Property Report – Exceptionally lukewarm: property market hits record December lows

January 10, 2025

Record-breaking new listings slump – lowest for any December in 17 years
11 of 19 regions see average asking prices decline year-on-year
National average asking price back to April 2021 levels.

The New Zealand property market typically slows down in December, but the latest data from realestate.co.nz reveals that December 2024 was more than just a seasonal cooldown—it was ‘exceptionally lukewarm.’

New listings hit a record low for any December since realestate.co.nz tracking began, with nine of 19 regions also reaching their lowest-ever December levels. The national average asking price was also its lowest since April 2021 at $842,476.

Vanessa Williams, spokesperson for realestate.co.nz, said: “The property market always cools in December, but the end of 2024 was record-breakingly quiet.”

Despite this, healthy stock levels and some regional ‘hotspots’ meant opportunities remained for buyers and sellers.

New listings plunge to lowest-ever December levels

As 2024 came to a close, new listings hit a record low for any December since realestate.co.nz records began 17 years ago. Nine of 19 regions also reached their lowest-ever December levels: Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay, Taranaki, Wellington, Central Otago/Lakes District, and Manawatu/Whanganui.

Williams noted that the seasonal slowdown continues a trend of fewer properties being listed in December.

“Over the past 17 years, we’ve observed a steady decline in the number of properties listed in December. Historically, December listings were about 30% lower than November. That drop has grown to 50% or more in recent years.”

In December 2024, new listings fell by almost 60% month-on-month (11,129 vs. 4,767)—an even steeper drop than the 50% decline between November and December 2023 (10,712 vs. 4,828).

“The market usually comes off the boil in December, but this year has been exceptionally lukewarm,” said Williams.

Even Auckland wasn’t immune to the December sluggishness. Auckland recorded an all-time low for new listings in any month over the last 17 years, including during COVID-19.

Stock takes a dip – but the market’s still swimming with options

Stock was also down 13.3% month-on-month during December to 29,478 properties for sale. This seasonal dip saw stock levels below 30,000 for the first time since August 2024.

Year-on-year, however, stock was up 18.5%, offering buyers significantly more choice than in December 2023.

National asking price at 2021 levels, with regional highs and lows.

The national average asking price in December 2024 was $842,476, a level last seen before the market started to boom in April 2021, when it was $839,717. While the national figure reflects a return to 2021 levels, it has remained relatively stable year-on-year, with a slight decline of just 0.3% compared to December 2023.

Regionally, there were significant variations between markets. 11 of 19 regions saw average asking prices decline year-on-year. The biggest drops were in Central Otago/Lakes District (17.3% to $1,324,754), Nelson and Bays (13.4% to $829,412), Central North Island (11.0% to $708,350), and Bay of Plenty (10.9% to $823,926).

In contrast, Southland bucked the trend with a 15.3% year-on-year increase to $549,211 – a record-high for December. Additionally, Gisborne, Taranaki, West Coast, and Coromandel hit their highest average asking prices ever recorded for the month of December.

“We often see stark regional differences like this across the country, highlighting how critical local market knowledge is when buying or selling,” said Williams.

About realestate.co.nz

We’ve been helping people buy, sell, or rent property since 1996. Established before Google, realestate.co.nz is New Zealand’s longest-standing property website and the official website of the real estate industry.

Dedicated only to property, our mission is to empower people with a property search tool they can use to find the life they want to live. With residential, lifestyle, rural and commercial property listings, realestate.co.nz is the place to start for those looking to buy or sell property.

Whatever life you’re searching for, it all starts here.

Want more property insights?

Glossary of terms:

Average asking price (AAP) is neither a valuation nor the sale price. It is an indication of current market sentiment. Statistically, asking prices tend to correlate closely with the sales prices recorded in future months when those properties are sold. As it looks at different data, average asking prices may differ from recorded sales data released simultaneously.

New listings are a record of all the new residential dwellings listed for sale on realestate.co.nz for the relevant calendar month. The site reflects 97% of all properties listed through licensed real estate agents and major developers in New Zealand. This description gives a representative view of the New Zealand property market.

