Destination Kāwaroa, led by Taranaki Foundation with Ngāmotu, Ngāti Te Whiti, NPDC and NP Partners, transformed Kāwaroa Park into an intergenerational play and learning space celebrating the area’s nature, culture and stories. Featuring sensory play, water and hill elements, accessible facilities, and learning linked to NZ curricula, it has become a thriving, free hub for connection, recreation and cultural engagement, attracting up to 2,000 daily visitors since August 2025.

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Excellence in Collaborating for Results

Waiora House

Taupō District Council

As part of Taupō District Council’s commitment to the provision of social services in the district, a project to rebuild Waiora House, a social services hub and affordable home to

Award Year: 2024

Excellence in Māori-Council Partnerships - Te Tohu Waka Hourua (the Double Canoe)

Joint Land Ownership – the Right Thing to Do

Tauranga City Council

Te Manawataki o Te Papa – the Heartbeat of Te Papa – is a transformative redevelopment of Tauranga’s Civic Precinct, which will reinvigorate its city centre and make it the

Award Year: 2023

Excellence in Placemaking

A Place for Everyone

Hastings District Council

A Place for Everyone showcases the newly refurbished, reopened Hastings municipal centre. A stunning building in its own right, the centre forms an integral part of Toitoi, the city’s arts