Council services through Alert Level 2
The Covid-19 Alert level for Northland moved to Alert Level 2 from Wednesday 8 September 2021.
All council facilities will be open to the public with Level 2 safety measures in place from Monday 13 September 2021 unless noted otherwise below.
General safety precautions
In all our public areas please allow 2 metres of physical distancing from people you don't know.
All visitors must sign in at our reception areas or use the NZ Covid Tracer app.
Our front-line staff will be wearing face-coverings and we ask our customers to do the same.
Surfaces at council facilities will be frequently cleaned, and hand sanitiser will be available for visitors to use.
Feeling sick or unwell? Please stay home and talk to a doctor.
Customer Service Centres
Forum North will open at 8:00am on Monday 13 September 2021, and the Ruakaka Service Centre will open at 8:30am on Monday 13 September 2021.
We encourage customers to do Council business online or over the phone where possible. Please call us to book appointments in advance, to avoid unnecessary waiting and crowding.
Bookings for our Duty Planner and Duty Building Officers need to be made in advance. Our preference is for meetings to be held online or over the phone.
Whangarei District Library
Opening 9am Monday 13 September. Libraries will be set up to comply with Ministry of Health guidelines. Restrictions on the number of people permitted to enter will apply. Branch libraries and the mobile library will remain closed over Level 2 and until further notice.
Te Manawa – the Hub and Whangarei iSITE
Te Manawa – the Hub will re-open from 9:00am Monday 13 September 2021. Whangarei iSITE on Tarewa Road is temporarily closed for maintenance. Please note Intercity Bus services are currently on hold.
Whangārei District Cemeteries
The Cemetery office and gates are open.
Up to 100 people can attend outdoor funerals and tangihanga at Alert Level 2, if funeral directors have registered with the Ministry of Health. Physical distancing will need to be maintained and funeral directors will collect details for contact tracing.
Whangārei Laboratory
Whangārei Laboratory will re-open for sample-delivery from 8:00am until 3:00pm starting Wednesday 8 September 2021.
Forum North Entertainment Centre and Semenoff Stadium
Both venues will be available for hire from 8:00am Monday 13 September 2021 in accordance with Government guidelines for venues.
Car parking
All Council carparks are open and operating as normal. Our wardens are working at Alert Level 2.
Rubbish and recycling collection
Our kerbside bag collection, and red and blue-bin recycling services, will continue as usual. Paper and cardboard will also be collected as normal. Transfer stations are open and operating, although visitors must wear a face-covering and record their visit either by signing in or using the NZ COVID Tracer app.
Parks, playgrounds, public toilets
Council facilities will be individually re-opened as they can be cleaned and assessed for safety. Please use the NZ COVID Tracer app to record your visit to these facilities.
Parents and caregivers are asked to be mindful that their children are physical distancing at playgrounds.
Sports parks
Each sporting code will decide matters relating to their own competitions and how they will manage government requirements such as physical distancing and contact tracing. The park facilities will be open at Alert Level 2.
Community halls
Community halls are open - contact your local community hall board for more specific information. Entry will be limited according to each site’s size and ability to practice 2 meter physical distancing.
Council events and event permits
Council managed events will only go ahead where Government guidance for gatherings under Alert Level 2 can be met.
Alcohol licensing
Applications for alcohol licenses or manager’s certificates can be made on our website and interviews or meetings with applicants will be done over the phone. Please contact us for guidance.
Animal Control Office
All dog services, including responding to roaming dog reports, will continue.
Adoption visits must be by appointment only. The office will be open from 8:30am - 5:00pm.
Dogs must be kept on a lead while exercising (except for off-lead dog parks) so physical distancing can be maintained between owners.
CitySafe
CitySafe patrols will continue under Alert Level 2.
Citizenship Ceremonies
Citizenship ceremonies are currently on hold.
Freedom Camping
Freedom camping sites around our District remain open. Campers may move to a new site if they would like to.
