From an upcoming Careers Expo, to progress on Havelock North stream and dam improvements, to more road repair funding for HB, to street name honours, to progress on Wairoa flood resilience, here are some notable items you might have missed.
Careers Expo
The NZ Careers Expo, New Zealand’s largest and longest-running careers event, is coming to Hawkes Bay on the 27th of May 2025. The event brings together employers, tertiary providers, industry organisations, and government agencies to help students, school leavers, and job seekers explore what’s possible and plan their next steps.
If you’re about to step into the world of work, exploring future career options, or simply looking for some inspiration, the NZ Careers Expo is the perfect place to discover what exciting career path could be waiting for you — and it’s completely FREE to attend.
Date: Tuesday 27 May (9am-3pm + 5pm-7pm)
Venue: Pettigrew Green Arena
More info: https://careersexpo.org.nz/event/hawkes-bay-napier
Hastings Dams & Streams Update
Stream bank remediation, planting days, wastewater & stormwater upgrades, erosion control, dam safety … there seems to be plenty going on.
Here’s the council’s May monthly report.
More road recovery funding
Hawke’s Bay’s leaders’ are heartened by Government Budget announcement of a further $219m in funding for local roading recovery.
This has been earmarked specifically for the region’s four Territorial Local Authorities plus Gisborne District Council, to complete road recovery programmes over the period 2026/27 to 2028/29. Whilst the allocation of shares is yet to be confirmed, this is a very positive signal for the region.
Hawke’s Bay’s local economy, and in particular our primary sector, relies on a reliable and resilient road network and this network suffered significant damage as a result of Cyclone Gabrielle. Whilst much progress has been made, there is still a lot of repairing and rebuilding work to be completed.
Street names celebrate families’ heritage
New residents moving into the Howard Street housing development, between Havelock Road and Howard Street, Hastings, will soon enjoy streets that honour the land’s rich heritage and the families who helped shape it for generations.
The names for the streets created for the development, Masters Crescent and Valona Lane, recognise the long-standing contributions of the Masters and Gee families to the Howard Street area. Both families have grown produce in the area that has supported the wider Hastings community for more than a century.
Wairoa River resilience plan
A new plan for managing the Wairoa River Bar is set to improve resilience for the Wairoa community in flood events.
The top priority remains to keep a healthy open mouth in its optimal location, and where there are opportunities to relocate the mouth from a poor to ideal location – this will be progressed.
Also, as conditions allow, it has been agreed to carefully lower a section of the beach crest between Rangi-houa (Pilot Hill) and the old pier. This will be maintained, and monitored, and allow water to safely exit during a flood, reducing the need for emergency bar openings and helping to manage risk more effectively.
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Chair Hinewai Ormsby says the plan is a more resilient way of managing the Wairoa River mouth. “We’re grateful for the partnership with Wairoa District Council and Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa in delivering this important piece of work.”
Crown Manager Lawrence Yule commented: “This plan marks an important step toward a safer and more consistent approach to managing the Wairoa River mouth. It’s also just one piece of the puzzle, and further work to develop a permanent, long-term solution to the bar is ongoing.”
The community can expect to see gravel surveying starting in the coming days and diggers working on the bar in the coming weeks.
