30/04/2026
No money machine in Porangahau! no worries - We are now offering cash out without the need to purchase anything. Just another service we are pleased to provide to our wonderful community. Check out this article on the CHBDC Website.
Fee-free cash withdrawals now available at local shops
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We’ve all been there, suddenly needing cash for a sausage sizzle, a m***i day, or to buy some veges from the local market - but small change isn’t floating about like it used to.
In Central Hawke’s Bay there are businesses you can withdraw money from without buying anything or having to pay a fee.
“Some of our customers have to manage their budgets quite tightly,” Waipawa Pharmacy Manager Michelle Ritchie said, “Right now, getting $20 from an ATM when you only need $5 for a school trip or $2 for the tooth fairy just isn’t possible.”
Waipawa Pharmacy is one of four places, including Centralines Pools, Pōrangahau’s The Duke and The Goat Horn Cafe, where you can get the small change needed to make your life easier.
“It’s great to offer this to our community, without people having to buy anything,” Ritchie said.
This service is an extension to the Community Cash Trial run by the Reserve Bank and partnered by Central Hawke’s Bay District Council.
It’s a 12-month trial researching how non-bank services can meet local needs for cash. The first part was to set up a depot at Waipukurau’s Te Huinga Wai – Knowledge and Learning Hub where businesses can withdraw money or exchange notes for smaller denominations or coins, without making the trek to Hastings.
We were keen to get on board with the Reserve Bank for this Community Cash Trial, because we were hearing from our community that cash still had a place and we wanted to help find a solution, Central Hawke’s Bay District Council Economic Growth Manager Libby Tosswill said.
“Not every transaction is electronic. People still want and need to use cash in our community,” Tosswill said.
“We’ve had a lot of positive feedback about the first tranche of the trial, and how it has eased the burden for businesses' not needing to make as many trips up State Highway 2 during peak operating hours just to use a bank.”
The Duke’s owners, Angela and Ahuriri Houkamau, are participating in both parts of the trial. “Our nearest bank is a 45-minute drive away and only open three days a week,” they noted.
“This service is fantastic for our community and also helps us manage our business float.”
Centralines Pools Manager Michele Hayes was also pleased to be part of the initiative.
"The pools are a real community hub, with hundreds of people coming through our doors every month,” Hayes said.
“It's great to be able to support people in this way."
Business owners can apply for the cash exchange machine service here
24 March 2026