Stock is the total number of residential dwellings that are for sale on realestate.co.nz on the penultimate day of the month.

Rate of sale is a measure of how long it would take, theoretically, to sell the current stock at current average rates of sale if no new properties were to be listed for sale. It provides a measure of the rate of turnover in the market.

Seasonal adjustment is a method realestate.co.nz uses to represent better the core underlying trend of the property market in New Zealand. This is done using methodology from the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research.

Truncated mean is the method realestate.co.nz uses to supply statistically relevant asking prices. The top and bottom 10% of listings in each area are removed before the average is calculated to prevent exceptional listings from providing false impressions.

MIL OSI

Dah Sing Bank and Hong Kong Small and Medium Enterprises Association Join Hands to Support SMEs to Better Understand and Practice ESG

MIL OSI

January 10, 2025

Source: Media Outreach

“SME ESG Charter” 2024 enhanced brand image and expanded business opportunities for participating SMEs

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 January 2025 – Close to 90% of small and medium enterprises (“SMEs”) participating in the SME ESG Charter 2024 (“ESG Charter 2024”) have acknowledged that they have benefited from enhanced brand image, reflecting the significance of the ESG Charter 2024 jointly launched by Dah Sing Bank, Limited (“Dah Sing Bank” or “the Bank”) and the Hong Kong Small and Medium Enterprises Association (“HKSMEA”). The Bank and HKSMEA have confirmed to continue their collaboration with the SME ESG Charter 2025 (“ESG Charter 2025”) to encourage more SMEs to improve their environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance and accelerate the transition towards economic sustainability.

HKSMEA surveyed 302 SMEs in December last year on their business challenges and their knowledge and implementation of ESG. The survey results showed that the top challenge faced by SMEs in the past year was rising cost of business (57.7%), followed by increased competition (46.5%), loss of customers (42.3%) and manpower shortages (36.6%). Meanwhile, 77% of SMEs considered ESG practices to be ‘very important’ and ‘important’, while 85.2% of the surveyed companies indicated willingness and interest to participate in the ESG Charter.

Dah Sing Bank launched its partnership with HKSMEA when the ESG Charter 2024 was introduced last year. The initiative was well received with 35 SMEs having participated, of which 26 qualified to receive free independent assessment and certification. The participating SMEs acknowledged that the initiative has helped deepen their understanding of ESG, and that gaining certified in the ESG Charter 2024 not only improved their corporate image but also helped to increase business opportunities.

“Dah Sing Bank has always been committed to supporting SMEs and helping them seek opportunities. Whilst the climate change driven ESG megatrend may seem remote, it is in fact shaping the development of a sustainable economy, presenting both challenges and potential opportunities for companies. We hope to encourage different industries and stakeholders to participate in this megatrend, and to help more SMEs transition towards economic sustainability so that they may progress further with enhanced competitiveness to capture new opportunities. We joined forces with HKSMEA to provide SMEs with hands-on training and support in the ESG Charter 2024. In 2025, we hope to enhance the scope of the ESG Charter to reach out to more local SMEs,” said Ms. Phoebe Wong, Deputy Chief Executive, Senior Executive Director and Group Head of Personal Banking of Dah Sing Bank.

Through the ESG Charter 2024, Dah Sing Bank and HKSMEA provided comprehensive support to SMEs which included publicity, workshops, technical advice, auditing and certification, public education and business liaison. Dah Sing Bank will award SMEs that have successfully qualified for the ESG Charter 2024 an incentive of up to HKD1,400 in account opening fee rebates. The Bank also plans to introduce various product and service incentives in the coming year to encourage customers to implement ESG practices.

Mr. Andrew Kwok, President of HKSMEA, said, “The transition towards economic sustainability is an important global trend. HKSMEA is committed to encouraging more SMEs to participate in the ESG Charter and to achieving our long-term goal of enabling more SMEs to understand the importance of learning and practicing ESG. We support local SMEs to integrate ESG elements into their operating structures and governance mechanisms, and meet the long-term development needs of Mainland China and Hong Kong.”

