Council History

The first Whakatane County Council was formed in 1876 and mainly covered the same areas of today’s Opotiki and Whakatane districts. 

In 1900 the first council split and became the Opotiki County Council and the second Whakatane County Council. The latter took care of all local government matters until 1917, when the Whakatane Borough Council and the third Whakatane County Council were formed.

These two bodies, together with the Whakatane Harbour Board, amalgamated in 1976 to become the Whakatane District Council. 

In 1989, in line with the nation-wide reorganisation of local government happening at the time, the Whakatane District Council amalgamated with the Murupara Borough Council. It also took in a portion of the Opotiki district in the Waimana/Nukuhou area, and a portion of the Taupo district comprising a large part of the Kaingaroa Forest.

Read our full History of Whakatane District Council (PDF 423Kb)