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Yachting NZ wants to work with Auckland Council on plans to develop the Hammerhead at Gulf Harbour.
Its aim is to ensure that “the whole place doesn’t turn into a carpark and ferry terminal”, according to Yachting NZ chief executive, David Abercrombie.
Back in 2017, Yachting NZ was pushing to build a high performance sailing facility at Gulf Harbour – those plans were put on hold, but Abercrombie says that the centre is definitely happening and will now be built elsewhere, on private land. An announcement is expected to be made identifying the site, which Abercrombie says is in the Hibiscus & Bays Local Board area, in the coming months.
In the meantime, he says Yachting NZ’s attention has turned back to the Hammerhead because it has been in Council ownership for a year (HM July 14, 2021).
In a presentation to the Hibiscus & Bays Local Board meeting on July 21, he said Yachting NZ is anxious to ensure that any future development on the Hammerhead leaves space that will make it possible to hold sporting events such as sailing world championships, kayak and waka races, triathlons and ocean swimming. Power boat and small boat launching ramps are also needed, Abercrombie says.
“We would love to bid on sailing world champ events, but don’t have a suitable site as yet,” Abercrombie says. “Gulf Harbour would be ideal. Maybe every year or two we could bring a major event there, with a resulting economic impact for the region. Council needs to make space for those things, and we are concerned that if the population increases at the rate expected, the Hammerhead could all go into carpark and motorhome stopover.”
He says in 5-10 years there is a huge opportunity to create an event space as well as improving it for the community.
“We know how much pressure there is on the existing boat launching ramps and so if we’re smart and plan ahead, we could end up with a great facility. Yachting NZ is not looking for ownership, or to get anything out of it except a place to hold events.”
Abercrombie says Yachting NZ is approaching the local board and Council because, as the area grows, there is bound to be the need for a more fit-for-purpose ferry terminal at Gulf Harbour, which would take up more space.
“We want to be consulted early on as those types of plans take shape,” he says.
However, an Auckland Transport spokesperson says while some possible minor improvements to the ferry terminal on the Hammerhead will be considered in future, there are currently no plans for a new ferry terminal there, or for redevelopment of the existing facility.