HKSMEA’s SME survey also showed that 88.9% of SMEs participating in the ESG Charter 2024 acknowledged that their brand image has improved, 72.2% acknowledged funding support for certification and 50% for professional advice.

Furthermore, 62% of SMEs surveyed have started to implement ESG-related initiatives. Among the areas that SMEs have started to implemented, social responsibility ranked highest at 95.5%, followed by environmental protection at 93.2% and corporate governance at 86.4%. Meanwhile, 84.1% of SMEs agreed that good ESG practices can increase customer trust and build a positive brand image, while 54.5% of SMEs believed that implementing ESG practices can help them gain access to large companies’ supplier lists, thereby increasing business opportunities. Similarly, 54.5% of SMEs believed that they can effectively reduce operating costs through savings in electricity, water and waste management costs.

Among the SMEs surveyed, 77% saw adopting ESG practices as “very important” and “important”; 61.5% said it would help to attract investors; 46.2% said it could reduce operating costs through environmental protection measures; 46.2% believed it could increase employees’ sense of belonging and morale; 30.8% said it has improved their own operational management systems, and 30.8% said it could increase customer loyalty and trust.

According to the survey, 85.2% of companies surveyed indicated willingness and interest to participate in the ESG Charter. The key reason for not yet implementing ESG measures was a lack of human resources (48.1%), followed by a lack of financial resources (40.7%). Tight cash flow has prevented SMEs from investing in the necessary resources to implement ESG measures.

The ESG Charter 2024 is a not-for-profit assessment framework that references the sections of the ESG Reporting Guide in Appendix C2 of the HKEX Listing Rules that are applicable to SMEs. Participating SMEs will be assessed by and will receive an assessment report from a third party professional consultancy. SMEs who have successfully attained the ESG Charter 2024 status will be placed in the SME ESG Register by HKSMEA, and will enjoy priority when large corporations supporting the charter consider their products and services.

Hashtag: #DahSingBank

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

“Frustrating and distressing”: DOC appeals for information after seabirds killed

LiveNews Publisher

January 10, 2025

Source: Department of Conservation

Date: 09 January 2025

A concerned member of the public reported the incident, which happened around 12 pm on Friday, January 3.

DOC Hauraki Operations Manager Avi Holzapfel is dismayed by the report of harm to wildlife.

“It’s extremely frustrating and distressing to hear about this kind of wilful mistreatment of wildlife,” says Avi. “We’re very grateful to the person who reported this to us for their continued assistance.

“So far, we have images of the vessel alleged to be involved, and have made enquiries with local marinas and databases to identify its owner.

One of the boats sought to aid the investigation.
Image: Supplied

“We are keen to speak with people on board two vessels pictured seen in the area at the time, one of which bears the name ‘Dad & Me’, and any other members of the public who may have witnessed the incident.”

If anyone has more information they can provide about this incident, please contact the DOC HOT line on 0800 362 468 or wildlifecrime@doc.govt.nz, quoting CLE Incident CLE-8275.

Many seabirds are classified as absolutely protected under the Wildlife Act 1953. Hunting or killing absolutely protected wildlife can result in penalties of up to two years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $100,000, or both.

Update: Police have now spoken to people on the other vessel, and are confident they are not involved and do not know those on the suspected offending vessel.

Contact

For media enquiries contact:

Email: media@doc.govt.nz

MIL OSI

FEV develops AI-supported driver monitoring system CogniSafe

MIL OSI

January 9, 2025

Source: Media Outreach

AACHEN, GERMANY – Newsaktuell – 9 January 2025 – FEV, a leading global innovation driver for the mobility of tomorrow, presents CogniSafe, a state-of-the-art Driver Monitoring System (DMS) that significantly increases road safety. The system uses advanced technologies such as deep learning and computer vision to monitor driver conditions such as distraction, fatigue and inattention in real time and under even the most challenging conditions.

