Wednesday Edition – 15th of April, 2026 – The Upper Hutt Connection

Website: uhconnection.co.nz
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Contact the editor at: editor@uhconnection.co.nz

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– Community voices help shape how Councillors connect

_{Upper Hutt City Council}

Upper Hutt residents are helping reshape how elected members connect with the community, following feedback from Council’s Citizens’ Panel.

Last month, Council asked the panel for feedback on how elected members engage with the community, and on the most convenient times for Council meetings.

Panel members were presented with several ways they could engage with elected members, including informal “out and about” sessions at local events, attending Council meetings, drop-in sessions at the Central Library, and online engagement and meeting time options ranging from morning to evening.

Mayor Peri Zee welcomed the feedback and reiterated the importance of the panel.

“By bringing together a diverse group of residents to provide input on specific issues, we gain a stronger understanding of what our community needs from us,” she said.

Feedback will now be reviewed to determine how best to engage with the community, with a report to follow once a decision has been made. In the meantime, Council meetings will begin at 4.30pm.

“There was a preference for meetings to start later in the afternoon, with 5.30pm the front-runner. However, taking into consideration the preference of the community and the needs of elected members and staff, we have concluded that a 4.30pm start is the best option,” Mayor Zee said.

While the Citizens’ Panel does not replace formal consultation, it provides Council with additional insights that may not be captured through other channels.

Council Chief Executive Geoff Swainson said the strong response to the Citizens’ Panel surveys has been encouraging.

“The most recent survey was sent to all 263 members of the panel, with 117 people responding so far and sharing valuable perspectives on civic engagement,” he said.

“It helps us understand public sentiment quickly and complements our other engagement tools and channels.”

“I am excited by the prospect of even more residents joining and contributing to discussions.”

Source: Upper Hutt City Council

11/04/26

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A “thank you” to Heather Newell for advertising on The Upper Hutt Connection.

26/03/26

– Contactless payments options will be available on public transport from the 12th of April

_{Radio New Zealand / Richard Tindiller}

Metlink will allow credit cards, debit cards and mobile payments on buses and trains from the 12th of April. Passengers can save up to 20 percent, but each transaction will include a 1.5 percent surcharge. Children, tertiary students and Community Services Card holders must keep using Snapper to access discounts.

The council says the surcharge is temporary and needed to cover costs as cash payments are phased out. Christchurch and Auckland already allow card payments without a fee, though both still require bus cards for concessions.

A national system, Motu Move, is planned for 2027. Metlink has paused Snapper upgrades while waiting for government progress.

A fare increase is scheduled for 15 May. Metlink says fuel costs have risen by $130,000 per week, with most buses running on diesel. Councillors warn that without government support, service cuts or further fare hikes are likely. Metlink says it could defer the May increase if funding is provided.

Public transport use has risen as fuel prices climb.

Source: Kaya Selby / Radio New Zealand

09/04/26

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– Dog owners are asked to have their pets vaccinated as parvovirus cases sharply rise in Wellington

_{Pixie, a mini-Jack Russell survived the virus. – New Zealand Herald}

Vets are urging dog owners to vaccinate as parvovirus cases surge in Wellington, with four puppies recently euthanised.

A Porirua family’s rescue dog, Pixie, and her four puppies all tested positive. Pixie survived. The puppies did not.

HUHA (Helping You (U) Help Animals) has recorded at least 30 cases in the past month, spreading from the Hutt Valley into Porirua. Puppies and older dogs are most at risk due to low immunity.

HUHA is providing free antibiotic treatment with a vet referral. Dogs are treated in vehicles to prevent contamination. Owners must return for five to six days.

Parvovirus spreads through faeces or vomit and can survive in soil for years. Bleach is required for effective decontamination. Some cleaning methods, including hired carpet cleaners, risk spreading the virus further.

SPCA Wellington is seeing two to three cases per week, higher than usual. It will run a free vaccination and microchipping drive on April 19 at Porirua College.

Vets and animal welfare groups say vaccination is the most effective protection. They warn the virus can kill quickly if untreated.

