Mayor Wayne Brown with Stakeholder Advisory Group members supporting Māngere’s flood recovery. Photo: Supplied/Auckland Council
Two years after catastrophic floods, Māngere has become the first suburb in Auckland to break ground on a major climate adaptation initiative.
The two flood resilience projects - Te Ararata and Harania - promise long-term protection for one of the city's most flood-affected communities.
Once complete, the projects will reduce the flood risk for more than 350 homes, including some currently facing an intolerable risk to life.
The work is being carried out as part of Auckland Council's $2 billion Making Space for Water programme.
It will raise the country's largest sewerage pipe and replace Walmsley Road Bridge to allow stormwater to flow more freely into the Manukau Harbour.
Mana whenua from Te Ākitai Waiohua, supported by Ngāti Tamaoho and Te Ahiwaru, blessed the site at dawn.
Mayor Wayne Brown said it was a relief to launch something positive after such devastation.
"It's great to feel positive about something that has come out of a terrible day two years ago," Brown said.
"As that elderly lady said, 'you learn something from a seriously bad thing'," he said - referencing Māngere community leader Julia Tu'ineau.
He said Māngere was among the hardest-hit communities and that its resilience made it a fitting place to lead the programme.
Brown said the project reflected a shift in how the city planned growth.
"We've had development that's gone on for years - growth, growth, growth. But you've got to be bloody careful, because sometimes growth causes problems."
Māngere was chosen because the solution was ready and viable, he said.
"In some places, like Kumeū, there isn't a doable or economic solution. But here, it all fell into place - and the community has supported it."
Brown added that infrastructure wasn't always politically exciting, but it mattered.
"We're learning not to allow dumb stuff to be done," he said.
"Sometimes you have to say no to some things."
He cited a Muriwai subdivision the council tried to block, but was approved by the Environment Court - only for the land to shift during a flood a month later.
Floods devastated parts of Māngere during the anniversary floods of 2023. Photo: LDR/supplied
Manukau ward councillor Alf Filipaina credited strong collaboration - and an emergency order in council - for fast-tracking the work.
"It got these projects approved and shovel-ready in record time."
Julia Tu'ineau, who leads the volunteer Tararata Stream Team, said the floods - while devastating - created a rare opportunity for long-overdue change.
"As hard as it is to say, we're grateful for the crisis, because it created the urgency to finally act. Without it, we might still be waiting."
The problems they faced couldn't be fixed through community action alone, she said.
"It needed a change in policy or law - and the flooding has done that. So we are grateful. That's an awful thing to say, but it's good for Te Taiao to have some law changes that enforce better water treatment. Otherwise, we just have a dirty, smelly ditch."
Auckland Council's general manager of recovery Mace Ward echoed that sentiment.
"Don't waste a good crisis," he said.
"It's about people, and we've known for a long time that every time it rains, families here feel anxious. This project gives people peace of mind."
Ward said the council was now applying those lessons to streamline future projects across the city.
South Auckland first
Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board chair Tauanuʻu Nick Bakulich described the moment as emotional and significant.
"This is a big win for Māngere and for South Auckland," he said.
"There'll be disruption when Walmsley Bridge closes, but it's short-term pain for long-term gain."
The night before the blessing, local group I Am Māngere hosted a youth engagement evening to gather feedback for the area's recovery plan.
More than 70 rangatahi turned up for free haircuts, nails and banana splits - but the main goal was to hear their voices.
"We asked: were you affected by the floods? What support did you get? What does your community still need?" I Am Māngere CEO Toni Helleur said.
"Their insights were powerful - we turned it into a visual mural showing what recovery looks like through their eyes."
She said including young people was essential.
Mayor Wayne Brown with local leaders at the launch of Māngere’s first Making Space for Water project. Photo: Supplied/Auckland Council
What's ahead
Construction starts later this month, with completion expected by mid-2026.
In Te Ararata, Walmsley Road Bridge will be upgraded to improve water flow, a debris trap installed, and access created for maintenance crews.
In Harania, the embankment between Blake and Bicknell roads will be replaced with a pedestrian bridge and a pipe bridge carrying the Eastern Interceptor, which transports 70 percent of Auckland's wastewater from Ōkahu Bay to Māngere.
These improvements will allow local waterways to flow more freely and reduce the likelihood of future flooding.
Planning is underway for more blue-green infrastructure across Auckland.
"Today is just the beginning," Brown said.
"This is the kind of project that doesn't just make a place safer - it makes it stronger."
- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
