Kaiwharawhara Stream
| Kaiwharawhara Stream | |
|---|---|
Maori meaning "food of the fruit of the Astelia" | |
| Native name | Kaiwharawhara (Māori) |
| Location | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Wellington |
| City | Wellington |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Zealandia (wildlife sanctuary) |
| • elevation | 260 m (850 ft) |
| Mouth | Wellington Harbour |
• coordinates | 41°15′42″S 174°47′28″E / 41.261775°S 174.791037°E |
• elevation | Sea level |
| Length | 10 km (6.2 mi) |
| Basin size | 19 km2 (7.3 sq mi) |
The Kaiwharawhara Stream is a
Its main tributary is the Korimako Stream (which flows from Khandallah and Ngaio), though it is also fed by other tributaries, and its catchment covers roughly 19 square kilometres (7.3 sq mi). Much of this area consists of parkland and other reserves, though the water suffers from pollution in the form of stormwater and runoff associated with urban land-use.[1]
The Kaiwharawhara name is from kai, the Māori word for food, and wharawhara, the edible fruit of Astelia Banksii.[2] It is piped along six sections, the main length being 846 m (2,776 ft), under the former landfill at Ian Galloway Park, from Zealandia (wildlife sanctuary) to Otari-Wilton's Bush.[3] Near its mouth at Kaiwharawhara, a 107 m (351 ft) tunnel was built as an air-raid shelter in 1944 and the stream was diverted through it after the war, to improve flood protection and allow for additional oil storage tanks.[4]
Wildlife
Fish in the stream include
About 20% of the catchment is predominantly in native vegetation, which includes karaka, parviflora var. arborea (koromiko-taranga), makomako, melicytus ramiflorus (mahoe), phormium tenax (harakeke) plagianthus regius (manatu), pohutukawa, pteridium esculentum (aruhe), rangiora, taupata, toetoe and veronica.[5]
Weeds in the valley include paraserianthes lophantha (brush wattle), cytisus scoparius (broom), fennel, gorse, pampas grass, rapeseed, tradescantia fluminensis and tree lupin.[5]
Pollution
As noted above, the stream passes through a disused landfill and has other pollution sources. The stream mouth has lead and zinc pollution.
Walking tracks
Several tracks pass through the valley, including Te Araroa long distance trail, which uses the Northern Walkway from Cummings Park via the Korimako valley and then a short length beside the Kaiwharawhara to Wadestown.[7] The Sanctuary to Sea walkway uses most of the valley.[8]
References
- ^ Greater Wellington Regional Council – Kaiwharawhara Catchment Archived 2006-10-01 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "NZGB Gazetteer | linz.govt.nz". gazetteer.linz.govt.nz. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ a b "Kaiwharawhara Stream & Estuary" (PDF). Trelissick Park Group. October 2011.
- ^ "FRESHWATER HISTORIC HERITAGE OF THE WELLINGTON REGION Diversion Tunnel Kaiwharawhara Stream 1944" (PDF). 30 June 2012.
- ^ a b c "Kaiwharawhara Stream & Estuary" (PDF). Trelissick Park Group. October 2011.
- ^ "Kaiwharawhara Stream at Ngaio Gorge River Quality". Land, Air, Water Aotearoa. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
- ^ "Walking Tracks | Ngaio Crofton Downs Residents Association". Retrieved 26 December 2023.
- ^ "Sanctuary to Sea". Wellington City Council. 4 May 2023. Retrieved 26 December 2023.