Source: Sammy Carter / New Zealand Herald

10/04/26

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– Tiaki Wai facing scrutiny from the Commerce Commission over proposed bills

Wellington’s new water entity Tiaki Wai is under review by the Commerce Commission after releasing projected charges last month.

The Commission has begun meeting with Tiaki Wai and the region’s five councils. It is examining a revised Water Services Strategy, including pricing.

Tiaki Wai’s projections included household bills reaching up to $6800 a year within a decade. The entity warned of steep increases, including a 14.7 percent rise next financial year and a possible 28 percent rise in 2027–28.

The Commission was asked to step in after concerns from Local Government Minister Simon Watts and Wellington Mayor Andrew Little. Chair John Small said the regulator is assessing Tiaki Wai’s financial model but does not yet have evidence of overcharging.

Tiaki Wai will take over $9b in water assets and $1.7b in debt from 1 July. It has a $6.8b capital programme over ten years. Operating revenue of $385m in the first year will not cover the backlog of failing plants and leaking pipes.

Small said the councils and Tiaki Wai’s board must agree on the financial model. He said easing costs may depend on how quickly the entity becomes financially viable.

The Commission is regulating water services under the Local Water Done Well model. It may gain powers to regulate pricing, subject to ministerial approval.

Mayors across the region said the initial charges were too high. Little called them unreasonable and said the pricing strategy needed reconsideration. Porirua mayor Anita Baker said Tiaki Wai could revise its work programme to reduce costs. Lower Hutt mayor Ken Laban said the charges would be unaffordable for some households. Upper Hutt mayor Peri Zee said government funding support was needed due to the scale of infrastructure issues. Greater Wellington chair Daran Ponter said Tiaki Wai must ease consumers into rising costs.

Watts said the Crown will not provide financial assistance. He said the Commission is working with Tiaki Wai and councils on financial models to manage customer impacts.

Tiaki Wai declined an interview. Chair Will Peet said in a recent webinar that the community finds the charges unaffordable and the board is looking at options. He said the entity must charge enough to improve essential services but not more than necessary.

Source: Ellen O’Dwyer – Radio New Zealand

13/04/26

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– Twelve Thousand Kilometres, One Winning Song

Dr. Ramil Adhikary writes Nepali songs from a Wellington desk. Nepal keeps giving him awards for it. There is a lesson here about where culture lives.

By Soren Neupane : reports from New Zealand. He also teaches Nepali language and AI literacy.

Some tunes slide into your head – the way a good mood does on a brisk walk with joggers running past, cars far way and walkers talking talks — suddenly, without permission, and usually when you’re trying to look normal in public. And suddenly you are humming. You had not planned on that.

There is a particular kind of creative life that only some fully understand: the one where you are physically elsewhere, but emotionally you never quite left. Dr. Ramil Adhikary lives this life with unusual grace. A professional who juggles family life – 3 children – moves calmly through New Zealand’s public service by day, he writes — usually by night, by feeling, by whatever private clock creativity runs on — folk songs and romantic ballads in Nepali. Songs that travel twelve thousand kilometres and win prizes in Kathmandu.

He has just done it again. At the recent 7th Sagarmatha Music Awards, one of his compositions took home an honour. It is his third major award of this kind. Wellington and Upper Hutt, it turns out, is not too far from the Himalayas — not if the feeling is right.

The Song

The winning entry, Aau Bachaa Garau, is a love song in the classic Nepali tradition — direct, warm, and entirely without irony. Its central gesture is a promise made in public, made to the universe as much as to a lover. In translation, which can only approximate the feeling:

Come closer, love —

let’s make a promise the universe can overhear.

No leaving, no fading,

just heart for heart.

It is the kind of sentiment that earns eyerolls in certain literary circles and standing ovations everywhere else. Adhikary is not writing for literary circles. He is writing for the aunties, uncles, grand uncles like me and for the young couples at weddings, for the Nepali grandmother in Christchurch who hears one familiar chord and suddenly- the heart welling inside, crying silently – needs to sit down with tearing eyes, and hand over her mouth trying to stifle her outburst. Now, what was that about! You tell me.
That is not a small ambition. That is, in fact, a very large one.

