Welcome to the web pages of the
Whareroa Guardians
Community Trust
What is the Whareroa Farm Reserve
Whareroa Farm Reserve (WFR) is a 438 hectare block for environmental and heritage conservation and public enjoyment.
It connects Queen Elizabeth Park in the west to the Akatarawa Forest Park in the east; “Hills to Sea” and is very accessible to the public from SH 1 at Mackays Crossing.
There are a variety of recreational opportunities for walking, cycling, horse riding, running, picnics and just “being” in bush, by streams, on open pasture and high up on the hills.
The Guardians, in co-ordination with the Department of Conservation and the Farm Managers, enhance WFR with planting working bees, pest control, track development, offering guided tours for primary school visits and raising the public awareness as well as many other events and activities.
Click on the map for more details of tracks and activities
Who are the Whareroa Guardians
Whareroa Guardians is a Charitable Trust of volunteers which was established to protect and develop Whareroa Farm Reserve (WFR) as a reserve for environmental and heritage conservation and public enjoyment
We are a small but active group of volunteers who have planted over many tens of thousands of plants along streams and in various locations throughout the Whareroa Farm Reserve since 2007, working together with DOC (the Department of Conservation).
We have also cleared gorse in key areas, constructed new tracks and undertaken a myriad of small and large projects to improve Whareroa. More volunteers are always welcome as the planting continues as do the many and varied projects to enhance Whareroa.
Working Bees are held on the 1st Sunday of each month (except January) from 9am to 12pm throughout the year (morning tea provided). There are often more Planting Working Bees on other Sundays in the course of winter.
You don't have to be a member to be a volunteer.
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In August 2023, the Whareroa Guardians won both the Kapiti region Community Heritage and Environment category of the Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards for 2023 and the Supreme Award. The Supreme award winner and category winners then went forward to represent Kapiti at the Regional Community Awards.
In November, 2023, at the Regional Wellington Airport Community Awards, the Whareroa Guardians won the award in the Heritage and Environment category (which also came with $1'000)!
You can find some photos and more links to those awards here
We are honoured and thrilled to receive the recognition of the awards, reflecting the many years of work, dedication and support from all of our supporters. Thank you!
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For more information - see the “History” below
Free Email Newsletter
If you would like to be on our no-obligation free email list for monthly updates about Whareroa activities and planting / working bees, send us an email: whareroa.guardians@gmail.com
Where Is Whareroa
50 km north of Wellington and only 6 km south of the Coastlands Shopping Centre in Paraparaumu
Click on the map for more directions
History
The history of Whareroa goes back a long way. Up until 1850 it was used by local Māori for horticulture, most likely for growing kūmara crops. There was also a pā situated on the flat land. In 1850 Alexander MacKay leased it as a farm and later purchased it. In 1941 it was passed to the Wellington Hospital Board as a likely site for a chest hospital.
With the onset of World War 2, the land was acquired for defence purposes. In 1942 the Public Works Department built Camp Mackay on the site for United States Marine Corps training and recreation. Six years later it was taken over by the Lands and Survey Department, which developed it as a recreation and farm education park for public use. By the 1980s, it was providing school trips and open days and had a number of public walking tracks. Management of the land was transferred to Landcorp in 1987, as part of the state owned enterprise restructure that saw Lands and Survey divided into the Department of Conservation and Landcorp. The farm was closed to the public.
In 2003 rumours emerged that Landcorp was planning to sell Whareroa Farm to developers for subdivision, a plan that the local community strongly opposed.
Supported from many quarters, including the Kapiti Coast District Council, the community mounted a campaign to save the land from development. It was felt that the land, which had historical and intrinsic links to Queen Elizabeth Park, was a recreation ‘hub’ with huge tourist and recreation potential for the Kapiti Coast.
