Starting at Wairaka Marae, the procession of band members and Navy personnel from HMNZS Matataua made their way along a crowd-lined Strand before assembling at Margaret Mahy Court, where they were met by council officials and delegates.

Whakatāne Mayor Nandor Tanczos was on hand to greet the procession and highlighted the charter’s significance to the town.

“When I became mayor, I had no understanding of what a ‘stone frigate’ was, or the need to look back over a decade to fully appreciate the rich history of this charter,” he said.

“I want to thank those involved for recognising, at that time, the importance of establishing a charter relationship with what was then the Littoral Warfare Unit, which in 2017 became known as HMNZS Matataua.

“A charter is the highest honour a council can confer on a military unit. It represents a formal bond of trust between a community and that unit, and it is a true privilege for Whakatāne to stand beside HMNZS Matataua a unit whose work is largely unseen, but deeply felt,” Mr Tanczos said.

Former mayor Tony Bonne was also present to recite the charter to the gathered crowd, reinforcing the connection between Whakatāne and HMNZS Matataua.

The recitation was followed by an address from Commander Greg Camburn, who acknowledged the day as a celebration of partnership with the Whakatāne district.

“For HMNZS Matataua, Whakatāne is its home port, a concept with a long and proud place in naval history that represents a bond between a ship, its people, and the community that stands behind it.

“I was born and raised here. These streets, rivers, and hills shaped who I am long before I joined the Navy.

“As commanding officer, standing here in the town that raised me, leading my ship’s company and watching them march through these streets, I feel immense pride in Matataua, pride in the Royal New Zealand Navy, and pride in Whakatāne. My sailors feel it too,” he said.

HMNZS Matataua is the Navy’s Littoral Warfare Unit, responsible for maritime bomb disposal, clearance diving, and underwater search operations. The unit also provides military hydrography and deploys boarding teams to support fisheries operations, as well as counter-narcotics and human trafficking efforts.

The event concluded with a performance by the Navy Band at Peace Park, attended by a crowd of approximately 200 people. The band also played to a full house at the RSA on Wednesday night, in what was described as a fantastic evening.