Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust

05/06/2026

Ahuwhenua Trophy 2026
Tai Tokerau

Horticultural Category with our FIRST Tai Tokerau finalist in this award - Ngāti Hine Forestry Trust

With 32ha canopy hua kiwi 🥝🥝 in Kerikeri, forestry, farm, nursery and honey operations the trust has been in operation since the 1970s and first time finalist.

Whilst they didn’t take the Award home last night we want to acknowledge the Chair Pita Tipene, trustees, kaimahi and beneficiaries who packed the whare to represent not just Ngāti Hine but Tai Tokerau. A very proud night for our rohe!

31/05/2026

Kings Medal for Morris Pita

Today we saw announced our long serving Co Chair of Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust Awarded a Kings Medal for Services to Maori, Business and Governance.

He has been a powerhouse of service to the trust over the decades and recognised as a part of our ongoing succession of uri coming on board to keep building our Trust for future generations. As our lead on the farm committee and with his business mind we love and appreciate his service to our people and whenua.

E kore e mutu nga mihi ki a koe Morris me to whanau!

You can read more of the full list here:
https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/publications/kings-birthday-honours-list-2026

27/05/2026

Beef + Lamb New Zealand

Out the Gate National Conference 2026
Ōtautahi Christchurch

Last week our Farm Manager Matt Payne and Co Chair Huhana Melanie Lyndon headed to the Out the Gate Conference hosted in Ōtautahi.

They presented a workshop on the story and journey of Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust and our wins in Northland Ballance Farm Environment Awards and Ahuwhenua Trophy

It was a great opportunity to get exposed to a national audience, share whenua Māori perspectives and tautoko our kaikorero from across the motu.

Congratulations to Tai Rawhiti Whenua Charitable Trust who won the Innovation Award - a win for whenua Māori!

01/05/2026

Help Support Our Whenua & People – Trust Secretary Role

Kia ora e te whānau,

We’re currently on the lookout for a Trust Secretary to support the mahi of the Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust.

This is a part-time, remote role (with occasional travel to Ngaiotonga), suited to someone organised, values-driven, and passionate about supporting strong governance for our whenua and people.

If this sounds like you - or someone you know - please check out the full role description and apply here:

https://nz.seek.com/job/91839033

We’d really appreciate you sharing this opportunity within your whānau as well :)

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.

Ngā mihi nui,

Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust

Are you highly organised, values-driven, and passionate about supporting strong governance for whenua Māori? We are seeking a skilled Trust Secretary!

24/04/2026

Ahuwhenua Trophy
Ngāti Hine Forestry Trust Field Day

Yesterday we had the opportunity to head to Kerikeri to tautoko our Ngāti Hine whanaunga who are finalists in the Horticulture Category for the Ahuwhenua Awards 2026.

The weather was lovely and a huge crowd gathered from across Tai Tokerau and the motu.

Ngāti Hine have 33ha of Zespri Gold Kiwifruit orchards in Waipapa as well as forestry and a dairy farm.

They compete against Otama Marere and Matai Pacific Trusts based in BOP.

Ngāti Hine is the FIRST Horticultural finalist from outside of BOP.

They also have Robert Manuel of Ngāti Rehia as a finalist in the Young Māori Grower of the Year Competition.

The Ahuwhenua Awards are hosted in Whangārei coming up on 5 June!

11/02/2026

Storm Impact and Recovery

E te whānau we have suffered a lot of impact on farm and across the whenua, awa and takutai moana from the recent storms which hit Whangaruru.

There will be a significant focus now on recovery and rebuilding our infrastructure with culverts, fences, wetlands, runways, awa all impacted.

We recently hosted Marama Davidson MP on farm where she saw first hand the devastation across the whenua.

We acknowledge our Farm Manager Matt, Tori and Kieron as front line kaimahi coordinating and working to restore our whenua and rebuild.

All is not lost. It will just be hard for a wee while, alongside our community, whānau, marae and Ngātiwai Trust Board iwi we work together for shared recovery.

Ka nui te mihi 🤍

03/02/2026

He Rā Nui
He Rangi Whakahirahira

Today was a massive day for Whangaruru now Day 17 since the storms which ripped through the valley.

This morning we were blessed to welcome Te Kuini Māori Nga wai hono i te po and Tuwharetoa Ariki Te Rangimaheu Te Heuheu onto Ngaiotonga Marae.

The event was discreet and special for all our whānau who came. Kiingitanga ka nui te mihi 🫶🏽

Later in the afternoon Minister Tama Potaka came and heard the emotional, physical toll the storm has had on their whānau, whenua and community. But through the struggles whānau worked together to manaaki all those impacted.

As a Farm we have suffered huge impact. We will provide an update post for uri to understand the sheer scale of the recovery ahead.

We are strong, we are resilient, we will get through this and figure out a plan whānau - kua tawhiti kē tō tātou haerenga, engari ka haere tonu ngā mahi ahakoa te aha 🤍

Thank you to Ngātiwai Trust Board for coordinating our whānau outreach through this challenging time and support from councils and other agencies.

03/02/2026

Such a special day for all our uri of Whangaruru to have Kuini Nga wai hono i te po and Te Arikinui Te Rangimaheu visit our marae to acknowledge the tupuhi and āwhā our people have suffered

29/01/2026

Drop in Session #2 Tūparehuia Marae

Following a successful hui at Ngaiotonga Marae. Our council, government department and community sector kaimahi came to Tūparehuia Marae for an afternoon of kai and kōrero.

The opportunity to sit and talk one on one with services was widely appreciated by whānau and opened up further pathways to access support for their whānau and our wider community.

Please know as a trust we have provided SKIP BINS to Te Rawhiti Marae and Tūparehuia Marae for ALL the community to use. Once full we will organise follow up.

More drop in sessions are planned:

Tomorrow at Mokau Marae and Otetao Reti Marae.

Friday 30 January
📍 Mōkau Marae — 9:00am–12:00pm
📍 Otetao Reti Marae — 1:00pm–4:00pm

Saturday 31 January
📍 Ōakura Sports Complex — 10:00am–1:00pm
📍 Whananaki Marae — 2:00pm–5:00pm

Nau mai haere mai.

28/01/2026

Ngaiotonga Marae Info Drop In Sessions

A massive hui today bringing together services from councils, government agencies and community support services - an opportunity whānau, hapū and community to talk one on one and access support.

Thank you to our Marae Trustees for ongoing support of whānau impacted by the storms Ngātiwai Trust Board Northland Regional Council Whangaruru North Residents and Ratepayers Association Whangarei District Council ka nui te mihi.

Kua nui ngā mahi. With more to come!