A destination spatial plan (Te Haepapa Rēhia o Kaiteretere) and reserve management plan is being prepared for two of Aotearoa's most beautiful landscapes - Kaiteretere Recreation and Kaka Point Historic Reserves.

To help achieve its vision of being Aotearoa New Zealand’s best-managed coastal recreation reserve, the Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve Board, Mana Whenua partners (Ngāti Rārua, Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui (Te Ātiawa), Ngāti Tama), and Ngāti Apa have spent the past few months working closely with urban and landscape design experts and sustainability specialists from WSP.

Famous for golden sand and crystal-clear water, the reserves are a beloved holiday destination for thousands of New Zealanders and overseas visitors. The plan will position the reserves to adapt positively to change – letting the unique people and place values of this treasured coastal landscape flourish.

The brand-new plan will be a great local example of an inspired ‘placemaking’ solution that brings together landscape, cultural, restoration, resilience and sustainability values. All while creating a world-class visitor experience.

Kaiteretere, the correct traditional name, is a storied place, steeped in cultural and historical significance for Mana Whenua iwi. It holds special importance for our modern nation as the meeting point between Māori and representatives of the New Zealand Company in Te Tauihu o te Waka a Maui.

Visitors are drawn to Kaiteretere to experience its beauty, its famous beach and world-class recreation activities. Generations of families have flocked here to enjoy a seaside summer holiday - a quintessential Kiwi experience. For international visitors it is renowned as a must-see destination and as a gateway to the Abel Tasman National Park with its trails and ocean kayaking. For the local community, Kaiteretere provides a backyard playground for recreation and connection.

The status quo, however, has been under threat for many years. The escalating effects of the climate emergency, including sea level rise, threatens coastal reserves like Kaiteretere and Kaka Point. Overcrowding of our national parks challenges our finite natural resources and the ‘remote get away’ experience we have come to expect in our treasured landscapes.

Covid-19 hit the tourism sector hard, creating major disruption and uncertainty with diminished visitor movement and tourism spend. Kaiteretere, however, retained significant visitor numbers, through its local customers and attracting many visitors from across the country.
With the international visitor market now back open for business, it’s more important than ever that Kaiteretere locates its long-term future in both local and international markets while being adaptive and quickly responsive to visitor numbers – wherever they’re coming from.