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Yachting New Zealand is relocating its Auckland headquarters from Takapuna to Milford late next month, in a move aimed at improving the efficiency of its member services and strengthening connections between sailors across all levels of its performance programme.
The organisation has been based at 4 Fred Thomas Drive, Takapuna, for the past seven years but will move to 11 Omana Road in Milford (pictured above) in late July.
“While the size of the Yachting New Zealand team has remained stable during that time, the need for a better, more suitable working environment has been a consistent theme among staff, sailors and coaches for some time,” Yachting New Zealand chief executive David Abercrombie said.
“We believe this move will be a significant upgrade, offering us more space, a prime location in a marine environment, and, importantly, greater cost-effectiveness.”
The new premises will be leased and provide 450 square metres of space across two storeys. Located near the heart of Milford, close to Milford Beach and the Milford Cruising Club, the site features generous storage and direct access to a boat ramp into Milford Marina.
The facility also has parking for up to nine coach boats and will house a dedicated gymnasium for athletes in the NZL Sailing programme. An athlete lounge, supported by leading nutrition company Radix, will provide space for debriefs, recovery, and study, supporting the development of sailors at all levels.
Abercrombie said the new location will also enable better integration with High Performance Sport New Zealand services, such as physiotherapy, nutrition, and data analysis, making them more accessible, especially for those new to the high-performance system.
"This move will help us deliver better services to athletes and staff while creating efficiencies across the organisation,” he said. “Importantly, it will also allow Yachting New Zealand to significantly reduce costs by consolidating external storage into a single site."
Yachting New Zealand’s long-term goal remains to establish a permanent and purpose-built national sailing centre, Abercrombie said.
“We are still actively working towards this, but for the next few years at least, 11 Omana Road will be the home of New Zealand sailing and for our yacht clubs."
