Rocket Radio Te Wairoa

11/09/2024

30/08/2024

Mayor Craig Little, on behalf of the community of Wairoa wishes to acknowledge the passing of Kīngi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII.

"I had the great privilege of last meeting Kīngi Tuheitia soon after Cyclone Gabrielle, when he and a huge delegation from Waikato Tainui came to Wairoa to support Recovery efforts soon after the Cyclone. He was a humble and kind man who was very generous of spirit.

"We send our heartfelt condolences to Kīngi Tuheitia’s whānau"

Photo credit: Kīngitanga: April 4, 2023. Kīngi Tuheitia with the Waikato Tanui delegation and Wairoa representatives at Takitimu Marae, Wairoa

01/07/2024

Schedule your appointment online Aotearoa

05/06/2024

25 interesting facts about the Hawke's Bay Region in New Zealand
1. The region gets its name from Hawke Bay, which was named by Captain James Cook in 1769 after Sir Edward Hawke, the First Lord of the Admiralty at the time.
2. Hawke's Bay has a warm, Mediterranean-like climate and is one of the sunniest regions in New Zealand.
3. The region covers an area of 14,139 square km and had an estimated population of 178,600 as of June 2020.
4. Napier is the largest city in Hawke's Bay and is famous for its Art Deco architecture, rebuilt after a devastating earthquake in 1931.
5. Hastings is the other major city in the region and is known for its orchards, vineyards, and Spanish Mission architectural style.
6. Hawke's Bay has over 200 vineyards and is one of New Zealand's leading wine regions, especially for red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
7. The region has 17,886 hectares of horticultural land, the third-largest area in New Zealand, producing apples, stone fruit, vegetables, and wine grapes.
8. Cape Kidnappers is home to the largest mainland gannet colony in the world, with around 20,000 gannets.
9. Lake Waikaremoana in northern Hawke's Bay is the region's largest lake and part of one of New Zealand's Great Walks.
10. Te Mata Peak is a prominent landmark offering 360-degree views of Hawke's Bay and is culturally significant to Māori.
11. The region has a hill with the longest place name in New Zealand and the world - Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu.
12. Hawke's Bay was the first area in New Zealand to be settled by British colonists, with the first settlers arriving in the 1850s.
13. The region has a rich Māori heritage, with the Ngāti Kahungunu being the main iwi (tribe) in the area.
14. Rocket Lab's Launch Complex 1, New Zealand's first orbital launch site, is located on the Māhia Peninsula in Hawke's Bay.
15. Hawke's Bay has over 360 km of coastline, including sandy beaches, cliffs, estuaries, and gravel beaches.
16. The region has seven major rivers: Wairoa, Mohaka, Esk, Ngaruroro, Tutaekuri, Tukituki, and Waipawa.
17. Māori first settled in Hawke's Bay around 1250-1300 CE, with the Ngāti Kahungunu iwi arriving in the 1500s.
18. The first European explorer to visit Hawke's Bay was Captain James Cook in 1769.
19. The Hawke's Bay Trails network offers over 200 km of cycling trails, including the Water Trail, Landscape Trail, and Wineries Trail.
20. Hawke's Bay has several cultural sites where visitors can learn about Māori heritage, such as Pania of the Reef and the Ātea a Rangi Star Compass.
21. The region hosts the Hawke's Bay Food and Wine Classic (F.A.W.C) twice a year, celebrating local cuisine and wines.
22. The region hosts the annual Art Deco Festival in February, celebrating its Art Deco heritage with events and vintage car rides.
23. Napier has the region's only shipping port and main airport.
24. Hawke's Bay has a rich history of missionary activity, with the first Anglican mission station established in 1844.
25. Hawke's Bay is located on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand.

08/01/2024

31/12/2023

Happy New Year Wairoa!

26/09/2023

The Only Flower Show In Wairoa

28/08/2023

Music for living, loving and dancing.

04/08/2023

22/05/2023

GAIETY THEATRE RELAUNCH ON SATURDAY
The big screen will be back in action at Wairoa’s Gaiety Theatre with the grand reopening on Saturday.

The Gaiety projector has been fixed, movies booked, and the box office restocked.

Saturday’s (May 27th) relaunch will include the screening of two new release movies, The Little Mermaid and Fast and Furious 10 (Fast X).

The popcorn will be flowing plus there will spot prizes for children at the Little Mermaid screening.

The Little Mermaid will screen at 2pm on Saturday, just one day after its nationwide release, followed by Fast and Furious 10 at 5.30pm.

