From Tuesday 26 July 2022, State Highway 35 at Rahotautau, near the Motu River Bridge (between Ōpōtiki and Te Kaha) will open to light traffic during the evenings. Heavy rain in the area had resulted in the washout of a large section of the road alongside the Motu river last […]
More rain calls for caution near cliffs and steep slopes
Whakatāne District Council is reminding people who live or work near cliffs and steep slopes (escarpments) of the need to take a precautionary approach to landslide risks. Local Controller Nicholas Woodley, says residents in close proximity to escarpments should always be alert for any signs of escarpment instability, particularly after […]
State Highway 35 remains closed
Agencies are working together to find a short-term solution for urgent supplies while working on a longer-term road engineering fix for the state highway. Ōpōtiki District Council Civil Defence has activated their Emergency Operations Centre and are coordinating a range of responses from Te Whānau a Apanui, Waka Kotahi, FENZ, […]
Cracks along SH35
A section of SH35 near the Motu River Bridge north of Maraenui is cracking along the eastbound lane and the section is under stop/go traffic management. Over-weight and over-sized vehicles can’t use this route until further notice. Waka Kotahi is keeping a close watch on the situation and if cracking develops further, […]
Major upgrade for Braemar
Work has started on a major upgrade of the Braemar Water Treatment Plant to ensure the water it produces remains safe to drink. The plant provides water to communities across the Rangitāiki Plains from the Tarawera River to just outside the Whakatāne township. Whakatāne District Council Team Leader Capital Works […]
Te Rāhui Herenga Waka receives Resource Consent
This week the Environmental Protection Authority Te Mana Rauhī Taiao (EPA) advised that resource consent had been granted for a Boat Harbour to be developed in Keepa Road in Whakatane. John Rae, chair of Te Rāhui Herenga Waka Whakatāne 2021 Limited Partnership welcomed the news. “The project team has worked […]
Heavy rain calls for caution near cliffs and steep slopes
Whakatāne District Council is reminding people who live or work near cliffs and steep slopes (escarpments) of the need to take a precautionary approach to landslide risks. Strategic Project Manager Jeff Farrell says Whakatāne and Ōhope residents in close proximity to escarpments should always be alert for any signs of […]
Ōpōtiki’s Matariki celebrations
This year Ōpōtiki will celebrate the first national Matariki public holiday with more than a week of celebrations and events leading up to the final show and fireworks on Sunday 26 June. Ōpōtiki District Council’s events team have been working hard to pull together a final calendar of events and […]