Omokoroa residents have a cashflow problem – but it's not what you'd expect.

The peninsula has 7500 residents but no ATM cash machine – and it's causing all sorts of inconveniences.

Omokoroa Beach Store & Lotto owner Murray Moon would love to see an ATM sited at the peninsula's domain. Photo by Tracy Hardy.

Omokoroa Community Board chair Don Cameron says with no hole in the wall the only way to get cash on the peninsula is visit Omokoroa Beach Store, boat club or golf club.

'But a lot of the time they don't have any cash because they've had so many people ask them.”

The former bank manager applied for an ATM from Westpac but was declined.

'I put in an application last year. I sent them statistics; some local shops gave me figures.

'A guy came back to me saying he knows Omokoroa very well, but unfortunately our usage is not sufficient to warrant one.”

Don's letter from Westpac states the population isn't big enough to sustain an ATM, with 9000 monthly transactions needed.

'He says our population would only generate transactions in the hundreds [monthly].

'But I did point out it's not just for residents; we get lots of visitors around school holidays and Christmas.”

Omokoroa Beach Store & Lotto owner Murray Moon has people visiting from 7am-7pm daily to get cash out. 'All the time – they use us for a bank,” says Murray.

'People purchase something, wanting cash out, but we can't always do it because we'll run out.

'My daughter was in the process of approaching the ANZ bank to get an ATM out here – I'm not sure how far she got before going on holiday.

'But I approached them years ago and they weren't interested.”

Murray says his monthly Eftpos transactions beg to differ.

'In September we had 3082 transactions; last month we had 3474. These are two of our quieter months – in summertime they'll go up another 50 per cent.”

Don says the peninsula is growing. Murray agrees. 'Not only would an ATM assist Omokoroa residents and visitors, it would help people who live in Whakamarama, Plummers Point and Pahoia,” says Don.

But for now cash-hungry residents have to drive to Bethlehem ATMs for cash for bus fares, the Lions' market, the lawnmower man, painter or hedge-trimmer.

Murray's keen for an ATM near his shop, but will not install an inside non-bank machine.

'A shop owner at Whakamarama tried one and it was nothing but trouble. He sent it back.”

Dons only applied to Westpac for an ATM. 'I don't know other banks' criteria.”

Westpac told The Weekend Sun they received a request they 'could not accommodate”. 'We did pass on details of alternative providers who specialise in that type of placement to try and assist the community.”