Our Council offices and libraries will close at 12 noon on Wednesday 24 December 2025 and reopen on Wednesday 7 January 2026.

If you need to contact us over this holiday period, please call us on 06 306 9611 and our afterhours service will provide support.

Libraries

All library branches will close at 12 noon on Wednesday 24 December and reopen at 9.30am on Wednesday 7 January 2026. The afterhours returns slots will be closed so please hold onto books, magazines and other borrowed items from our libraries. There is no charge for overdue items. You will still be able to access the digital collection and use the Libby app over this time. You can find more information about our libraries here and on the South Wairarapa Libraries Facebook page here.

Swimming pools

Our three public swimming pools in South Wairarapa are open every day except for Christmas Day. The pools remain open throughout summer until Sunday 8 March 2026. Find out more about our pools and see their opening hours here.

Transfer stations

All of our transfer stations remain open apart from on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Find out more and see their hours here.

Rubbish and recycling

Rubbish and recycling pick-ups will be delayed by one day, if a public holiday falls on the day of your usual collection; for example, Christmas Day is on Thursday this year so if your usual collection is on Thursday, the pick up will be on Friday.

Alcohol licensing

Under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012, the days of 20 December 2025 to 15 January 2026 inclusive are not classed as working days. We are unable to accept or issue any alcohol licence applications between these days.  If you are planning an event over the summer, check out our timeframes for processing notice here.

Animal Control and Bylaw Officers

Our Animal Control and Bylaw Officers will be available during standard business hours during this time and calls will be managed by our afterhours call centre on 06 306 9611.

Resource Consent processing over Christmas and New Year 2025-26

The period from 20 December 2025 to 10 January 2026 each year does not count towards resource consent processing timeframes. This means that any weekdays during this time will not count as working days.

For example, if you lodged your resource consent application on 19 December 2025, the clock will not start ticking until 11 January in the New Year.