Gordonton District Community

15/06/2026

Local government reform is coming. How will it affect you and what choice do we have?

Do you want a merger with Hamilton City or a wider group of Waikato councils or do nothing and let the Government decide?

Come to hear your Mayor and discuss the issues with your local councillors at a meeting near you. Then let us know what you think by 10 July - see more information on the Council website here: https://www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz/your-council/simplifying-local-government

Next upcoming meetings in Tamahere-Woodlands are:
* Puketaha - Puketaha Hall, 7.30pm, Wednesday 17 June
* Tamahere - Tamahere Country Market, 8.30am-1pm, come to the council stand for a chat
* Newstead - Hamilton Car Club, 116 Vaile Rd, 11am, Sunday 28 June
* Tauwhare - Tauwhare Hall, 7.30pm, Wednesday 1 July
* Gordonton - Gordonton Hall, 7pm, Thursday 2 July
* Eureka - Eureka Hall, 2pm, Sunday 5 July (bring a plate to 'Meet the Mayor' over afternoon tea).

28/05/2026

https://www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz/news/article/2026/05/20/national-recognition-for-hukanui-playground-and-council-mahi

National recognition for Hukanui Playground and Council mahi 20 May 2026 Share Post We’ve been recognised nationally at the 2026 Recreation Aotearoa Parks Awards, with Hukanui Playground in Gordonton named as a finalist in the Playspace of the Year (Within $500,000) category. While the project di...

15/05/2026

The countdown is on for the World Surf League in Raglan! Here’s how to get to the event:

🚌 Bus update
The 23 Raglan bus will keep running between Hamilton and Raglan, but from 14–25 May it will end at 72 Wainui Road instead of Manu Bay for safety reasons.

Visit Busit for details.

🚍 Park and Ride
There will be no public parking at Manu Bay on event days. Spectators who can’t walk or cycle must use the Park & Ride shuttle from Raglan Airfield.

Check the Event Guide for where to park in town and walk to the shuttle pick-up area: https://ow.ly/9SZl50YYw6W

🚶🚲 Walking and cycling
Take extra care on Wainui Road, which will be busier than usual with event traffic and Park and Ride buses.

Questions? Check out our FAQs: https://ow.ly/PmGi50YYw6R

08/05/2026

One week to go until the World Surf League New Zealand Pro begins in Raglan!

There’ll be lots happening both at the event site and around town.

At Manu Bay, spectators can expect food, retail, activations and event experiences on competition days.

Across Raglan, there’s also a lineup of live music, surf films, exhibitions, team signings and community events throughout the event window, including:

🎤 Ain’t That Swell Live – Raglan Club
🎶 Live music at the Harbour View Hotel
🏄 Team signings with Vissla, Billabong, Rip Curl and Volcom
🎬 Surf film premieres and screenings at The Yard
🖼️ Surfalicious Exhibition – Raglan Old School Arts Centre
🏛️ Local surfing history exhibition – Raglan and District Museum.

Competition days are surf and weather dependent, so check official event updates before travelling.

Check out the full event guide for what’s on, transport info, and everything you need to know before you go:
https://corona-cero-new-zealand-pro-presented-by-bonsoy-event-guide.tiiny.site/

12/04/2026

Received yesterday afternoon from Scott BultWDC Emergency Management Advisor;

Impacts in the district have been lower than expected. We are continuing to monitor waterways, roads, and welfare needs.

We are assessing conditions in Port Waikato following heavy rain, including when it is safe for residents to return.

We are keeping an eye on the weather.
Cyclone is tracking further east than expected.
The rain will continue through the day and night.
We know things can change quickly, so we are ready to act if there are any issues
Please keep local intel coming.

Do not assume we know about issues in your area. Send any updates to: [email protected] or

Any enquiries to 0800 492 452

And back to me; the live experience was invaluable and I will be sending a report to WDC as feedback in readiness for the next event. I shall also prepare a report specific to our community to progress our Community Response Plan for discussion with the District Committee, and forward to you for your review and comments. Key lessons on this occasion were the consistency of communications and strengthening relationships.

Thank you for your time
Haumaru ai te noho, Keep safe everyone 🙂

Carol Henry

12/04/2026

We are seeing flooding, strong winds and fallen trees across parts of the district this evening.
Our teams are responding, but conditions are still changing.

Let us know if you see issues: Report flooding, fallen trees or road hazards by calling 0800 492 452 so we can get our crews out quickly. weather related road closures for our district are listed here: https://ow.ly/98jL50YHJHj

Avoid unnecessary travel. If you need to go out, check it is safe
Drive to the conditions and allow extra time
Do not drive through floodwater

Stay safe and keep up to date on weather from our mates at MetService New Zealand

12/04/2026

Kia ora everyone,

Thankfully am I correct to assume that there were no major incidents overnight but rain, rain and more rain. In an area already saturated the risk of flooding has been raised so please feel free to send through any concerns/reports of damage or harm that have occurred as consequence of the weather or contact the emergency services directly (Refer links below from 9 April).

