Waimarama land purchase confirmed

Hastings District Council has now settled the purchase of six hectares of land at Waimarama from the Society of Mary.

The purchase of land for the Waimarama Domain at a cost of $1.17m will ensure the land stays in public hands forever, while the descendants of the original landowners will be involved in the ongoing management of the reserve.

Council will contribute $510,000 towards the purchase of the land, with the balance coming from the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council ($300,000) and the adjoining landowners of the domain. There has been significant consultation with the adjoining landowners of the domain who will have the option to pay a targeted rate as a lump sum or over a ten year period..

The council has agreed to put in an extra $10,000 to the funding arrangement after it was decided that the amount to be paid by each of the adjoining land owners would decrease to $20,000 (plus GST).

Mayor Lawrence Yule says “the land will now become known as the ‘Airini Donnelly Reserve’ in recognition of her ownership of the land which became the township of Waimarama and the role her estate played in the development of the area.”

“The agreement to sell the land has come following extensive negotiations and council is grateful to all the parties involved that they have now been able to come to an arrangement which will be of immense benefit to the whole community” Mr Yule says.

“The Society of Mary Provincial, Fr Brian Cummings SM says “legal title to the land has been held by the Society since 1921 and public access to the beachfront has continued throughout those years. We are confident that public access to the beach, across the land, will be maintained by the council and hapu”.

“The agreement recognises the relationship the Marist community has had with the local hapu over many years” says Father Cummings”.

Further information:

The “agreement to purchase” follows negotiations between the Society and descendants of the original land owners. Representatives of the descendants included Jacqui Wilson (recently deceased and who was a great grand-daughter of Airini Donnelly) and Eru Smith a descendant of Airini’s sibling.

Airini Donelly was one of five children of Chief Karauria Pupu and Haromi Te Ata. When Airini died in 1909, she was the legal owner of the land which was to become the Waimarama township.

To arrange an interview contact HDC Communications Manager, Ross Holden (06 871 5056) or for a representative of the Society of Mary contact Lyndsay Freer (09) 520 6520 or 021 272 4895.

This Press Release and Public Statement is produced on behalf of the Hastings District Council and Society of Mary