Piha Campground will reopen for the upcoming summer, following a decision by Waitākere Ranges Local Board today to support the resumption of overnight camping at the site.
The decision allows the campground to welcome campers back for the 2026/27 summer operating period, from October 2026 to May 2027, with the lease continuing on a month-to-month basis.
The local board has asked staff to report back early next year on steps required to keep the camp open during future summer periods, including options for early flood warning and an assessment of ground levels in the domain.
Waitākere Ranges Local Board chair Mark Allen acknowledged the safety challenges associated with the campground’s location on a floodplain, while recognising its long-standing place in the Piha community.
“This hasn’t been an easy decision. Piha Campground is located within a known floodplain, and with climate change bringing more frequent and severe extreme weather events, we must carefully consider how the site is used, the risks involved, and the potential impacts on our local community.
“The campground has been part of the community for many decades, providing a place where generations of campers have made lasting memories. We recognise how important it is to the community and the local economy and want to see camping retained in Piha wherever possible.
“We need a considered, collaborative and community-based approach to managing the risks associated with climate change, as we continue to adapt to its impacts,” says Allen.
The campground manager has submitted a proposed risk management plan, which will be independently reviewed.
Allen acknowledged the health and safety concerns raised, noting that managing the campground’s future would require careful consideration of the risks and the measures needed to address them.
“We understand the concerns about the council’s obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. The challenge is to determine what steps are reasonably practicable to eliminate risks or, where that is not possible, minimise them,” says Allen.
Allen also noted that the flood hazard framework developed through proposed Plan Change 120 is intended to assess applications for new campgrounds. He says the framework does not, in itself, determine the minimum standards required under the Act for the existing campground.
“We are committed to working with the community going forward, and we support camping to be retained in Piha whenever possible,” says Allen.
Piha Domain Campground has been temporarily closed since the end of May this year, after updated flood hazard mapping identified high flood risks and overnight safety concerns on the floodplain site.
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