Wai Manawa / Le Roys Bush tracks reopen
The popular walking route through Wai Manawa / Le Roys Bush from Birkenhead to Little Shoal Bay has reopened following major repairs to tracks damaged in the 2023 Auckland Anniversary floods. Major slips during these floods washed away tracks, boardwalks and surrounding native bush, leaving parts of the popular route inaccessible until repairs were completed this October.
Kaipātiki Local Board chair Danielle Grant says the reopening restores an important connection for the community. “Wai Manawa / Le Roys Bush is such a special place for our community, and it’s wonderful to see people able to enjoy the full route between Birkenhead and Little Shoal Bay again. The 2023 floods caused extensive damage, so reopening these tracks is a significant milestone. Thank you to everyone involved in restoring the route, as well as the local volunteers and neighbours who continue to care for the bush. We encourage everyone to get back out and enjoy the track, while continuing to use the cleaning stations and stay on the formed paths to help protect our native trees.”
Repairs across three major slip sites included new tracks, stairs and boardwalks, as well as a new 17m timber bridge positioned away from the existing slip path. A new track and boxed steps also take walkers safely around an unstable area. The physical repairs cost $295,531. Most of this work was funded through Auckland Council’s regional slips budget, while the Kaipātiki Local Board funded and led the design.
Working within the steep bush environment brought some unexpected challenges. When the construction team found a large, buried log beneath a planned retaining wall, they changed the design and built a boardwalk further up the hillside. This reduced excavation, cost and disturbance to the surrounding area.
The reopened route offers another way to explore one of Kaipātiki’s special natural areas, whether walking between Birkenhead and Little Shoal Bay or simply enjoying some time outdoors. Visitors can continue helping protect the bush by staying on tracks and boardwalks and using the cleaning stations. These familiar steps can also help protect tānekaha (celery pine) while investigations into signs of decline continue. The cause has not yet been confirmed.
Search Wai Manawa / Le Roys Bush at aucklandcouncil.govt.nz to plan your walk.
North Shore Brass hits a high note
Takapuna-based North Shore Brass has won the New Zealand National Brass Band Championships A Grade for the first time in its 103-year history. For more than a decade, the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board has supported the band to bring live brass music, performances and music education to communities across Devonport, Takapuna and the wider North Shore.
In 2024/25, the board provided $10,000 in operational funding to support performances, access to instruments and teaching programmes in brass and percussion, with a particular focus on young people. During the year, North Shore Brass delivered 39 programmes reaching 2,860 participants.
Local board chair Trish Deans says the win is an outstanding achievement. “We’re proud to support an organisation that brings music, connection and community to the North Shore.”
Find out more about North Shore Brass and its upcoming performances at northshorebrass.org.nz
