Sign In / Register
After standing tall for nearly 50 years, two mature Norfolk pines that once graced the entrance to Mangawhai Museum have been felled, making way for the new Gull NZ self-service petrol station.
The trees, part of the iconic Norfolk pine parade along Molesworth Drive, were planted in 1975 by locals, the late Paul Speedy and his neighbour Lyn Ball, to mark the opening of the Mangawhai causeway. On September 16, contractors for Gull removed the pair due to their roots sitting too close to the widening carriageway.
“Widening of Molesworth Drive was a condition of Gull’s resource consent to ensure safe entry and exit of vehicles from the Gull site and the efficient flow of traffic,” a Kaipara District Council spokesperson said. “The Norfolk pines are not protected in the District Plan, so no further resource consent was required for their removal. However, we are monitoring the works to ensure they meet council standards.”
The felling has stirred strong reactions across social media, where many residents expressed disappointment and questioned whether the town needed a fourth petrol station.
The development has been a contentious topic since 2023, when Council elected members temporarily blocked the project by refusing Gull a second access across a narrow 95 metre long reserve strip. A redesign with a single access was later approved, allowing construction to start this year.
Mangawhai Museum manager Angela Cook was among those who witnessed the trees being felled. She acknowledged the community’s sense of loss, but urged locals to keep sight of the bigger picture.
“We’ve all enjoyed what these iconic trees gave to our landscape,” she said. “I’m doing my best to bring more green into the museum’s surrounds and to beautify Mangawhai, focusing on solutions and the things we can control, as this decision wasn’t ours, and from what we understand, not the council’s either.”
Cook said that while growth inevitably came with challenges, she remained committed to ensuring Mangawhai thrived.
“The felling of these trees is a truly unfortunate price for growth, but I’ll be redoubling my efforts to make the gains outweigh what’s been paid,” she said. “Our museum and history precinct are going to get better and better – just watch.”