The Company of Continuation

Nepali music has always had this quality — an unashamed, brazen appetite for the emotional direct hit. Rajendra Thapa, a former Brigadier General, wrote “Pohor Saal Khusi Phatyo,” a heart wrenching love song of such devastating plainness that it reached the Nepali royal palace and earned a royal commendation. A military man writing a song about heartbreak, and a king giving him a prize for it. That is a deeply Nepali story.

Narayan Gopal and Tara Devi, Aruna Lama — voices so particular they seem to belong to the landscape itself — built entire emotional geographies out of folk melody and human longing. Their songs still find Nepalis in Oslo, Auckland, and New York, Stockholm, and pull them briefly, painfully, joyfully back. One line, one strain. And you are standing in a rural Nepali courtyard with cackling chickens and mooing cattle you thought you left twenty years ago.

Even Late Asha Bhosle, the legendary voice of Bollywood in India, wandered into Nepali music more than once. She sang many songs : of love, of family, of the old maitighar that tugs at every Nepali woman’s heart. “Yo Ho Mero Pranbhanda Pyaro Maitighar” (from the film Maitighar). After her recent demise, those songs echo a little differently gentler, deeper, and full of the grace she carried everywhere. May her soul rest in peace.

“Feelings arrive on their own schedule. When they surface, they demand a line, and then a page and it continues. It’s never planned. It happens when it happens.”

Adhikary’s work carries these same emotional sinewy ridges. It does not imitate the classics — it continues them. His song stands in the lineage not as pastiche but as genuine succession: another voice in a long conversation about love, loss, and the stubborn human hope that keeps people writing songs in the first place.

Question of Time and Distance

He started early. At twelve or thirteen, he was already writing poems — a child’s vision of a nation. The gravitational pull toward pain, sadness, the small storms that shape a young mind, was unmistakable even then. He cites Shelley: the sweetest songs rise from the saddest thoughts. For Adhikary, this is not a romantic cliché. It is a working method.

Living in New Zealand has not, he insists, diluted the source. Distance refracts; it does not diminish. The language flows. The emotions spread the hues in all directions to create the backdrop, side effects and the silent noise that takes on a natural form of song and melody. The cultural memory holds. A good day gives him a bright, romantic melody; a heavy day pulls him toward something darker. Mood is the compass, not geography. “Feelings arrive on their own schedule,” he says. “When they surface, they demand a page. It’s never planned. It happens when it happens.”

The awards, when they come, are welcome — but he calibrates the baubles carefully. They are acknowledgements, not destinations.

“Award or not, I will keep writing.” That is the statement of someone who has long since made peace with the fact that the song will come whether anyone is listening, and who writes anyway because the alternative — not writing — is simply not available.

The Bigger Piece of Puzzle

Nepali music is NOT JUST one thing. It is a watershed — dozens of tributaries, each shaped by its own geography, its own history, its own way of naming loss. Kathmandu’s urban heartbreak is quiet, inward.

The Tharu songs of the Terai carry mud and river-weight. Tamang melancholy echoes across hillsides. Magar grief holds itself like a blade. Sherpa sorrow climbs to where the wind takes the words away. And dohori — that lively, witty, mildly-spicy verbal sparring between men and women — reminds you that Nepali music is also capable of making a whole room laugh until it blushes.

Adhikary’s winning song enters this tradition not as a museum piece but as a living contribution — proof that the tradition is still porous, still welcoming, still growing. The fact that it was written in New Zealand is the point, not a footnote. Culture does not stay where it was born. It travels with the people who carry it, and it keeps being made — in living rooms in New Zealand, at desks between meetings, in the quiet hours after the official work is done.

“Move closer, my love,” goes the line. “Let’s make a promise the universe can overhear.”

Someone in Kathmandu heard it. They gave it a prize. That is how a culture stays alive.

A “thank you” to Soren Neupane for sending this article to The Upper Hutt Connection.

13/04/26

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– Two people injured in car crash near intersection of Fergusson Drive and Eastern Hutt Road.