The Little Mermaid is a live action remake of Disney’s animated version. The movie is centred around the beloved story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. The youngest of King Triton’s daughters and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea, and while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric.

Movie goers will be taken from the mythical fairy tale to the thrilling Fast X, described as an electrifying ride with jaw dropping action delivering an exhilarating cinematic experience that will leave fans of the franchise on the edge of their seats.

Wairoa District Council Chief Executive Kitea Tipuna says having the Gaiety cinema operating again is great news for everyone. Thank you to the community for your patience while we sourced parts for the broken projector. It has been a long few months, and hopefully we are now all able to sit back and enjoy some cinema entertainment.
Theatre hours over the winter will see screenings at 5.30pm on Wednesday and Thursday, 5.30pm and 8.30pm on Friday, 2.30pm and 5.30pm on Saturday and a 2pm matinee on Sunday.

Entry remains at $10 for everyone and vouchers will continue to be honoured.

Photo Caption: It’s thumbs up for a Saturday reopening from Wairoa District Council Tourism and Community Development Team Leader Rubyanne Edwards and Tim Le Petit, Technical Manager for the Hoyts Cinema Technology Group, who replaced parts in the Gaiety projector.

21/01/2023

12/12/2022

FIRST TENANT FOR MAIN STREET DEVELOPMENT SIGNED UP
Wairoa’s main street redevelopment is gathering momentum with the lease agreement for the first tenant now in place.

Hospitality and entertainment entrepreneurs Layton and Ange Gemmell are the first tenants to sign up for a top spot in the new Te Wairoa E Whanake Marine Parade space.

The dynamic couple can’t wait to open the doors to Gemmells – Café, Bar and Restaurant, and expand their already thriving business.

Wairoa District Council Chief Executive Kitea Tipuna said it is fantastic to see a committed community-orientated local couple stepping into this space. “Layton and Ange have already demonstrated they can build a business through hard work and recognising opportunity. It is great to have them onboard and exciting to be offering another hospitality dimension to Wairoa’s growing population.

The couple have a 20-year local history of providing entertainment and hospitality in Wairoa.

As a muso, Layton got the ball rolling providing DJ services, music lessons and live entertainment which progressed into children’s parties and events. Entertainment naturally flowed into hospitality which is where Ange’s culinary strength came to the fore.
The couple hope to be able to open their new business by the middle of next year. They aim to run the café seven days a week and switching to the restaurant for the evenings for five days from Wednesday to Sunday.

“We are looking to provide a restaurant that ranges from comfortable family staples through to platters in the courtyard and more upmarket fine dining. People will remember our attention to wholesome fresh and healthy food from our seven-year stint at the Wairoa Club restaurant. While this won’t be exactly the same, the foundation of customer service and high standards remains.”

A drive behind the café and restaurant venture is to upskill and train local people. “At the moment we employ seven staff, and the café/restaurant will extend that by five or six more people. We want our staff to be able to train and become accredited so they can go from being in a training environment, to an employee. It’s about Wairoa growing our own from baristas to bar managers.”

In the meantime, the Gemmell’s will continue with lunches in schools, which sees them create 500 lunches a day during the school term, their mobile food cart, which is based at the Wairoa Health Centre site, and attends local events giving the brand an opportunity to take the food to the people, and Layton’s band – Revival.

“We are really looking forward to launching the café, bar and restaurant and bringing all our business arms together to provide entertainment and hospitality options for our local community.”

The Gemmell’s new café and restaurant is one of three businesses at the redeveloped main street site, along with the hospitality pod and one other business that is in the final stages of having its tenancy agreement confirmed.

Te Wairoa E Whanake – Rise Up and Grow Wairoa involves transforming the former main street burnt-out building and the neighbouring former Winter’s building. The project is predominantly funded through a $4.8 million Provincial Growth Fund grant from Kānoa, the Government’s Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit. The project focusses on delivering a multi-functional connected town centre that celebrates Wairoa’s unique heritage and culture.

Caption: Ange and Layton Gemmell are pictured with Wairoa District Council Chief Executive Kitea Tipuna, signing the first lease for space in the Te Wairoa E Whanake main street redevelopment which will see the launch of Gemmells Café Bar and Restaurant.

25/08/2022

Today we released our 2021 Impact Report highlighting our commitment to make it faster, easier, and more affordable to access space, and providing retrospective insight into our environmental, social, and governance (ESG) priorities across 2021.

Learn more about our efforts to care for the environment, our people, and our communities, as we continue opening access to space to improve life on Earth. 🚀🛰️🌎

2021 Rocket Lab Impact Report: https://bit.ly/3pIKRW1