Local news and environment
- Waikawa News — items of news about and relevant to Waikawa Beach, includes monthly newsletter.
- Wow Waikawa! celebrates the best about Waikawa Beach. Focus on the environment.
- Waikawa Beach Community Page on Facebook — an independent very active page for folks at Waikawa Beach.
Weather & Water
- Waikawa Beach Weather: A private weather station at Waikawa which records and displays live weather data including a web cam. Has records from November 2008.
- Tidsespy: tides, wind, swell, best times for fishing.
- Tide times and charts for Waikawa Beach, and weather forecast for fishing in Waikawa Beach.
- River water quality: Horizons District Council web site.
- Swim spot data over summer: water quality at the footbridge and in the sea just north of the river mouth.
- The New Zealand Drought Monitor.
Councils
- Horowhenua District Council — our local council.
- Horizons Regional Council — our Regional Council.
- Kapiti District Council: the boundary lies at the south end of Reay Mackay Grove.
- Greater Wellington Regional Council. Note: the boundary is marked with a post in the dunes approx 400 metres south of the south walkway to the beach off Reay Mackay Grove, and approx 600 metres north of the Waiorongomai Stream.
Transport
- Traffic Updates – Horowhenua Kapiti Wellington. Even if you hate Facebook, this is an actual reason to use it (just don’t read the comments). Bang up-to-date usable info on the roads around here and between here and Wellington.
- Train to Wellington: The Capital Connection: Monday to Friday, departs Otaki approx 0713, arrives Otaki approx 1820, $19.50 each way or buy a multi-trip ticket.
- Levin to Waikanae bus service (and other local routes).
- Bus to Wellington: Intercity
- Wellington region traffic cams, including Otaki.
Food & drink
- Manakau Store: dairy, takeaways and ready made quality meals.
- Manakau Market: fresh fruit and veg, also takeaway food.
- Deer Story Museum (SH1 close to the dairy): museum, bar and cafe, also Sunday roast.
- Waikawa Blueberries: 123 Waikawa Beach Road. Pick Your Own blueberries, real fruit icecream, drinks, seasonal produce. Award winning olive oil. EFT-POS available. (Facebook page)
- Quarter Acre cafe bistro at Manakau.
- Salt & Pepper Cafe at Ohau.
- Taper Eatery in Levin
- The Gorge cafe in Ōtaki. (Facebook page).
- Oxford Fresh Levin: $40 Fresh Local Fruit & Vege available. Delivery to your door is $5. Order via website.
Local Services
- Aquagold Water Supply: based right here in Waikawa Beach. Fill your water tank.
- Puppy Communication Training: Puppy training in your own home using gentle positive techniques. (Facebook)
- Marcus Gibson Builders: Kapiti & Horowhenua: a small local company building new and bespoke homes, along with renovations and alterations.
- Little Rose – Aesthetics By Shayla: A Luxury Country Haven situated 10 minutes out of Levin in Manakau. Everything beauty -Skin, Eyes, Nails, Body & Gifts. (Facebook)
- Main Range: fencing and post ramming specialists in rural /lifestyle fencing. Andrew Martin 0273626837 and Mark Holtom 0272689995. (Facebook)
Other Services
Services we’ve seen recommended or advertised elsewhere (eg the Waikawa Beach Facebook group):
- Dog Wash: at the Gull service station, 150 Oxford Street, Levin. $10 gives you 10 minutes.
- Miles Davis Plumbing: 027 4902162. Lives in Ohau.
History
- Te Hekenga; early days in Horowhenua, being the reminiscences of Mr. Rod. McDonald, published 1920s.
- Reminiscences of an old colonist, by Thomas Bevan, 1908.
- Bitter Water — a book about the history of Waikawa Beach.
- Otaki Historical Society & Museum: Open 7 days per week, 10am – 2pm, Otaki Museum, 49 Main Street, Otaki.
Other links
- Manakau District Community Association: website of our sister community. (Facebook)
Tēnā ra koutou katoa
I trust the WRA are all really well this winter. This is just a message to let you know that we would love to come and update you on the progress of our Manaaki Taha Moana research project and how we have been still working with Landscape Architects from Vic Uni, Wellington. We are planning an exhibition at Te Takere of their work in 2013 likely from 1-13 September 2013 but more on that soon. I draw your attention to the project that hapū of Nḡati Tukorehe, Taiao Raukawa and MTM are undertaking for Kuku Ōhau Estuary frontage. We are creating a bollarded carpark and bollarded barriers to trail bikes, four wheel drives, fire lighters and rubbish dumpers to take the destructive pressure of what has been happening out at Kuku Ōhau Estuary beach. We trust you saw our local article in Horowhenua Chronicle on 3 July 2013 on Kuku Beach enhancement project. The 2.2 hectare of land at the estuary is Māori shareholder land as part of Tahamata coastal farm, so kaitiaki and the Board are now taking positive action for the sake of this beautiful stretch of estuarine area. We ask that Waikawa Residents understand why we have to take these measures- we want to ensure our coastal estuary is protected and enhanced not destroyed by inappropriate vehicular access. We are aware that some riders and often from way out of region are using Waikawa accesses to get through to Kuku Beach Road due to a road being cut though the area in 2010 (by local Kuku resident who is not a shareholder). However from August this year, this access shall be cut off to general access with fire brigade and police from Ōtaki and Levin having keys. Walking and horse riding access remains unimpeded. Any queries please call Huhana on 06 3626360 office hours or via email makareta@me.com.
Stay warm and well WRA.
Arohanui
Nā te tema MTM. (MTM team)
A matter that is of concern is the broadband speeds at Waikawa Beach. I recently sent an email to my provider because I am on broadband but it seems to be consistently slowing down and I wanted to know why. I have included the response from Vodafone below but, basically, it is not an internet provider problem but a telephone exchange problem. I was told there is “a large amount of congestion in the Waikawa Beach area” no doubt because nearly everyone is on the Internet now and it’s overloading our
telephone exchange capability.
I was also told the telephone exchange is not due for an upgrade until
approx July 2015 or June 2016. Now this is a matter which is concerning as we need broadband now, for business, education and communications yet it seems we will have to wait that potentially two years for an exchange upgrade. So, I think it might be a good idea to try to get this done sooner, if possible, rather than having to wait that long. We pay for broadband, the physical connection of my provider is much faster but is hampered by the shortcomings of the exchange capability.
In short, I quote the response I got: “Upgraded exchange equipment will
drastically improve your broadband speed.” Below is the full text of response from vodafone
I have reviewed what is happening in your area and found a large amount of
congestion in the Waikawa Beach area.
The slow speeds you are experiencing are the result of this congestion in
the area not your physical connection which is operating much faster at
7Mbps.
I have checked for upgrades in your area and found that a network upgrade is
scheduled for this area between July 2015 and June 2016.
Upgraded exchange equipment will drastically improve your broadband speed.
Unfortunately for the present there is no effective way for your speeds to
be increased as the fault is neither on our network or on your physical
connection but rather the transmit network to Waikawa Beach.
I second the issue with regards to the broadband speeds and have just recently logged the same “fault” and been given the same information from Vodafone via Chorus – only my message was that there is “no relief work planned at this stage” even though there is “congestion” on the exchange.
I run the local weather website http://www.waikawa.org for the local community and have had to move the site to InspireNet since my broadband speeds are so atrocious.
Perhaps a community based drive to get this actioned as a priority might be more effective?
Happy to help as required.