Wairoa’s Airport upgrade project is ready for lift-off, with the multi-million-dollar funding approved and the funding agreement signed.

The Wairoa Airport is critical infrastructure for the district, providing vital health transport and connectivity during extreme weather events. 

The upgrade work will begin in August and will see the runway extended from 914 to 1,200 metres, enabling a wider range of aircraft to use the facility in difficult weather conditions. Improvements will also be made to the airport’s drainage, lighting and fencing, enabling safe 24-hour operations in challenging flying conditions. The airport’s vertical guidance systems, which assist pilots, will also be upgraded.

The $4.2 million upgrade will be funded through a $3 million grant from the government’s Regional Infrastructure Fund and $1.2 million from the North Island Weather Event fund. Both funds are managed by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Kānoa – Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit. Wairoa District Council, which owns and operates the airport, will manage the project and pay for future maintenance.

Council will now start its procurement process, with the project expected to be completed around the middle of next year.

Wairoa Mayor Craig Little said the airport provides a critical health service link on a daily basis and is vital during emergencies, particularly when the roading network into and out of the district is compromised.

The New Zealand Air Ambulance Service transports more than 400 patients each year to and from the Wairoa community from its headquarters at Hawke’s Bay Airport. When roads are cut off, the airport becomes an even more vital lifeline. During Cyclone Gabrielle, the airport handled more than 100 emergency flights in quick succession.

Mayor Little said the upgrade and extension will greatly improve our district’s connectivity. Thank you to everyone who has worked so hard to have this project elevated to a national level. Our Council is particularly grateful to all the stakeholders, including local iwi and the airport users, who supported this project, which comes at no cost to our local ratepayers.

“This upgrade helps secure connectivity from a health perspective, emergency management, and also from an economic perspective, while also reinforcing regional connectivity and resilience.”

18 May 2026

Back to Home