20 December 2005

The ARC has conditionally purchased an additional 126 hectares of land at Pakiri in north Rodney. This property will be joined with the recently purchased former ‘Tuaman Inc.’ property to become the region’s 25th regional park, totalling 178 hectares.

The property comprises beachfront, rocky cliffs and grassed hills, linking Pakiri with Cape Rodney – Okakari Point Marine Reserve (Goat Island).

ARC Parks and Heritage Committee Chair Cr Sandra Coney says the two properties combined create an unrivalled regional park and protect three kilometres of the coast.

“The purchase of this property protects the backdrop to the beach so that no trophy houses will intrude onto this part of Pakiri Beach.

“Visitors to the southern end of the property will be able to enjoy stunning and uninterrupted vistas that stretch from Whangarei Heads to Great Barrier Island."

Cr Coney says the joining of these two properties also allows for the protection of a number of culturally significant sites including an extensive hilltop pa site, midden and terraces.

Cr Christine Rose, Parks and Heritage Committee Deputy Chair and the ARC’s Rodney representative says this regional park will protect this part of Pakiri from subdivision and development, for the enjoyment of generations to come.

“This property has historically been subject to many complex circumstances, therefore public ownership is a positive outcome for both the property and the region.

“It protects iconic landforms in a continuous link here, from coast to headland. The preservation of these landforms from prominent coastal development is critical,” she says.

ARC Chairman Michael Lee says this will make a spectacular regional park.

“Pakiri Beach is well known and loved by Aucklanders already. A regional park on this part of the coast will provide visitors with a unique opportunity to access a truly spectacular ocean beachfront – so they can enjoy what can only be described as a quintessential kiwi beach experience.”

The Arrigato land was purchased for $9million.

This park will not be formally opened for a number of years, however casual foot access to the newest (southern) part of the park will be possible from late January 2006, once the title transfers to the ARC.

Access to the former ‘Tuaman’ part of the property will be possible from 22 December when ownership transfers to the ARC. Full park facilities will not be implemented on either part of the park for some years.

The new regional park at Pakiri will be the ARC’s 25th regional park. Prior to this, the most recent parkland acquisitions were at Waipiro Bay on the South Kaipara Peninsula in October 2005 and Waitawa, near Kawakawa Bay, south of Auckland.

The ARC was gifted a 843ha property, Atiu Creek Farm, on the Tapora Peninsula near Wellsford in October this year.

ENDS

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