Seasonal Hours for Waitaki District Council
Published on 01 December 2025
Details on the Christmas closedown available now.
Following Friday night’s successful Light Up The Tree, the festive season is now approaching quickly and Waitaki District Council would like to let you know about our closedown hours and opening times for our facilities.
Christmas and Holiday Hours 2025-2026(PDF, 1MB)
Council’s HQ and Service Desks
Close: Wednesday 24 December 2025 –noon
Reopen: Monday 5 January 2026 – 8:30am
Ōamaru Opera House
Close: 1pm Friday 19 December 2025
Reopen: 8.30am Monday 12 January 2026
Waitaki District Libraries
Normal hours resume on Monday 5 January 2026.
|
Day of Week
|
Date
|
Ōamaru
|
Ōtematata
|
Hampden
|
Ōmārama
|
Kurow
|
Palmerston |
|
Wednesday
|
24th December
|
8.30-12.00
|
CLOSED
|
10.00-12.00
|
9.30-11.00
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED from 12
|
|
Thursday
|
25th December
Christmas Day
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
|
Friday
|
26th December
Boxing Day
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED |
|
Saturday
|
27th December
|
CLOSED
|
10.30-12.00
|
10.00-12.00
|
CLOSED
|
10.30-12.00
|
CLOSED
|
|
Sunday
|
28thDecember
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED |
|
Monday
|
29th December
|
9.30-5.00
|
CLOSED
|
2.00-4.00
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
|
Tuesday
|
30th December
|
9.30-5.00
|
2.30-3.30
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
1.00-3.00
|
CLOSED |
|
Wednesday
|
31st December
|
9.30-5.00
|
CLOSED
|
10.00-12.00
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED |
|
Thursday
|
1st January
New Year’s Day
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
CLOtSED
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED |
|
Friday
|
2ndJanuary
Day after New Year’s Day
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED |
|
Saturday
|
3rdJanuary
|
CLOSED
|
10.30-12.00
|
10.00-12.00
|
9.30-11.00
|
10.30-12.00
|
CLOSED
|
|
Sunday
|
4thJanuary
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
CLOSED
|
|
Monday
|
5thJanuary
|
Normal hours resume
|
Normal hour resume
|
Normal hours resume
|
Normal hours resume
|
CLOSED
|
Normal hours resume
|
|
Tuesday
|
6thJanuary
|
|
|
|
|
1.00-3.00
|
|
|
Wednesday
|
7thJanuary
|
|
|
|
|
CLOSED
|
|
|
Thursday
|
8thJanuary
|
|
|
|
|
1.00-3.00
|
|
|
Friday
|
9thJanuary
|
|
|
|
|
CLOSED
|
|
|
Saturday
|
10thJanuary
|
|
|
|
|
10.30-12.00
|
|
|
Sunday
|
11thJanuary
|
|
|
|
|
CLOSED
|
|
|
Monday
|
12thJanuary
|
|
|
|
|
CLOSED
|
|
|
Tuesday
|
13thJanuary
|
|
|
|
|
1.00-3.00
|
|
|
Wednesday
|
14thJanuary
|
|
|
|
|
CLOSED
|
|
|
Thursday
|
15thJanuary
|
|
|
|
|
1.00-3.00
|
|
|
Friday
|
16thJanuary
|
|
|
|
|
CLOSED
|
|
|
Saturday
|
17thJanuary
|
|
|
|
|
10.30-12.00
|
|
|
Sunday
|
18thJanuary
|
|
|
|
|
CLOSED
|
|
|
Monday
|
19thJanuary
|
|
|
|
|
CLOSED
|
|
|
Tuesday
|
20thJanuary
|
|
|
|
|
Normal hours resume
|
|
Waitaki Aquatic Centre
Normal hours resume on Monday 5 January 2026.
| Date |
Hours |
| Wednesday 24 December (Christmas Eve) |
6am - 3pm |
| Thursday 25 December (Christmas Day) |
Closed |
| Friday 26 December (Boxing Day) |
Closed |
| Saturday 27 December |
10am - 6pm |
| Sunday 28 December |
10am - 6pm |
| Monday 29 December |
10am to 6pm |
| Tuesday 30 December |
10am to 6pm |
| Wednesday 31 December (New Years Eve) |
10am to 3pm |
| Thursday 1 January (New Years Day) |
Closed |
| Friday 2 January |
Closed |
| Saturday 3 January |
1.30m - 6pm |
| Sunday 4 January |
10am - 6pm |
Waitaki Museum and Archive and Forrester Gallery
Normal hours resume on Monday 5 January 2026.
| Date |
Hours |
| Wednesday 24 December (Christmas Eve) |
10am - 12pm |
| Thursday 25 December (Christmas Day) |
Closed |
| Friday 26 December (Boxing Day) |
Closed |
| Saturday 27 December |
Usual weekend hours |
| Sunday 28 December |
Usual weekend hours |
| Monday 29 December |
Closed |
| Tuesday 30 December |
10am to 4pm |
| Wednesday 31 December (New Years Eve) |
10am to 4pm |
| Thursday 1 January (New Years Day) |
Closed |
| Friday 2 January |
Closed |
| Saturday 3 January |
Usual weekend hours |
| Sunday 4 January |
Usual weekend hours |
Resource Recovery Park and Rural Transfer Stations
Waitaki Resource Recovery Park – Chelmer St
Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Day and Friday 2 January 2026.
Normal hours otherwise.
Rural Transfer Stations
Usual hours until the 24 December 2025. Closed Christmas Day.
Ōmārama / Otematata / Kurow
7 days a week from 26 December 2025 (First Day) thru 18 January 2026 (Final Day) with extended hours below.
Ōmārama: 8.30am - 12.30pm
Otematata: 1pm - 5pm
Kurow: 1pm - 5pm
Hampden
Closed Christmas and Boxing days then 7 Days from 27 December 2025 (first day) – 11 January 2026 (last day), 8.30am – 12.30pm
Waihemo Wastebusters – Palmerston
Closed Christmas day and New Years Day normal hours otherwise Wednesday, Friday, Sunday 11am – 4pm.
Waitaki District Council will not be organising a New Years event this year, as this falls within our closedown period and we’re mindful of both staff time and costs in the current economic climate. Keep an eye out for community events to welcome in the New Year.
During the Christmas period, you’ll still be able to contact Animal Control, Noise Control, and make reports to Council about water leaks, roading issues, fallen trees etc by contacting our on-call team at 03 433 0300.
ENDS
media@waitaki.govt.nz