Part of Sarah Street was sealed off by the Police on Tuesday 3 January 2012 after an old large shell was found buried on a section in Sarah Street. The Army Bomb Disposal Unit were called in from Palmerston North and the shell was disposed of later in the day.
The (more recent) history of Waikawa includes a time when the army camped here and used the area test-fire shells out to sea. At least one old-timer (well into his ’80’s)who still comes here every so often was in the army at the time and has recorded this in his personal biography.