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Freedom camping rules prohibit sites at Piha

The Auckland Council responded to a lengthy consultation on freedom camping by extending prohibitions on specific sites, including a number of Piha roads and one at Karekare. Freedom camping is  [ Read More ]

Are the Waitakere Ranges at risk from 3 Waters?

Published 8 June 2022 in New Zealand Herald “Auckland Council intends to close the gap between its rates shortfall and expenditure by using $127 million it is due to receive  [ Read More ]

Guide to submitting on draft Regional Parks Management Plan

At the end of last year, the Auckland Council released a new Regional Parks Management Plan which is out for consultation until 4 March 2022. This the document which guides  [ Read More ]

Freedom camping bylaw would increase campervans in the Waitakeres

Auckland Council is consulting on a new freedom camping bylaw that would result in much increased freedom camping at Piha and other Ranges’ places. Piha would be particularly hard hit  [ Read More ]

Kitekite – is it the sacrificial track?

On 20 November Cllr Penny Hulse, chair of the Auckland Council Environment and Community Committee announced publicly that Kitekite Track will reopen before Christmas.  Many will have applauded that move,  [ Read More ]

Piha Cafe granted extended hours

The Piha café has been granted extended hours enabling it to stay open till 10 pm. The permission was granted on a non-notified basis, meaning that there was no opportunity for  [ Read More ]

Our dynamic beach

Phil Vine in the Herald on coastal erosion and accretion at Awhitu, Piha and Muriwai. quotes Mischa and Steve Davis, Jim Dahm and others. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11195493

Protests against oil drilling in the Tasman Sea

Around a thousand gathered on Piha Beach on 23 November in the Banners on the Beach protest against deep sea oil drilling. When the crowd lined up facing out to  [ Read More ]

Plan Change 36 made operative

Plan Change 36 was proposed by Waitakere City Council to liberalise economic activities in the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area. It came on the back of the fight over the Piha  [ Read More ]

Thoughts about Piha’s diminishing natural beauty

The New Zealand Herald on Saturday June 1 announced that CNN had listed neighbouring beach Karekare at number 38 in its Top 100 Best Beaches in the World on its  [ Read More ]

Bowler takes law into own hands

The photo might be a bit cheesy, but this heart-warming story of the Piha Bowling Club ladies, and a few lads, stepping in to capture a boy in a Toyota doing  [ Read More ]

Our endangered dophins – Maui’s

While swimming out the back some years ago I was joined by some Maui’s dolphins. An unforgettable experience if a little scary at the time. They say they are small  [ Read More ]

Why a gravel path in the dunes?

Reactions are mixed about the plethora of white concrete paths materialising around Piha – a $750,000 legacy project funded in the dying days of Waitakere City Council. Even more contentious  [ Read More ]

Piha property prices among the big dives

Piha property prices have fallen 10% from the last valuations according to an Auckland Council revaluation, one of the biggest falls of anywhere in the region. Piha shows the trend along with  [ Read More ]

Cafe founder oversteps mark to support liquor licence

From Sunday Star-Times, nuff said. http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/5602655/Red-faces-at-world-cup-events-firm

Cafe gains seven-days a week liquor licence

Piha Fine Foods Ltd (Piha Cafe) has been granted a liquor licence by Auckland Council to serve alcohol from 11am to 7 pm seven days of the week. This is  [ Read More ]

Piha Cafe withdraws application for RWC liquor licence

Piha Fine Foods Ltd (Piha Cafe) has withdrawn its application to seek a special Rugby World Cup liquor licence. There were several objections from Protect Piha Heritage Society and neighbours and  [ Read More ]

Notice from Auckland Transport on Footpath Project

Auckland Transport would like to advise that the construction work for footpaths in Piha is starting soon. Contract start date                          29 August 2011 Anticipated Completion date      30 November 2011 Contractor                          [ Read More ]

Piha Cafe applies for fast-track liquor licence

The Piha Cafe has applied for a liquor licence using the fast-track method put in place for the Rugby World Cup. This allows a very short time for submissions (by  [ Read More ]

Auckland Council responds about dune works

Dear Stakeholders,  Due to the number of emails received on this project a single response has been generated to address questions raised with the Marine Parade South dune and walkway  [ Read More ]

Troubled Piha cafe passes into new hands

Wayne Thompson of the Herald on the sale of the operation of the Piha cafe from Preserve Piha Ltd to new proprietors. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/piha20cafe/search/results.cfm?kw1=piha%20cafe&kw2=&st=gsa

Consents granted to Preserve Piha Ltd for Cafe

Commissioner Les Simmons has granted a non-notified consent to Preserve Piha Ltd to allow work on the Piha Cafe involving building additions, carpark resurfacing, and consumption of alcohol. These were  [ Read More ]

Roadside trees in Piha in need of protection

Some roadside Pohutukawa trees in Garden Road took a battering recently when a truck moving building materials smashed its way through. Concerned residents who complained to the Auckland Council were told by  [ Read More ]

Rules for groups of trees in urban areas OK says Judge Jackson.

Judge Jackson in the Environment Court has supported general tree rules for areas of trees or groups of trees in urban areas such as those at Titirangi and the pohutukawa  [ Read More ]

Council says consent application for alcohol at cafe will not be notified

Auckland Council Independent Commissioner Les Simmons has decided that the application br Preserve Piha Ltd (Piha Cafe) to serve alcohol at the cafe will not be notified. This means that he  [ Read More ]

Piha Cafe seeks changes to serve alcohol, change building and operate icecream cart

On the Open Agenda of the Auckland Council Hearings Committee, Wednesday 6 April, starting 9.30 am. Item 14: Appointment of Commissioner – Resource Consent Preserve Piha Ltd. The Piha Cafe  [ Read More ]

Thundercats are gone

We are told by Barbara Cade, events manager for Waitakere in the Auckland Council, that this year’s Thundercats will be the last. You will recall many protests about the first time  [ Read More ]

Piha R&R AGM

The Piha Ratepayers and Residents AGM elected a new committee consisting of: President Graham Webber Vice-President Ken Cowan Secretary Monique Olivier Committee Dale Kaiser, Helen Pearce, Graham Caley, Jan O’Connor,  [ Read More ]

Fireworks pests cause midnight callout

Fireworks were being let off all over Piha from an early hour on New Year’s Eve and it was not surprising that bang on midnight the fire siren went repeatedly  [ Read More ]

Risking fire at Piha

Late on Friday 10 December a large group lit a fire on the southern end of the beach. Burning anything that came to hand, the group drank alcohol and stood  [ Read More ]

Milk Track works

A highly intrusive bright white concrete drain has appeared alongside the Milk Track and the track has been covered for its entire width with a hardened surface. This is just the  [ Read More ]

Piha’s surf break

Piha’s world famous surf break didn’t make it into the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement 2010 Surf Breaks of National Significance despite representations from a number of submitters including Protect  [ Read More ]

Trees for schedule

The Government’s removal of the ability of local government bodies to set general tree protection rules led to a request by Waitakere City Council for nominations for trees for protection.  [ Read More ]