Fire and Emergency New Zealand received multiple calls around 9.20am.

Two crews from Porirua and a specialist rural firefighting team were sent to the park.

A Fire and Emergency spokesperson said crews initially had difficulty reaching the fire because of the location.

The blaze was extinguished by 11am. It is not clear what started the fire.

Waihora Park is a sports and recreation reserve in Waitangirua and forms a connection with Belmont Regional Park.

The second-hand shop and recycling centre at 20 Broken Hill Road collects unwanted furniture, household goods, clothing, electronics, sporting equipment and other reusable items.

Some goods are sold through the shop, while others are reused within the community or recycled rather than being sent to landfill.

Trash Palace says donated items have supported a wide range of organisations and projects across Porirua and the wider Wellington region.

Bicycles have been supplied to Green Bikes Trust, while dictionaries have gone to Arohata Women’s Prison to support education and literacy.

Items have also been supplied to Bush Sprouts Nature School for outdoor education programmes.

Reusable mugs have gone to Victoria University of Wellington to support its No Disposables on Campus campaign, while Trash Palace has worked with local schools on e-waste collection and sustainability education.

The organisation says finding new uses for unwanted goods means donated items can sometimes have a second, third or even fourth life.

“Our goal has always been simple: take things that might be considered trash and give them another chance to become someone’s treasure,” the Trash Palace team said.

Trash Palace says its work relies on people and businesses donating goods they no longer need, allowing items to be reused, resold, repurposed or recycled.

The anniversary comes as Porirua prepares for major changes to waste services at Spicer.

Resource consents to operate Spicer Landfill expire in 2030 and Porirua City Council is considering what will replace the existing landfill operation.

In May, the Council adopted a public refuse transfer station as its interim preferred option for further investigation.

Under that option, residents and small businesses would still be able to drop rubbish at Spicer, but the waste would be transported to another landfill rather than buried on site.

Trash Palace would remain operating at Spicer under the preferred option, along with recycling and green waste services.

The proposal will undergo further consultation through Porirua’s 2027–37 Long-term Plan process before a final decision is made.

For Trash Palace, the focus remains on keeping usable goods in circulation and finding another use for items that might otherwise be thrown away.

The new results were released this month following analysis of the latest triennial survey, which was carried out on 2 November 2025.

Volunteers counted and measured 18,676 cockles across 30 of the inlet’s 31 survey transects, with the data later analysed by Earth Sciences New Zealand, formerly NIWA.

The estimated population has increased by just over 26 percent since the previous survey in 2022 and is now more than double the 222 million cockles estimated when the Guardians began the survey programme in 1992.

Average cockle density reached 51.9 per 0.1 square metres, higher than in any previous Guardians survey.

The proportion of juvenile cockles has also increased significantly.

Cockles measuring less than 10mm made up 21.4 percent of those sampled in 2025, compared with just 1 percent in 1992.

The Guardians say the high proportion of juvenile cockles, combined with continued growth in the overall population, suggests new cockles are regularly settling in the inlet and surviving.

Cockles, also known as tuangi, are an important indicator of ecological conditions because changes in their numbers and size can help show the effects of sediment, water quality and other environmental pressures.

The Guardians have carried out the survey every three years since 1992 using the same survey design and methods, providing more than three decades of data on the inlet’s cockle population.

The long-term results show cockle numbers declined between 2013 and 2016 before beginning a strong recovery. The 2025 result continues that upward trend.

The Guardians are also continuing their restoration work around Pāuatahanui Inlet, with the final planting event of the 2026 season being held at Ivey Bay on Tuesday 15 September.

Volunteers will plant around 200 native rushes and terrestrial plants along the shoreline between 2pm and 4pm.

Participants are asked to meet at 1.45pm on the lawned area near Paremata Kindergarten. Parking is available at Ivey Bay, with volunteers asked to use the pedestrian underpass beneath State Highway 58.

The planting is supported by a three-year Greater Wellington Regional Council Community Fund grant, along with support from Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira, Porirua City Council and the Guardians of Pāuatahanui Inlet.

Anyone wanting to take part can email pauainlet@gmail.com with the number of people attending.

Porirua City Council has highlighted three significant developments this week, including the launch of a new Porirua Harbour restoration plan, proposed dune restoration at Ngāti Toa Domain and a major construction milestone for the new Whitby reservoir.

Porirua Harbour restoration plan launched

The five partners in the Te Wai Ora o Parirua Porirua Harbour Accord have launched a new action plan aimed at improving the health and mauri of Te Awarua o Porirua.

The plan sets out 20 priority actions across four key areas and is intended to turn the Harbour Accord’s shared vision into coordinated restoration work.

