Wāhi Tukurua is Mercury Bay’s community-led resource recovery centre, located beside the Whitianga Refuse and Recycling Transfer Station at 239 South Highway, Whitianga.
Run by the Mercury Bay Resource Recovery Centre Trust, Wāhi Tukurua rescues reusable items and materials before they end up in landfill. Donated goods are sorted, checked and made available for the community to purchase at affordable prices.
By donating, shopping or volunteering at Wāhi Tukurua, you are helping to reduce waste, support reuse and create positive opportunities within our local community.
Donating items
Wāhi Tukurua accepts a wide range of reusable household items, furniture, building materials and other goods, depending on available space and current demand.
Please contact Wāhi Tukurua directly before bringing items in to check whether they can be accepted and to confirm current drop-off hours.
Wāhi Tukurua is separate from both the Whitianga Refuse and Recycling Transfer Station and the Seagull Centre in Thames. For donations or enquiries in Whitianga and Mercury Bay, please contact Wāhi Tukurua directly through its website, email or phone number.
Shop rescued and reusable goods
The Wāhi Tukurua shop is filled with donated and rescued items looking for a new home. Stock changes regularly and may include furniture, homeware, tools, building materials, books, clothing, whiteware, vintage pieces and collectibles.
Shopping second-hand helps keep useful goods in circulation, reduces the demand for new resources and supports local waste minimisation initiatives.
Selected items may also be available through the Wāhi Tukurua online store, with collection from the Whitianga site.
About the Trust
The Mercury Bay Resource Recovery Centre Trust was established in 2020 to develop, maintain and operate a community resource recovery centre for Whitianga and the wider Mercury Bay area.
The Trust’s purpose is to build awareness, confidence and practical opportunities within the community to reduce waste and make better use of valuable resources.
This includes:
- diverting reusable and recyclable materials from landfill
- making quality second-hand goods available at affordable prices
- creating employment and volunteering opportunities
- supporting education around sustainability and waste reduction
- encouraging repair, reuse, recycling and repurposing
Wāhi Tukurua works alongside Thames-Coromandel District Council and other community organisations to support waste minimisation across the Coromandel Peninsula.
Who we are
Wāhi Tukurua is supported by a dedicated team of trustees, staff and volunteers who share a passion for reducing waste and strengthening the local community.
The Trust is guided by the values of guardianship, leadership, integrity, inclusion and heartfelt connection. It also works with local iwi Ngāti Hei to help ensure its development and activities reflect Te Ao Māori values and principles.
Volunteer or support Wāhi Tukurua
Volunteers play an important role in helping Wāhi Tukurua sort donations, prepare goods for sale, support customers and keep reusable materials out of landfill.
Whether you would like to volunteer, donate goods, shop second-hand or support the Trust in another way, Wāhi Tukurua would love to hear from you.