Waihī Beach

13/09/2026

Evenings are getting longer, and you know what that means… summer is just around the corner!! ☀️

This one is shaping up to be a real goodie!! We’ve got two dates for you to add to your calendars right now: December 19th, Christmas in the Village is back by popular demand!! With our long table Christmas dinner, free Christmas crafts, activities, carols and more right in the centre of our Village - you’re invited to celebrate the festive season with us!

Then, on January 30th, we’re bringing you Beach Fest!! A free, fun day out that you will not want to miss! We’re working hard behind the scenes to make sure that this one is an event you’ll want to come back to year after year ☀️ We’ll have plenty more to share closer to the time 🤫

We’re not the only ones making Waihī Beach a must visit location this summer though. Over the next few months, keep checking our website to see What’s On and why our little slice of paradise is a must-visit for so many every year! 🙌

📸 Chantae

10/09/2026

It's been just over a week since the Katikati & Waihī Beach Excellence Awards, and we're still buzzing from such a special night.

First, an enormous thank you to our sponsors. This night simply isn't possible without you. To our major sponsor Barfoot & Thompson, and to the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, thank you for your continued support of our local business community. And to Katikati Rotary, Craigs Investmengt Partners and our co-presenting partner Katch Katikati, ngā mihi maioha.

To every category sponsor, thank you for backing your category and celebrating our winners and finalists alongside us:

Hospitality Excellence, proudly sponsored by Athenree Hot Springs & Holiday Park - winner Debrief Café, finalist Beach Road Deli
Retail Excellence, sponsored by underscore19 design studio - winner Four Square Katikati, finalist Out of the Wild Petfood
Small Business Excellence, sponsored by Kaimai Law Katikati - winner Beach Road Deli, finalist KatiFit Gym
Event of the Year, sponsored by Elliotts Funeral Services - winner Katikati A&P Show, finalist ECHO Walking Festival
Employee of the Year, sponsored by Dynamic Media - winner Jan de Faye, finalist Cindy Boonzaaier
Tourism Provider of the Year, sponsored by Craigs Investment Partners - winner Athenree Hot Springs & Holiday Park, finalist The Arts Junction
Sportsmanship Award, sponsored by Harwood Builders - winner Michael Williams, finalist Jenna McCready
Local Hero Award, sponsored by Beach Vets - winner Andrew Cochrane, finalist Cindy Clare
Tradesperson of the Year, sponsored by Owens Flooring - winner Dez Procter, The Handyman Can, finalist Konrad Williams, K Williams Electrical
Cultural Ambassador of the Year, sponsored by Talisman Hotel - winner Reon Tuanau, finalist Western Bay Museum
Organisation of the Year, sponsored by Camille Betham & Associates - winner Waihī Beach Lifeguard Services Inc., finalist Renaturing Katikati

Whether you took home the win or stood proudly as a finalist, being recognised in the Katikati & Waihī Beach Excellence Awards is no small feat, and every one of you should be so proud of what you've built and given to this community.

A special mention too to Wilderkin, not only for the beautiful cocktails on the night, but for always showing up for local events, it means a lot to have businesses like yours backing our community. And to Fairview Golf & Country Club, thank you for such an incredible venue to host it all.

Huge thanks as well to The Photobooth Lady and to Cassandra Sharp Photographer for capturing every moment of the evening so beautifully. If you haven’t seen the winners' photos yet, you’ll find those a little further down our page. And you can see all of the Photobooth photos here: https://thephotoboothlady.queensberryworkspace.com/wbkkbusinessawards2026

To our MC Brad, thank you for keeping the night flowing with such warmth. And to our speakers, Brodie, Chris and Jase, you were absolutely incredible, and a real highlight of the evening. It was such a privilege to have Nadia Lim with us too, not just for her wonderful Q&A session, but to have her spend the whole evening celebrating alongside us.

It was such a special night to come together as a community and celebrate the people and businesses that make Katikati and Waihī Beach so special. Ngā mihi nui to everyone who was part of it.

09/09/2026

Yesterday was such a summer tease here at Waihī Beach 🙊 In my (completely unbiased) opinion, there is no better place to spend a long weekend, mid-week getaway, extended break or… life ☀️

We’ve got accommodation for everyone. From waterfront campsites to lodges with unforgettable views. Stock up for a BBQ dinner at the local stores, or eat out at one of our delish eateries. Come with a suitcase full, or treat yourself to whatever you need (/want) in our Village when you’re here.

Petrol, laundry, saunas and hot pools for rainy day activities, some of the most incredible walks and views you’ll ever see, fishing, boating, surfing, an accessible beach front so everyone can enjoy our slice of paradise and a bunch of friendly locals that want you to enjoy your time here just as much as they do!

Summer planning starts now. So, I guess we’ll be seeing you at Waihī Beach this summer?

Or you can just come now if you want, that works too 💁🏽‍♀️

06/09/2026

A very sad loss for the Waihī Beach community 💙 You will be so missed, Jim.

A sad farewell from the ECHO family ❤️

It is with great sadness that we share the news that Jim Cowern has passed away.

Jim has been such an important part of the ECHO Walking Festival family for many years, and his passing leaves a very large Jim-shaped hole in our little motley crew.

Jim was a committed member of our committee, a wealth of knowledge, always willing to lend a hand, share his experience, tell a story and, more often than not, keep us grounded with his quiet wisdom and good humour. But beyond all of that, Jim was a friend.