NZ Police - The Upper Hutt Connection — _{New Zealand Police}

One person was critically injured and another in serious condition after a single-vehicle crash on Easter Hutt Road near the intersection with Fergusson Drive yesterday evening.

Source: Stuff / A “thank you” to the editor at Stuff / The Post for permission to publish summaries of their articles.

13/04/26

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– Upper Hutt Brass Band comes in fourth in C Grade competition at New Zealand National Brass Band Championships

Congratulations to Rolleston Brass for winning the C Grade competition at this years NZ National Brass Band Championships.
After 2 days of competition, playing our hymn, set test and our own choice test piece at the NZ National Brass Band Championships in Wellington, Upper Hutt Brass Band has gained an overall placing of 4th in the C Grade competition for 2026. A big thank you to all players for all the hard work and practising that you have put in, to participate in this competition. An even bigger thank you must go to our Musical Director, for all the time you have put into getting the band ready, and getting the band up to the task of competing at a national level. For that, we say thank you.

A “thank you” to the Upper Hutt Brass Band for sending this article to The Upper Hutt Connection.

13/04/26

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– Send an article to The Upper Hutt Connection

Did you know that it costs nothing to put up an article on The Upper Hutt Connection? It doesn’t matter if you’re a professional journalist or not (I’m certainly not!), any and all articles are welcome on The Upper Hutt Connection.

If you have an article that you’d like included in next week’s Wednesday edition, please make sure that you’ve sent it through to me by 12.00 midnight, Monday evening.

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The Upper Hutt Connection – AI image gallery

Click here for more information about the different articles you can send to The Upper Hutt Connection, The Upper Hutt Connection’s policy on AI generated images, and other important information.

The Upper Hutt Connection is always looking for:

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And anything else you might think of – I’m always open to suggestions.

Fill out the form below to send an article to The Upper Hutt Connection. The reason I ask for your email address is so I can ask for further information if needed.

To view my policy on the usage of AI images on The Upper Hutt Connection then please check out the following article: Use of AI generated images on The Upper Hutt Connection

NOTE: All articles need to be Upper Hutt related. The Upper Hutt Connection is NOT a place for covering national or international events. This includes Letter to the Editor as well. Decisions from the New Zealand government that affect all citizens of New Zealand (and that means including Upper Hutt) ARE welcome.

Community events, garage sales, and other events being held in the Wellington Region are welcome on The Upper Hutt Connection under the Beyond Upper Hutt section.

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COUNCIL AND COMMITTEE MATTERS

For all information on past and upcoming council and committee meetings, including workshops, agendas, minutes, and other related content please visit https://www.upperhutt.govt.nz/Council/About-Your-Council/Council-meetings/Meeting-agendas-and-minutes

– Council Engagement and Helpful Contacts

Engaging with Council

Engaging with councillors/mayor

Don’t be afraid of engaging with the elected members as they have been voted in to be the communities voice. But remember when engaging, to be concise, clear and respectful.

Mayor – peri.zee@uhcc.govt.nz

Deputy Mayor – corey.white@uhcc.govt.nz

Community and Economy Committee Chair’s

Other Councillor’s

CEO

geoff.swainson@uhcc.govt.nz

Other helpful Council Contacts

General Council Enquiries: https://www.upperhutt.govt.nz/Home Phone (04) 527 2169
Noise Control: https://www.upperhutt.govt.nz/Services/Health-and-safety/Noise-Control
Rivers, Regional Public Transport, Bulk water supply, Flood protection, and Regional parks: Cr Ros Connelly from the GWRC – Ph: 027 733 5076 Email: ros.connelly@gw.govt.nz
Dog Control: https://www.upperhutt.govt.nz/Services/Dogs-and-animals/Animal-control-services
Roading and Parking: https://www.upperhutt.govt.nz/Services/Roads-and-parking
Tree Management: https://www.upperhutt.govt.nz/Services/Tree-Management
Drinking Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater: https://www.upperhutt.govt.nz/Services/Water
Waste and recycling: https://www.upperhutt.govt.nz/Services/Waste-and-recycling

Speaking Rights and Submitting at Council

If you see a council meeting, usually 2-5 days before an agenda will come out and you can apply for speaking rights to speak in the Public Forum, which is usually in the first 30 mins of a meeting.

