Don't miss these opportunities to get involved!
Puhoi Community Forum AGM
June 24, 7:00pm @ Sports Club
Objection to Statue Development on Upper Waiwera Road - see image on left
The Waiwera Valley Action Group (WVAG) is a collective of local residents, lifestyle-block owners and farmers in Auckland’s Upper Waiwera Valley. WVAG was formed in response to a proposed development involving the installation of a 10-metre statue of the Buddhist deity Guru Rinpoche, mounted on a 6.5-metre concrete base — a total height of 16.5 metres, equivalent to a five-storey structure.
Key Concerns:
Scale: The statue is disproportionately large for a rural area, conflicting with the character and intent of the Rural Production Zone.
Location: Positioned on a 60-metre hill, it dominates local views, is highly visible from roads and neighbouring properties, and may negatively affect nearby property values.
Zoning Conflict: The structure contradicts Rural Production Zone regulations, which prioritise farming, forestry, and horticulture, and limit non-rural development to protect against urban encroachment.
Consent Process: Approved as "artwork" under a Certificate of Compliance, the project bypassed key procedures like landowner notification, site inspection, and environmental assessment, and does not align with the Auckland Unitary Plan for rural areas.
Background:
The Certificate of Compliance (CER70024532) issued by Auckland Council classifies the statue as a permitted decorative structure for private use. The land is owned by Nature Trustee Limited, and the applicant, Jeta's Grove Charitable Trust, is affiliated with the global organisation FPMT. FPMT is known for constructing large religious statues—particularly of Guru Rinpoche—as well as, notably and of concern, associated temples, retreat centres, and multiple accommodation facilities.
WVAG Position:
We contend this is not a private decorative structure but a public religious project requiring full Resource Consent and public notification. We believe the CoC was granted in error and fails to reflect the development’s true scale, purpose, and impact.
Call to Action:
WVAG calls on Auckland Council to halt construction and require a formal Resource Consent application, subject to full community consultation.
For further information or to get involved, contact: waiweravalleyactiongroup@gmail.com
Updates & Upcoming
Pūhoi Village Market
Pūhoi Community Forum
2025 Market Dates 1st Sunday of each month
1 June
6 July
3 August
7 September
5 October
2 November
7 December
Come along to support our very own village market! Each market day has a unique mix of music, food, crafts and recycled goods for you to sample and enjoy.
Puhoi Community Forum Inc.
Meeting Tuesday, 24 June @ 7.30 in the Sports Club. (AGM at 7.00pm prior)
All welcome! If you want to be involved in your local community, this is a good place to start.
April minutes (tba)
Do you like the new pergola in our Puhoi Community Orchard?
Let us know - email us at
Pūhoi River Park
River Walkway
This is an award winning community project, initiated by the Puhoi Community Forum 12 years ago. If you would like to be involved email us at puhoicommunityforum@gmail.com we would love to have you onboard.
Maintenance - contractors have been in over the summer funded by the Puhoi Community Forum and Auckland Council. They have removed an astonishing amount of crack willow deposited by the flooding. A lot of hand releasing of 2023 plantings, spraying and removal of the honeysuckle infestation by the first culvert has also been done, with work ongoing this month.
Planting dates - June 15th first planting
We will be planting a mixture of primary species as infill planting on the far end of the walkway this year. This was hard hit by flooding and needs some recovery
assistance with more reveg.
Whitebait Connection planting
If you do walk along the River Walkway keep an eye out for small trees on the left just past the first culvert - they need help! Convolvulus is overwhelming many of these new plants and it only takes a minute to free one. All help much appreciated as we are a limited pool of volunteers.
Did you know that Puhoi has its own 342 acre reserve managed by the community?
The entry is right next to the memorial bridge in the centre of the village. Just cross the bridge and turn left. We have recently established a community orchard in the reserve - check out what's growing.
There are currently two walking and horse riding trails - one is called the loop track and is a steep loop through native bush and regenerating bush, giving great village views. The other trail is the River Walkway which follows the Puhoi River for over a kilometre, with a revegetation project to protect the river and help control flooding which has been underway for 12 years. There are picnic tables and the walkway is a great place for the kids.
Rodney Bins
Our Volunteer Fire Brigade needs donations
New Auckland Council rubbish bins are coming to Rodney homes. From 1 September 2025, just roll your new bin to the roadside.
Check our website to request a smaller or larger bin and delivery info.
Our local Fire Brigade volunteers are taking part in the Skytower Challenge on 24th May this year and need our community support. Visit the site here to donate for our local volunteers!
Stoat frolics in River Park last month
What PCF Does
Manage Puhoi's 42 ha park
Since it's incorporation in 2001 the Puhoi Community Forum has managed the PPMP, adding kilometres of fencing, done years of riparian and hillside planting, created the village loop walk and River Walkway, erected the Anzac memorial and liaised with Rodney Local Board to maintain and improve this amazing community asset.
Community channel
Whether it is pest control, community resilience, roading and road safety, Council or Local Board liaison, the Forum is here to provide a voice for Puhoi, to channel information, and seek solutions for issues that affect us all.
Building A Community
The Forum exists to provide links between all our different community groups, and to support local projects and initiatives that work for our community. These might be small, such as the Anzac Memorial Gates or large, such as the Wharf Project. We'd love to hear from you if you have any ideas for our community.
River Walkway
10 year riverbank restoration
Community Orchard
Heritage fruit trees preserved
Road safety
Slowing down in the village
How Does It Work?
The Puhoi Community Forum meets once a month on the last Tuesday of each month at 7.30 in the Puhoi Community Sports Club.
Anyone can come along to a meeting. You or your family can become a member for just $10 annually. Membership gives you a voice on the Forum and the right to vote on community measures under consideration. Everyone is welcome. We offer a community presence beyond Facebook, where you can have a voice and help create the community we all want to belong to.
We invite all community groups to join us when they can to keep the community updated, address problems and share successes.
Did you know Landcare now have over 300 ha under pest control? Or that the local hall committee have won funds to upgrade the kitchen and toilet facilities? Or that Puhoi Sea Scouts need leaders and the Volunteer Fire Brigade are seeking two new volunteers? Check out the individual groups in Puhoi in Community Groups at the top of this page.
