March 2019

26 March - After two deaths and at least one near miss on the lower Kaituna River, Bay of Plenty Regional Harbourmaster Peter Buell has announced his intention to close the Awesome, Gnarly and Smokey gorges in an effort to prevent further tragedy.

25 March - Work is underway on a flood-damaged section of Lowe Road near Waimana, as part of a joint Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Whakatāne District Council project to provide safer road access for local residents.

22 March - Bay of Plenty Regional councillors have voted to accept proposed Tauranga bus route changes after listening to feedback from the community.  

20 March - The Bay of Plenty public are being asked for their views on whether a single set of vessel hull cleaning rules should be developed to help stop the spread of marine pests across New Zealand’s four busiest boating regions.  

15 March - Bay of Plenty residents will be asked to provide their feedback on four key questions later this month when the Bay of Plenty Regional Council goes out for consultation on its 2019/20 Annual Plan.

8 March - The Community Reference Group which will help create an Action Plan to reduce the risk of and impact of future storm events in Ngongotahā has been established.

7 March - A new multi-purpose vessel was added to Bay of Plenty’s maritime fleet after being blessed by local kaumatua Josh Te Kani at a special ceremony today.

4 March - Bird poo is the most likely cause of high levels of E.coli in the Uretara River, according to Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s recent river monitoring work.