Waikawau Boat Ramp

Welcome to the Waikawau Boat Ramp Society

The Waikawau Boat ramp is located 30 minutes north of Thames on the Thames to Coromandel Coast road.

Access to the Firth of Thames via a double concrete ramp. The river is dredged on a regular basis to allow access for boats up to 5 metres at, or close to, low tide. Larger boats should allow an hour on either side of the tide.

The ramp is a short distance up the river providing safe protected launching and retrieving from the prevailing westerly wind.

The Waikawau mussel farms are around 7 minutes from the mouth of the river providing excellent fishing a short distance from land.

The ramp is used by up to 350 boats a day over the summer holidays so be prepared to be patient and considerate of others on busy days. The ramp is operated by an incorporated society and is self funding via membership fees and launching fees.

Launch Fee

Waikawau boat ramp offers two payment options for launching and retrieving at Waikawau, an annual membership or a boat ramp day pass (casual user). One of these options must be in place prior to launching or retrieving at Waikawau to avoid a $65 breach notice.

Daily charges

Non-Members: $15.00 a day

Click here to purchase a boat ramp day pass https://parkeasyqr.com/?mid=WBR_VRTLWB01-NZ

Note the day pass is only valid on the day of purchase, it cannot be pre-purchased for a later date.

Day passes can also be purchased at the ramp by scanning the QR code on the signs and making payment, but you will need data on your phone for this to work. Payment options allow for visa and mastercard. Cash is no longer accepted at Waikawau Boat Ramp.

Members: Annual members do not pay a daily launch fee

Membership Fee: $50.00 per year, membership based on tow vehicle registration

For more information and to join, click here: https://www.waikawauboatramp.co.nz/join-the-society/

Click for Current Tide Times

Community Notice Board

16 July 2025

AGM coming up – Sunday 3 AUGUST 2025 – 10am at the Thames Sailing Club

Please keep an eye out for our latest newsletter which we hope to email out this week. This has important information about the Waikawau Boat Ramp Society Inc – if you don’t receive a copy of the newsletter, it may be because we don’t have your correct email address. Please let us know next week if you haven’t received a copy, we will put a copy on the website as well. The email will be coming from a new email address – boating@waikawauboatramp.co.nz

The new Incorporated Societies Act 2022 (2022 Act) came into effect on 5 October 2023 and requires the Society to re-register by 5 April 2026 or it will cease to exist.

To re-register, the Society must have an updated Constitution that meets the requirements of the new 2022 Act.

The new 2022 Act modernises the way societies operate. It is more comprehensive than the 1908 Act and will help integrate best practice processes into all societies (for example, ensuring all societies have good mechanisms in place for handling internal disputes and prepare financial statements to a consistent set of standards). The 2022 Act places a stronger emphasis on officers acting in the best interest of the society, not its members.

Your Committee have worked hard over the past few months to prepare the draft Constitution. The draft constitution will be emailed out, along with the newsletter and we would encourage you to read through it and come to the AGM to discuss it.

At our AGM, which will be held in accordance with our current Constitution, a vote will be held to approve and adopt the new Constitution.

The latest financials will be included on the website as soon as the auditor has finished auditing them.

Just a reminder that the new system is live and breach notices are being issued to vehicles launching and retrieving without having an active membership or paying for a day pass PRIOR TO LAUNCHING OR RETRIEVING.

MEMBERS – PLEASE ENSURE YOU HAVE REGISTERED THE TOW VEHICLE YOU ARE USING, BEFORE YOU LAUNCH TO AVOID A $65 BREACH NOTICE.

Changing registered plate number

A number of members have been notifying us that they need to change their registered tow vehicle. Members can change their registered plate up to three times per year. You do not need to notify us, you can make this change easily in the system. To make this change, log into the system (https://vpermit.com.au/wbr/) and enter your email address and password. Then click on “Manage Vehicles” for your active permit. You can then “Edit Vehicle” and enter the new plate number and click on “Save”. This change is effective from the day you make the change. If you are having trouble, send us an email wbrs2000@gmail.com

Information on joining or renewing your membership is on our “Join the Society” page.

RAMP ROUTE

Please ensure you use the correct route (continue heading towards the sea when you have turned off SH 25) and travel around the formed road (yellow route below). This is a one way, two laned road – please use both lanes on busy days. The exit from the ramp is the same as it always has been (red route below). Please take care when parking your vehicles that you don’t encroach on the roads. Parking is still available alongside the river, but not beside or in front of the container. If you see people using the old route, please encourage them to use the correct route.