My Account
Visitors to the small rural community in the heart of the Kaipara District might feel they are heading off the beaten track. Maungaturoto is centrally located. Yet Whakapirau Beach is around 13 minutes away, Mangawhai Beach a 20-minute drive and Warkworth about 35 minutes.
Terri Donaldson is the chair of the Maungaturoto Residents Association and has lived in the area for most of her life. She runs 200 head of dairy cows on 300 hectares, but still finds the time to be an active member of the community.
The beautification project started in 2013 and has since become an example of community and Council collaboration. Local artist Richard Moore provided garden designs for the areas along the main street and helped with construction. While many communities may feel Kaipara District Council should fund and complete this type of work, Terri says Maungaturoto took a different tack.
“Council were always more focused on places like Mangawhai, so we have built a reputation for getting stuck in and doing it ourselves. We built our country club and the community hall. When we showed Council representatives our beatification plans, they were very supportive. I think the Council wants to help people who help themselves, not those that ask for handouts.”
The community came together and spent evenings and weekends using recycled materials and donated plants to bring the designs to life. Water features, seats and rockeries are adorned with beautiful palms, grasses and succulents. The gardens run the length of the main street and the locals have recently completed similar work at the local primary and high schools. Many local youth helped construct these garden areas and there is a noticeable lack of vandalism, litter or graffiti.
The wharf where the first European settlers arrived in 1863 has been rebuilt. The town playground, originally constructed by the Maungaturoto Rotary Club, has also had an additional upgrade from Council. Monthly markets at the community hall on Friday evenings have become a focal point for the community.
As with most areas in Mahurangi, migration from Auckland is on the rise, along with demand for housing. Local real estate agent Jill Wilson says they are in the midst of a buying boom, with not enough supply to meet demand. Compared with the previous year, First National in Maungaturoto’s listings are 75 per cent down to just 46 properties. This includes sections and bare land for sale.
Terri Donaldson says they welcome new residents in town but accommodating them is becoming a problem.
“There are no houses available in Maungi – they are selling like hot cakes here. People call up to arrange a viewing and they are already gone.”
Cash flow is also a problem for the town, but not in the traditional sense. As with many small towns, there isn’t a bank, and Maungaturoto also has no ATM. The community website has an online petition requesting a 24-hour ATM for business deposits and customer withdrawals.
The residents association has also developed a new town slogan ‘The Heart of the Kaipara’. After two years of consultation with NZTA, they hope to get permission to erect a welcoming sign with the slogan.
This can-do community spirit also garnered national media attention when local resident Diana Moore was interviewed on RNZ National radio recently to talk about her part in establishing a community orchard project. Over 60 trees have been donated and planted on a walk around the local community centre. Diana says the community is already metaphorically realising the fruits of their labour, they are now looking forward to eating them as well.
