In the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle, several resilience-focused groups were formed and community meetings held, with locals expressing their fears that existing coastal and flood protection systems were no longer fit for purpose.

The decision to refresh and broaden the advocacy for protection and prevention was made after WOW (Walking on Water Inc) merged with a revitalised Cape Coast Community Group (CCCG) in mid-2023.

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WOW Inc, after 14-years of lobbying for coastal protection both battling alongside and at times against local authorities agreed to merge its mission to ‘Save the Cape Coast’ through affordable coastal protection solutions with CCCG.

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In doing so the mission both broadened and was refreshed. A detailed statement of key issues impacting coastal and flood protection was presented to a joint meeting of senior officials from Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC) and Hastings District Council (HDC) on 12 September 2023. The meeting convened by then Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst was attended by Regional Council Chair, Hinewai Ormsby, both councils' chief executives, and senior officers from Hastings District Council (HDC). It was agreed to establish a working group to address concerns around flood and coastal protection systems which would keep the community informed. In subsequent debriefing sessions agreed to establish the Cape Coast Flood Protection Group as a sub-group of the CCCG and merge WOW Inc assets into this group. It was clear there remained a strong need to have a single voice for the Haumoana to Clifton area representing flooding and coastal erosion concerns for ongoing meetings with Hawke’s Bay local authorities and officials and to consider matters arising from the ongoing Clifton to Tangoio Coastal

Hazards Strategy.

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Former CCCG President Honey Lee Blakeney-Cabot said a renewed approach to how the community could work collectively with councils bringing fresh ideas to the table was the catalyst behind the merger. “Rather than duplicating voices around similar goals and aspirations it made sense to have a single body with the best interests of the Cape Coast in mind,” said retiring WOW chairman Keith Newman.

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WOW was birthed by former HDC councillor Ann Redstone in 2009 after locals rejected the first of several unaffordable ‘protect or retreat’ options proposed for Haumoana and Te Awanga by the joint councils.

The initial proposal was for 13 groynes between Te Awanga and the existing groyne at the Tukituki River mouth costing over $18 million with 90% of the cost to be levied on coastal homeowners. The other option was managed retreat with over 100 homes in line to be red zoned. One other option, the default setting for many years, was ‘do nothing’. The community was furious and under the leadership of Ms Redstone a community meeting unanimously rejected of the proposal. A committee of 15 was formed and submissions were made immediately to both council annual plans.

 

The new WOW Inc charitable trust was told ‘prove you can come up

with a better plan and we’ll listen’. “Consequently, three peer reviewed

groyne-field projects initiated by WOW and its independent coastal

engineer were presented over seven years and rejected,”

says Newman.
 

WOW stood on the shoulders of multiple community groups. "Over the past 15-years we gave this unique stretch of coastline the name 'Cape Coast', and ‘Save the Cape Coast’ became our logo as we passionately sought to raise our profile and ensure its coastal, flood and stormwater systems were fit for purpose,” says Newman. He says the WOW legacy includes support for the installation and expansion of the Clifton limestone revetment wall (2016-2018), an end to Winstone’s mining at Awatoto (2016-17), lobbying long and hard for beach crest restoration and maintenance (2016-2018 and ongoing), and the building of the Cape View Corner revetment wall (2021). “We provided encouragement and perhaps incentive as a strong local voice on behalf of our wider community but in the end a great many people made those things happen including local councillors, council officers and artful contractors who know how to move rocks around and get things done.” When HDC put a pause on a three groyne plan to protect Cape View Corner in 2014, locals including WOW and CCCG members were told to engage with the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy 2020 to consider solutions.

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While HDC has independently supported two major protection measures, expanding the Clifton and Cape View corner revetment walls, Newman says the job is far from complete. WOW delivered its technical reports and documentation and its peer reviewed groyne-field proposals to the Coastal Hazards Technical Action Group (TAG) in 2016 “in the hope that something of our lobbying for affordable solutions will outlive us,” says Newman. “We live in hope of seeing sensible, affordable solutions being applied so that future generations aren’t left to carry the burden” says WOW founder and former three term Hastings’ councillor, Ann Redstone.

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WOW Inc subsequently deregistered as a charitable trust, with a handful of members joining CCCG

and subsequently the Cape Coast Flood Protection Group. “The renewed group is working with a

joint council action team to resolve concerns around storm, flood water and coastal protection to

ensure our section of the Hawke’s Bay coast is better prepared, protected and connected,” says

Newman