FEV’s CogniSafe uses deep learning to monitor driver conditions, thereby increasing road safety.

“CogniSafe is a holistic, innovative system that uses a variety of sensors and combines them with artificial intelligence (AI) to precisely analyze driver behavior and alertness”, said Dr. Thomas Hülshorst, Group Vice President Intelligent Mobility & Software at FEV. In (semi-) autonomous vehicles in particular, legal safety requirements are increasing, and the driver must be able to intervene in any situation. “With our latest development, we are actively reducing accidents caused by human error. At over 90 percent, these make up the majority of all accidents,” said Hülshorst.

CogniSafe uses a combination of functions which are unique on the market and coordinate with each other. It uses a network of cameras in the visible light and infrared spectrum to analyze driver behavior from different angles. On this basis, the system continuously tracks the driver’s gaze, analyzes eye condition (percentage of eye closure, PERCLOS) and assesses head posture, providing further information on alertness, fatigue and drowsiness.

AI plays a pivotal role in the functions of FEV’s latest development. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) are used to perform precise real-time analyses that dynamically adapt to different drivers and environmental conditions, such as different lighting conditions, and continuously improve.

“The solution is also very interesting for target groups such as fleet operators or insurance companies, who have a strong interest in safe driving practices”, said Hülshorst.

Further information is available at https://shorturl.at/hy3dq

Hashtag: #FEV

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

HKSTP Showcases Innovative Tech in Indonesia

MIL OSI

January 9, 2025

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 January 2025 – The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) participated in the “Think Business, Think Hong Kong” promotional event organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 8 January. During the event, HKSTP highlighted innovative green technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions developed by Park companies to an audience of local business leaders, financial institutions, tech companies, SMEs, startups, and academics. The event was graced by the presence of Mr Paul Chan, the HKSAR Financial Secretary, and received an overwhelmingly positive response.

HKSTP participated in the “Think Business, Think Hong Kong” promotional event, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council in Jakarta, Indonesia, to showcase innovative solutions developed by Park companies.

During its visit to Indonesia, the joint delegation from HKSTP, accompanied by representatives from 10 Park companies, showcased their diverse range of business solutions. These included real-time environmental monitoring of water, air, source emissions, and marine environments; AI-driven retail solutions; and 5G cameras with integrated data analysis capabilities, demonstrating the diversity of their business sectors. Furthermore, seven Park companies presented their cutting-edge technologies at the HKSTP Pavilion.

Kevin To, Founder of One Energy (HK) Ltd, a company specialising in electric motorcycles, said, “Indonesia has the highest number of motorcycles in the world. Through this event, our company aims to strengthen communication with local partners and government representatives, gain a deeper understanding of the local market, and establish long-term goals for setting up manufacturing facilities and investing in battery swapping networks.”

Stanley Chow, Co-Founder and COO of Leapstack International Limited, a company that utilises AI and big data technologies to assist insurance companies with claims management and frauds detection, said, “Indonesia has recently undergone rapid economic development, which has generated a substantial demand for medical insurance products. As our company is preparing to expand into the Indonesian market, we aim to use this trip to establish connections with numerous potential partners.”

Indonesia and Hong Kong have long maintained a close economic and trade relationship. In 2023, Hong Kong emerged as Indonesia’s second-largest source of foreign direct investment, after Singapore, with investments amounting to USD 3.769 billion. The Indonesian authorities are proactively promoting the development of finance and AI, which has led to rapid growth in these sectors. Additionally, with plans to relocate the capital to Nusantara by 2028 and transform it into a green and smart city, there is a keen demand for green technologies.

The HKSTP delegation also participated in the trade delegation organised by the Hong Kong Information Technology Joint Council. During their visit to Indonesia, they held meetings with the Indonesian Minister of Investment and representatives from the Ministry of National Development Planning, as well as key local enterprises in the finance and telecommunications sectors. Park companies engaged in business matchmaking with local institutions spanning professional services, information technology, logistics, and manufacturing. These initiatives not only helped the Park companies tap into substantial development opportunities in the Indonesian market but also showcased Hong Kong’s expertise in commercialising scientific research and its strategic role in assisting overseas tech companies to enter markets such as the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, mainland China, and beyond.

