Civil construction company Mills Albert has got behind the Friends of the Ōtaki River with a tree planting and putting surplus topsoil to good use. About 40 Friends and Mills Albert staff gathered on August 19 to plant native seedlings on the south bank of the river. The seedlings were... Keep Reading
Work has begun on a major new housing development in Ōtaki that will provide 46 affordable homes for local families and individuals. The project at 254 Rangiuru Road is being led by the Kāpiti Housing Solutions Trust (KHS), an independent charitable housing trust established by Kāpiti Coast District Council to... Keep Reading
The Ōtaki Kite Festival won’t carry on much longer unless sponsors can be found. That’s the stark assessment from the Ōtaki Promotions Group (ŌPG), which organises the event. The group is concerned that the traditional funding streams will be reduced or disappear, just as costs increase. Since the first festival in 2013, the ŌPG has... Keep Reading
Friends of the Ōtaki River (Fotor) had an “open day” on March 21 that gave the public a panoramic view of the group’s continuing work. For the past 25 years, Fotor has been planting on the northern riverbank, building tracks and constructing footbridges. Their efforts have resulted in a stunning trail from the highway bridge to... Keep Reading
Peter Lynn Kites, New Zealand’s best-known kite manufacturer, will again be a major attraction at the Ōtaki Kite Festival when the popular event returns to Ōtaki Beach on March 14–15. Founded in 1973, the kite maker has grown from a small local enterprise into a world leader in the design and manufacture of large inflatable show kites.... Keep Reading
Ōtaki’s RSA is entering 2026 under new management, with fresh leadership promising change, transparency, and a renewed focus on community connection after the club narrowly avoided financial collapse. With more than 840 members and in its 107th year, the RSA remains one of Ōtaki’s longest-standing community institutions. But behind the... Keep Reading
The Ōtaki College old boy knighted in the New Year Honours, Sir Christopher Parkin, KNZM, has left his mark in the capital along with the scholarships that bear his name at his old school. Entrepreneur, philanthropist, collector, patron of the arts, former hotelier and three-term Wellington City councillor, Sir Christopher is believed to the... Keep Reading
Anyone seeing the road works around town progressing to what they hope will be completion will be disappointed. In what Kāpiti Coast District Council says is “next construction season” – with no definite timeline but “early 2026” – Mill Road will be resurfaced from Raukawa Marae to old State Highway 1, perpetuating Ōtaki’s... Keep Reading
A much-loved family toy, known only as “Monkey”, is awaiting a return to his old tricks after being carefully restored at the Ōtaki Repair Café. Monkey was brought to the repair café late last year by Rowena Mustard, who lives part-time at an Ōtaki Beach bach. He was in a bad way, having been stored away for several years. He had no... Keep Reading
Heniti Buick (Ngāti Raukawa) was raised in Ōtaki and educated through the full spectrum of local Māori and mainstream institutions — Te Kōhanga Reo o Raukawa, Ōtaki School (Te Korowai Whakamana), Ōtaki College, and the University of Otago. “I’ve spent almost my whole life in Ōtaki. This town raised me, and I’m proud to call it... Keep Reading
Some people put huge effort into so many endeavours that an official honour seems almost inevitable – but rarely expected. So it is with Sue Elliott, who was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in the 2025 King’s Birthday honours. Her citation says she has made substantial contributions to promoting arts, sports and... Keep Reading
An Ōtaki man described as a pillar of Ngāti Tūmatauenga (NZ Army), and a dedicated soldier who served on seven assignments overseas, was farewelled at Linton Army Camp on February 13. Lieutenant Colonel Oiroa Kaihau was 59 when he died suddenly on a bike ride at Kimbolton on February 28. His eulogy, written by Chief of Army Major General... Keep Reading
A shift in demographics throughout the Kāpiti district is offering new opportunities for local businesses, says Chris Wilkinson of First Retail Group. Chris was speaking at the Southward Car Museum on February 12 for the first Electra Business Breakfast of 2025. The event was titled “What is Kāpiti’s sweet spot?”. Sharing his... Keep Reading
The Ōtaki Kite Festival is gearing up to deliver a free family extravaganza like no other with its return to Ōtaki Beach on the weekend of March 8-9. The annual event has been creating a spectacle in the skies since 2013 and is renowned for delivering two days of community fun that includes the largest selections of kites in one place in... Keep Reading
‘Need a drink of water.” With those words, Charlie Simpson’s family knew that he had taken a big step forward on his way to recovering from a horrific crash on Ōtaki Beach. They were the first words he uttered when he came out of a coma six days after the incident. The family had been told about how the first words were a good... Keep Reading
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