Our Story
Maunu has long been one of Whangārei’s most desirable places to put down roots.
Long before the streets were named, this land was productive volcanic pasture, farmed and gardened for generations by families who understood its value. The stone walls that still define the edge of Maunu Borough were not built for show. They were built by people who intended to stay.
Over time, the area grew into one of Northland’s early rural settlements, with a church, cemetery and small community forming steadily around the land. It carried the feel of a village long before the rest of Whangārei expanded around it. That sense of colonial charm has never really left.
The name “Maunu Borough” reflects that same feeling: a settled place with its own character, history and community. Not just a collection of sections, but a neighbourhood designed to feel established from the beginning.
“This site has always been grazed. I remember as a young child, driving cattle on horseback through the large shepherd holding paddocks beside the cemetery, to graze the lower flats”
— Jean Hawkins, long-time Maunu resident
The founders — Richard & Simon
Maunu Borough began with Richard Evans, a Maunu local who has lived in the area for many years and started the first stage of development on Papatawa Lane.
From there, the project has grown through a shared vision with Simon Reiher to capture the existing feeling of colonial charm and maximise linkage to the surrounding council owned spaces.
Simon brings deep expertise in land development, engineering and design, together with a genuine connection to this place and a belief that how something is built matters as much as what is built.
The two have made a perfect partnership and their vision has created a valuable neighbourhood that respects the land, protects its character and provides future residents with a high-quality place to live.
Preserved character
The heritage stone walls have been preserved and extended. Established trees have been protected. New landscaped walkways will connect through the development and out towards surrounding bush, reserve and farmland. The volcanic soils that made this land so productive remain part of its future, ready for gardens, orchards and homes that take root over time.
Maunu Borough is a thoroughly New Zealand place, shaped by land, climate, history and community.
It brings rural character and modern convenience together in a way that feels natural to Maunu: open streets, generous sections, established edges, productive soils and homes that will only improve as gardens grow and families settle in.