Appendix: HKSTP Park Companies Participating in Think Business, Think Hong Kong in Jakarta, Indonesia

	Company Name
1.	Apicem Technology Services Company Limited*
2.	i2Cool Limited
3.	Insight Robotics Limited
4.	Integrated Solutions Limited
5.	Karta-X Technologies Limited*
6.	Leapstack International Limited*
7.	Lihe Technology (HK) Co., Limited*
8.	Neufast Limited*
9.	One Energy (HK) Limited*
10.	SmartRetail Group Limited*

Remarks: In alphabetical order

*Park companies presented their cutting-edge technologies at the HKSTP Pavilion.

Hashtag: #HKSTP

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

First Responders – Whangārei vegetation fire update #2

LiveNews Publisher

January 9, 2025

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Fire and Emergency was alerted to the fire in Whangārei at approximately 12.30pm this afternoon. Crews from both Whangārei and Onerahi responded, but the fire escalated quickly

Incident Controller, Graeme Quensell, says, “We currently have five helicopters on site, four with buckets and one acting as observation and they will be operating until sundown.

“The fire is approximately 20 hectares, and we have a large number of resources on site. Two properties have evacuated, one of these self-evacuated while the other property is threatened and continues to be. Our crews will be doing structure protection for the property overnight.

“If at any point residents in the area are worried about their property, they should self-evacuate and call 111.”

No roads are currently closed but Whangarei Heads Rd will be slow. Motorists should be aware helicopters will be back operating at first light tomorrow and drive carefully, particularly where there’s smoke.

If residents in the area are impacted by smoke, please keep windows and doors closed and stay inside. Call your GP or Healthline for health advice.

It is not known how the fire started at this stage. An investigation will take place to determine the cause.

Fire and Emergency estimates the fire will take around three days to be extinguished.

Incident Controller, Graeme Quensell, appreciates the support of Fire and Emergency’s partner agencies, NZ Police, DHB, and Whangārei District Council in assisting with the safety of our communities during this incident.

Our next update will be around 7.30am Friday 10 January unless anything changes overnight.

MIL OSI

Anti-poverty groups say amendments to Social Security Act will remove job seekers’ human rights

LiveNews Publisher

January 9, 2025

Source: Child Poverty Action Group

Anti-poverty groups say amendments to Social Security Act will remove job seekers’ human rights.

9 January 2025 – Anti-poverty groups say that changes proposed in the Social Security Act Amendment Bill currently before Parliament would result in more jobseekers and their dependents unable to buy food, pay rent and other basic bills – and at a time when unemployment is at a four year high. [1]

Child Poverty Action Group’s Executive Officer, Sarita Divis, says “This Bill will put at risk the fundamental human rights and wellbeing of people, including many of our most vulnerable. We are particularly concerned about the so-called non-financial sanctions in this Bill, which in reality would have financial consequences and are targeted towards people with children.”

Sanctions proposed in the Bill include a ‘Money Management’ system where 50% of a person’s benefit is placed onto an MSD payment card that can only be used to buy certain items at approved stores. Divis says, “Many people on income support are paying more than 50% of their income in rent. [2] This sanction risks people not being able to make their rent payments and becoming homeless.”

“We are also concerned about the proposed ‘Community Work Experience’ scheme”, says Divis. “Official Information Act requests have revealed that people placed into this scheme – and the Money Management scheme – will not be allowed to access emergency housing, or special needs grants. Yet most benefits don’t cover living costs, and many people and their children rely on those supports for keeping food on the table and a roof over their heads.”

Citizens Advice Bureau NZ National Policy Advisor, Louise May, says that also of concern are the measures in the Bill to make people reapply for their benefit more frequently, and the extension of the period in which an obligation failure can be held against a person. The Bill proposes making people reapply for their benefit every 6 months instead of every twelve months, and that an obligation failure will be held against a person for two years instead of one year.

