Buller District Council

15/06/2026

🎉 Buller Youth Festival 2026: Wednesday 12 August

👀 Check out the details for this year's Buller Youth Festival, hosted by Te Reo a Te Taiohi ⬇

📣 Shout out to rangatahi across the coast who would like to be involved on the day:

👉 Ask your school, or if you're not involved with a school, contact the festival team directly: 📧 [email protected]

14/06/2026

📣 You’re invited – Help shape Buller’s reserves!

🎤 We’re hosting an information evening tomorrow in Reefton to give you the chance to learn more about our Draft Reserves Management Plan 2026.

🛝🌳Our parks, beaches, sports fields, picnic spots, and community spaces are at the heart of Buller—places where we connect, relax, and play. Now’s your opportunity to help shape how your local reserves are managed and developed.

🧭The plan sets the vision, objectives, and policies that guide how Council will care for and enhance these spaces—covering everything from day-to-day management to long-term improvements.

👉 Join us tomorrow to learn more and ask questions.
📆Date: 16 June 2026
📍 Location: Reefton Cinema
📮Address: Corner of Smith and Shiel Streets, Reefton 7830
⏰Time: 5:30pm - 6:30pm

🔗 Learn more or make a submission here: https://letstalk.bullerdc.govt.nz/draft-reserve...

Love your reserve? Have your say.🌿 See less

12/06/2026

Alcohol licence notice 🍻

🍾 Wild Coast Ltd has made application to the District Licensing Committee at Westport for a renewal of On-Licence in respect of the premises situated at 4300 Coast Road, Punakaiki and known as Pancake Rocks Cafe.

🍷 The general nature of the business to be conducted under the licence is Cafe.

🥂 The days and the hours during which alcohol is intended to be sold under the licence are:

On Licence: Monday till Sunday 11:00 am till 10:00 pm.

👉 Read more here: https://tinyurl.com/3wuyha5b

Published on 12 June 2026

25-day objection period ends 20 July 2026.

12/06/2026

📢 Media Release Resource Consent granted for Avery’s stopbank in Westport

The Avery’s stopbank in Westport has been granted Resource Consent from the West Coast Regional Council (WCRC) and Buller District Council (BDC).

The stopbank will provide protection to 30 to 40 properties in the Orowaiti Road area, which are at risk of overflow from the estuary. It forms part of the larger Lower Orowaiti section of flood protection. 🪨🪨🪨🦺

West Coast Regional Council Buller Constituency representative Mark McIntyre welcomes the news.

‍ ‍“This is great for the Westport Flood Protection Scheme team and for the wider community. It has been some time coming but it is another step forward for the project.

It’s important for us that the community knows that we are really committed to this flood protection scheme, and a lot of work is going into delivering it. We have two other consents being processed and a huge amount of planning and investigation work going on elsewhere,” says Mr McIntyre.

‍ The Avery’s stopbank is being delivered by WCRC. The project team is working through the consent conditions, and a construction start date will be advised at a later date. 🚧👷‍♂️🦺

You can read the full media release on our website:

https://www.resilientwestport.co.nz/news/media-release-resource-consent-granted-for-averys-stopbank-in-westport

Coast Regional Council
District Council

Image shows: Indicative map of the Avery’s stopbank.

11/06/2026

🗑 Waste services contract extended

🤝 The waste services contract between Buller District Council (BDC) and Smart Environmental has been extended and zone one residents will use pre-paid rubbish bags for another year.

👉 For more information, visit: https://tinyurl.com/3vfbkvcm

11/06/2026

SH6 UPPER BULLER GORGE, TASMAN – BRIDGE STRENGTHENING
UPDATE 10 JUNE

Plan ahead for ongoing works to strengthen the O’Sullivans Bridge, occasional STOP/GOs will be in place until 3 July as required.

From Monday 6 July to Friday 31 July, STOP/GOs will be in place weekdays between 7:30am-5:30pm, DELAYS of up to 10 minutes are expected.

A 30km/h temporary speed limit will be in place for the duration of the work.

Project engineers have adjusted the design and simplified the construction approach. It means the series of 30-minute planned closures for the bridge, scheduled daily from 15 to 26 June are no longer needed.