The harbour remains one of Porirua’s most important natural assets and has been the focus of long-term efforts to improve water quality, biodiversity and environmental health.

Ngāti Toa Domain dune restoration proposed

Council is also proposing restoration work along sections of the coastline at Ngāti Toa Domain.

The work is intended to improve dune stability, restore native biodiversity and strengthen the long-term resilience of the coastal environment.

Council says the proposal follows coastal assessments, technical advice and commitments made through the Porirua Harbour Accord and Long-term Plan.

Public feedback is open until Tuesday 22 September.

Whitby reservoir reaches major milestone

Work on the new reservoir beside the existing Whitby reservoir has reached a major construction milestone with completion of the base slab.

Around 520 cubic metres of concrete was used for the pour, roughly equivalent to the volume of eight 40-foot shipping containers.

Once completed, the reservoir will hold nine million litres of clean drinking water.

It will increase total water storage for the area to 13.5 million litres, help meet future demand and improve resilience by providing an additional connection to upper Whitby.

Construction will now move on to forming the reservoir walls.

The three projects form part of wider efforts to improve Porirua’s resilience as the city grows, while protecting important natural environments and strengthening essential infrastructure.

A fisher poached 1,869 pāua near Titahi Bay intended for sale. He also illegally used scuba gear to harvest the shellfish. The man has been placed on home detention for 10 months and ordered to perform 300 hours’ community work.

Following a guilty plea, Jorden Cedric Paul, 43, was sentenced on three charges under the Fisheries Act, after a successful prosecution by the Ministry for Primary Industries. 

“Mr Paul used his fishing boat, Aria Maree, to steal 1869 pāua near Titahi Bay in Porirua, where the daily recreational limit is 5 pāua at a minimum size of 125mm,” says Fisheries New Zealand regional manager central, Phil Tasker.

“The pāua was shucked and our investigation found 222 of the shellfish were undersize. An aggravating factor was that he used prohibited underwater breathing apparatus enabling him to steal such a large amount.

“Mr Paul deliberately stole this pāua, motivated by greed and financial gain. None of the shellfish could be returned to the ocean, meaning it will take years for the fishery to recover from the environmental damage.”

In June 2025, Mr Paul and another man, who is still before the court, were gathering shellfish off Wellington’s west coast. When they returned to the boat ramp, they were stopped by fishery officers who inspected their catch. The shucked pāua was counted and weighed individually to establish how many were undersize. Just 13 of the pāua taken were still in shells, the Ministry said in a statement.

“Our investigation found this pāua was likely intended for sale,” Mr Tasker said.

“Pāua poaching in the Wellington region is a serious problem and this behaviour risks the long-term survivability and sustainability of this taonga species. 

“Mr Paul claimed the stolen seafood was going to be shared with family. We would encourage anyone offered a large amount of free seafood not to take it, but to contact us because receiving stolen seafood is also an offence. 

“This was deliberate theft of our shared resources and when we find evidence of illegal fishing, we take action before the court – and there are consequences.” 

Mr Paul’s fishing boat, a Toyota Landcruiser, and the fishing gear and equipment he used to harvest the pāua were all forfeited to the Crown.

MPI encourages the public to report any suspected illegal activity through the 0800 4 POACHER line (0800 476 224).   

The returning Porirua News Business Directory Founding Members are:

• TM Quizzes
• Combat Pest Control
• Capital Sports Medicine
• Solutions Electrical
• Blue Dog Joinery
• Minnoch Garage Doors
• Leah Jeffries of Clark & Co Realty
• Porirua Motor Body Repairs Ltd
• Tree Magicians

They form the third group being celebrated through the Porirua News Welcome Back series, recognising businesses that joined the directory during its formative growth and remain involved today.

Together, they reflect the range of businesses people rely on for entertainment, health care, property services, electrical work, joinery, vehicle repairs, pest control and tree care.

TM Quizzes helps bring people together through quiz events, while Capital Sports Medicine provides health and injury-related services.

Solutions Electrical, Blue Dog Joinery and Minnoch Garage Doors provide specialist services for homes, businesses and other properties.

Combat Pest Control and Tree Magicians help people protect and maintain their properties and outdoor spaces.

Leah Jeffries of Clark & Co Realty works with people buying and selling property, while Porirua Motor Body Repairs Ltd repairs damaged vehicles and helps return them to the road.

Their continued involvement also helps keep Porirua News reporting free and accessible for the people of Porirua and Tawa, while giving readers a practical place to find businesses when they need them.

Porirua News Managing Editor Tim Wilson said the group showed the breadth of skills and services available through the Business Directory.