Following links explain more :

Speaking at Council Meetings: https://www.upperhutt.govt.nz/files/assets/public/v/1/meetings/attending-and-speaking-at-council-meetings.pdf

Meeting Agendas: https://www.upperhutt.govt.nz/Council/About-Your-Council/Council-meetings/Meeting-agendas-and-minutes

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UHCCCommunityService

A “thank you” to NZ Empowered for providing this article for The Upper Hutt Connection. Please note that this article is published each week.

02/02/26

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– Rates, Tiaki Wai and your opportunity to provide Feedback

If you want to see an estimated amount you may be paying for rates and water and live in Urban Upper Hutt (Not Rural).

https://www.nzempowered.com/ratescalc

At Council’s meeting yesterday we questioned as to why a rates and water Calculator had not been created by UHCC?
HCC have one, GWRC have one…and UHCC had one last year. So here is what we believe an indicator of your Rates and Water bills water/UHCC rates and GWRC Rates as of 1^st July 2026.

Here is some of the Submitters at the Council meeting on the 1^st April.

41.40 mins – E Chaney – Direct Debits and payment Tiaki Wai.
53.38 mins – K & P Fabian Citizens Panel and Rates Calc.

If you want to learn more about Tiaki Wai and do a consultation the below link (Needs to be completed 22 Apr 2026)
https://haveyoursay.tiakiwai.co.nz/water-services-strategy
If you want to know some answers to Q&A we have….or Contact details for Councillors or UHCC
https://www.nzempowered.com/post/water-questions-and-answers-magazine-artic

Councillors have suggested engaging with ministers and officials also with your feedback :

Simon Watts (Nat -Local Government Minister) – S.Watts@ministers.govt.nz
Kieran McAnulty – (Lab – Shadow Local Government Minister) – kieran.mcanulty@parliament.govt.nz
Louise Upston – L.Upston@ministers.govt.nz
Winston Peters – W.Peters@ministers.govt.nz
David Seymour – D.Seymour@ministers.govt.nz
Chris Hipkins – chris.hipkins@parliament.govt.nz
Scott Simpson – S.Simpson@ministers.govt.nz
Katrina Casey – katrina.casey@dia.govt.nz

Other Resources:

Ratepayers Assistance Scheme – https://www.lgnz.co.nz/policy-advocacy/ratepayer-assistance-scheme/
Tiaki Wai Hardship Policy – pg15

This article has been re-published on request of NZ Empowered.

02/04/26

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

– Councillor runs Water and Rates meeting 4 Community Vs Mayor Zee Upper Hutt says “Not Appropriate”. – NZ Empowered

The two Points to this letter to the editor are:

Will our Mayor, Deputy chair of the Partners committee which Cr Edwards is also on, run a public meeting for Upper Hutt Residents?

Cr Edwards from Hutt City Council, who seconded the nomination to place our Mayor as Deputy of the Partners Committee, has setup a meeting on Rates and Water costs for those in Lower Hutt who wish to attend. Yet, our Mayor, Peri Zee, tells us in reply to an invitation to a Public Meeting. “This would not be appropriate given the decisions sit with the Tiaki Wai board”.

Mayor Zee being nominated (Cr Ros Connelly GWRC and seconded by Cr Simon
Edwards HCC) and confirmed as Deputy Chair of the Tiaki Wai Partners Committee –
3m 30sec – https://www.youtube.com/live/1wcPvtkxb7Y?t=214s

To be clear, we are not asking for the back end of how this works, but what is going to effect on the city to whom she serves and has said would be transparent with.

Items our community wish to know include:

Costs,
Implementation date of the 1st July 2026?
Water Meters,
Direct Debits.

