News
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Ready, set, LEASH!
Kaimai WardKatikati - Waihī Beach WardMaketu - Te Puke WardNewsWestern Bay dog owners and their four-legged friends are invited to get out and explore their rohe this summer as Council’s Wander Walk Summer Series returns for 2026-2027.
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Pasifika in the Bay returns
Kaimai WardKatikati - Waihī Beach WardMaketu - Te Puke WardNewsThe sights, sounds and flavours of the Pacific will return to Tauranga Moana this October, with Pasifika in the Bay bringing a day of culture, connection and celebration to Tauranga Girls’ College.
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Ōmokoroa to Tauranga cycleway closure
Kaimai WardKatikati - Waihī Beach WardMaketu - Te Puke WardNewsA section of the Ōmokoroa to Tauranga Cycleway will be closed 12-16 October, so surfacing repairs and other maintenance work can be carried out.
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Name for new joint Water Organisation confirmed
Kaimai WardKatikati - Waihī Beach WardMaketu - Te Puke WardNewsTāheke – Bay Waters Limited has been confirmed as the name for the new joint Water Organisation being established by Western Bay of Plenty District Council and Tauranga City Council.
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Head Start delay extends uncertainty for Western Bay
Kaimai WardKatikati - Waihī Beach WardMaketu - Te Puke WardNewsMayor James Denyer says the Government's decision to delay decisions on Head Start proposals has created an extended period of uncertainty for communities, councils and the future of local government.
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Poolside fitness classes set to make a splash
Kaimai WardKatikati - Waihī Beach WardNewsGroup fitness classes using the new outdoor gym at Katikati's Dave Hume Pool will be on offer when the facility reopens on Monday 28 September.
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$170,000 awarded to community projects across the Western Bay
Kaimai WardKatikati - Waihī Beach WardMaketu - Te Puke WardNewsFrom waka ama at Waihī Beach to food gardens in Maketū, 38 local groups across the Western Bay have received $170,000 in support through this year’s Community Matching Fund.
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Home trails put on national stage for mountain bike event
Kaimai WardKatikati - Waihī Beach WardMaketu - Te Puke WardNewsThe Western Bay of Plenty will take centre stage this October when hundreds of New Zealand’s best young mountain bikers roll into the region.
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World of fun coming to Western Bay libraries
Kaimai WardKatikati - Waihī Beach WardMaketu - Te Puke WardNewsWestern Bay Libraries are taking tamariki around the world in 14 days these school holidays, with a range of fun crafts and activities inspired by different countries and cultures.
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Western Bay to retain First Past the Post voting system
Kaimai WardKatikati - Waihī Beach WardMaketu - Te Puke WardNewsWestern Bay of Plenty District Council will continue using the First Past the Post (FPP) electoral system for the 2028 local election.
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Community Event Fund backs consistent local events calendar
Kaimai WardKatikati - Waihī Beach WardMaketu - Te Puke WardNewsThe latest funding decisions will support 24 events across the region, helping maintain a consistent local events calendar throughout the year.
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National award for Katikati swimming pool
Kaimai WardKatikati - Waihī Beach WardMaketu - Te Puke WardNewsKatikati's Dave Hume Pool has received national recognition at Recreation Aotearoa's annual Aquatics Awards, taking home a Merit Award in the Aquatic Facility of the Year category.
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Local heroes take centre stage in Community Awards
Kaimai WardKatikati - Waihī Beach WardMaketu - Te Puke WardNewsNominations are now open for the 2027 Western Bay Community Awards, giving locals the chance to recognise the people, groups, projects and organisations helping Tauranga and the Western Bay thrive.
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Funding boost for community spaces across the Western Bay
Kaimai WardKatikati - Waihī Beach WardMaketu - Te Puke WardNewsCommunity halls, sports clubs, schools and youth groups across the Western Bay are set to benefit from more than $116,000 in Council funding.
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10-day live sculpture event coming to Ōmokoroa
Kaimai WardKatikati - Waihī Beach WardNewsŌmokoroa Peninsula is set to become an open-air artist’s studio this November, with a new live sculpture event bringing artists, local stories and the coastal landscape together at Ōmokoroa Domain.
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Council decides on future removal of Precious Family Reserve toilet
Kaimai WardNewsWestern Bay of Plenty District Council has decided to remove the existing public toilet at Precious Family Reserve in Ōmokoroa and relocate it elsewhere in the District.
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Major infrastructure upgrade opens in Ōmokoroa
Kaimai WardNewsA $43 million upgrade to the gateway of Ōmokoroa has officially opened, improving safety, supporting future growth and helping unlock new housing across the peninsula.
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Western Bay back in Head Start process following Rotorua decision
Kaimai WardKatikati - Waihī Beach WardMaketu - Te Puke WardNewsWestern Bay of Plenty District Council is now part of a proposal that will be considered by Government and could see a new council created across Tauranga and Western Bay.
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Experienced leaders appointed to new Water Organisation board
Kaimai WardKatikati - Waihī Beach WardMaketu - Te Puke WardNewsDr Keith Turner CNZM has been appointed chair, alongside directors Pat Dougherty and Todd Muller. Two further directors will be appointed later this year, or early 2027, to complete the Board.
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Welcoming Week
Kaimai WardKatikati - Waihī Beach WardMaketu - Te Puke WardNewsWelcoming Week (more than a week) is a chance to celebrate and recognise our diverse communities, and lay out the welcome mat to all our newcomers who now call our district home.