“People might be organising an event, dealing with an injury, maintaining a home, buying or selling a property, repairing a vehicle or looking after their trees,” Wilson said.

“These are practical businesses providing services people across the community need throughout the year.

“We are proud to welcome them back, and their continued involvement helps us keep producing free and accessible local reporting for Porirua and Tawa.”

The Porirua News Business Directory includes more than 300 businesses serving Porirua, Tawa and the wider Wellington region, making it easier for readers to find local products, services and providers in one place.

More Founding Members will be celebrated as the Welcome Back series continues.

Readers can support the businesses involved and help strengthen locally owned community news by using the Porirua News Business Directory when looking for their next product or service.

TechCollect NZ has partnered with Porirua City Council to make the store the city’s newest free e-waste drop-off point.

The service is intended to make it easier for people to recycle unwanted technology instead of sending it to landfill.

Accepted items include laptops, desktop computers, tablets, e-readers, mobile phones, monitors, printers and scanners.

People can also drop off keyboards, mice, cables, chargers, routers, modems, cameras, projectors, headsets, speakers, gaming consoles, controllers and DVD or Blu-ray players.

TechCollect NZ said recycling electronic equipment helps recover valuable materials, reduce waste and keep resources in use for longer.

Drop-offs can be made at Noel Leeming Porirua during store opening hours. Visitors are advised to check the store’s current hours before heading in.

People should check the TechCollect NZ website before visiting to confirm their items are accepted. https://www.techcollect.nz/recycle#locator

The free community event will run from 10am to 12.30pm, with participants meeting at the Champion Street entrance. Sunday, 19 July, is the postponement day.

There will be 1800 plants ready to go into the ground, along with tools for people who want to help collect litter around the park.

Participants will also be able to connect with community organisations and learn more about their work.

A free barbecue will be provided for those taking part in the planting and clean-up.

The event is free and open to the community.

Tiaki Wai is responsible for drinking water, wastewater and piped stormwater services across Porirua, Hutt Valley and Wellington. It is a council-owned organisation set up by Hutt City, Porirua City, Upper Hutt City, Wellington City and Greater Wellington under the Government’s Local Water Done Well reforms.

Porirua City Council said residents should contact Tiaki Wai directly for leaks or burst pipes, bad-tasting water, wastewater overflows, blocked street drains, billing and other general enquiries.

Urgent faults can be reported by calling 0800 TIAKI WAI, or 0800 842 549.

The handover comes after years of public frustration with Wellington Water and growing concern about the state of the region’s ageing water network. Tiaki Wai says the region’s water, wastewater and stormwater networks are under pressure after decades of underinvestment, and that improvements will take time.

The new agency has also started work in the shadow of the Moa Point wastewater failure in Wellington, which prompted public anger, health warnings and questions about accountability across the region’s water system.

For many Porirua ratepayers, the key question is why a new organisation with wider powers and coverage is expected to perform better than the model it replaces.

Council and Tiaki Wai have said the change is intended to give water services a regional focus, more funding options, new leadership and clearer governance. Tiaki Wai will absorb Wellington Water and take responsibility for water assets, funding and service delivery.

Water services charges will now be billed separately from council rates. Porirua City Council says property owners can expect their first Tiaki Wai water services bill in late July or early August, with bills then arriving every three months on the same or a similar schedule as council rates.

The change leaves several public questions still to be answered clearly, including how Tiaki Wai will be held accountable, what service improvements Porirua residents can expect first, how costs will be controlled, and how the new organisation will avoid repeating Wellington Water’s failures.

Residents can find information at tiakiwai.co.nz or poriruacity.govt.nz. Water faults should now be reported to 0800 TIAKI WAI.

The council said Jillet Street had been closed again after more trees came down. Earlier fallen trees on Paekākāriki Hill Road and Takutai Road had been cleared.

Crews were also working on trees at Jillet Street and Bromley View, while a tree on Belmont Road was expected to be cleared by late afternoon.

Flooding was reported on Worcester Street and Wineera Drive overnight, with crews attending this morning.

The Porirua City Nursery has closed for the day because of weather damage.

All grass sports fields are closed from Friday 26 June to Monday 29 June. A field status update is expected after midday on Monday. Restrictions apply for weekend competitions, and players are asked to contact their sporting organisation for details.

Bernie Wood artificial and hard surface courts remain open.

The Pacific Night Market has been postponed and is now scheduled to go ahead on Friday 3 July.

Porirua City Council is asking people to report weather-related issues to its contact centre on 04 237 5089 or through the Antenno app. In an emergency, call 111.

Updates are also available through the Wellington Region Emergency Management Office Facebook page.