In Whirinaki, Te Hikutū Hapū, supported by Northland Regional Council, led a proactive, hapū-driven managed retreat to address severe flood risk. Using mātauranga Māori and the PARA framework, the community determined relocation was the safest long-term option for around 80 homes in a flood-prone valley. The Whirinaki Masterplan enables whānau to move to elevated papakāinga, restoring the floodplain and creating new opportunities, while demonstrating shared leadership and Te Tiriti partnership.
See more award winning entries

Excellence in Digital Local Government
Members Choice
Tairāwhiti Civil Defence COP Intelligence Dashboard
Following the Tairāwhiti flood event in March 2022, which revealed coordination challenges due to a lack of situational awareness, the Tairawhiti Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) team initiated an innovative
Award Year: 2024

Excellence in Placemaking
Destination Kāwaroa
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
Award Year: 2026

Excellence in Placemaking
A Place for Everyone
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
Award Year: 2023