Several times in the past couple of months Tiaki Wai representatives have visited our council. They have expressed concerns that the message isn’t getting out to the public that Tiaki Wai exists and what they will be doing. Will Peet of Tiaki Wai even stated at the Partners Committee that only 1 in 6 know who Tiaki Wai are, and at a UHCC meeting on the 24th February 2026 they suggested that councillors would be supported by Tiaki Wai for people to approach them and ask questions.

16 Minutes – “Tiaki Wai are available to support councillors and for councillors to ask Questions on how it will work. So, when community bail you up in the supermarket, the warehouse, wherever else you can then explain.”

We, along with others have been actively trying to get the word out that the water services are changing, and what could be the potential costs, according to the limited information which has been available. We just hope that, with the view to be transparent and open, that Upper Hutt’s Mayor engages the council communications and provides at least what other councils appear to be starting to provide for their communities. We hope she can be a leader who drives for the community, not follows others and shy’s away from the big intergenerational issues.

We hope that our mayors commitment to transparency will, in the next few weeks, provide an opportunity for the community to ask their questions at a public meeting, including those not on social media. So they can learn from Mayor Zee, who has put herself as the experienced person on the Partners Committee.

Mayor Zee is the Upper Hutt communities front-line, and leads the charge on our behalf with this intergenerational change for our community.

The Hutt City meeting:

2. We have been asked about the deferring of decision to push forward with Tiaki Wai in 2026.

Many news articles are showing issues around the speedy formation of Tiaki Wai. We amongst others said on the 10th of December 2025 council meeting, that there needed to be a pause for these concerns and issues to be ironed out before continuing. 3 Councilors listened. Thank you.

The Government Water Services Act (page 207) states that the initial Water Services Strategy does not need to be delivered until 30th June 2027 at the latest.

So Tiaki Wai could have been paused and the work done to ensure we had all the kinks and issues resolved before formation of a company to take over the water services for the Wellington Region.

A “thank you” to NZ Empowered for sending this letter to The Upper Hutt Connection.

13/04/26

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SPORTS

– Football results for the 11th / 12th of April

Our weekend fixtures round up.

Congrats to RJs, Tin-Men and Marauders for their wins over the weekend.

Source: Upper Hutt City Football

13/04/26

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– Four Upper Hutt athletes selected to compete at the Oceania Track and Field Championships

4 Upper Hutt athletes have been selected to compete at the Oceania Track and Field Championships in Darwin Australia from May 18-23rd. All are members of the Upper Hutt Athletic Club.

Mylo Guthrie-Thiel is the NZ U20 high jump champion and has been selected in senior High Jump. Samasoni Hewitt is also a high jumper and will represent the Cook Islands. He recently won the Polynesian High Jump title, held concurrently with NZ Track and Field champs in Auckland. Both athletes are coached by Scott Waldrom,

Two under 18 athletes have also been selected, Conor Sharkey in hammer throw, and Alex Ross in the Javelin. Conor is the current NZ U18 hammer throw champion, and both he and Alex train at the Solapower Throwing Academy in Lower Hutt

A “thank you” to Joshua Sharkey from Upper Hutt Athletics Club for sending this article to The Upper Hutt Connection.

13/04/26

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– Rams results: 11th of April 2026

Source: Upper Hutt Rams RFC

13/04/26

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– Upper Hutt recipients at the Wellington Cricket awards night

Congrats to the UH members who won the individual awards at yesterday’s club awards night. The club and teams are extremely proud of your achievements this season. Special mention to Teresa for taking out the Women’s Club Cricketer of the Year.

Source: Upper Hutt City Council

10/04/26

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COMMUNITY EVENTS: To view all upcoming and regularly occurring community events, please visit https://uhconnection.co.nz/community-events/

– Age Concern Social Connection coffee group: Wednesday 13th of May, 12.00 pm

Location: Heretaunga Community Church, 51 Lane Street, Upper Hutt

Guest speaker: Bec Gardiner – Stroke Aotearoa

Source: Age Concern Wellington

14/04/26

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– Autumn U-Play Holiday Events: 7th of April – 19th of April

Looking for fun and engaging activities to keep your kids busy these holidays? U-PLAY is back with holiday events for tamariki and rangatahi!

