Pauanui Dune Protection Society

From bare, eroded sand cliffs in 2021 to thriving, healthy dunes today, Pauanui’s dunes have been transformed thanks to our community’s hard work.

Our impact so far:

• $140,000 raised through grants, donations, and community support

• 50,000+ native sand-binding plants planted

• Over 1 kilometre of beach cliffs reshaped and replanted

• Areas of the North and South Ends cleared of weeds and rejuvenated through spraying and community weeding bees.

Why healthy dunes matter:

Healthy dunes trap wind-blown sand, grow seaward, and help beaches recover naturally after storms, protecting homes, grass reserves, and the wider community. Without ongoing care, invasive weeds take over, leading to severe erosion and limited recovery ability.

Thames-Coromandel District Council and Waikato Regional Council have been key funding and technical partners, but caring for our dunes is ultimately a shared community responsibility. Having your financial support allows us our Society to progress this important project significantly each year. We are now in our 5th year.

This is your opportunity to help us. Your support is needed to help complete the final large-scale dune reshaping and planting programme next May and to put in place a sustainable way to care for the dunes into the future along the full length of Pauanui Beach.