Harbour-Wharf Masterplan
ŌDC has created a masterplan for the harbour and wharf area.
The Ōpōtiki Harbour Development is on track to open at the end of 2023. This is an exciting time, and we are well placed to plan out how the community wants the harbour and wharf space to look and function over the next five, 10, 20 years.
ŌDC has created a masterplan to maximise the benefits of the harbour development project, for both recreational and commercial users of the new harbour. Council endorsed the Opotiki Harbour-Wharf Masterplan at the 27 September 2022 Council meeting.
You can read the Harbour-Wharf Masterplan here and read the report for Council here.
Some key features of the masterplan are:
- it identifies the users of the harbour and wharf areas, and enables Council to strategically plan its assets and services, to maximise the many different benefits the harbour development project will bring to the district
- it identifies the best economic opportunities that Council and the public can pursue when the harbour opens (e.g., the wharf has been identified as a location where charter boats and tourism business could operate from because it’s well connected to the town centre)
- it plans ahead for the increase of recreational fishers Ōpōtiki district expects to receive short after the harbour opens, by planning our purpose-built facilities
- it provides recreational value for users of the wharf and build on the other recreational facilities in the town centre by looking to connect these two areas.
Thank you to the members of the community that got in touch with Council and gave their feedback on the consultation sketches. Particular thanks to Ōpōtiki Primary School for being a part of the engagement day down at the wharf and presenting your wharf survey results to Council.
Snell Road – Stage 1, 2 and 3
The layout for the site has been designed to allow the site to be delivered in stages. Potential stages are:

- the ramp delivered as part of the harbour project is adapted for use by the public
- car parking facilities are provided
- this can include boat washdown

- toilet facilities are provided
- the ramp is extended and adapted to provide four lanes
- area provided for boats to be tied up whilst boat owners park or collect their car and trailer
- larger area of car parking provided
- opportunity to provide additional building/s for complementary commercial uses

- full provision of facilities

Key features of the Snell Road site are:
- new public boat ramp with direct access to Pākihikura
- provides a high-quality boat launching and retrieving facility as the new Harbour opens, but located away from town to remove traffic congestion
- four-lane boat ramp with floating pontoons and rock groynes, toilets, boat wash down area and boat queuing, fenced compound with CCTV for security, amenity planting
- walking and cycling linkage along Snell Road
- the ability to scale the site up if/when demand increases over time.
Revitalised wharf
Many thanks to Ōpōtiki Primary School for coming along to the engagement day at the wharf, and for presenting their survey to Council.


- opportunities for mana whenua to design and express local matauranga through entry features
- improved wharf for charter boats to pick up and drop off visitors close to town
- public toilets provided as part of the redeveloped Coastguard building
- family BBQ and picnic areas for residents and users
- relocatable café/commercial building to provide services for the wharf users
- children’s playing area expanded, and dedicated fishing areas installed
- improved links of the Motu Trails through the wharf area.
You can read the Ōpōtiki Harbour-Wharf Masterplan and Implementation Plan on the Council website, and feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions.
We sincerely thank everyone who got in touch to let us know their thoughts and look forward to developing these area alongside the community.