It was fortunate the rescue of surfer Matthew Scott by Mangawhai Heads Volunteer Lifeguard Service was not hindered by locked gates and containers.
Video / Givealittle, Michael Cunningham, Elevated Media, Mangawhai Heads Volunteer Lifeguard Service
What do a US surfing great, central government and abseiling slip experts have to do with saving lives on Northland’s east coast?
All contributed to repairing Mangawhai’s lifeguard clubrooms after a major slip, ensuring surf lifesaving and after-hours rescues can continue.
The Mangawhai Heads Volunteer Lifeguard Service clubroomswere officially reopened on Saturday, with more than 100 people attending.
The clubrooms had been out of action since February 2023, when a 560cu m slip came down on the site after the fatal Auckland Anniversary floods.
Lifeguards inside the building at the time were lucky to escape without injury, while the slip also damaged Māori heritage sites and kōiwi [human remains].
The surf club worked from temporary containers, raising fears slower access to lifesaving equipment could delay out-of-hours rescues.
When Kaipara District Council, which owned the land, couldn’t afford slip repairs, the club volunteered to take on the project, working with Surf Life Saving NZ to secure Government funding.
The $1.9 million slip repair work included installing rock bolts, rockfall mesh and vegetation matting to stabilise the site.
The surf club also worked with Te Uri o Hau to preserve the pā on the site, Te Pā o te Manga Te Whai.
Mangawhai Heads Volunteer Lifeguard Service club chairwoman Jess Costello and Northland MP Grant McCallum cut the ribbon for the reopening of the repaired clubrooms.
Insurance paid for most of the clubroom repairs but the surf club was left with a $120,000 shortfall for things like furniture.
Enter US surf great Kelly Slater, the 11-time world champion surfer, who held an exclusive fundraising talk at Te Arai Links golf club, raising $94,000 for the project.
The clubrooms were formally reopened by Mangawhai Heads Volunteer Lifeguard Service club chairwoman Jess Costello and Northland MP Grant McCallum.
The event was also officiated by Te Uri O Hau’s Albert Shelford and Rhys Manukau, Surf Life Saving NZ’s Kelvyn Eglinton, Kaipara Mayor Jonathan Larsen and club president Alex Tidyman.
Costello said the clubrooms were more than just a building for members, it was a place where they could connect with each other and to the beach.
Kaipara Mayor Jonathon Larsen speaks inside the repaired clubrooms, with the audience including club chairwoman Jess Costello (left).
Funding and support for the project recognised the surf club’s vital service in emergency response for the northeast coast, she said.
Rescues were not limited to Mangawhai Heads surf beach but also included 24/7 search and rescue, including land-based rescues in floods, she said.
Costello admitted she and other board members were in over their heads managing the multimillion-dollar project but said close partnerships were formed with the likes of Te Uri o Hau and Kaipara District Council.
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.
