Our Vision
1. Business
Mission Statement
To create employment through sustainable and successful tourism ventures that provides quality interpretive experiences of the Waipoua Forest and the Hokianga.
Objectives
- To create sustainable tourism business and employment opportunities in Hokianga.
- To assist in the creation of and support existing tourism businesses in the Hokianga in order to develop sustainable communities.
- To engage, learn, share and preserve the natural environments that we conduct business in.
- To help through business to create partnerships and opportunities that have educational, cultural and social benefits for communities.
- To increase destination awareness both domestically and internationally by increasing the number of visiting Media, Industry and Trade Famil trips and by using the newly formed Experience Hokianga Group, a collection of Hokianga tourism operators committed to the managed development of tourism in Hokianga.
- To expand product and service offering.
- To grow shoulder and winter seasons.
- Establish a working partnership with Te Roroa.
- To develop rewarding local, regional, industry and trade relationships.
Ownership and Management
Footprints Waipoua is the operating name for Kupe Hokianga #1 Limited. There are three company directors: Whetu Naera, Shane Lloydd and Graham Carman.
Whetu Naera is a respected kaumatua (elder) in the Hokianga and has been involved in local and national politics for 30 years. Whetu's official title is Lay Cannon C.W. Naera QSP, JP. He currently sits on numerous Community and Maori Trust boards. Whetu is the current Chairperson.
Shane Lloydd and the Lloydd Family Trust own the Copthorne Hotel & Resort Hokianga and the Opononi Resort Hotel. Shane has been involved in the hospitality and tourism industry for over 30 years. He is a current member of the Northland Tourism Development Group and Far North Holdings Limited (Far North District Council Local Authority Trading Enterprise (LATE)).
Graham Carman worked in Local Government for over 30 years. He recently left Council and is currently using his extensive political and business expertise to assist in the business development of the Copthorne Hotel & Resort Hokianga and the Opononi Resort Hotel. He currently chairs his local primary school Board of Trustees. Graham was County Clerk of the former Hokianga County Council and Far North District Council District Secretary. Graham set up one of the largest companies in the Far North (Impact Services Ltd) which employed 100 people within the first 3 years.
2. Community and Cultural
Koro has been employed by the Te Hua o te Kawariki Trust courtesy of a Ministry of Social Development Enterprising Communities Grant in a Community Business Development capacity. The Te Hua o te Kawariki Trust vision to establish a Heritage Centre in Opononi that would celebrate the journeys of Kupe, his departure, the stories of repopulation, progression of his descendants, the local culture and the places of historical significance.
The project has local support and the relationship the Trust has with a local family business has identified a piece of land in Opononi that will enable the Trust to build their dream.
The museum concept arose during a widely attended hui at Waiwhatawhata Marae on 1 August 1987, where a resolution was passed:
Return Waka-tupapaku, korowai and other taonga to the Hokianga.
Since then the desire and need for such a facility had grown, especially in the minds of people who were at that hui. On that basis Te Hua o te Kawariki Trust was formed and the Heritage Centre planning begun. The study is a journey of experiences. The first part is the actual project that includes the plans and costs of the project. The second part is taken as a virtual walk to and through the Heritage Centre that describes the experiences that the visitor/tourist/manuhiri will have when they visit it. The third part provides the background to the area that is specific to Opononi and Omapere area. The final part is appendices that provide the supporting evidence to the project.
The Project
To construct a new Heritage Centre at Opononi using an interpretative approach to showcase Kupe's voyage to the Hokianga, his departure, the repopulation by his descendants, their 32 generations of progress, it was decided that the building would follow the classic wharehui structure that will form the base of the concept. It will not be the architecture of the building that will bring visitors to the centre but the total experience of the area. The building provides a conceptual experience that will entice visitors to actually experience more of the local features and places.
The Land
The project utilises land leased from the Lloydd Family. The term of the lease is 35 years. A copy of the lease is included with this proposal. The land comprises of 1.2 hectares, considerable site development is required to produce an area that will fit the needs of the new Heritage Centre. Retaining the amphitheatre shape is important to the Trust for future development opportunities.
There is a big dip in the site chosen for the Centre. The soil condition is a mixture of sand and alluvial soils. There is an embankment to the south of the site that is approximately 6m high. The spoil from the neighbouring site where the Commercial centre is sited has been placed onto this property, much spoil will need to be relocated elsewhere on the site.
The History of the Land
In 1835 a block of 41 acres at Opononi was sold to Captain Young of Koutu Point by the local Maori Chiefs, for 61 pounds and 13 shillings. Shortly afterwards Captain Young sold it to John Webster, a prominent and influential trader. He was well versed in Pakeha Law and Maori Lore and fulfilled a range of function in the community. His home became the centre of the community; visitors were often accorded ceremonial salute from canons mounted along the pathway to his house. He travelled widely and this was reflected in his garden that was full of specimen trees. There were also two Maori carvings on either side of the entrance to the house.
