Summer Information 2025/2026

Library and Service Centres

Don’t miss out on getting your holiday reads out from the library or sorting out any end of year admin before the break!

Our libraries, along with all our service centres (Barkes Corner, Katikati, Te Puke, Ōmokoroa and Waihī Beach), will be closed from midday on Wednesday 24 December and reopen regular hours from Monday 5 January.

Kerbside Rubbish and Recycling Collections

During the weeks of Christmas and New Year, if your normal collection day is a Thursday or Friday, your bins will be collected a day later than usual. This includes extra collections. Please continue to put your bins out for collection by 7am.

If you’ve got a holiday rental

Please make sure you let visitors know about pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) tags, where to purchase them and how to attach them correctly through both loops to the red lid rubbish bin. Check our Kerbside Collective website for details. There will be extra collections for Waihī Beach and Pukehina Township areas to help with the huge influx of visitors over summer.

Extra collections

Waihī Beach, Bowentown, Athenree townships

For Waihī Beach, Bowentown and Athenree townships, your normal collection day will stay the same, plus you will get some extra services:

Pukehina Beach

Put your glass crate out on Saturday 27 December so we can collect your extra empties.

Recycling and Greenwaste Centres

You can find summer hours below and regular hours here.

Extra rubbish or need a transfer station?

Te Maunga Transfer Station at Mount Maunganui is operated by Tauranga City Council.

Over summer it will operate regular hours (Mon-Fri 7.30am-5pm, Sat-Sun 8.30am-5pm), except on these days:

Thursday, 25 December: Closed for Christmas Day
Friday, 26 December: Open 8.30am-5pm for Boxing Day
Thursday, 1 January: Closed for New Year’s Day
Friday, 2 January: Open 8.30am-5pm for the Day after New Year’s public holiday

For more information visit www.tauranga.govt.nz/living/rubbish-and-recycling/transfer-stations.

Freedom Camping

Did you know we have 46 places you can freedom camp in the Western Bay? There are some stunning spots! To see them all and find out more about each place, check out our interactive map.

As a Council, we need to make sure everyone is complying with the rules, so our after-hour contractors do regular patrols of most of our reserves. We also respond to complaints from the public about freedom camping.

Seasonal monitoring/patrolling

Our dedicated Council contractors patrol reserves across the District, including Waihī Beach, Te Puke, Paengaroa, Maketū, Pukehina, Te Puna, Ōmokoroa, and Tuapiro Point. Patrols take place nightly and in the early morning to ensure these spaces are well cared for and enjoyable for all.

Visit our Freedom Camping webpage for more information and maps on where freedom camping is allowed.

Freedom Camping Monitoring Schedule

Weekend Patrols:

Active monitoring of freedom camping areas will run from Friday night to Monday morning, starting Labour Weekend and continuing until Easter Weekend.

Daily Monitoring Over Summer:

From Friday 19 December 2025 to Friday 6 February 2026, daily patrols will take place. Patrol times may vary, but officers will generally monitor camping sites during the evening and night.

Noise Complaints - Christmas and New Year Monitoring:

From 5pm Christmas Eve (Wednesday 24 December 2025) to 8am on Monday 5 January 2026, there are specific complaint response rules:

Before midnight: Two complaints are needed for Watchdog to respond. If the same person is making the complaint, a second call must be made an hour later. Two complaints from different people do not require the one-hour gap.
After midnight: Only one complaint is needed for a response.
New Year’s Eve: Two complaints are required before 1am, but only one complaint is needed after 1am.

Excessive Noise Discretion:

If there is clearly excessive noise that the After-Hours Consultant can hear directly, they may use their discretion to request a response, even if complaints don't meet the usual criteria.

Building and Resource Consents – clock stops

The period from 20 December through to 10 January, inclusive, is excluded from the 20-working-day statutory timeframe for building consents, code of compliance certificates and resource consents.

All applications submitted will not have the days counted over the statutory clock shut down period, from 20 December until 10 January.

However, our teams will continue to work as efficiently as possible to process your consent applications during this time.

Digital Property File Orders

There will be a delay in processing digital property file orders received on or after Friday 19 December 2025. Our normal 3-5 working day turnaround will recommence from Monday 12 January 2026.

Walking your dog

In Waihī Beach, dogs are prohibited on all parts of the main beach during the summer months (from 17 December to 7 February, inclusive) between the hours of 9am and 7pm. Outside of these periods, dogs may run free provided they are under proper control at all times and owners carry a leash.
Your dog can be exercised at any time in the area of Bowentown Beach (roughly the beach area between Albacore Ave and Plom Road). You must carry a leash and keep your dog under control.
Dogs must be on a leash at Island View Reserve from October to March due to birds nesting within the reserve during this period.

Visit our Dog Control Bylaw webpage to make sure you know all the rules!

Visit our Dog Walking Areas webpage for maps and walking areas.

Alcohol Ban Areas

If you didn’t already know, there are year-round 24/7 alcohol bans in our main urban areas – Katikati, Waihī Beach and Te Puke. This means you can’t consume alcohol in public within these areas. For more details, you can read our Alcohol Control Bylaw and view the alcohol ban areas here.

Check water quality before you jump

The waterways and coastal areas of the Western Bay are popular places to visit during summer - but it's a good idea to check out the quality of water before you jump in.

Keeping you up to date with the water quality of local estuaries, beaches, rivers and lakes is the job of Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora. If a recreational water site is significantly contaminated, signs will be erected to warn where swimming is not advised due to the health risk.

So, when you're swimming or collecting shellfish this summer - look before you leap and make the most of our wonderful waterways.

You will find current local health warnings at https://info.health.nz/health-alerts.

Check it's alright before you light

Rural fire within the Western Bay of Plenty is managed by Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ).

Lighting a fire? For more information and to apply for a permit, see checkitsalright.nz.

Explore the District

We're lucky to have an abundance of stunning walking tracks and trails around our District. From short, accessible pathways to multi-day hikes, we've got something for everyone! Check out some of the offerings below:

Walking Trails

Cycle Trails

Cool off on a hot day

There's nothing like a cool dip or a fun splash in a swimming pool on a hot day!

If you are looking for exercise or recreation, the Dave Hume Swimming Pool* in Katikati and Te Puke Memorial Swimming Pool are open to the public daily.

*The Dave Hume Pool has been undergoing an upgrade and will reopen for the summer season on Monday 22 December, 10am.

Be wai-wise

Our water is a precious taonga (treasure) and is essential for our everyday lives.

It's important that we're all being mindful of our water use, especially during the hot summer months, so we've put together some tips for reducing water use at your place. Remember - even the smallest saving can help, so do your part Western Bay!

Events in the Western Bay

There's so much happening around the District, so make sure you check out our 'What's On' calendar for info on the many community events this summer.

If you have an event you'd like published on our calendar, just complete this form.

Neighbours being too loud?

Everyone is entitled to peace and comfort in their homes. If your neighbours are constantly partying a bit too hard or there's other excessive noise going on in your neighbourhood, give us a call on 0800 926 732.

Have a read of our Noise Control webpage for further info.