Parahirahi Ngawha Waiariki Trust

Vision

Kia tu tika ai Nga Waiariki i roto o te pono me te tika mo nga uri whakatupu

Nga Waiariki will be self-sustaining into the future for the benefit of mokopuna

Mission

To manage and promote Nga Waiariki and its environs and ensure that its cultural, spiritual and historical values are cared for and preserved

Strategic Plan 2019-2021

Secure our turangawaewae to advance our vision
Secure our economic base to advance our vision
Competent operational management of Nga Waiariki
Skilled and capable trustees
Strong connection between Trust, beneficiaries and Nga Waiariki
Strong kaitiakitanga exercised over the geothermal resource

Values

Whakapono
Truth and integrity

Tika
The right way

Kotahitanga
Actively engaged and working together

Tumanako
Desire and good intentions

Te Aroha
Respect and appreciation for each other

Ngohengohe
Humility

The Trust

The Parahirahi Ngawha Wairiki Trust is an Ahu Whenua Trust under Te Ture Whenua Maori Land Act. It has 11 tupuna owners and is run by 11 trustees that are direct descendants of those tupuna owners.

The Trust, as kaitiaki for the springs has a responsibility to uphold the cultural and spiritual values of the resource, its long history, and unique environment while ensuring its sustainability in to the future. The Trust has obligations and responsibilities that we need to meet for our beneficiaries and our mokopuna (future generations) and we are making the best decisions that we can to enable that.

In making those decisions we:

will care for our taonga and environment
will empower and celebrate our people and respectfully tell our stories
will share the experience of our springs healing waters responsibly with generosity and authenticity with visitors that can connect with us, respect our people and value our pools

The Trust's recent enhancement and redevelopment project is a tangible expression of us changing the shape of our future in our community in a way that delivers on our cultural, social, community and economic aspirations. We are determining our own future and it is our right to do so - we are exercising our own mana motuhake.

Our journey
The Trust has been courageous in its journey to this point and there has been significant work involved to get here. It is also important to acknowledge the commitment of the trustees (past and current).

The Trust embarked on this process in 2009 which commenced with capturing the aspirations and concept development, It completed feasibility studies developed business cases, secured formal management (33 year lease) of the Council side of the springs, restructured from a Maori Reservation Trust to an Ahu Whenua Trust, participated in Top Energy's resource consent process to ensure appropriate environmental monitoring re impact of expansion on the pools, were successful with its resource consent application for this project, continued to update the business case (as time progressed and circumstances changed, ie Covid 19), obtained building consent for the project, secured grant funding, engaged a project manager, and through a tender process agreed on the contractor to complete the build. Throughout the build we closely managed progress, budget as well as the many components of the project not within the contracted works, including the whakaairo; pool restoration, landscaping, story development and signage, internal fit out, business planning and operational set up and establishing a testing and monitoring regime for all the pools.

Also during this time the Trust presented to the Ngapuhi claims Waitangi Tribunal hearings, as a follow up from it Waitangi Tribunal process in 1990. It purchased the old Ngawha Hotel (the Lodge), and negotiated the purchase of the adjoining hot springs property (with Top Energy) and both properties are key elements of future development plans. The Trust established subsidiaries to hold and manage those two properties. The old Ginns pools were refurbished and opened to cater for those who use the pools while the pools were closed for redevelopment “The Temp”, which will now be run as part of Ngawha Springs. The Lodge has been run on a koha basis and preliminary investigations are underway on what is required to upgrade.

Current trustees