In a major win for coastal resilience, the Raumati Community Board has secured the installation of an innovative seawall system – at no cost to ratepayers – in one of the community’s most vulnerable beachfront areas.
The breakthrough comes thanks to a partnership with Petone-based inventor and businessman Fred Waiker, whose company Ecoreef specialises in a unique coastal protection solution. Unlike traditional wooden or concrete walls, Ecoreef is built from large interlocking concrete hexagons designed to absorb wave energy, reduce destructive backwash, and even encourage sand build-up to restore dunes.
The structures can be adapted to include ramps, steps, and even penguin habitats – making them both functional and environmentally versatile.
Ecoreef has already proven its worth in Ngawi, Te Awanga, and on a riverbank in Paekākāriki Hill.
To showcase the product on the Kāpiti Coast, Mr Waiker offered to supply and install 50 metres of Ecoreef at the end of Arawa Street in Raumati – entirely free of charge. The agreement also ensures the company will remove the structure at its own cost if it proves unsuccessful.
This stretch of shoreline – a Council reserve without seawall protection – has long been at risk, threatening private properties and ageing infrastructure. Recognising the opportunity, Board Member Tim Sutton worked with affected residents while Board Chair Bede Laracy liaised with Council staff to secure the site.
Compared with traditional seawalls, Ecoreef is faster to install, requires no deep foundations, and leaves no permanent trace if removed. It also offers long-term savings: costing less than half of a wooden wall while lasting up to 80 years – nearly three times the lifespan of timber.
“Showcasing Ecoreef gives us real confidence in facing the uncertainty of future sea levels,” says Mr Sutton.
Mr Laracy adds, “People often ask what tangible results the Raumati Community Board delivers – you don’t get more tangible than a free concrete seawall.”
With climate change and rising infrastructure costs creating fresh challenges for coastal towns, Ecoreef’s debut in Raumati could signal a smarter, more affordable path to protecting Kāpiti’s precious shoreline for decades to come.
More information on Ecoreef see: www.ecoreef.co.nz