Freedom campers must observe 2-metre distancing from people they don’t know, record where they stay and who they interact with for contact tracing purposes, use heightened hygiene practices and comply with all instructions from New Zealand Police or Council officers.
Poll: Should we ditch daylight saving? 🕰️
First introduced in New Zealand in 1927 with the passing of the Summer Time Act, it's what we know as 'Daylight Saving' and this year it ends on the first Sunday in April.
While we do get to sleep in this time around, some people would like to scrap the clock tinkering for good.
And why? Some evidence suggests the time changes are bad for our health as they mess with sleep patterns leading to short-term fatigue and affecting mood. Meanwhile the hour change is frustrating for farmers and a nightmare for getting the littlies to sleep. But what's your take?
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40.5% Yes - get rid of the clock changes
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57.6% No, I enjoy it
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1.9% Other - I'll share below
Alan and Hazel Kerr share Senior New Zealander of the Year Award 2026
Dr Alan and Hazel Kerr describe themselves as ‘just ordinary old Kiwis’, despite being named as the 2026 Ryman Healthcare Senior New Zealanders of the Year Te Mātāpuputu o te Tau.
The amazing couple prompted a standing ovation at a star-studded Auckland event which recognised their tireless efforts, with Alan travelling to and from Gaza and the West Bank 40 times to help children over 20 years, and Hazel travelling 20 times.
Click read more to find out more.
Be careful out there...
If you can, stay home today, and if you are travelling, please drive to the conditions. While we've had consistent rainfall overnight, the forecast is still likely to bring: dangerous river conditions, flooding, slips and landslides, hazardous driving conditions, and road closures in some areas. Northland Regional Council have shared some important updates this morning.
🚩 The Red and Orange Heavy Rain Warnings, as well as the Strong Wind Warning issued by MetService New Zealand, remain in place until the early hours of tomorrow morning. The key period of concern is still today through to Friday morning.
🚩 Many rivers in the Far North are running at high levels, with some still rising. (High tide on the east coast is early this afternoon.) The Kaeo River has reached a level where flooding on SH10 is possible. So if you’re travelling through Kaeo or Waimate North this morning, please take extra care.
🚩 There are already a number of State Highway closures and there are likely to be more, as well as local road closures. Crews will work to clear these as quickly as possible, but there may be delays. If you come across any local roading issues or storm related damage on public property, please report it through to your local council:
Whangarei District Council: www.wdc.govt.nz...
Kaipara District Council www.kaipara.govt.nz...
Kaipara District Council www.fndc.govt.nz...
🚩 There are a number of isolated power outages around the region. Northpower and Top Energy NZ crews will be out today working to resolve these issues as soon as they can, but this may take some time.
Check the latest outages here:
Northpower: northpower.nz...
Top Energy NZ: outages.topenergy.co.nz...
🚩 Northland Civil Defence works across the councils to provide local welfare support. If centres or marae are open to provide support, they will be published on the district council websites.
If you need welfare support, please ring your local district council.
Whangarei District Council
Phone: 0800 932 463
Far North District Council
Phone: 0800 920 029
Kaipara District Council
Phone: 0800 727 059
Finally, some key reminders for today:
- Do not enter floodwaters: it only takes a small amount of moving water to knock you off your feet or sweep a vehicle away.
- Avoid unnecessary travel over this period. Conditions may deteriorate quickly, and roads may close with little warning.
- Be prepared to self evacuate if you see rising water, feel unsafe, or notice conditions worsening.
- Be aware of landslide risks, and keep well away from areas that have recently been affected by slips or landslides. If you notice cracks in the ground, tilting trees or power poles, unusual noises, or rapid changes in stream levels, leave immediately.
If at any time you feel you, your whānau, or your property are at immediate risk, please call emergency services on 111
Civil Defence will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates here as more information becomes available.
This remains an evolving situation, so please continue to keep up to date with the latest information from MetService, NZTA and your local and regional councils.
If there's anything else you think we should all know, feel free to share it in the comments below.
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