Adding to the bang noises ….. Photo: Kampus Production, pexels.com
A small reward is being offered for anyone who can identify the source of multiple big bangs heard in the Cambridge town centre.
Waipa mayor Mike Pettit
New Waipā mayor Mike Pettit is offering to give anyone who can correctly identify the source of the explosions a Kit Kat.
The News has received several letters from residents who have been woken by the explosions as far back as 2017.
“I’ve not heard any big bangs, “said Pettit.
“We are out of town. If the wind’s blowing right, we hear the fire siren. Whether it’s someone with acetylene bombs, they’re letting off for a laugh, I don’t. I’ve heard nothing official either, I don’t know what it is. Is it is it underground? Is it above ground? Is it ground shaking? Or is it a boom? I don’t know. I’ll give whoever can find it a Kit Kat.
“I hope it’s not a health and safety thing, but it’s so obviously real. It’s been going back to 2017; there’s something happening somewhere. But no one to have found anything seems bizarre. “
Jo Davies-Colley
Deputy mayor Jo Davies-Colley said she had been woken by the bang a couple of times.
“It’s like metal on metal,” she said. “It’s a very loud noise.”
Waipā District Council has received no reports of loud bangs.
Cambridge Community Board chair Charlotte Fitzpatrick who lives in Cambridge Park has not heard the explosions but said she was more curious than concerned to learn what is causing the noise.
Charlotte FitzPatrick
Armchair theories abound from Karapiro Hydro Station to Whitehall Quarry.
Mercury communications and community engagement manager Lawrence Gullery said there was no work occurring at Karāpiro Hydro Station that would create a loud noise that people in Cambridge would be able to hear.
“No work is happening at the station at the moment.”
Fletcher Building corporate affairs advisor Camryn Smart said Whitehall Quarry was not responsible.
“All loud operations at the quarry must be complete before 4pm,” Smart said.
Cambridge News 6 November 2025
NZ Transport Agency media manager Natasha Utting was also curious to hear of the cause.
“We haven’t had any works underway that could cause this so can’t help solve this mystery I’m afraid.”
Waikato Regional Council was none the wiser.
“Our consents team does not believe that any consented sites in the area would be a likely source of the noise,” said a council spokesman. “Our incident response team has had no reports of it either.”
