Matarangi Airport

The closure was for economic and land development reasons. The land on which the airstrip was located was re-zoned and developed into a high-value residential housing subdivision. As the coastal holiday town of Matarangi expanded and property values increased, the land became significantly more valuable for housing than for its use as a private airfield.

The site of the former airport has been completely redeveloped into a residential subdivision. The main road built directly on the path of the former runway is aptly named 'The Fairway'. The area is now occupied by modern private homes, streets, and associated public infrastructure. The long, straight alignment of 'The Fairway' street is the most prominent and visible remnant of the old airstrip's location.

Matarangi Airport was a private, unlicensed grass airstrip. It was originally established by the developers of the Matarangi settlement to provide a convenient 'fly-in' option for property owners and visitors, enhancing the town's appeal as a premium resort destination. Its operations were limited to general aviation, serving small, privately-owned aircraft like Cessnas and Pipers. It played a key role in the local recreational and tourism scene for private pilots but never handled scheduled commercial services or military operations. The identifier NZ-0089 was an unofficial code used in some GPS databases and flight simulation software, not an officially assigned ICAO code, reflecting its private, unregistered status.

There are zero plans or prospects for reopening the airport. The land has been permanently and irreversibly repurposed for residential use. The presence of numerous private homes, roads, and utilities built directly on the former airfield makes it physically and legally impossible to re-establish an aviation facility at this location. The nearest operational airport is Whitianga Aerodrome (IATA: WTI, ICAO: NZWT).