From Facebook: Sunday 7 July 2024 From 10:00-15:00 Wild Cats of Waikawa winter garage sale 12 Mokena Kohere Street, Manakau 5573 Fundraiser for Wild Cats of Waikawa Beach: Baking, hot drinks, second hand clothing, household items and much more
New residents and visitors may be confused about where and how to get onto the beach now that the Manga Pirau Street access is fenced off. While there is no access for vehicles, or for horses, pedestrians have 4 options, two in the village and two in Strathnaver. Rubbish bins and dog poop bag dispensers are available at the footbridge and at the Reay Mackay Grove tracks. Please remember to stay off the dunes, apart from the marked tracks and to remove all litter.
With winds gusting well over 40 Kph it’s been blustery day down at the beach today. Which has suited at least one kitesurfer very well. Many thanks to Sophie Campbell for the photos.
Aerial view of Waikawa in 1962, showing Drake, Arthur and the northern part of Manga Pirau Streets. The article below was originally published in April 2020, but is a good reminder still, 4 years later. This Covid–19 version of Waikawa Beach, with roads empty of cars, vans and trucks, is how some longtime locals remember the good old days: “Waikawa the way it used to be”, as one said on Facebook.
These guys are quick — be ready or you'll miss them. We don't know if they'll actually fly over Waikawa Beach, but they'll have to be nearby. RNZAF Black Falcons to visit South Island this weekend - New Zealand Defence Force: There will be many opportunities for people across the lower North Island and the length of the South Island to see the T–6C Texan II aircraft fly overhead on Saturday as they make their way to Invercargill.
Emailed from the Manakau District Community Association: You are warmly invited to the next MDCA Quiz Night at the Manakau Bowling and Sport Club to be held on Friday 16 February, starting at 7.30pm. Cost: $10.00 per person (max. of 6 quizzers per team). If you don't have 6 people for a full team we can help you make up a team on the night. Register your team by contacting Kimbal McHugo 029 835 1215 | 06 362 6395 | mchugo@mchugo.
In the book Bitter water : a story of Waikawa by Deb Shepherd and Laraine Shepherd (a must-read, but out of print — ask at your Library) there are several references to ropewalks at Waikawa Beach in the mid 1800s. I never had any clue what that actually meant, but this excellent 4 minute Swedish video shows a ropewalk in action: Making a four strand rope of tarred hemp using a historic ropewalk.
Unfortunately the Pop Up Eats scheduled in December 2023 had to be cancelled at the last minute. A new date has now been advertised: 09 January 2024, 5-8pm. No details on vendors, but see below for what was planned in December. On Facebook in December: Pop Up Eats Horowhenua: You asked, so we're coming for you tomorrow Manakau! ☺️ See you from 5-8pm at Driscoll Reserve (just across the road from the Manakau Village and the hotel).
On a Facebook Post, Pat OSullivan writes that the summer Boat Day activity scheduled for Wednesday 27th December, has been cancelled. See also WBRA Summer Activities. More bad news from the WBRA I regret to say. I’m sure many here will be aware that water samples are taken from the Waikawa Stream by Horizons RC on a weekly basis at this time of year. The last sample was taken on Monday 18 December and the result is that the e-coli levels are high and the stream is unsafe for swimming.
On Facebook: Pop Up Eats Horowhenua: You asked, so we're coming for you tomorrow Manakau! ☺️ See you from 5-8pm at Driscoll Reserve (just across the road from the Manakau Village and the hotel). 🍔 Dutchy's 🌯 Zaaffran - Taste of Morocco 🍦 Freezing Bay Real Fruit Ice Cream ☕ Hodoo 🍝 ThaiKai Kitchen Update: had to be cancelled at the last moment.