“These changes will increase the risk of people having their benefits cut or cancelled”, says May. “In the CAB we witness the difficulties job seekers often experience in trying to make their applications and navigate the system. We regularly help people who have had their benefits cut or cancelled through error or mishandling of their case or because they happened to miss a phone call or appointment. Increasing the interactions people must have with Work & Income and tying sanctions to those interactions exposes people to greater risk of harm.”

NZ Disability Advisory Trust’s Senior Disability Service Navigator, Nick Stoneman, says that the Bill undermines what the Social Security Act was established to do. “The purpose of our social security system is for protecting people’s basic human rights – ensuring people can feed and house themselves, keep warm in the wintertime, live a dignified life free from deprivation”, says Stoneman. “Threatening people’s access to the support they need for meeting their basic costs, or actively removing that support, are not things that any Government should do.”

“No matter how people come to need the support of our welfare system, whether it’s because of illness or disability, relationship breakdown, bereavement, being made unemployed – everyone should be guaranteed enough income to live with dignity”, says Stoneman.

May says that the Government must move away from using sanctions against people who need income support. “From the work CAB does with thousands of job seekers every year, we know that the best way to help people improve their lives is through genuine care and support – punishment is counterproductive. Rather than the Government taking a punitive approach, we would like it to focus on working better with people, in positive ways that are actually helpful to them.”

The groups are calling for the Bill to be dropped and for the Government to take the following steps [3] to unlock people and whānau from the constraints of poverty:

1. Increase core benefit levels to the standard of liveable incomes

2. Raise the minimum wage to the living wage

3. Increase the Disability Allowance

4. Overhaul relationship rules

5. Remove sanctions

6. Wipe debt owed to the Ministry of Social Development

7. Improve supplementary assistance and urgent grants

The deadline for written submissions on the Bill is 11.59pm on Friday, 10 January 2025.

The anti-poverty groups supporting this press release are:Child Poverty Action Group, Citizens Advice Bureau NZ, NZ Disability Advisory Trust, NZ Council of Christian Social Services, Parents of Vision Impaired NZ, Disabled Persons Assembly NZ Inc, United Community Action Network, Action Station.

MIL OSI

Experience The Ultimate Adrenaline Rush With Thrill Coaster Singapore VR Pods At Madame Tussauds Singapore

MIL OSI

January 9, 2025

Source: Media Outreach

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 January 2025 – Madame Tussauds Singapore is thrilled to announce the launch of its newest and most exhilarating experience, the Thrill Coaster Singapore.

Photo by Madame Tussauds Singapore

Madame Tussauds Singapore is taking excitement to the next level with the launch of Thrill Coaster Singapore, a state-of-the-art virtual reality experience designed to immerse visitors in heart-pounding, high-speed adventures like never before.

The Thrill Coaster Singapore is a cutting-edge virtual reality immersive entertainment, blending high-speed thrills with stunning virtual reality environments. Designed to captivate both thrill-seekers and tech enthusiasts, riders will feel the rush of high-speed coaster action while virtually soaring above the city’s most famous landmarks around Marina Bay area, offering a unique perspective of the vibrant cityscape.

“We’re thrilled to introduce ThrillCoaster VR Pods as part of our ongoing commitment to delivering innovative and immersive entertainment. This is more than a ride— it’s an immersive experience that showcases the beauty of Singapore from a whole new angle,” said Steven Chung, General Manager of Madame Tussauds Singapore. “This ride will be a truly unique adventure for our guests.”

What Makes Thrill Coaster Singapore Unmissable?

Immersive Virtual Reality: Step into a vividly detailed world where you’re at the center of the action.
Dynamic Motion Simulation: Feel every twist, turn, and drop for an adrenaline-fueled experience.
Family-Friendly Fun: With multiple themed adventures, there’s something for thrill-seekers of all ages.
Exclusive Singapore Setting: Perfectly complementing our mix of interactive attractions.

