Annual Report 2025

Wairahi Tracks Charitable Trust - Trustees’ Report for Year Ended 31 March 2025

As this year marks our fifth year of operations, it is timely that we review the Objects of the Trust and our progress towards achieving them.

First Object

“To promote, support, fund, advocate afunctional network of walking, hiking, cycling, mountain biking and any similar recreational activities in the Langs beach Scenic Reserve (‘The Tracks’) whenever such Tracks will contribute to the social, cultural, environmental or economic wellbeing of members of the public at large.”

Fourth Object

“To plan, develop, improve, manage and/or subsequently operate (or facilitate the same) the Tracks in the LBSR and where appropriate provide support for the development of Tracks in the Surrounding Area for the benefit of the public at large.”

Last year’s report made it clear that we had largely completed the Track work in the LBSR and had already extended our activities into the Surrounding Area.

These activities included:

·       The Waipu Coastal Walkway (Cove to Langs)

·       Liaison with the Copelands over the development of walking and mountain bike trails on their property Te Waorahi.

·       Progressing the completion of the shared user path (SUP) from Langs Beach to Bream Tail Rd/Te Waorahi

·       Access paths in the Waterman Drive Reserve

In the past year we have carried out further work on all these projects but by far our major achievement has been the completion of ‘A Vital Link’, the SUP between Langs Beach and Bream Tail Rd on time and on budget.

The successful completion of this project was due

·       to the generosity of our supporters and the local community who stumped up with the $150k funding required

·       to Peter Hunt’s management skills

·       the support of private landowners and WDC

·       the expert work of our contractor - Plantpro

·       and of course, the dedication of our Friday Trackies.

Review

While the Trust’s First Object focuses narrowly on the LBSR, when read in conjunction with the Fourth Object which expands our area of operations into the Surrounding Area the Trustees feel that our work to date and our plans for the future have met and will continue to meet these Objects.

 Second Object

To establish good working relationships with those organisations who have developed and/or are developing similar tracks in the Surrounding Area to facilitate connection of those tracks to the LBSR tracks.

 Review

We have established very good relationships with all similar organisations in the Surrounding Area - Mangawhai Tracks Charitable Trust, Waipu Walkway & Cycleway Group, Marsden Cove SUP Group and Bike & Hike Northland Trust.

These groups are very supportive of WTCT taking the lead role in getting the Bream Bay Iconic Trail completed.

 Third Object

To raise funds through a variety of activities as well as seeking charitable funds to achieve the charitable purposes of the trust in this clause 3.1.

Review

Our major fundraising efforts to date have been firstly the $50k raised for upgrading the Waipu Coastal Walkway and secondly the $150 raised for ‘A Vital Link’ between Langs and Bream tail Rd. Both very successful with all funds being raised from our very supportive local community.

Our upcoming projects will require significantly more funding which will require us to look beyond the local community.

Fifth Object:                                                                                                                                 

To protect, preserve and maintain the environmental, cultural, ecological and heritage values of the LBSR and any other publicly accessible areas in the Surrounding Area for the benefit of the public at large.

 Review

The Trust has always had a strong environmental ethic and in all our track building activities over the last 5 years there has been a clear focus on ensuring we meet this Object. In fact, it is very much at the heart of our weekly working bees because as more tracks are completed an increasing part of that work is maintenance of the tracks and caring for the adjacent environment – planting and weeding.

Sixth Object

To assist the activities of (which shall include without limitation activities involving the control of noxious plants and/or pests) and to develop and maintain relationships with the Department of Conservation, relevant local authorities, iwi and any landowners in connection with the Tracks and any other recreational facilities or publicly accessible areas in the LBSR and Surrounding Area.

 Review

In fact the Trust, rather than ‘assisting the activities of’, has taken the leadership role for controlling noxious plants and pests in the areas where we operate and has achieved excellent results. At the same time, it has developed good relationships with other relevant organisations. The relationship with DOC is frustrating at times, largely brought about by DOC’s unwillingness to capitalise on the community’s willingness to give large dollops of its free time to undertake work which will enable the public to enjoy more of our Conservation Reserve.

Seventh Object

To attract and retain Associate Members and volunteers of the community to join the Trust and participate in all its activities.

 Review

The Trust could not have achieved the results it has without strong community and volunteer support.

 Conclusion

In summary, the Trustees believe that the Trust’s first 5 years of operation has achieved much and that the Trust is well positioned to achieve much more in the future.

 Updated Vision Statement

The Trustees felt that with the change of focus to the Iconic Bream Bay Trail is was time to update our Vision Statement to the following:

To play a key role in the establishment of a network of walking, cycling and mountain bike tracks in the Wairahi/Bream Bay area with the ultimate goal of completing a shared user path (SUP) from Marsden Cove to Mangawhai – a key link in a round Northland trail.

To enhance the benefits of that SUP by continuing to develop and improve the adjacent network of trails.

A continuing commitment to building strong community spirit and protecting our environment will underpin all the Trust’s activities.

 Finance (Glenn Clark)

The ‘Profit and Loss A/C’ for the Year Ended March 2025 (attached) shows a surplus of $13k, an excellent result having regard for the track building work undertaken by the Trust. This result was helped by us finally gaining approval for GST accreditation.

Funds on hand at year end are $67,941.52, which compare favourably with last year $54,722.

We have filed the financial reports required of us as a Charitable Trust.

Thank you, Glenn.

Special Thanks

To Mary Sinclair for her administrative support which she cheerfully caries out despite a multitude of responsibilities for other organisations.

To our Trackies (Friday and Saturday and on many other days) our thanks for those thousands of volunteer hours which lie at the heart of the Trusts achievements – and to all those other supporters who from time to time lend a hand. Not forgetting our special Trackie – our B&E pie lady Christine Birss. Long may she bake.

To our suppliers who support us so generously and willingly, Mountfield Quarries, Waipu ITM, and Northpine.

To our Ginger Group team who give so willingly of their time and whose wide range of skills are invaluable in achieving our goals.

Finally to our supporters whose encouragement and financial support during a particularly demanding year has been outstanding.

On Behalf of the Trustees

John Tapper

Chairman

September 2025