Media releases 2026

January 2026

• Ōhope groundwater contamination update 2026
• Pāpāmoa Hills Regional Park closed following multiple landslips
• Exclusion Zone in place around Mauao

February 2026

• Mapping a bright future
• Alternative walking track at Pāpāmoa Hills on track to open in March
• Bay of Plenty Regional Council holds consultation for Annual Plan 2026/27 and Long Term Plan Amendment

March 2026

• Upcoming desilting works at Ford Road mooring basin
• From paddock to salt marsh: Helping nature make a comeback
• Wallaby elimination operation success
• Community celebrates environmental restoration of the Kopeopeo Canal
• Commissioning ceremony marks return of Waihī wetland

April 2026

• No excuse for paddleboarders with no lifejacket
• Partial re-opening of Papamoa Hills Cultural Heritage Regional Park following weather related damage
• Consultation closes on Regional Council’s Annual Plan 2026/27 and Long Term Plan Amendment
• Whatever the Weather: Protecting Bay of Plenty Flood Defences
• Decades of Care at Lake Okareka

May 2026

• Relationships remain critical as significant local government changes announced
• Helicopter survey work to support river management
• Maketu Spit dune re-nourishment
• Regional Deal unlocks New Zealand's Global Trade Gateway
• A busy weekend preventing ‘Oh Ship!’ moments for Harbourmaster patrols
• ...

June 2026

• Balancing heat, heritage and the future
• Regional Council moves to protect community investment for future generations
• Nominations to open for vacant Regional Council seat
• Bay of Plenty invited to provide feedback on future local government arrangements

July 2026

• Regional Council confirms changes to Quayside Holdings Board arrangements
• Draft public transport plan puts reliability, access and value for money in focus
• By-election confirmed for Regional Council’s Eastern Bay seat
• Community priorities for local government reform clear
• Honesty, integrity, and 25 years of service

August 2026

• Voting open in Regional Council’s Eastern Bay by-election
• Aerial imagery survey work in Rotorua to commence in September

September 2026

• Ohau Wall construction trials will affect boat ramp access