Executive Committee
Dave Parker
QSM JP - Chairman
Dave has spent a lifetime of community service in the local area. Formed the Warkworth Boy’s Brigade and Lifeboys groups in the 1960s. Established ‘Sister Towns’, for Warkworth, throughout the world and has acted in a number of local council roles. His name is synonymous with the Kowhai Festival, having fronted the event for countless years. A tireless advocate of our local area, Dave was awarded the QSM in 2001
Dave is still involved in Community Relations and Event Coordination, however he has reduced his involvement in a number of organisations. Chairperson of the Jane Gifford Trust for many years, he remains an active volunteer. Dave was the instigator and a Founding Trustee of the Kowhai Coast Youth Trust in 1999 where he continues his role as Deputy Chair.
Peter Henderson
Deputy Chair
Peter Henderson hails from Taranaki via Birkenhead. Since moving to Warkworth he has been involved in many community organisations and events. Peter works part time as a Customs Broker and has an interest in preserving and promoting our local history.
Sara Napier
Secretary
Sara offers academic and research expertise to the group. Her PhD focused on age-friendly rural communities. History and local heritage are internationally recognised as important factors in attachment to rural places. Understanding where we have come and the local history from is essential to future planning. Although not a true local, Sara has lived in the Mahurangi area for over 20 years.
Maxine Hatfull
Treasurer
My name is Maxine Hatfull (nee Mason) . I am currently the treasurer of Heritage Mahurangi Inc. I was born and lived on a sheep and cattle farm between Kaipara Flats and Tauhoa and attended Kaipara Flats and Mahurangi College before going to North Shore Teachers College. I married Jeff Hatfull ( who belongs to a local Warkworth family). Over theyears I have taught at Kaipara Flats, Wellsford, Orewa and Warkworth schools.
Alison Hitchcock
Executive Committee
Alison is the Manager of The Warkworth Information Centre and enjoys show-casing our local area to the many International and local Visitors calling into the Centre. The colourful History of Warkworth and the surrounding area provide very interesting conversations with Visitors, some of whom have returned to Warkworth after many years away and they share their memories of growing up in the area and attending the primary school and Mahurangi College.
Bryan Jackson
Executive Committee
Bryan is an ex-history teacher and in retirement has written five family history books which resulted in two of them receiving the New Zealand Society of Genealogists Family History award. He has also published Warkworth: Incidents, Accidents and Tragedies followed by the same titles for Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. His latest publication is A Pictorial History of Warkworth which contains over 300 photos from Warkworth’s past.
Bryan has been Chairman of both the Snells Beach Residents and Ratepayers Association and the Warkworth branch of the New Zealand Society of Genealogists. Apart from writing his other passion is travel.
Burnette O’Connor
Executive Committee
Director, The Planning Collective
Burnette is an independent planning consultant. She has run her own business since October 2001 under the banner of O’Connor Planning Consultants, then OPC, and now The Planning Collective, and undertakes planning work for a wide variety of clients throughout New Zealand. This includes policy advice, plan changes, resource consents, Environment Court hearings and mediation. Burnette is passionate about ensuring the planned growth in and around Warkworth achieves a quality outcome for current and future generations. She was the lead planner and project manager for Plan Change 25 – Warkworth North and motivated a group of local development experts to generate a community-initiated spatial plan that was provided to Auckland Council. Most recently Burnette has worked on a 140 hectare plan change for most of the remaining Warkworth North Future Urban zoned land.
John Allen
Executive Committee
I arrived in Warkworth in 1987. I had an earlier three year stint in Wellsford from 1979. I liked the district very much. I am honorary solicitor for a good number of not for profits around Warkworth and have been for many I have forgotten. I am keen to assist Heritage Mahurangi as I have a keen interest in history. As someone far greater than me once said if you forget history you’re doomed to repeat it. That was probably why I was keen to take up a partnership in Auckland’s second oldest firm Jackson Russell founded in 1842 for whom I set up a Warkworth office in 1987 before embarking out of that firm in a sole capacity.
Noelene Price Quedley
Executive Committee
I was born in Warkworth Cottage Hospital and went to Warkworth Primary School and Mahurangi College. On finishing school, worked in Cancer Research and Manufacturing Plants in Quality Assurance, Compliance, Technical and Operations Management roles in various Pharmaceutical, Animal Remedies, Medsafe GMP Good Manufacturing Plants, Australia Therapeutic Goods and Ministry of Primary Products audited plants. Regularly returned to Warkworth to visit parents, grandparents and friends.
On retirement, have returned to Warkworth and have settled in Snells Beach. Have got involved in various voluntary groups, e.g. Rural Women, Warkworth & District Museum, Heritage Mahurangi etc. I’m interested in keeping, fostering and supporting a local community atmosphere in Warkworth and surrounding districts.