Waikawa Beach Map
Boatday 1993
Boat Day in 1993.
Photograph courtesy of the Shepherd Family, 1993.
Waikawa 1994
Waikawa Beach in 1994.
James Street is in the right foreground.
Photograph courtesy of Deb Shepherd, 1994.

Bitter Water

a story of waikawa

Waikawa Beach

waikawa from 1950 to 1999

1950s

Drake and Arthur Streets formed and sealed

Waikawa Beach Road sealed

The first pine trees opposite the bridge planted

1954

Harriet Drake dies

1956

Electricity arrives at Waikawa

1957

The river mouth moves north and is again realigned

Foredune re-establishment project begins

1958

Drake farm divided again

1962

Moa bones discovered in Takapu Road

1966

Manga Pirau Street established

1967-68

Public toilets/changing rooms built

1968-69

Small dairy on the corner of Drake Street and Waikawa Beach Road is in operation

1970

Rocks are placed along the east bank of the river

River realignment upstream from Drake Street causes erosion in the pine plantation

1972

The river mouth heads south and is realigned again

1973

Manga Pirau extended and Sarah, Cathryn, Duncan and Norna constructed

Sections are priced from $2000 to $3500

1974

Waikawa Beach Ratepayers Association formed

1975

Sarah Street extended

1976

Close to Home filmed

River realigned again

The first Golf Day held

1977

The Governor filmed

Manga Pirau and Sarah Streets extended, James Street constructed

River realigned again

1978

160 section owners. 60-70% have a building on their land

Eight permanent residents

Waikawa Beach Ratepayers Association logo conceived

The first Boat Day held

1979

Car park formed at the end of Waikawa Beach Road-construction destroyed the old water bore site

There is a stabbing incident at the New Years Eve barbecue

Name plaque erected on Waikawa Beach Road

1980s

Major tree planting projects on the street berms, along the east bank of the river, across the bridge and on the northern beach

The rock wall is extended Rock Wall
The rock wall extention on the lower reaches of the Waikawa River.
Photograph courtesy of Stephen Marshall, 1995.

The river is realigned many times

The Manawatu Catchment Board establishes a seed trial plot on the northern beach

A kotuku (white heron) regularly visits, sometimes accompanied by its mate

1990s

The river is realigned many times

Spoonbills regularly seen on the southern lagoon

1990

A flood washes away the original footbridge and uncovers a midden upstream from the bridge site Old bridge
The Waikawa River in flood above the old footbridge.
Photograph courtesy of Ian Shepherd, 1980.

1991

300 dead eels dumped in the river

The new bridge is built New bridge
The Waikawa River in its normal state above the new footbridge.
Photograph courtesy of Karen Jessop, 1999.

State Highway One widened at the Waikawa Beach Road intersection

The drain (Manga Pirau Stream) tidied up

A painting of the Waikawa Boat Day by June Brunsdon wins a prize in the Horowhenua District Council Art Award

The rock wall is extended again

The river diverts itself before intervention is required

The noticeboard is built

No 1 Waikawa Beach Road is purchased by the Council for use as a reserve

1992

New bridge opened by Ivan Drake

A wedding is held on Waikawa beach

Ivan Drake dies

1993

Car commercial filmed

Heritage Trail sign erected on Waikawa Beach Road

Swamp corner of Waikawa Beach Road widened and resealed

Hank Edwards dies

1994

Horowhenua County Council agrees to name the reserve at the end of Waikawa Beach Road 'Hank Edwards Reserve'

A number of Waikawa residents organise a 'Beach Cleanup' to remove from the beach rubbish that is potentially hazardous to wildlife

Fatal accident on Waikawa Beach Road

1996

Rescue helicopter lands on the beach

The drain (Manga Pirau Stream) is piped under the Hank Edwards Reserve

1997

24 break-ins reported in a period of 5 months

Waikawa Beach Road is lifted at Swamp Corner to alleviate flooding problems

1999

A drain is constructed under Waikawa Beach Road on the straight from the main highway to alleviate flooding problems

© Catch 22, 1999, 2009