After John Webster's death the land was passed into ownership of the Baker family. A family member still farms the majority of what was the Webster land. Opononi village is established on land made available by John Webster and the Baker family.
An area of the Baker farmland between the house and the Opononi camping ground adjacent to State Highway No12 is zoned Commercial. Five years ago it was sold to the Lloydd Family Trust.
In conjunction with this project a shopping complex that is under construction is owned by the Lloydd Family Trust. The land for the Heritage Centre has been made available to the Trust by the Lloydd Family Trust for this project.
The People
The community is involved in the process. The four local marae areas are represented by four of the Trustees.The Trust continues to develop and manage its relationships with its partners. The Trust has commissioned various individuals because of their specific expertise to develop it from a vision (and rough concept) into a real project. These individuals include carvers, artists, project managers and investors. The Lloydd family have been a huge investor into this project especially providing the land to site the Heritage Centre and funding some of the initial site works.
Footprints Waipoua and Crossings Hokianga are proud supporters of the Opononi Area School and the Gateway programme. The Gateway programme is designed to strengthen the pathway for learners to progress from school to workplace learning. Gateway is available to state and integrated secondary schools, and supports senior secondary students (Year 11 to Year 13) undertaking structured workplace learning across a range of industries and businesses around New Zealand, while continuing to study at school.
3. Environment
Footprints Waipoua is a Department of Conservation Concessionaire. A concession is an official authorisation to operate in an area managed by the Department. It may be in the form of a lease, licence, permit or easement. Concessionaires are required to pay concession fees for the privilege of obtaining commercial or other benefits from public land. These fees will be the result of negotiations and may be charged as a percentage of the gross revenue; a per hectare, per head or per trip charge; a fixed fee, or a combination of these depending on the activity and the market rates.
Sometimes concession opportunities are publicly offered (tendered) by the Department,however, most concessions are initiated by an individual or firm approaching the Department seeking permission to run a particular business.
Why are concessions necessary?
The Department of Conservation's primary purpose is to look after New Zealand's natural and historic heritage, including managing the national and forest parks and a variety of historic and other reserves. The Department also wants people to visit and enjoy these places.
The concession system helps the Department to ensure that the various concession activities are compatible with the primary aim of protecting the land and other resources. It also helps to make sure that services and facilities provided for visitors are appropriate, of a suitable standard and that other activities do not conflict with visitor enjoyment.
Benefits for concessionaires
A concession gives you:
- A legal right to carry out your proposed activity on lands managed by the Department;
- A formal relationship between yourself and the Department so that both parties are aware of their obligations;
- Security of tenure for the term of your concession provided that you comply with the conditions of your concession.
For more Northland concession information contact:
Shana Harding
Community Relations Supervisor
Concessions/SLM/Permitting
Northland Conservancy
PO Box 842
Whangarei 0140
Ph +64 9 430 2463
Email: sharding@doc.govt.nz
4. Social
Footprints Waipoua and Crossings Hokianga have recently been working with the Tiaho Trust to develop Northland into New Zealand's and the South Pacific's leading Accessible Tourism Destination. Dove's Tail Tourism is a boutique organisation that works alongside tourism operators to offer a hassle free, seamless and enjoyable holiday experience for a range of travellers with specific needs. Dove's Tail has a unique focus on people who need that little bit of extra care and attention when on holiday. We strive to make people's travel experience both memorable and comfortable. We provide access to hotels, restaurants and tour services that have received Dove's Tail training and have been assessed to ensure that they can successfully cater to a wide range of needs - including wheel chair access and people with specific medical requirements.
'We lead the people that we follow'
As a 'for disabled - by disabled organization, Tiaho Trust is strongly focused on representing the issues and views of the disabled community in Tai Tokerau. As such, Tiaho has a representative role on a number of committees/panels in Northland. Our aim is to act as a conduit between these committees/panels and the disabled community in Northland via our website.
Disability Advisory to DHB
The Disability Support Advisory Committee (DISAC) advises the District Health Board on the disability support needs of Northlander's and priorities for the use of the disability support funding. The kinds of disability support services provided and funded must maximise the independence and promote the inclusion and participation in society of people with disabilities within the DHB's resident population.
Advisory to Manaia Health
The Manaia Health PHO Community Advisory Group (CoAG) is an advisory body to the Manaia PHO Board. The main objectives of this group are to create an awareness of the work of the PHO, promote a greater responsiveness to community needs and views and to advise the board and management on issues relevant to the health of the PHO population.
Manaia Health is the Primary Health Organisation (PHO) operating within the Whangarei District of Northland. The PHO has the responsibility of ensuring that current challenges in community healthcare are being met. Some of these challenges include child and adolescent health, immunisation, mental health and chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Disability Reference Group - WDC
Approximately 12 organisations representing a diverse range of disability organisations in Northland are represented on the DSRG.
The purpose of the DSRG is to advocate and provide advice on issues affecting the disabled community and to work alongside council and other organisations to address them.
For more information please visit tiaho.org.nz.