Our Association was originally incorporated in 2013 under the name Nga Hau E Wha Newcastle Maori Club. The Association’s original committee was made up of Richard Eriwata, Marsh Tawa, John Adams, Lynne King, and Lisa Nilsson. Through their tireless work in establishing the association they were successful in holding Newcastle’s first Waitangi Day celebration in February 2014 at Bolton Point. This event grew over the next few years with a peak of 4,000 people attending.
Fast forward to 2020 and our group took an 18 month hiatus due to COVID. During this period we were mindful of protecting our old people and decided to cease all face to face meetings. It was during this period that our then-committee embarked on the process of changing the name of association to start a new chapter on our journey. In mid-2021 we formally welcomed in Te Ukaipo Maori Club Newcastle Incorporated. This new name came with a new logo, the sailing waka motif, representing our connection to the waters of Lake Macquarie.
In early 2023 we embarked on a journey of developing a formal business plan for the Association. This included delegated responsibilities through subcommittees, formalised governance documents, six strategic objectives, and a range of new roles created to support the vision of the Association. In July 2023 we released our first business plan which outlines our aspirations and objectives for the financial year.