He really was one of the good guys.

We know that Jim was known and loved by many throughout the wider ECHO family, not just those of us who sat around the committee table. His contribution to ECHO, his generosity with his time and knowledge, and the friendships he made along the way have left a lasting mark on our festival.

We will miss his humour, his stories, his knowledge and, most of all, simply having Jim there.

Our thoughts are with Jim’s family and loved ones at this incredibly sad time.

From all of us in the ECHO family – thank you, Jim. For everything you gave to ECHO, and to us.

You will be deeply missed, but you will always be part of ECHO. ❤️

04/09/2026

What a night! A room full of incredibly talented people, businesses and organisations who make this corner of the Bay such a great place to live, work and visit came together last night to celebrate the Katikati & Waihī Beach Excellence Awards.

Congratulations to our 2026 winners:

🥇 Retail Excellence - Katikati Four Square
🥇 Small Business Excellence - Beach Road Deli
🥇 Hospitality Excellence - Debrief Café, Katikati
🥇 Event of the Year - Katikati A&P Show
🥇 Employee of the Year - Jan de Faye
🥇 Tourism Provider of the Year - Athenree Hot Springs & Holiday Park
🥇 Sportsmanship Award - Michael Williams
🥇 Local Hero Award - Andrew Cochrane
🥇 Tradesperson of the Year - Dez Procter, The Handyman Can
🥇 Cultural Ambassador of the Year - Reon Tuanau
🥇 Organisation of the Year - Waihī Beach Lifeguard Services Inc.

To every finalist across all categories, congratulations and thank you for everything you do here. If it were up to me you’d all win gold!

📸 More photos from the evening to come!!

04/09/2026

🏆 KATIKATI & WAIHĪ BEACH BUSINESS AWARDS 2026 | WINNERS 🏆

What a night celebrating the incredible people, businesses, organisations and community champions who make our area such a special place to live, work and visit. 💚💙🌴

A huge congratulations to all our winners! 👏

RETAIL EXCELLENCE
🥇 Katikati Four Square

SMALL BUSINESS EXCELLENCE
🥇 Beach Road Deli

HOSPITALITY EXCELLENCE
🥇 Debrief Café, Katikati

EVENT OF THE YEAR
🥇 Katikati A&P Show

EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
🥇 Jan de Faye

TOURISM PROVIDER OF THE YEAR
🥇 Athenree Hot Springs & Holiday Park

SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
🥇 Michael Williams

LOCAL HERO AWARD
🥇 Andrew Cochrane

TRADESPERSON OF THE YEAR
🥇 Dez Procter, The Handyman Can

CULTURAL AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR
🥇 Reon Tuanau

ORGANISATION OF THE YEAR
🥇 Waihī Beach Lifeguard Services Inc.

Congratulations to every winner and finalist in all categories. And a special mention to those who couldn't be with us on the night, we missed you - we hope you get to celebrate the honour in your own time

01/09/2026

Oh, I don’t know… can you guess our favourite colour? 💁‍♀️

Blue skies, blue water. Winter at Waihī Beach could not have been more perfect this year! ✨ Today marks the meteorological start of spring here in New Zealand (yes!! 🙌), but the extra daylight hours we typically associate with the season, the spring equinox (which marks the start of astronomical spring), is another three weeks later, on September 23rd… but we’ll forgive you if you start celebrating now 🫶

We can almost smell summer coming 🙊

27/08/2026

Tonight we hosted our AGM, and celebrated 20 years of Waihī Beach Events & Promotions!! 🎉

Twenty years of summer fun, Christmas celebrations, community love, sharing our slice of paradise with you all, and everything in between!

Party hats were mandatory for the occasion - obviously (though Todd’s kept losing the battle with his own head, the strings on these things simply aren’t built for a man of his stature 😂).

A special mention to Andy from Flatwhite, who’s been part of the furniture since day one, with 20 years under his belt 👏

We’re super proud of what we’ve been able to achieve 🥂 Here’s to the next 20 🎉 Thank you for being part of it!

26/08/2026

Watching the sunrise here at Waihī Beach isn’t just beautiful, it’s actually really good for you! Morning light exposure helps regulate your body’s internal clock, supporting better sleep and steadier mood. It’s also linked to a natural boost in serotonin, the ‘feel-good’ chemical, and can help top up vitamin D levels that dip when the days are short.

And that sound isn’t just soothing to listen to, the rhythmic, low-frequency nature of ocean waves has been linked in research to reduced stress and a calmer nervous system ✨

However you take in a Waihī Beach sunrise this winter, whether on a walk, with rod in hand, out on the boat or a cuppa on the sand, it’s doing you good - and we recommend you keep doing it, allll year long here at Waihī Beach 😉

🎥 Video taken at Bowentown yesterday morning by Chantae

24/08/2026

This is your sign to book your winter escape at Waihī Beach ✨ Today it was warm enough to sit on the beach with a coffee, dip my feet in the ocean and take all of this in with absolutely no one else around 🥺 Our eateries and stores are open, we’ve got hot pools and saunas to keep you nice and toasty, beautiful walking tracks with hardly anyone else on them and accommodation to suit everyone 🥰 come and visit us at Waihī Beach, and stay a while - we think you’ll love it here!