to ensure healthcare services continue to meet the growing needs of Waihī Beach. We have decided to withdraw our submission and will not proceed to the next step of a public hearing without broader community consensus,” says PHCL Deputy Chief Executive Batami Pundak.

PHCL is a not-for-profit organisation and currently operates the Waihī Beach Medical Centre on Wilson Road.

Council agreed in principle to approve PHCL’s application at its Projects and Monitoring Committee meeting on 15 August 2025, which would have seen 1137m2 of Beach Road Recreation Reserve (around 30 per cent) reclassified to Local Purpose Reserve.

Reclassifying the land would have allowed the medical facility to be located on the reserve, but it would not have impacted Council’s ownership of the land, which would have remained protected by its reserve status.

A total of 409 submissions were received during the consultation process, which spanned the peak summer season when many homeowners and residents were in town.

A drop-in session was also held in December, to give people the opportunity to talk with Council officers and PHCL staff face to face, with around 80 people attending the event.

Support for the proposal was largely driven by the need to strengthen healthcare capacity and ensure the community’s future health needs were met, while concerns were primarily centred on the proposed location.

Of those who made submissions, 53 requested to present their feedback to Council in person, however now that PHCL has withdrawn its proposal, the submissions hearing planned for 19 March will no longer take place.

“This process highlights the value of public consultation, especially when it involves community land. Our role is to provide a clear, transparent process so people can share their views and have them considered as part of the decision-making journey. We wish to thank everyone who participated in the engagement process,” says Peter Watson, Western Bay of Plenty District Council Reserves and Facilities Manager.

Wherever the next few weeks take you, whether it’s the beach, the harbour, or somewhere in the Village, we hope you enjoy everything our community has to offer.

See you around the Beach.

Learn More:

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.

Subscribe to Waihī Beach Community Events & Promotions