Don’t miss this chance to be part of the action. Thrill Coaster Singapore is now open at Madame Tussauds Singapore, promising non-stop fun for families, friends, and adventure enthusiasts alike. Tickets for the Thrill Coaster VR Ride are available from starting price of $12 and is available from https://madametussauds.com/singapore/tickets. Do follow Madame Tussauds Singapore social media for updates .

https://www.madametussauds.com/singapore
https://x.com/mtssingapore
https://www.facebook.com/MadameTussaudsSingapore/
https://www.instagram.com/mtssingapore

Hashtag: #MadameTussauds

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

SH29 summer maintenance programme to resume

LiveNews Publisher

January 9, 2025

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Later this week crews will resume work on a significant programme of summer maintenance on State Highway 29.

Work to rebuild and resurface the road across 9 sites began in October 2024, with 2 sites near Hanga Lane and Gargan Road now complete.

Starting this Sunday 12 January*, work will resume near Old Kaimai Road, with 2 night shifts required to complete asphalt resurfacing work at this site. Work will be completed between 7pm and 6am on Sunday 12 and Monday 13 January.

While this work is underway, temporary traffic management, including lane closures and stop/go will be in place, as well as a reduced speed limit of 50km/h during the day to ensure the safety of the community and our team.

Drainage and asphalt resurfacing work will get underway near McLaren Falls Road on Monday 20 January until Thursday 27 February.

The drainage work will be carried out first, with work occurring during the day, Monday to Friday.

Temporary traffic management will be in place including the closure of the entire passing lane starting at Poripori Road and finishing just after McLaren Falls Road (Monday to Friday only, opening at the weekends), plus a reduced speed limit of 50km/h through the site, and 30km/h at the intersection with McLaren Falls Road.

Once drainage works are complete, asphalt works are expected to get underway in late January/early February and will involve lane closures, a reduced speed limit of 50km/h and periods of stop/go at night.

Road users should be prepared for delays and allow extra time for their journeys.

Resurfacing work will get underway near Kaukumoutiti Stream bridge, north of Soldiers Road, on Sunday 19 January, from 7pm to 6am, until Friday 24 January. Temporary traffic management, including stop/go will be in place, as well as a reduced speed limit of 50km/h during the day.

These works form part of the government’s $2.07 billion investment into road and drainage renewal and maintenance across 2024-27 via the State Highway Pothole Prevention fund. 

Once complete, drivers will have smoother and safer journeys along this section of the SH29 corridor.

In addition, the SH29 Tauriko Enabling Works project continues, with lots of activity along the state highway between Belk and Cambridge roads, including the temporary lane closure of a short section of Cambridge Road.

Tauriko Enabling Works

Meanwhile on the Waikato side, works are also ongoing at the SH1/29 intersection in Piarere.

SH1/SH29 intersection

People are encouraged to plan ahead and see where disruptive works are by using the NZTA Journey Planner.

NZTA Journey Planner(external link)

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi thanks road users and the community for their patience.

_{*All dates are subject to weather.}

View larger/downloadable map [PDF, 120 KB]

MIL OSI

First Responders – Whangārei vegetation fire update

LiveNews Publisher

January 9, 2025

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Evacuations are underway for a number of homes near a large vegetation fire south of Whangārei.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand crews were called to the fire on Whangārei Heads Rd between Onerahi and Tamaterau around 2.15pm on Thursday.

Ten trucks and five helicopters are currently on the scene.

A number of houses are under threat from fire.

Whangārei Heads Rd is closed between Edward Rd and Tamaterau. People are advised to avoid the area while firefighters and helicopters work.

There is a large amount of smoke in the area.

People affected by the smoke should close windows and doors and reduce outdoor exercise.

For health advice contact your GP or call Healthline on 0800 611 116.

Remember to:

– Keep your windows and doors shut.

– Switch your air conditioning to ‘recirculate’ or turn it off if that is not an option.

– Air out your house when the smoke clears.

– Look out for children, older people, and others at risk.

– Keep pets inside with clean water and food. Keep pets’ bedding inside if possible.

MIL OSI

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