In 2005 the Guardians of Whareroa group was formed and extensive lobbying of the Government began. A protest song was recorded and the campaign became a vibrant one engaging the wider community. The campaign did not go unnoticed. The issue of the sale of public land became an election issue, and on 19 August 2005, the Government announced that it had decided to purchase the land from Landcorp for $4.5 million and transfer it to the Department of Conservation.
This was a time of great celebration. On 1 September 2005, the first public picnic at Whareroa, organised by the Guardians of Whareroa, drew a crowd of 300 people.
Since then, the Whareroa Guardians Community Trust, using grants from the Ministry of the Environment and WWF-NZ Habitat Protection Fund, Tindall Foundation, has worked on substantial bush and stream restoration projects involving over 200 volunteers and many tens of thousands of plants. This is ongoing and the community is invited to join in this activity.
In 2010 the Department of Conservation commenced the development of the reserve with parking, an information bay, tracks within the farm and picnic areas. They are working with the Kapiti Mountain Bike Club and horseriders as well as the Trust to develop appropriate recreational opportunities.
In March 2011 the Whareroa Guardians’ volunteers built a significant stone wall at the entrance.
On 30th April 2011 Whareroa Farm was opened for public use as a recreation reserve with a major celebration. See this link for a news report from 2011.
The Department of Conservation and the Trust are working together to develop this wonderful property into a first-class recreation and educational nature facility.
The Trust is established to protect and develop Whareroa Farm Reserve as a reserve for environmental and heritage conservation and public enjoyment, by working with the Management Authority to:
a) maintain Whareroa Farm Reserve as a publicly-owned and sustainable coastal hill country farm as meets the overall aims of the Trust
b) restore the catchments of the Whareroa Stream and protect and enhance the indigenous flora and fauna;
c) recognise and respect the bond that tangata whenua have with the land;
d) preserve and strengthen the historical and cultural heritage of Whareroa Farm Reserve with emphasis on the link with Queen Elizabeth Park;
e) ensure Whareroa Farm Reserve is widely accessible for any public recreation activities that do not unduly damage the environment or disturb the enjoyment of others;
f) promote Whareroa Farm Reserve as a recreational hub and a resource to be used and valued by the local Kapiti and wider community;
g) value and develop this land as an educational resource for “best practice” catchment, conservation, environmental, recreational, and farming management.
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In August 2023, the Whareroa Guardians won both the Kapiti region Community Heritage and Environment category of the Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards for 2023 and the Supreme Award. The Supreme award winner and category winners then went forward to represent Kapiti at the Regional Community Awards.
In November, 2023, at the Regional Wellington Airport Community Awards, the Whareroa Guardians won the award in the Heritage and Environment category (which also came with $1'000)!
You can find some photos and more links to those awards here
We are honoured and thrilled to receive the recognition of the awards, reflecting the many years of work, dedication and support from all of our supporters. Thank you!
Generous Support
We are very grateful to the following for past and ongoing support from:
Department of Conservation (DOC)
World Wildlife Fund Habitat Protection Fund
The DOC Community Conservation Partnership Fund
Greater Wellington Regional Council
Become A Member
We would love you to be a member to support our work. At the same time it also increases our credibility when applying for grants if we have a reasonable support base. All income goes to Whareroa, no honoraria go to trustees.
Membership Fees
Adult (waged) $25; (unwaged/concession) $10
Family/household $40
Student/youth $10
Life $500
Corporate $500
Pay by direct credit to WGCT bank account: 03-0732-0429996-00
Let us know your details (Name, Address) by email to whareroa.guardians@gmail.com OR complete this form
Donate
As Whareroa Guardians Community Trust is a registered charitable trust (Reg.Nr: CC21270), donations are tax deductible. All income goes to Whareroa, no honoraria go to trustees.
DONATIONS can be made…
(1) to our Bank Account: 03-0732-0429996-00
To get your receipt, email whareroa.guardians@gmail.com
or…
(2) by using your credit card at www.givealittle.co.nz/org/WhareroaG. You will receive an automatic email confirmation immediately