Waitawa Regional Park Visit

On Thursday 28th January ARC Councillors and Parks staff went on a site visit to Waitawa Regional Park. You go through Clevedon to get there. It's in the South East of Auckland Region, within the jurisdiction of Manukau City Council. This parkland was purchased in 2004 and is not available for public use. Yet. This headland (Pawhetau Point) looks East over the inner Hauraki toward South Waiheke.

Parks Officer indicates the Northern headland (Koherurahi Point) of this 188 hectare regional park. Both headland areas include significant pa sites with Maori diggings, pits, fortifications evident.

In this close up of Northern headland (Koherurahi Point) , you can clearly see the jetty at the end. This is used by the current tenant of the land - Orica - an explosives manufacturer. Orica's tenancy is coming to an end in under 2 years. The size of the land area has enabled this dangerous practice to continue - vacant land provides a safety buffer in the event of a possible explosion.

A very high amenity beach lies between these two headlands. The northern end of the beach is surfaced with a light gravel, while the south end has soft Waitemata Sandstone subject to erosion. This photo was taken almost at low tide which shows why the beach will be a good all tide beach.

Here we are walking out onto the jetty - made of concrete materials and apparently in very good condition. Immediately to the left is a concrete boat launching ramp. The debate was about whether public could use the ramp to launch boats, whether ferries might call to drop visitors, or whether the wharf and vicinity should be for fishers and walkers and non-motorised recreation (kayaks etc).

Lots of talking and looking and listening...

Looking back to the Point from the wharf, this particular headland was a very significant pa site. It is now covered in old - past their use by date - pines. Removing them without damaging the land and diggings etc will be a challenge. There is a narrow one lane cutting through to the wharf, which provides very limited motorised transport access.

This is the beach on the other side of that headland, looking South. (Photo taken from inside the bus - sorry about reflection!). This is also a very pleasant beach about 400 metres long. White shell surface, but with Pacific Oyster clad rocks there at low tide. Not such a good beach for all tide access. Lots of parking here.

A major purpose of the site visit was to explain the land management issues that arise on the bulk of the parkland back from the coast. This land is intended for active uses like mountain-biking, horse-riding and such like. The land had been used fitfully for animal farming (grazing), and about 27 hectares is pine plantation.

A lot of the hillsides are covered in gorse. There is a current program of weedkilling, and then mulching on site. I wondered a bit about whether heavy rain might wash the exposed top soil and mulch off...

Here's a hillside of dead gorse, ready for mulching and clearance. The plan is to plant grass first, them sow some areas with Manuka seed to allow regeneration of bush. You can see in the left foreground an example of the weed species that have proliferated. The gum tree is OK!

A program of stump removal is also underway, along with the removal a rushes - shown here. Cllr Bill Burrell gives an idea of scale! The idea on this land is to enable pasture to grow - without stump holes and suchlike which can form safety risks to strolling park users.

Waitawa does contain some remnant areas of native bush which will be protected.

But the pine trees will be harvested to generate some revenue to pay for improvements to road access and suchlike. Some concern was expressed during the visit to a truly scorched earth approach to pine tree removal. Some consideration of visual landscape from the sea, sun shelter, and natural beauty on the park itself, suggested that some clusters or copses of pines might be retained, and other transitional measures considered.

Throughout the park, there are many gentle pathways, weathered fences, offering peace and tranquillity.

These contrast interestingly with the presence of a number of "brick shit-house" constructions used to store explosives.

There are a number of these very strongly constructed buildings on the park. And while Orica is under an obligation to remove such structures on the termination of its lease, there is an argument for the retention of some: they add historical interest and context; they may be able to be re-used a adapted for use by potential concessions (such as Kayak hire, Mountain bike club storage). During the visit we learned of a developing Kayak trail also...

Waitawa is really about the coastal landscape. Such potential. Everybody was keen to open it up to public access as soon as could safely be achieved. Even if only a part could be opened up...

Just a kilometre offshore you can see McCallum's Island. This is being quarried away under licence for paving materials. McCallum Chip. Sad really. To lose an island like that, and for that. There are a couple of interesting and substantial ship wrecks on the island (you can just make out the tip of the bow and stern of one of these wrecks on the left of this photo.)

Another view through gum tree trunks. That's Coromandel in the background.

Conversations will continue. Here's the site visit under the welcome shelter of 4 or 5 pine trees.

Parts of the landscape looked a bit like Central Otago. So dry and brown.

But I guess the rain will come sometime. And then the wetland area in the heart of Waitawa Regional Park will come to life and do its job of keeping the runoff nice and clean. No nitrate runoff here thank you very much. Not even from Orica's Ammonium Nitrate stores!