New Coastguard Facility Strengthens Maketū’s Rescue Capability

On a calm sunny day, the coastline from Pāpāmoathrough to Matatā can look deceptively safe. Boats stream out from the KaitunaRiver, heading towards popular fishing and diving spots.

But beneath that calm surface, conditionscan shift quickly – particularly at the Kaituna River bar where changing tidesand strong currents can turn routine trips into emergencies.

It’s a level of activity that brings bothopportunity and risk – and one that is only expected to grow.

The Maketū Volunteer Coastguard covers alarge and complex stretch of coastline, including the Kaituna River, the Maketūand Pukehina estuaries, offshore islands and multiple bar crossings known forchallenging conditions.

At the same time, rapid residential growthis reshaping the region. With significant expansion planned for Pāpāmoa, morepeople will soon be living near the coast, and more boats will be heading outonto the water.

That combination is expected to increasepressure on a volunteer service that already responds to between 40 and 50callouts each year, ranging from mechanical breakdowns through to seriouslife-threatening incidents.

Ready to Respond

Behind every callout is a team of trained volunteerswho are on standby 24/7.

“We’ve got 18 wet trained crew and we’vegot four skippers with another two or three in training,” says Maketū VolunteerCoastguard treasurer and secretary Geoff Oliver. “There's always some peopleaway, and not everyone can get to a callout. So as long as we've got a crew ofbetween three and six people, we're away.”

That readiness is critical in a regionwhere distances are large, conditions are unpredictable, and time can make allthe difference. But for all the commitment and capability within the team, theway the unit is currently set up makes their job harder than it needs to be.

For more than 20 years, the Maketū VolunteerCoastguard has operated without a single, central base. Instead, vessels andequipment are spread across the township – stored in containers, small shedsand shared spaces, including the surf club, the fire station and locationsalong the Kaituna River.

“Rightnow, if we are struggling to get our main Eastpack Rescue boat over the bar atlow tide, we have to get our smaller boat called Kohanui Rescue. We have topull it behind a tractor and drive from Maketu right round to the Kaituna boatramp at Ford Road. So that’s an extra 20 minutes in an emergency, which you canimagine is quite important.”

New Rescue Base

To address these challenges, the Coastguardis building a new purpose-designed facility at 83 Ford Road, directly oppositethe Kaituna boat ramp. It will bring vessels, vehicles and equipment togetherin one location, positioned close to the water and the unit’s primary rescuearea.

The building will also be elevated aboveflood levels and designed to provide clear visibility of the Kaituna Riverentrance.

“We will be able to see down and out to theentrance which is where quite a lot of the boats flip over,” Geoff explains. “Bringing all ourequipment, boats, tractor and jet skis together in one location, close to ourmain rescue vessel, is going to make it so much easier, particularly in anemergency.”

Alongside improving response times, thefacility will provide a more secure and resilient base for operations, as wellas a space for training, community engagement and coordination with otheragencies such as NZ Police, Hato Hone St John and Fire and Emergency NZ.

A Community Effort

The $1.2 million project has been severalyears in the making, with funding secured from a range of organisations andongoing local fundraising.

BayTrust has contributed $50,000 towardsthe shed’s build costs, alongside financial support from Coastguard New Zealand,TECT and other funders. “BayTrust has been great to us over the years… we’revery grateful for their support,” says Geoff.

The new facility is scheduled forcompletion by the end of 2026. As the Bay of Plenty region grows and morepeople take to the water, the role of the Maketū Volunteer Coastguard will onlybecome more important. The new facility will not only improve efficiency, but itwill strengthen the unit’s ability to respond when it matters most.

Because on this coastline, where conditionscan change in an instant, even a few minutes can make all the difference.

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