Rodney District

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Rodney
District Name Rodney District
Population 89,562 (2006 census)
Land area 2,427.01 km² (937.07 sq mi)
Extent Muriwai to Hibiscus Coast;
south to Helensville

The Rodney District of New Zealand is the northernmost area in New Zealand's Auckland region, created in 1989 from the amalgamation of Helensville Borough and Rodney County. The seat of the district council is at Orewa, and the district includes Kawau Island to the north. The district is led by mayor Penny Webster and 12 councillors.

Rodney stretches from the spectacular black volcanic sand beaches of Muriwai in the west to the holiday resorts of the Hibiscus Coast in the east. The area includes a number of regional parks or areas of special interest. On the eastern tip of the Whangaparaoa Peninsula is the Shakespear Regional Park, while north of Orewa are Wenderholm Regional Park and Mahurangi Regional Park. Goat Island Marine Reserve, also known as the Cape Rodney to Okakari Point marine reserve, was New Zealand's first marine reserve, officially opened in 1977. It covers a coastline of about 5 km, extends out in sea by 800 m, and encompasses 5 km², inside which area all marine life is protected.

Towns in the south of the district are becoming dormitory districts for Auckland, which is now accessible largely by motorway, although they retain their origins and character as holiday resorts. Further north, communities are more rural. Some have become famous for particular activities such as Puhoi and its cheese factory, or Waiwera and its geothermal hot pools. Warkworth is a good base to explore the Kowhai Coast, which includes historic Kawau Island, the home of New Zealand's former Governor Sir George Grey, where Mansion House is now a museum.

The dominant feature of the western side of Rodney is Kaipara Harbour, the largest enclosed harbour in the Southern Hemisphere, with a perimeter of about 3,000 km. The area was once famous for its kauri timber mills.

Kumeu, Matakana, and Huapai are becoming well known for their wineries, a number of which provide sampling, cellar-door sales, and restaurants.

The district is divided into three wards, each containing a number of towns and settlements:

Rodney District Council may become a thing of the past if the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Restructuring Auckland's Councils decide to scrap the local council. Plans of restructuring Auckland into one city may see the current 7 councils formed into only one single city council. This means that possibly by 2009 there may be an Auckland City sub-office in Warkworth, Orewa, and Hellensville, replacing the small Rodney District Council. A single Auckland City Council may soon govern all areas of the Auckland Region and there will no longer be Manukau, North Shore, Papakura, Waitakere, and of course Rodney. (Possibly Franklin as well). Rodney District and the Rodney District towns and suburbs may soon be handed over to an Auckland City Council.

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Territorial Authorities of New Zealand
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*unitary authority **self-governing, in free association with New Zealand ***Antarctic claim, administered by New Zealand