Ray White Bream Bay and Waipu real estate agent James Alexander said Waipu has been put firmly on the map as a great place to stay and live. Photo / NZ Herald
While most Northlanders – and visitors to the region – will be dreading the upcoming Brynderwyns closures, a couple of towns are celebrating the “silver lining” of the essential roadworks.
Mangawhai and Waipu have been put firmly “on the map” as tourists and locals forced along detour routes rediscover the hidden gems of the once sleepy settlements.
Ray White Bream Bay and Waipu real estate agent James Alexander said Waipu has been a lot busier since the Brynderwyns were closed for four months last year following damage from severe weather events.
With its improved carparking, award-winning brewery, bustling market, and boutique shops and cafes, out-of-towners had discovered Waipu was a great place to visit and live, he said.
“That was a silver lining - people came back.
“There’s definitely more people around now than previous years, and I think that’s because of the closures.
“It’s put Waipu on the map.”
Houses were also being snapped up quicker, Alexander said.
While Langs Beach properties always sold pretty quickly, Waipu houses were also selling faster, usually within a month or two.
That includes “a bare piece of land with a shed on it” which sold well above CV recently, and a three-bedroom bach which went for around $2.3 million before it even hit the market.
“They don’t hang around very long because people appreciate how lovely Waipu is now, and how it’s matured,” Alexander said.
“When anything comes up now, people want to grab it.”
Businesses along the detour routes are gearing up for another busy stint as NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) confirmed the portion of SH1 will close twice in November for resurfacing work.
The road will be shut in both directions from November 13 to 16 and again from November 20 to 23, with detours along Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd, Cove Rd route via Mangawhai and Waipu, and SH12/SH14.
Lloyd Rooney, who co-owns The Cove cafe in Waipu, said the Brynderwyns closures were “extremely beneficial” to the area.
“We were so much busier from autumn into winter last year because of the Brynderwyns closures.
“It’s a shame for other businesses that lose out, but it definitely has benefits for The Cove and local businesses.
“Obviously it’s not ideal year-round because it’s not so good for Northland.
“But in a microscopic way, it’s very good.”
Even when SH1 was open, these days business was booming, Rooney said.
When Rooney took over The Cove 12 years ago, “some weekends it was like tumbleweed coming down the street”, he said.
“It’s not like that now.
“You’ll get cars parking all the way down to the one-lane bridge.”
Bennetts of Mangawhai administrator Shelby Ata said there were more crowds flocking to the cafe and chocolate shop during the four-month closures.
“There were definitely more people ... trying to get into Bennetts.
“There was a lot of traffic on the road as well.
“I noticed a huge drop when the Brynderwyns started to open up again.”
Ata said the business would plan for extra staffing and parking around the November closures to cope with the influx of customers.
However, Jennifer Rodrigue, the owner of Origin Northland and Belle Chevre Creamery in Waipu, said the closures weren’t good for some because the detour didn’t go directly through the township.
“The detour turns down Nova Scotia Dr, and by then people have had a gutsful of the bypass route.
“We tried putting up signs last time [encouraging motorists to stop at shops in town] but we found that the only ones benefiting were those at the intersection.
“We prefer the road [SH1] to be open.”
Whangārei District Council, with support from Northland Inc, is hosting two pop-up events at Waipu Cove to turn the Brynderwyns SH1 closure into a positive opportunity.
The advertising campaign - called Come on Up! - aims to deliver an economic boost for local businesses by attracting visitors to stop, spend and explore Whangārei and Te Tai Tokerau.
Visitors can discover why Waipu Cove is one of New Zealand’s best beaches, relax on a beanbag, chat to local experts at an i-site, and enjoy family-friendly activities.
To make the experience even sweeter, vouchers for a free coffee from The Cove cafe and ice creams from the Waipu Cove General Store will be handed out to visitors while stocks last.
The pop-up events are on November 15 and 22 from 8am to 2pm next to the carpark.
Jenny Ling is a senior journalist at the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering human interest stories, along with roading and social issues.