At 160 metres the new wharf at Rangi Pt is one of the longest in the Far North. Photo / FNHL
One of Northland's most isolated settlements is better connected to the outside world thanks to a newly built wharf stretching 160 metres into Hokianga Harbour.
The Rangi Pt wharf, 33km west of Kohukohu, is roughly the same length as Ōpua wharf, making it one of the longest in the Far North.
It is one of four wharf upgrades in the Hokianga Harbour funded by a $1.8 million grant from the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF), now known as Kānoa Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit. The Far North District Council chipped in $200,000.
Rangi Pt resident George Bryers said he'd wanted a wharf for 40 years, ever since he was a commercial fisherman, but the PGF made it happen.
''Having a wharf here means quite a bit to the community. It's already getting lots of use from boaties, people fishing off it and kids jumping off.''
It had to be long because the beach was flat and very tidal.
Rangi Pt had always been isolated, Bryers said.
The road was built in 1969 and power arrived in 1970. Locals had to launch off the beach until the boat ramp was built in 1989.
The wharf's official opening celebration on Thursday was cancelled because the weather was too rough to bring officials across the harbour by boat, so Rangi Pt residents held their own ceremony.
Kyrke Watkins, who was in his 90s and had lived at Rangi Pt all his life, cut the ribbon while Bryers led the karakia (prayers).
The other wharf upgrades were at Māngungu, near the historic Māngungu Mission Station, and Te Karaka, near Panguru.
In both cases rotting wharf piles were replaced, slippery intertidal steps replaced, new decking laid, an extra row of piles installed, and a floating pontoon with gangway added.
At Motutī, where a 300m-long boardwalk provides access to the marae, a floating pontoon was installed to make it easier to access the settlement by water.
The project was managed by council-owned company Far North Holdings.
General manager Chris Galbraith said Rangi Pt was a ''very, very isolated'' community with flood-prone roads, so the wharf would provide a better connection to service centres at Rawene and Ōpononi.
The new wharf, with its concrete piles and decking, was designed to be low maintenance.
"It's a great piece of infrastructure, not just for connections but also recreationally for fishing and boating," he said.
Rangi Pt also had potential as a tourism destination for horse trekking, marae stays and links to the Twin Coast Cycle Way.
The project was good for all Far North ratepayers because the Government had covered most of the cost.
All work was carried out by Hallett Enterprises, of Warkworth.
Former Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones said after significant sums were allocated to Kaipara Harbour and wharf upgrades at Russell, Paihia and Ōpua, he wanted to make sure Hokianga was not neglected.
Rangi Pt might seem obscure but it had the potential for adventure and fishing tourism, he said.
"Plus the fishing just off the end of the new wharf is tremendous."
Mayor John Carter said the project was an example of the council, community, Far North Holdings and government working together.
"Wharves and jetties right around the district are now a big step up from where they were a while ago," he said.
While Thursday's boat tour had to be cancelled, an opening event at The Heads Ōmāpere (formerly the Copthorne) went ahead with speeches by Jones, Galbraith, council chief executive Shaun Clarke and Northland MP Willow-Jean Prime, as well as community leaders Kevin Robinson (Motutī), George Bryers (Rangi Pt), Harry Smart (Māngungu) and David Mules (Te Karaka).