U3A is an international organization for people in their ‘Third Age’—whether you are retired, semi-retired, or simply have time to spare. There are no age limits for joining.
We have over 800+ members (as at Dec 2025) in the Tauranga and Western Bay areas, with 70+ interest groups that provide a wide range of opportunities to come together to learn and explore new ideas, skills and activities.
Interest Group categories include: Art, Design, Books, Cards, Computing, Current Events, Dining, Films, History, Languages, Music, Nature, Photography, Physical Exercise, Sciences, etc. Meetings are held in the members’ homes or in local venues.
Monthly Meetings are held every month in Tauranga and Katikati with an opportunity to hear guest speakers and socialise.
Monthly Meetings
Once a month we meet at the Tauranga Yacht Club or Katikati Community Hub for a social morning where invited keynote speakers present illustrated talks of major interest.
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Tauranga: 17th April 2026
Main Speaker: Ian Howell
Topic: The City Rail Link: More Than Just a Tunnel
Short Speaker: Liz Stewart U3A Health and Safety Officer
Topic: Our Updated Health and Safety ProcedureAbout main speakers talk
The City Rail Link (CRL) is the largest infrastructure project in New Zealand’s history, but behind the orange cones and massive cranes, what is really happening? In this talk, Ian Howell breaks down the project into four chapters:
- The Why: Why was this massive project needed in the first place, and what problem does it solve?
- The How: A look at the incredible engineering required including 3.5km long tunnels beneath a working city.
- The Balancing Act: How do you keep a city like Auckland moving while you’re digging up its main streets? Ian shares his first-hand experience in disruption management.
- The Future: How these new stations are designed to transform the neighbourhoods around them, changing the way people live and work.
About the Speaker
Ian Howell is the Web Manager for U3A Tauranga. Before retiring and moving back to Tauranga, Ian worked as Auckland Transport’s CRL Project Director. He was closely involved in many aspects of the City Rail Link project, including the complex logistics of transport disruption management and ensuring the new infrastructure integrates seamlessly into the city’s existing transport network.
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Katikati: 8th April 2026
Main Speaker: Chris Archer (historian and author)
Topic: “Recovering a New Zealand ANZAC legacy, the story of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade in Egypt and Palestine (1916-1919)”
Short Speaker: Katherine LucasThe meeting starts with general business for a few minutes, followed by our short talk. This month Katherine Lucas, who volunteers at the Victoria Battery Tramway Society, will talk about the history of the site.
Our main speaker, Chris Archer, historian and author, “Recovering a New Zealand ANZAC legacy, the story of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade in Egypt and Palestine (1916-1919)”.
With the approach of Anzac Day this seems a good time to review this all but forgotten legacy.