Hokianga isite to temporarily relocate for renovation

A modern refurbishment of the layout and look of the Hokianga isite at Ōpononi starts on Monday 15 June and is expected to take three weeks. The refresh will cause minimum disruption to isite and council contact centre services with a dedicated isite desk set up temporarily at the Manea Footprints of Kupe centre, located nearby.

Manea is a top tourist attraction in the area and is located at 41 State Highway 12 in Ōpononi, about 300m away from the isite’s current location near the Ōpononi Four Square.

The refurbishment will create a more spacious layout and, using sustainable materials, bring the isite up to date with the look and branding shared by most of the 48 isites throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.

isite NZ’s popular journey planner touring map will be a new addition during the refresh and will include more local details and improved digital imagery on a larger screen. An update of the Hokianga isite’s iconic Tane Mahuta image will also be included in the refurb.

The new spacious layout will improve the experience of residents – who use the isite for a range of council services – and will encourage visitors to do more, travel further, and stay longer by providing a fresh take on local ‘must do’ activities.

The cost of the refurbishment will be $95,000 (excluding GST) and is being shared equally by Tourism New Zealand and the council.

The cultural and heritage centre, Manea Footprints of Kupe, offers a multi-sensory storytelling journey and is an ideal location for the isite to carry on ‘business as usual’ for the community and visitors alike, with plenty of parking available.

The expert local isite staff are expected to be back at their usual location and working from the new-look isite from Monday 6 July. The Hokianga is rich in culture and heritage and our isite is a must stop for anyone seeking information about all there is to see and do in the area.

The three Far North isites – Kaitāia isite at Te Ahu, Bay of Islands isite at the Paihia Wharf and the Hokianga isite at Ōpononi – welcomed over 200,000 people last year.

Main image - the Hokianga isite building is next to the Landing Thai Cafe, near the Ōpononi Four Square.

Below - the current layout of the Hokianga isite interior.

Below - the new spacious layout after the Hokianga isite is refurbished.