OceanaGold: Hauraki District Council designates 26 properties in Waihī for future mining

Martha Open Pit mine in Waihi.

By RNZ

Hauraki District Council has designated another 26 properties in Waihī for future mining, which will allow OceanaGold to apply to expand its open cast pit.

That is short of the 47 properties the mining company had asked to rezone, including some in residential and town centre areas.

All 47 properties are owned by OceanaGold.

OceanaGold’s application to expand the Martha Mineral Zone, around the Martha Pit, drew 81 submissions after it was publicly notified in February last year.

Some, like Ferg and Sandra Cumming, supported the expansion.

“As residents who have lived in Waihī all our lives, we fully support OceanaGold as we can see all the positive benefits to Waihī and there are so many newbys [sic] in town who more here and do nothing but complain about the mine,” they said in their submission.

Recommended Martha Mineral Zone. Image / Hauraki District Council

However, in her submission, Shirley Milson said she was worried about the serious effect the expansion would have on the local school and town centre.

“I certainly would be selling up if this proposed plan is approved,” she said.

Hauraki District Mayor Toby Adams said the council followed a rigorous process, considering technical evidence, community submissions, and using an independent hearing panel.

“We appreciate the panel’s thorough assessment and thank all involved for their contributions. This decision reflects both expert analysis and community interests,” Adams said.

The independent hearing panel’s report recommended reducing the number of properties rezoned for mining, due to concerns expressed by submitters and the potential effects of rezoning all 47 properties.

The panel found that some of the 47 properties in the commercial and residential parts of town were “not suited to mining-related activity that the rezoning would provide for”.

Proposed Martha Mineral Zone. Image / Hauraki District Council

It recommended removing the properties in the town centre zone and some in the residential zone.

Once a property is within the Martha Mineral Zone, resource consent applications can be made for surface mining.

The council decision is able to be appealed before May 16, 2025.

This rezoning is separate to the Waihī North Project, which is up for fast tracking by the government. That is for a new underground mine at Wharekirauponga.

Hauraki District Council is still waiting to hear if the Waihī North Project has been determined to be “complete” by the Environmental Protection Authority.