Community News

Expressions of Interest are now open for World of Cultures Festival and CultureFest 2026.

The festival includes many events and activities across the region from 21 March to 5 April 2026 with our signature event CultureFest – a full-day event at Mt Roskill on 29 March 2026.

To participate in CultureFest at Mt Roskill with a performance, apply here: https://tinyurl.com/bd5b6n5j
Deadline: 9am, Monday 5 January 2026

To participate in CultureFest as a craft/food/other stall holder, apply here: https://tinyurl.com/594wnf64

Deadline: 9am, Monday 5 January 2026Description goes here

Registration for EcoFest 2026,Sunday 22 March to Wednesday 22 April (Earth Day) are now open.

‍Registering Your Event is Free

‍Hosting an event is a great way to showcase the wonderful work you’re doing, share your environmental conservation knowledge, reach new audiences, recruit volunteers and activate collective local climate action.

‍Organise any event with an environmental or sustainability theme in Tāmaki Makaurau during EcoFest and register it with us by 31 January 2026 to be considered for inclusion in the printed festival flyer and make the most of the festival launch.

‍Organising Your Event

‍Events can range from guided nature walks to film screenings, stream restoration days to family bike rides, hands-on workshops, cooking classes and more. You are welcome to include your regular ‘business-as-usual’ eco events, working bees and volunteer sessions. View the 2025 programme for more inspiration on what kind of event you could host full of imaginative, community-driven events that made a real impact.

The 2026 festival dates include Easter weekend from Friday 3 to Monday 6 April and the school holidays are Friday 3 April to Sunday 19 April. 

‍We really encourage events for tamariki and whānau during the weekdays of the school holidays.‍ ‍

If you have questions about being part of EcoFest, would like to discuss an event idea or anything else, feel free to get in touch with our Festival Coordinator, Ana, on ecofest@ecomatters.org.nz or 021 394 447.

The Event Categories Are

- Waka hourua / Clean transport and energy
- Kīnaki kai reka / Foodies’ fix‍
- Te whaihanga / Makers’ mayhem
- Torohē nuku / Explore nature
- ‍Mauri noho / Conscious living

EcoFest is a collaboration between EcoMatters Environment Trust, Kaipātiki Project, Beautification Trust, and Waiheke Resources Trust.

‍At EcoMatters we are looking after event hosts in the local board areas of Whau, Waitākere Ranges, Henderson-Massey, Waitematā, Maungakiekie-Tāmaki and Ōrākei and central Auckland. If you are hosting an event outside these areas feel free to get in touch and we will figure out the best option for you. We are very thankful for the support we receive from the local boards, we couldn’t run the festival without them‍. ‍

Shaping the Future of Your Community: Local Board Plans 2026

Every three years, post elections, Auckland’s 21 local boards work with their communities to develop a local board plan — a strategic document that sets out local priorities and preferences, and guides how council delivers services and investment in each area.

Work will start shortly on the draft Local Board Plans 2026

Why early conversations matter

Local Board Plans are more than just council documents — they are community roadmaps. They reflect what people value most about their neighbourhoods and identify what needs to change or improve.

Early conversations help shape direction before formal consultation begins. They allow local boards to test ideas, understand community aspirations, and identify shared priorities. When people engage early, their voices help define what success looks like — from local parks and facilities to transport connections, climate action, and community wellbeing.

Working together for better outcomes

Local boards are supported by teams across Auckland Council who provide expert advice and data to inform the plans.

But the most valuable insights often come directly from the community. When residents, mana whenua, businesses, and community groups share their perspectives early, local boards can make more informed, confident decisions that truly reflect local needs and opportunities.

What happens next

Over the coming months, you will have the opportunity to take part in early engagement activities — through local events, online feedback, and conversations with key groups and partners.

Your input will help shape the draft of each Local Board Plan, which will be formally consulted on in mid-2026.

How you can get involved

Together, we can create plans that reflect the aspirations, identity, and priorities of every community across Auckland — and set a strong direction for the next three years.

Auckland Council launches essential guide to new life in Tāmaki Makaurau

Auckland Council is thrilled to announce the launch of its Welcome to Auckland web portal— a helpful and essential guide for anyone making Tāmaki Makaurau their new home. 

The portal aims to ease the transition for new residents by acting as a central hub for information, community services and civic participation, ensuring newcomers feel a sense of belonging from day one.  

The initiative is built on the Welcoming Communities framework – an international programme led in Aotearoa by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and is aligned with the Auckland Plan and the city’s strategic objectives for Thriving Communities.   

The Welcome to Auckland portal is not just a website; it's an invitation to engage. The resource was shaped by shared experiences of newcomers to Auckland as well as mana whenua and their perspectives on iwi roles in welcoming newcomers and making it a doorway to culture, values and an understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Iwi and Hapū of Tāmaki Makaurau, as well as cultural events like Matariki. 

Alongside the digital platform, a practical orientation programme of workshops is being rolled out in partnership with community organisations across nine local boards. These workshops give new residents hands-on information on everything from public transport and accessing local services to participating in civic life. 

Nau mai, Haere mai ki Tāmaki Makaurau. Your journey to belonging starts here: Welcome to Auckland – a practical guide for newcomers.

We are in need of volunteers to help with all manner of roles in prep during the afternoons, and service in the evenings. If you're keen to support an awesome kaupapa with community-minded people and get fed while you do it, look no further.

We are able to do what we do for the community because of the community - the volunteers are the heart and soul of the place. Where there is need, there is a need for volunteering, and let me tell you: WE NEED VOLUNTEERS!

Have a look through our website for volunteering opportunities - you can sign up and volunteer as often or as little, as regularly or irregularly as suits, as long as you do come! Where else can you come be a part of a fold and eat something delicious that you know is making a difference for someone else who needs it!

Donate your pre-loved women's and men's clothing and gently loved handbags - every item helps fund free, compassionate palliative care.

Drop off - 107 Main Highway, Ellerslie

Kāinga Ora put together a monthly panui updating the community on what they are doing in the area.

You can read the panui here.

St Heliers Centre was founded on the principle of caring for our local community, so we're happy to share our excellent facilities with groups, individuals and families who are looking for a safe and welcoming space.

Tagalad, an Auckland Council facility which St Heliers Community Centre manages, is a perfect space to host a birthday party, family gathering, reunion, event or class/workshop. Book the Hall and Lawns will have access to the whole venue - great if you'd like separate spaces and access to the reserve, lawns for putting up a gazebo for outside seating or even bigger outdoor games.

Please note that there is a $250 SpaceProtect/Bond fee. This will be fully refunded to you if the space is left in a satisfactory condition.

Weekend event bookings minimum 3 hours

Hato Hone St John is offering a vital FREE one-hour education programme, Ngā Tohu Whakaora e Toru (3 Steps for Life), designed to give all New Zealanders the confidence to act when someone suffers an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

What You Will Learn

Calling 111: Knowing how to quickly connect with expert call handlers to send the right help.

Starting CPR: Learning the simple, vital steps of CPR.

Using an AED: Understanding how an AED works to deliver a shock and restore a natural heart rhythm.

By taking part, you are gaining the skills to step up in an emergency, helping us build stronger, healthier communities—one life saved at a time.