From the H2O Xtream Aquatic Centre pool party to Hockey Have-a-Go sessions, there are things to do every day!

So why not check out the U-PLAY April Holiday Events calendar on our website and see what’s on offer?

https://www.upperhutt.govt.nz/u-play

Make these school holidays an exciting and memorable time for your kids with our U-PLAY holiday events. We can’t wait to see you there!

Source: Upper Hutt City Council

08/04/26

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– Free children’s movie at The Salvation Army “If”: 10.00 am, 15th of April

SCHOOL HOLIDAY MOVIE

Join us these holidays with your Tamariki for a screening of the movie IF.

A young girl who goes through a difficult experience begins to see everyone’s imaginary friends who have been left behind as their real-life friends have grown up. – Rated PG

Wednesday April 15th at 10am.

The Salvation Army Upper Hutt, 695 Fergusson Drive, Upper Hutt.

Drinks and Snacks provided.

See you there!

Source: Upper Hutt Salvation Army

10/04/26

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– FREE E-Waste Drop Off Day: Sunday 19th of April, 9.00 am – 3.00 pm

_{Upper Hutt City Council / Echo Tech NZ}

Location: Upper Hutt Recycling Station, 18 Park Street, Kingsley Heights.

Drop off your unwanted electronic products during this drive-thru event!

This event is completely FREE thanks to the support of the Upper Hutt City Council!

Sunday, 19th April, 9am – 3pm

Held in the carpark of the Upper Hutt City Council Recycling Station – Please check the posts in ‘discussion’ for more details.

Staff will unload everything for your convenience.

We are proud to accept donations for Variety – the Children’s Charity.

What we don’t accept:

CDs & DVDs
Floppy discs
LED lightbulbs
Household lightbulbs
LPG gas bottle
Medical devices
Glass
Other hazardous waste (e.g. Paint, Garden waste. General chemicals)
Furniture (e.g. TV cabinets)

Source: Upper Hutt City Council / Echo Tech NZ

13/04/26

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– Ofania Symposium 2026: Wednesday 1st of July, 10.00 am – 2.00 pm

Location: Whirinaki Whare Taonga

Kupega o Moana is a Pacific-led organisation supporting whānau through culturally grounded health, wellbeing and community services. Its upcoming Ofania 2026 symposium will bring together professionals, families, mums and babies for a vibrant day of learning, connection and support around the wellbeing of Pacific babies and the first 2,000 days of life. For more information, visit Kupega o Moana | Pacific”

A “thank you” to Michael Sua from Kupega o Moana for sending this article to The Upper Hutt Connection.

08/04/26

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– Priceless by Mary Portalska – 16 Apr – 25 Apr

Come along to Heretaunga Players (52 Ward Street, Upper Hutt) and watch a one-act comedy: ‘Priceless’ by Mary Portalska.

Tickets are $23 plus booking fee, available from the team at Whirinaki Whare Taonga (527 2168) or via this link: http://www.iticket.co.nz/events/2026/apr/priceless

Opening night is Thursday 16 April and we close Saturday 25 April.
Don’t wait! Get your tickets now!

Synopsis: The stately home, Batley Hall, is in desperate need of repairs, and elderly Sylvia refused to let her son Tom and daughter-in-law Anna sell their one asset, a priceless Ming dynasty vase, to help pay for the upkeep.
Tom hits on the idea of giving guided tours to bring in some money, but their only guests are shady characters with their eyes on the vase – and the home’s resident ghost only adds to the chaos.

A “thank you” to Heretaunga Players Inc. for sending this article to The Upper Hutt Connection.

31/03/26

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– Rams matches this Saturday, 18th of April

Source: Upper Hutt Rams RFC

14/04/26

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– Staglands Clue Hunt Challenge! 7th of April – 19th of April

Calling All Super Sleuths & Clue Hunters Extraordinaire!

Ready for an adventure these school holidays?

Grab your magnifying glass, come crack the Staglands Clue Hunt Challenge and enjoy a FREE kids’ meal from the new Staglands Café!*

The team at Staglands are inviting curious kids to become wildlife detectives and explore the Reserve like never before. Follow the clues and discover the amazing animals and natural wonders hiding around every corner of Staglands.

