The November tournament will be an 18-hole Pairs Combined Stableford, with a shotgun start at 12.30pm. Registration begins at 11.30am and the day will include longest-drive, nearest-the-pin and hole-in-one competitions, followed by prizegiving.
Businesses are also being encouraged to get behind the project. Hole sponsorship is available for $750 plus GST, and businesses can contribute prizes ranging from vouchers and dining experiences to products, services and golf equipment.
For Tauranga Te Papa Rotary, the tournament continues a strong emphasis on practical projects that create lasting benefits for the community. Whether it is planting trees, supporting local organisations or bringing people together through events such as the Kōpūrererua Valley Charity Golf Day, the focus is on turning community support into action.
EVENT DETAILS
A round of golf will help protect and restore one of Tauranga’s most important natural areas when Tauranga Te Papa Rotary joins with the K Valley Rotary Centennial Trust to hold the Kōpūrererua Valley Charity Golf Day at Tauranga Golf Club on Friday, 6 November.
The tournament is another community project being undertaken by members of Tauranga Te Papa Rotary, with the principal beneficiary being the ongoing preservation, restoration and development of Kōpūrererua Valley.
It is an especially appropriate partnership with Tauranga Golf Club, whose course sits alongside the valley and has a close connection with the surrounding environment and waterways.
Kōpūrererua Valley is much more than a green space running through the heart of Tauranga. The approximately 364-hectare reserve is an important wetland, ecological corridor and recreational area, as well as a place of considerable cultural and historical significance to Ngāi Tamarāwaho.
For Ngāi Tamarāwaho, the valley and nearby Waikareao Estuary have long held cultural significance. The valley also contains archaeological sites reflecting its long history of human occupation.
Over many decades the natural environment was significantly altered, including the straightening of the Kopurererua Stream and drainage of wetlands. More recent restoration has sought to reverse some of those changes and restore the ecological health of the valley.
Today, restoration of the stream and wetlands is helping improve water quality, provide habitat for native fish and birdlife, and strengthen the valley as an important natural and recreational asset for Tauranga.
It is a transformation in which Rotary has had a long involvement. The K Valley Rotary Centennial Trust has worked alongside Ngāi Tamarāwaho, Tauranga City Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council and other community partners on the restoration and enhancement of the valley. More than two decades of restoration have helped transform the area, which now includes more than 12 kilometres of walkways and cycleways connecting people with its natural environment and history.
Funds raised through the golf tournament will help continue practical work including native tree planting, pest control and wetland restoration, while also enabling Rotary to support youth and other community initiatives in Tauranga.
"Tauranga Golf Club is proud to support the Kōpūrererua Valley Charity Golf Day and the important work being led by Rotary. As neighbours to the valley, we see every day the value it brings to our community as a place of environmental, cultural and recreational significance. We greatly value our relationship with Ngāi Tamarāwaho and our shared connection to the Kōpūrererua Valley. Supporting this event is a wonderful way for our members and the wider community to contribute to the ongoing restoration and protection of this special taonga for future generations." Michelle Towersey, General Manager Tauranga Golf Club
“Kōpūrererua Valley has been transformed through many years of commitment from Rotary, our partners Tauranga City & BOP Regional Councils, & local Iwi, plus hundreds of volunteers, but there is still much more we can do. Every tree planted, every area of wetland restored and every step we take to control pests helps protect this remarkable place for future generations. This golf day is a great way for the wider Tauranga community and local businesses to enjoy themselves while directly contributing to the continuing restoration of the valley.”
— Lyall Holmes, Chair, K Valley Rotary Centennial Trust