• Rod Oram discusses environmental legislation
• Maori Deeds of Land Purchases - Hokopua Block, Ngunguru
• The Sunday Group: Environmental Reform
• Plan Change 92
• EDS proposes a New Zealand Coastal Commission

• Rapid shoreline building on a stormy coast
• Regional flood project meetings under way
• School takes shape (Glenbervie)
• NRC Coastal Aquifers Study - Ngunguru
• Ngunguru Primary School's history search

"...Those people point out a fact that is often overlooked by those of us who live here - that endless kilometres of undeveloped coastline and vast areas of native bush where one can feel complete solitude are unheard of in many parts of the world. It is the quiet atmosphere of the place that makes it such a treasure."
Northern Advocate editorial: Northland naturally worth visiting - and saving.

All Items - new content items in all categories
Key Resources - get up to speed with these items
Articles by Topic - an in-depth look at sandspit protection
Events - activities the society is involved in
Other Coastlines - other places with similar challenges
Human Interest - off-topic material of local interest
Photo Gallery - heaps of images
Links - annotated links to related sites and agencies

Regular visitor? Go straight to All Items because new items will be appearing there, almost on a daily basis.

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Pop up a video.

Landco is the most recent development company to turn its attention to the sandspit and Whakairiora, but it's certainly not the first. The area has been in a tug-of-war for the last 45 years or so between private and public interests. Check out the following resources to learn the history of the place, understand the current situation, and think about some possible futures for the site.

Past

Sandspit Timeline
Pat Heffey's chronological account of important events in the history of the sandspit – 1838 to the present.

The Ngunguru Sandspit and the protection of wahi tapu
A case study written in 1996 by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment. Looks at efforts in the early 90s to get the sandspit into public ownership and protect its cultural, historic and natural heritage.

Present

Close Up: Sandspit Fight
A TV1 item about local reaction to LandCo's proposed development of the sandspit.

Fight for the beaches
A Listener cover story, written in late 2005, about local reaction to LandCo's purchase of the sandspit.

Ngunguru Spit and Whakairiora
Chris Mulcare's summary of events and human pressures on the land.

So many reasons to save sandspit
A Northern Advocate editorial by Laura Franklin, summarising the issues related to the sandspit.

Future

Ngunguru Spit Subdivision
A New Zealand Herald article by Gary Taylor, chairman of the Environmental Defence Society, explaining why the sandspit is unsuitable for development and recommending that it be put into public ownership.

...if you can't afford a coastal property now, perhaps you could buy one a bit further away from the beach and wait. -Martin Craig, Consumer

Coastal erosion
A 2005 Consumer magazine report by Martin Craig looking at what's causing coastal erosion, how bad the problem really is, and what affected homeowners can realistically do.

“...one consequence of the world becoming increasingly inter-connected will be to reverse a fundamental principle of economic development, namely that people move to places where jobs are located. ...I believe the opposite will become increasingly true: jobs will emerge where people choose to live. As a result, in the future, the truly successful communities will be those that invest not in attracting businesses, but in making themselves the nicest possible place to be.” Jonathan Schechter, The Charture Institute

Available now.