Read more here: https://nzta.govt.nz/media-releases/update-closures-no-longer-required-for-state-highway-6-osullivans-bridge-strengthening

Updated NZTA post: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BH1VZZ6fg/

SH6 UPPER BULLER GORGE, TASMAN – BRIDGE STRENGTHENING

Plan ahead for various works to strengthen the O’Sullivans Bridge, below is the work schedule:

• STOP/GO’s from Monday 25 to Friday 29 May, 7:30am-5:30pm
• STOP/GO’s from Tuesday 2 to Friday 12 June, 7:30am-5:30pm
• STOP/GO’s from Monday 15 to Friday 26 June, 7:30am-9am & 3:30pm-5:30pm
• 30-minute CLOSURES between 9am-3:30pm on the hour from Monday 15 to Friday 26 June
• STOP/GO’s from Monday 29 June to Friday 3 July, 7:30am-5:30pm

Crews will be working only during the weekdays. Road users are to expect DELAYS of 10-15 minutes when stop/go traffic management is in place.

Full schedule and other details available in our media release here: nzta.govt.nz/closures-required-for-state-highway-6-osullivans-bridge-strengthening

These works are dependent on various factors and may be rescheduled at short notice. ^AP

11/06/2026

New battery recycling contract signed

🪫 Buller District Council (BDC) has entered into a partnership with Mitre 10 and Smart Environmental Ltd (SEL) to improve battery recycling across the district.

♻ BDC currently has four battery collection points: the Westport and Reefton Transfer Stations, the Karamea Resource Recovery Centre and Disposal Facility, and the Maruia Landfill.

👉 For more information, visit: https://tinyurl.com/3fs4h5zj

11/06/2026

❗Reefton Cinema screenings to pause temporarily between 18 June and 2 July 2026

Movie screenings at the Reefton Cinema will temporarily be on hold from Thursday 18 June to allow for staff leave 🗓

🍿Normal screenings will resume on Thursday 2 July 2026 in readiness for the school holidays.

📽 Only cinema screenings are affected – public information sessions will be hosted at the facility on:

✅ Tuesday 16 June (Reserves Management Plan)
✅ Thursday 25 June (West Coast Local Government Reform community drop-in session).

Council apologises for any inconvenience the short-term operating hours change may cause.

💻 Read the full media release here: https://tinyurl.com/ydthjn3z

10/06/2026

📅 Updated meeting and workshop schedule for June

👉 Workshop: Local Government Reform
17 June, starting 1:00 pm
Clocktower Chambers

👉 Extraordinary Council Meeting: Appointment of Coast Waters Directors
24 June, starting 1:00 pm
Clocktower Chambers

👉 Workshop: Health & Safety
24 June, starting 2:00 pm
Clocktower Chambers

👉 Community Committee Meeting
24 June, starting 3:30 pm
Clocktower Chambers

👉 Risk and Audit Committee Meeting
24 June, starting at the conclusion of the Community Committee Meeting
Clocktower Chambers

👉 Ordinary Council Meeting
30 June, starting 3:30 pm
Clocktower Chambers

There may be elements of the meeting or workshop that are public excluded. The agenda will explain why the public is excluded under LGOIMA 1987.

You can tune into all public Council meetings and workshops on Council’s YouTube channel Buller District Council 👀

A public forum session is available at the beginning of the Council meeting 💬

If you want to address Council during the public forum session or have any questions about these meetings, please contact:

Governance Team
📞 phone 0800 807 239 or 📨 email [email protected]

10/06/2026

🛩 DWC extends support for Westport air service 🛩

👩‍✈ Development West Coast (DWC) has approved an extension of its support package for the Westport–Wellington air service, helping maintain flights while Central Government continues to consider longer-term support options for essential regional air routes.

📍 The extension will allow the current Originair twice weekly services between Wellington and Westport on Mondays and Fridays to continue through to Monday, 24 August.

💭 Buller District Mayor Chris Russell has welcomed DWC’s support for the Westport - Wellington air service, saying it supports our local economy, provides access to essential services, and helps keep our communities connected.

👉 For more information, visit: https://tinyurl.com/4d96vxhe