NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • Deloitte Fast 50
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Pensioner moves from leaky caravan to new home in Katikati elder village

Alisha Evans
By Alisha Evans
Local Democracy Reporter - Bay of Plenty·SunLive·
3 Jul, 2025 07:32 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Steven Connelly in his new home at the Katikati elder housing village, a step up from the leaky caravan he lived in for six years. Photo / Alisha Evans

Steven Connelly in his new home at the Katikati elder housing village, a step up from the leaky caravan he lived in for six years. Photo / Alisha Evans

A pensioner living in a leaky caravan with no power for six years now has a new home to call his own.

Steven Connelly, 67, moved into his home at the new elder housing village in Katikati two weeks ago after four years on the waitlist.

Connelly previously lived in a caravan on a relative’s property. There was no power, a long-drop toilet and Connelly slept with a bucket on the bed to catch the leaks when it rained.

Asked if it was good to have somewhere warm and dry to live, he said: “Oh hell, yeah.”

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Connelly was getting used to everything in his new home, including how the rubbish system worked with all the different bins, but said it was “pretty special”.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council held an official opening for the newly built village on Heron Cres on Thursday.

The 26 new units replaced 11 built in the 1980s. There are 22 one-bedroom units and four two-bedroom townhouses.

The council received $6.5 million from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development for the project and $4.6m from the previous Government’s Better Off Funding.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The village was named Te Āhuru Mōwai o Hiria, meaning the sanctuary of Hiria.

Hiria Wills, of Ngāi Tamawhariua hapū, and her husband Vic were residents of the original elder village in the 1980s.

They did not have children so Ngāi Tamawhariua hapū kaumatua gifted the village the name to keep their memory alive.

The Katikati elder housing village of 26 units is named Te Āhuru Mōwai o Hiria. Photo / Supplied
The Katikati elder housing village of 26 units is named Te Āhuru Mōwai o Hiria. Photo / Supplied

Ngāi Tamawhariua hapū chairman Hone Winder-Murray said the three housing blocks were named after the maunga they faced, Kaimai, Mauao and Hikurangi.

Māori principles had been incorporated into the design and the brickwork patterns were inspired by tukutuku panels at Te Rereatukāhia Marae.

Winder-Murray said the village was a “monumentally beautiful thing on the landscape of Katikati”.

Ngāi Tamawhariua hapū chairman Hone Winder-Murray at the opening of the Katikati elder housing village. Photo / Alisha Evans
Ngāi Tamawhariua hapū chairman Hone Winder-Murray at the opening of the Katikati elder housing village. Photo / Alisha Evans

Western Bay of Plenty Mayor James Denyer said the village came in under budget but did not disclose the final cost.

He said providing safe, secure and affordable housing was one of the most effective ways to enhance people’s lives.

“These new homes are about more than just the buildings themselves. They represent the kind of community we want to be, a community that values its elders, supports their wellbeing, and creates spaces where people can live with dignity and connection.”

Denyer said the opening of the village was a special day for Katikati.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Ian and Jo Dickey have a secure place to live for the rest of their lives at the new elder village. Photo / Alisha Evans
Ian and Jo Dickey have a secure place to live for the rest of their lives at the new elder village. Photo / Alisha Evans

Ian and Jo Dickey, both 76, had been renting in Tauranga but Ian had to work fulltime at his gardening business to be able to afford the rent.

Ian had undergone two hip replacements and would be tired from heavy lifting all day, Jo said.

They also worried their rental would be sold.

Ian and Jo moved into one of the two-bedroom homes, allowing Ian to drop to working one day a week.

Jo was so excited about their new home she would visit the site every fortnight while it was being built.

“I was really wanting something for the rest of our lives and this is a place that feels secure,” she said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“It’s brand new, warm and dry and cosy.”

Currently, 20 of the units are tenanted and the council is working through applicants on its waitlist.

– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

Young woman jailed for Connor Boyd's death to be released on parole

New Zealand

'A lot of fast food': Mum who stole $500k from employer blew most on takeaways

New Zealand

'Love you moko': Grieving grandma vows justice for 20yo killed after birthday celebration


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Young woman jailed for Connor Boyd's death to be released on parole
New Zealand

Young woman jailed for Connor Boyd's death to be released on parole

Kaiya Shute was sentenced to two years and two months' jail but will soon be released.

21 Jul 08:18 AM
'A lot of fast food': Mum who stole $500k from employer blew most on takeaways
New Zealand

'A lot of fast food': Mum who stole $500k from employer blew most on takeaways

21 Jul 08:03 AM
'Love you moko': Grieving grandma vows justice for 20yo killed after birthday celebration
New Zealand

'Love you moko': Grieving grandma vows justice for 20yo killed after birthday celebration

21 Jul 07:30 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP