Ōmokoroa Rotary marks first NZ club charter in a decade

PICTURED: District Governor Janine Branson with Ōmokoroa Rotary Charter President Bronwyn Carter. (Photo: Steve Brown/Black Diamond Photography).

A decade after New Zealand’s last new Rotary club was chartered, the Rotary Club of Ōmokoroa is celebrating a milestone built on community spirit, dedicated service and the determination of 15 founding members.

Words Matthew and Liz Farrell. Lizard News.

When the Rotary Club of Ōmokoroa chartered in April 2026, the picturesque coastal town became home to New Zealand’s first newly chartered Rotary club in 10 years, celebrating its official establishment with 15 founding members.

The club’s charter was formally granted on 23 April, following three years of development from an initial group of residents into an independent Rotary club.

The milestone was celebrated at The Pavilion in Ōmokoroa on Saturday 8 August, with Coromandel MP Scott Simpson, Western Bay of Plenty Mayor James Denyer, Rotary District 9930 Governor Janine Branson, Rotarians and community representatives in attendance.

Founding member and charter president Bronwyn Carter said the club’s beginnings can be traced to the Rotary Club of Katikati, which recognised the potential for a Rotary presence in the rapidly growing Ōmokoroa community.

“Katikati funded the first information meetings. Their own members came along to support us, and they believed in us even when only three people showed up to the very first official meeting,” Bronwyn said.

The Ōmokoroa group initially operated as a satellite club of Katikati before its membership grew sufficiently to become an independent Rotary club.

Over the past three years, members have been involved in beach clean-ups, planting projects and fundraising for community and international causes. Major local projects have included raising $26,000 towards battery-operated Jaws of Life equipment for Ōmokoroa Volunteer Fire Brigade and first responders, as well as helping establish the Ōmokoroa Health Shuttle. More than 20 non-Rotarian volunteers now help operate the health shuttle, which takes people to medical appointments in Tauranga.

The charter celebration also recognised the strong relationship between the new club and its former sponsor, the Rotary Club of Katikati.

Katikati Rotarians presented Ōmokoroa with a specially refurbished charter gavel, made by the Katikati MenzShed and finished by Katikati Rotarian Jerry Payne.

The gavel symbolises the club president’s authority to conduct meetings and is a traditional gift from a sponsoring Rotary club to a newly chartered club.

Katikati Rotary co-president Francis Young said Ōmokoroa has moved from being a club it mentored to an equal within the Rotary family.

“We’re really pleased with what you’ve achieved in such a short time,” Francis said.

The afternoon also brought a major personal recognition for Bronwyn, who Janine presented with a Paul Harris Fellowship. One of Rotary’s highest recognitions, it honours people whose service reflects Rotary’s commitment to Service Above Self.

Janine said Bronwyn’s leadership, generosity and commitment to the Ōmokoroa community made her a worthy recipient.

Through her involvement in Rotary and previous community fundraising initiatives, Bronwyn has helped bring people together around projects that have delivered tangible benefits locally.

Mayor James, a Katikati Rotarian, congratulated the new club on becoming the first newly chartered Rotary club in New Zealand in a decade, saying its establishment was particularly significant given Ōmokoroa’s rapid growth. He said service clubs and volunteers play an important role in building a strong community as the town continues to expand.

For Bronwyn, the new club’s independence does not mean leaving behind the relationships that helped create it.

“Our greatest achievements were never really about any one club or any one project. They were about people choosing to unite for good,” she says.

With 15 founding members, the Rotary Club of Ōmokoroa now begins its next chapter, continuing its focus on community service and working with other local organisations.