Looking back over a full year – and ahead at what’s to come!
Published on 23 December 2024
As the year draws to a close, it’s time to look back at the highlights of 2024, to celebrate how far we’ve come and to look ahead to what 2025 holds in store.
We started the year with a hiss and a roar, with ArtBeat, Pasifika Fusion, Fritter Festival, Taste Whangārei and NASCAR – street sprint, where our District was alight with energy. Then we had the Latin American, Matariki, Sandbox and Diwali festivals to name just a few, and finished off the year with Savour Northland (a new event that proved very popular), the International Rally of Whangārei, and soon we’ll be celebrating the all-important Waipū Highland Games on Tuesday 31 December 2024.
Waipū Highland Games
Out of all the things that have happened this year, the ones close to my heart are our interactions with our multicultural communities.
This month, I was honoured to join local hapū, kaumātua, Council staff and representatives of Creative Northland in officially declaring the French Polynesian island of Ra’iātea as Whangārei’s newest twin city. Whangārei has one other formal sister-city agreement with Haikou, the capital of China's island province Hainan in China.
Whangārei welcomes Ra’iātea as our newest twin city
Twin-city relationships foster the growth of mutual understanding and long-term friendship between countries. Our communities and people benefit from the exchange of ideas and culture, and we can often see a boost in trade and tourism too.
Personally, I understand the importance of embracing all cultures in our community. I grew up in a time when there were only a few of us with Italian heritage in Whangārei, so our family would mix with the Dalmatian community as they had similar backgrounds. We all felt isolated, as our habits (and expressive way of communicating!) were so different to everyone else.
As our community continues to grow, we are all the richer for it. It does not matter where you are from, you are the heartbeat of our community, and we welcome you. This year alone, we have held five citizenship ceremonies, with six more booked in for 2025. We’re truly becoming a multicultural District, and this is reflected in all the vibrant events, celebrations, markets and cuisine that we all bring to our community.
Celebrating together is how we embrace our diversity, and it’s important to remember that this isn’t about losing one's identity, it’s about gaining the understanding of others.
While all these events were happening within our District, Council also adopted the Long Term Plan 2024-2034, which is the blueprint for our District’s growth and development over the next 10 years. We celebrated the completion and opening of some significant community projects, including the Kamo Shared Path, Port Road - Kioreroa Road roundabout and Lovers Lane bridge. We’ve welcomed assets like the new Raumanga Scenic Reserve playground, Locky Dock secure bike parking and road-safety improvements across our District.
Long Term Plan 2024-2034
Kamo Shared Path in Te Kamo
Port Road - Kioreroa Road improvements
Lovers Lane bridge replacement
Raumanga Scenic Reserve playground
Locky Dock secure bike parking
2025 promises more infrastructure and community-focused projects, with our Rose Street bus hub upgrade, construction of the new Rescue Fire Service Operational Building in Onerahi, the Ōakura sports park development and wetland restoration, and the completion of the restoration of our Old Municipal Building. The Council is also delivering upgrades to essential infrastructure such as the Whangārei Heads watermains, and wastewater systems in Ruakākā.
Rose Street bus hub upgrade
Rescue Fire Service Operational Building
Old Municipal Building restoration
Whangārei Heads watermains renewal
Bream Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade
As 2024 draws to a close, a renewed hope for the future of our District grows brighter. From myself, the elected members and Whangarei District Council staff, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous Happy Northland New Year!
