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 300 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 (NOT TCDC) 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.

Note, from 1 September 2025, in addition to the membership fee, a joining fee of $25 will apply to new members (and existing members who have let their membership expire).

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

Click for Current Tide Times

Community Notice Board

9-8-2026

WAIKAWAU BOAT RAMP SOCIETY INC. AGM Sunday 16 August 2026

Location – Thames Sailing Club – 10.00am

Just a quick reminder of our upcoming AGM next weekend.

AGENDA

Welcome

Apologies

Minutes of 2025 AGM

President’s report

Treasurer’s report

Election of Officers

Election of Auditor

Honorariums

Membership fees and casual user ramp fees

General Business

The committee has been extremely busy this year, with new fencing erected, gardens established, new toilets and security cameras installed. Come and hear from the President about what has been achieved

Come and have your say on what you would like us to concentrate on in the upcoming year. If you feel you have something to offer, maybe consider joining the committee, but there is no obligation on joining the committee, just because you show up to the AGM!

The committee looks forward to seeing you next Sunday.

Waikawau Boat Ramp Financials 2026 (unsigned)

Camera’s

The live stream camera (pointing up the channel) is now available. This will enable you to check how busy the ramp / channel is, as well as weather conditions. You might also like to use it to look at the condition of the channel at low tide after weather events. The link to the webcam is under the useful links section on this page, and we have also created a webcam page on our website. It is a link to a YouTube page – we are having some issues with this webcam dropping out and therefore having to re-establish the link. We are working on this – please be patient as we work through the issues.

We have security cameras at the reserve for additional security for users. If you have damage occur to your vehicle or witness an incident, ensure you let us know so we can examine the footage and we will supply footage to the Police where appropriate. You will need to provide date and time, registered vehicle and location parked (if damage occurred when parked). Just remember that we are volunteers, so review of footage may be delayed until we have time to review. We retain between 3 & 4 weeks of footage, so please don’t ask us about footage over 4 weeks old.

Just a reminder that the licence plate recognition 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 whose membership have expired are being issued with breach notices, so make sure your membership is current.

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

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 and we will assist.

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.