The Landing, at Okahu bay, has been awarded the Blue Flag for the 2010 season.  The flag is to be raised for the first time in February 2010  subject only to an international review of criteria in January 2010.  This is a great achievement for the Auckland City Council and management at the Landing, who have both worked extremely hard over previous years in bringing the Landing to its current state.

 BLUE CREW: Oakura School’s student leaders were the proud bearers of the community’s latest Blue Flag yesterday. From left, Ellie Tvrdeich, 12, William Conquest, Meika Watson-Burrows and Farrell Robertson, all 13.

A wet and windy end to spring did little to dampen the spirits of Oakura School’s head students as they celebrated the arrival of the community’s new Blue Flag yesterday.

Oakura will be a Blue Flag beach for the third year in a row and Oakura School head girl Meika Watson-Burrows said the community had worked hard to make sure they had a Blue Flag to fly this summer.

“All of us have made our beach beautiful,” she said.

“Oakura Beach is clean and safe because the community works hard to keep it that way.”

The Blue Flag is a voluntary eco-label awarded to more than 3450 beaches and marinas in 41 countries across Europe, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada and the Caribbean.

Blue Flag beaches and marinas must meet strict criteria dealing with water quality, environmental education and information, environmental management, and safety and other services.