Dump station location endorsed by community board

A proposal to locate a new dump station for caravan and motorhome owners visiting Kerikeri at Te Puāwaitanga Bay of Islands Sports Hub was endorsed by the local community board during its meeting today (Wednesday 17 December).

Dump station users have been able to use alternative public sites at Kawakawa, Kaikohe and Mangōnui since the previous Kerikeri site at Cobham Road was decommissioned in July 2024.

Since its closure, council staff have been searching for an alternative site on council-owned land suitable for a dump station. At the board’s meeting last month, Kerikeri residents voiced their concerns about delays in finding a new site for a dump station.

The report prepared by council staff and tabled at the meeting today, identified the very specific site requirements that must be met for a dump station. These include:

• Space for multiple vehicles to park and safely turn in.
• Access to water.
• An existing septic system, or treatment option, or space to install one.
• Consideration of noise impacts on neighbouring properties due to the site being open 24 hours a day.

The report proposed the sports ground location on State Highway 10 in Waipapa as the most suitable location. The proposal also recommends continuing investigations into viable treatment options and, if appropriate, to proceed with the final design and construction at Te Puāwaitanga.

It was noted in the meeting that while the recommendation from the board will see the proposal go to council for approval, there was a lot of work ahead before the installation of the dump station could be completed. It was also noted that local hapū Ngāti Rēhia is not opposed to Te Puāwaitanga being used for this purpose and would be involved in the governance of the site if the proposal does go ahead.

More information about council-operated public effluent dump stations and nearby freedom camping sites can be found here.

The New Zealand Motorhome and Caravan Association (NZMCA) also provides information about the location of sites in the north on its website, such as privately-operated camp grounds, with dump stations.