Cyclone Vaianu has shifted course South East and battering down on Whakatane and the Eastern coastline currently but the heart of the Cyclone is yet to touch ground. For this reason WDC Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) will remain in place for the next 5 days under an orange weather warning.

In the Waikato, evacuations have occurred around Port Waikato and Community led Centres have been established at community facilities and marae in the immediate area with others on standby on the periphery of North Waikato.

One of the key messages from today's briefings is that we can not be complacent. The rain and winds are increasing. Therefore please continue to look out for the vulnerable members in your immediate circle of residence.

I also need to acknowledge the local efforts of individuals in the community please . To John Bridgman for stabilising the tin shed at the Old School buildings, and to Nick of Garfield Street who was out early this morning clearing out the gutters near the Oaks Church 🌻

Haumaru ai te noho, Keep safe everyone

Carol Henry

11/04/2026

Kia ora everyone,

I am the Community Response Coordinator alongside Lynda Jellyman, on behalf of the Gordonton District Community and Hukanui Marae of Ngaati Wairere.
I have been receiving regular updates over the past 48 hours from WDC.

WDC has formally set-up an Emergency Centre at Ngaruawahia and are closely monitoring the situation. The biggest risk in our region are fallen trees and unsecured outdoor furniture or items that could cause harm to people, animals, property, and power lines. I am happy to receive these messages of any local incidents and please click on the following link for general updates;

https://www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz/services-facilities/environment-health/civil-defence/cyclone-vaianu
Please share these links with family, friends and on social media pages.

Above all please look out for each other, the elderly, or those living on their own in your immediate circle of residence. This will be particularly important in the event of a power outage.

Moving forward I will be sure to send you the latest updates.

Ngaa manaakitanga, Be safe everyone.

Carol Henry

MetService have issued an Orange strong wind warning for our district from 4am to 10pm on Sunday as Cyclone Vaianu approaches.

10/04/2026

A MESSAGE FROM Waikato District Council

Good morning everyone,

This is a NO DUFF message — this is not an exercise.

Following attendance at a regional briefing last evening regarding Cyclone Vaianu, current modelling indicates this weather system may bring significant impacts across the weekend (Saturday through Sunday). The projected path and potential impacts are being compared to Cyclone Cook (April 2017).

Council is currently preparing to activate the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) to support response activities during this period.

At this stage, it is recommended that all Community Response Groups begin actively sharing preparedness messaging from MetService and Council within your communities. You are encouraged to use the messaging below directly:

⛈️ Heads up, we’re keeping an eye on Cyclone Vaianu this weekend, and now’s a good time to do the same.
While there’s still some uncertainty around its exact path, it could bring strong winds, heavy rain, and possible disruptions like power outages, road closures, or travel delays as it’s expected to move south across the North Island on Sunday.

Now’s a good time to get prepared at home:
✔ Secure outdoor furniture, trampolines and anything that could be picked up by strong winds
✔ Clear gutters and drains to help reduce surface flooding
✔ Charge phones and devices
✔ Check you have enough food, water and essentials at home
✔ Have a plan in case you need to change travel plans

Strong winds can bring down trees and powerlines, and heavy rain can lead to flooding and difficult driving conditions, so taking a few simple steps now can help reduce the impact.

We’ll keep you updated as we know more.
Keep an eye out for the latest from MetService.

Video reference: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1HaPY7MKfQ/

For further personal preparedness information, please refer to:
Home — Get Ready (NZ Civil Defence) — Emergency preparedness in New Zealand

CALL TO ACTION – ALL COMMUNITY RESPONSE GROUPS

All groups are requested to begin immediate pre-planning for the potential activation of temporary welfare facilities, as identified within your Community Response Plans.

Please prioritise the following actions:

• Confirm pre-identified welfare facility locations and their suitability
• Begin assessing availability of personnel within your group to support activation and staffing
• Identify any immediate gaps in capability or resources
• Prepare for potential short-notice activation over the weekend

We acknowledge that questions will arise regarding resourcing of facilities (e.g. water, catering, supplies). Further guidance will be provided as required. However, the immediate priority is to ensure readiness through early coordination, facility confirmation, and personnel availability.

Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

Thank you for your continued support and preparedness.

Regards

Scott Bult
Emergency Management Advisor

Waikato District Council

Te Kaunihera aa Takiwaa o Waikato
Nama waea: 027 332 1489 | Waea puukoro: 0800 492 452
Poutaapeta Mahi: Private Bag 544, Ngaaruawaahia 3742

Waahi Mahi: 15 Galileo Street, Ngaaruawaahia

19/02/2026

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Hello everyone, I hope you and your loved ones are doing okay in these challenging times. Everyone has been affected differently by the COVID-19 lockdown. For some it has been tough, losing jobs, being isolated from friends, or simply being disconnected from their normal lives. For others it has mea...