Children run a 3-legged race on Sports Day 2018. Update 20 December 2023: Boat Day cancelled for 27 December 2023. In an email received from Waikawa Beach Ratepayers Association: XMAS / NEW YEAR ACTIVITIES TIMETABLE BOAT DAY Wednesday 27th December, 10.00am start time (always determined by the tide) (Postponement Day Thursday 28th December at 11.00am) BBQ available – spot prizes for all events, PRIZE for Best Original Floating Boat AGM Thursday 28 th December, 3.
On 25 November 2023 around 30 people joined in on the Community Get-together at Hank Edwards Reserve. Folks spent a couple of hours chatting with neighbours, friends and new acquaintances. Many thanks to Michele Walls and Steven Bailey for the photos below that show some of those attending. Many thanks too to Recreation Services for bringing the trailer with the BBQ and to HDC for paying for some of the food and soft drinks.
An item from Horowhenua District Council: Waikawa residents may have seen Louise [Praat] and her pooch perched in their area today! [Thursday 23 November 2023] As part of the Chorus cabinet art initiative, local artists are selected to leave their mark on chorus cabinets around the district. This year, 5 cabinets were chosen to be beautified, with Louise being selected for the Waikawa area. Louise and Bowie arrived at 4.
Come along to the Second-hand Clothing Sale fundraiser for Wild Cats of Waikawa. Sunday 26 November 2023, 10 am - 2pm at Hank Edwards Reserve. Clothes, shoes and hats available and other accessories too! Bring $22 if you still don’t have the gorgeous book Wild Cats of Waikawa Beach. Copies will be available. The previous Wild Cats of Waikawa yard sale was very popular and raised funds important for dealing with Waikawa Beach’s feral and wild cat problem.
Waikawa Beach Get Together on Saturday 25 November 2023 from 3pm to 5pm at Hank Edwards Reserve. BYO drinks, a small plate to share and a chair. Some drinks and food provided. All welcome, this is a casual event. 😀
Manakau Hall next door to the Bowling and Sport Club. An email from the Manakau folks: Greetings everyone, You are warmly invited to the next MDCA Quiz Night at the Manakau Bowling and Sport Club to be held on Friday 1st September [2023], starting at 7.30pm. Cost: $10.00 per person (max. of 6 quizzers per team). If you don't have 6 people for a full team we can help you make up a team on the night.
The annual Distance Riding New Zealand DRNZ horse event will be on Saturday 03 December 2022. There will be horses on the beach between 11 am and 3.30 pm.
Source: Kezna Cameron
After much debate thanks to rainy weather, the organisers decided the forecast was good enough to go ahead with the community picnic on Saturday 12 November 2022. We were lucky that it stayed dry and warm between 4 and 6 pm.
Around 40 or 50 people (and three dogs) turned up, bearing plenty of food. Some locals brought their BBQs down (thanks Peter and Barry) and many arrived with chairs too.
Hi Waikawa Beach people! It’s about time we had a community get together. Come and meet your neighbours.
Saturday 12 November 2022 at the twin lakes, corner of Strathnaver Drive and Reay Mackay Grove. 4 pm to 6 pm.
Bring along some food to share and your own drinks, plus picnic supplies like barbecue, chairs, plates, cups etc. Please take your rubbish away with you.
Make sure your neighbours know about the picnic too.
One of the delightful things about Waikawa Beach is the Christmas Lights. Wendy and Peter Clark put up a huge animated display with a Santa and elves who busy themselves with presents. Other folks put up assorted lights from simple strings on a gate to lavish house decorations, or even lights on a very tall tree at the village entrance. A few photos below of assorted lights, from Friday 31 December 2021.
The new Awa Pukapuka by the footbridge has been very popular, but it's not even quite finished yet! Today Wendy Hodder began painting the Little Free Library.
Reading gives us a place to go when we have to stay where we are. On Monday, 12 April 2021 the first books were loaded into the new Awa Pukapuka near the footbridge. Anja and Theo Geelen have done a superb job with this new Little Free Library. They’ve also been given plenty of support and help by the community who have helped lay concrete, put the library in place and contributed books.