Auckland Council
Orewa Reserve Future Management Proposal
You may have seen that Auckland Council is proposing some significant changes to the Ōrewa Reserve and the way they control the southern end of our beach. In short they want to:
Stop sand replenishment on the beach after storms
Take away all man made revetments to stop the land being washed away by large surf. This includes rock protection.
The effects of this are quite negative for the beach, Ōrewa Reserve and the community. For example it is expected that there will be significant erosion of the reserve with significant loss of land area.
This is the overlay of the current reserve including surf club in it’s position now – April 2025.
We do agree that there needs to be change, but the proposals offer only one option and there has not been any genuine community input to the decision making.
There will be significant impact on our operations, including Junior training days and Surf Sport events.
The proposed changes will impact on the protected trees along the front of the reserve, playgrounds and the basketball court will become eroded and no longer usable. The ability to hold community events (including Surf Sport events) will be significantly compromised. The Council has also indicated that there will be significant loss of car parking on the reserve.
The projected land loss will drive the public to use the beach closer to the Estuary which is going to increase the risk of public drownings.
The 4 options provided are hard to interpret so below is an overlay of how the reserve is today with Option A overlaid at 50% transparency – please note that the red ‘ASCE 2080’ line is in all 4 options.
Below is a side by side of the current plan and option A split on 275 Hibiscus Coast Highway.
Council are making arbitrary decisions. They are not willing to consider other options to manage the beach and reserve. We are concerned that the cumulative effect of the proposed changes is hugely detrimental to the community, and we are against the proposed changes.
We need your help so that the Council hear the community voice
The Council is running online feedback on this matter until the end of April and we are asking all our members to complete feedback to the Council on this topic. Please also encourage your family and friends to complete this as well.
Can You Please:
Follow this link Ōrewa Reserve Future Management Options | AK Have Your Say to complete a quick survey
in support of the club’s opposition to the proposals.
We Would Appreciate If You Could Answer The Main Question As:
Overall, which of the concept options do you prefer – tick “other” and comment:
The proposals diminish the value of the reserve to the community and limit the ability for it to be used by the public for casual and
organised recreational activities.
Under the plans shown, there will be very limited ability to hold organised sporting and cultural events on the reserve such as now.
This will have a negative impact on the community both socially and economically.
The plans are all the same with slightly different variants that do not consider the needs of the community and the real issue of beach management.
The Council is negligent in not offering the public the chance to consider genuinely different reserve management options
(eg a Rock Wall like the one at the North End, A Rock Groyne like the South end).
The proposed plans diminish public safety by encouraging increased public use of the most dangerous southern end of the beach close to
the hazardous estuary mouth.
We thank you for your support. If you have any questions please call Jon Copeland 027 700 5993 or Faron Turner 021 620 578.
Please also take the time to review information provided by ORCA - the Orewa Reserve Community Association.
ORCA - Orewa Reserve Community Association
RE: Orewa Reserve Management, April 2025
The Auckland Council, supported by the Hibiscus & Bays Local Board are proposing “naturalisation” or dune restoration as long-term management of the Orewa Reserve. The driving purpose behind the proposal is global warming and rising sea levels. The Orewa Reserve is the area between Riverside Rd, and the north end of the Orewa Holiday Park, and includes the Orewa Surf Club.
The Council proposal results in the removal or relocation of the north end toilets; playground; basketball and volleyball courts. The removal of Norfolk Pines and a number of Pohutukawa Trees which protect the beach front. The proposal also results in the loss of one third to one half of the grassed Reserve and significant reduction of car parking – a potential loss of approximately 300 car parks. Alternative car parking is proposed in surrounding streets and the Western Reserve.
A group of residents set up in July 2024, ORCA (Orewa Reserve Community Assoc.) to oppose the Council proposal. ORCA is proposing the continuation of the seawall that protects residential housing, by constructing a 320m rock wall, 2.5m high (approx.) from the northern end of the Reserve to the north end of the car park. The wall incorporates, beach access stairs and ramps and a dry sand beach. The ORCA proposal would ensure the toilets, playground, basketball, volleyball courts and car park are not removed or replaced, saving significant cost for the Council.
ORCA has provided written submissions and verbal presentations to the Local Board, and has over a three-week period collected 688 petition signatures in support of the ORCA seawall proposal. ORCA submit that in excess of 80% of residents and beach users oppose the Council proposal.
ORCA Is Now Asking That Residents And Reserve Users To Provide Feedback On The Following Council Link: https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/orewa-reserve
As a member of the Orewa Surf Club and a member of the public, we encourage you to oppose the Council proposal and protect our beautiful Reserve. The Council feedback form is generic and ORCA recommend completion using the following text if you are struggling to provide content.
Which Reserve Features Are Important To Me:
Other box ticked.
All the above, no exclusions.
The Reserve meets all current and future ‘known’ objectives with regard to environmental, ecological and recreational requirements
Which Option Do I Prefer:
None, they diminish the value of the reserve with the loss of land, failure to effectively control wind blown sand, failure to acknowledge the Auckland Urban Ngahere Strategy, failure to maintain the number of assets currently available, failure to maintain a level of car parking pursuant to the needs of the beach users and the Surf Club, failure to maintain sufficient open space for events and failure to truly recognise the importance of the Reserve to not only the Orewa catchment area but all Auckland beach goers.
Other Feedback:
These concept plans fail to meet realistic functional objectives that the existing reserve currently achieves with a loss of land valued at $20m.
A seawall would maintain ‘all’ as is; being an economic solution with no continuous disruption of the use of the Reserve as would occur with the concept plans.
For further information please refer to the ORCA Orewa Reserve Community Assoc Facebook page or contact Chris Carter 021 753178.