Kids will have a blast with their friends and whānau, searching the nooks and crannies of the Reserve while learning fun facts about wildlife and nature along the way.

The Staglands Clue Hunt Challenge runs during the April school holidays

Offer valid: 7–19 April 2026
Excludes Easter Long Weekend: 3–6 April

Getting started is easy! Visit www.staglands.co.nz to download and print the Challenge Sheet or grab one from the Ticket Gate when you arrive.

Once kids complete the challenge they can head to the Café to claim their reward!

So put on your explorer hat, bring your best clue‑hunting skills, and make a day of wild fun at Staglands these school holidays.

*Terms and conditions apply – see website for details.

For further information:
📧 www.staglands.co.nz
📞 04 526 7529

A “thank you” to Staglands Wildlife Reserve & Café for sending this article to The Upper Hutt Connection.

20/03/26

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– The SpongeBob Musical – Youth Edition: 8th of April – 18th of April

Want to do something fun and different these school holidays?

TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE!

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea and is ready to hit the stage?

Upper Hutt Musical Theatre is diving into the colourful, high-energy world of The SpongeBob Musical: Youth Edition this April — and it’s the perfect school holiday treat!

Join SpongeBob, Patrick, Sandy and all your favourite Bikini Bottom friends for a fun-filled, heartwarming adventure bursting with music, laughter, and pure joy for the whole whānau.

Whether you’re looking to keep the kids entertained or just want a feel-good outing, this vibrant youth production is something a little different these holidays — and one you won’t want to miss!

Grab your tickets now before they’re gone:

https://www.iticket.co.nz/events/2026/apr/uhmt-spongebob-musical

8–18 April 2026 – right in the middle of the April school holidays!

A “thank you” to Aislinn Sederel for sending this article to The Upper Hutt Connection.

21/03/26

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– Upper Hutt Anzac Parade: Saturday 25th of April, 5.45 am – 9.00 am

Location: Upper Hutt City Council Civic Building, 838 – 842 Fergusson Drive, Upper Hutt

Each year on Anzac Day, the Upper Hutt community gathers at dawn to remember the courage, sacrifice, and service of those who served our country.

As the first light of day appears, people from across the community come together in quiet reflection — veterans, families, young people, and residents standing side by side. The Dawn Service is a powerful moment of shared remembrance, honouring those who never returned home and recognising the service of those who continue to serve today.

Attending the Dawn Service is a meaningful way to pause, reflect, and acknowledge the sacrifices that helped shape the freedoms we enjoy today. For many families it is a tradition passed from generation to generation, ensuring that the stories of service, courage, and sacrifice are never forgotten.

Everyone in the community is warmly invited to attend and take part in this important act of remembrance.

For more information: www.upperhutt.govt.nz/events/anzac-2026

Source: Upper Hutt City Council

09/03/26

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– Upper Hutt GreyPower Meeting: Wednesday 15th of April, 1.30 pm

A “thank you” to Lew Rohloff for sending this article to The Upper Hutt Connection.

14/04/26

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– Wellington Speedway Season Grand Finale: Saturday 18th of April, 5.00 pm – 10.00 pm

The final night of the season is here! All classes hit the track for one last run, with drivers giving it everything in their final hit-out. Expect big grids, big effort, and the perfect way to close out another massive year at Wellington Family Speedway.

To make our grand finale even better, we welcome to Custom Paintworks Stockcar Eliminator title to this event! A unique format that sees the top 12 cars battle it out to be first across the line and avoid being Eliminated each lap!

Classes running:

Stockcars
Superstocks
Ministocks
Super Saloons
Saloons
Production Saloons
Modifieds
Streetstocks
TQ Midgets
No club points for all classes.

Buy tickets here.

Source: Wellington Family Speedway

11/04/26

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– Laugh with Laughing Club: Every Monday, 6.30 pm – 7.30 pm | Resuming on the 26th of January

A “thank you” to Sharyn Rive for sending this article to The Upper Hutt Connection.

10/10/25

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