THE GIFTING OF PANE PANE POINT TO THE TRIBE

Pane Pane Point is in two titles at the southern end of Matakana Island close to the harbour entrance to Tauranga.

It was among land confiscated following the 1864 battles of Gate Pa and Te Ranga.

The land was transferred back to Maori owners in 1877, then acquired by the Harbour board/Port of Tauranga under the Public Works Act in 1923 for a Pound an acre (178 ha approx 400 acres).

Then later transferred to WBOP District Council for management.

The purpose of the purchase was to place the Harbour lights there to direct Ships into the Tauranga Harbour. Also to stop erosion – Marram grass was planted and later Pine trees, this to stop sand moving and blocking the main channel into Tauranga Harbour which has been successful and all this is still happening today.

In 2011 Under the High Court decision – Palmer & Rolleston vs WBOP Council, the Judge found that the purpose for which the land was acquired in 1923 had continued without interruption through to the date of the hearing. There has been no change of use since.

On 29^th October 2020 the Western Bay Of Plenty District Council voted to gift the land back to local tribes at no cost.

Apparently it was not even offered back to the descendants of the original owners at market price as is the norm for Public Works Act acquisitions.

Public access to the foreshore would be protected in perpetuity through a 7ha public reserve and through a 20m esplanade strip around the coast.

This would secure public access for fishing off the wharf, walking the beach and using the recreational areas close to Panepane Purakau, such as water-skiing lanes.