Marokopa police presence ‘scaled back’: Residents want town to be known for more than Tom Phillips

Over the last two-and-a-half years, the small, seaside township of Marokopa has made headlines as a key focus in the search for fugitive dad Tom Phillips and his three children.

Less than two weeks ago, at least four checkpoints were in place at intersections outside the Waikato township and a police command centre with multiple marked vehicles was set up at the local community centre.

But that is not how locals want their home to be remembered.

They want their town to be seen as the “peaceful” little paradise it was today when the sun was shining and there were no police cars in sight.

Couples walked up and down the black sand beach. A visitor to the township took their time reading the sign at the beach entrance, instructing beachgoers to report Māui dolphin sightings.

“Marokopa is quiet and very resting,” one Marokopa resident said.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said her whole family “loved it out here”.

“We live in a warm house. We get a lot of sun.”

The woman said the Marokopa community was “like a big happy family”.

“Everyone knows everyone,” she said.

Local residents say Marokopa is a "little place with a lot going for it". Photo / Maryana Garcia

According to 2018 electoral population data, the inland area including Marokopa has a population of 69.

The nearest shops are about 55 minutes’ of windy road driving away, in Waitomo.

The nearest petrol stations are in Ōtorohanga (67km) or Te Kūiti (66km).

“My old boss told me I lived at the end of the world,” another Marokopa resident said.

“I asked him, ‘Is that so bad?’”

The resident, who asked not to be named, said he had been visiting Marokopa regularly since his teens before moving permanently to the area.

One resident said most of the houses in Marokopa were baches with owners living as close as Te Kūiti and as far as Auckland.

“It’s nice and peaceful,” he said.

“I went to Te Awamutu recently and I couldn’t stand the traffic.”

He said most of the houses in Marokopa were baches with owners living as close as Te Kūiti and as far as Auckland.

“This little place has a lot going for it,” he said.

He said Marokopa’s annual sports competition included horse jumping, wood chopping and egg and spoon racing events.

“There’s also the Marokopa Munter, surfcasting and motocross.”

The Marokopa Munter is a six to 24-hour adventure race held in the area annually.

Residents said Marokopa is a popular surfcasting spot. Photo / Maryana Garcia

Former Waitomo Mayor and Marokopa resident Mark Ammon said he had been coming to Marokopa for 33 years before making the town his permanent home in 2021.

“It’s a good place,” Ammon said.

“Dogs can run free on the beach within reason, there’s good fishing in the river mouth.

“It’s not as expensive as the east coast. It’s got all you need. It’s a good community.”

‘Several locations of interest’ confirmed in search for Tom Phillips

The news comes as a statement from Acting Detective Inspector Andrew Saunders said the search for Tom Phillips would be scaled back ahead of the expiry of the $80,000 reward offered on June 11.

The police presence in Marokopa was first scaled back on Friday, June 14 as part of an expansion into the surrounding areas.

But locals reported very low sightings of police in Ōtorohanga over the following weekend despite police reporting the town was a focus of the search.

There was no visible police presence in Honikiwi on June 24, despite police previously including the area in its search updates. Photo / Maryana Garcia

A Waikato Herald reporter who spent time in the Ōtorohanga, Honikiwi, Waitomo and Marokopa area today glimpsed one marked police vehicle in a span of six hours.

The reward will expire at 11.59pm on Tuesday, June 25.

“The police presence in Marokopa will be scaled back,” Saunders’ statement said.

“But we will continue to have a dedicated investigation team assessing information and conducting follow-up inquiries.”

Saunders urged people who have credible, current information to come forward now, and not to leave it any longer.

“We continue to have concerns for the wellbeing and safety of Ember, Maverick and Jayda who were taken by their father, Tom Phillips, to a location unknown but thought to be in Western Waikato within Marokopa or the surrounding areas.”

Saunders said “a steady flow” of information had come in since the reward offer was made, with over 150 new reports received via phone, email or by people who personally approached police.

“As a result of our inquiries we have identified over 50 reports that we think are worthy of consideration and which are being investigated further.”

Saunders said he could confirm several locations of interest in Western Waikato had been identified but while the investigation was ongoing he could not provide details.

Maryana Garcia is a Hamilton-based multimedia reporter covering breaking news in Waikato. She previously wrote for the Rotorua Daily Post and Bay of Plenty Times.