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Items of current interest
Home » Items of current interest
Items of current interest
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Porirua Harbour and Catchment Strategy and Action Plan |
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If you would like to know about the Strategy then have a look at our overview and response to its creation and the accompanying Detailed Action Plan.
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Transmission Gully Motorway |
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Our support for the new motorway has been continuous since 2000. |
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The project has received widespread support for very good reasons. This naturally occurring gully, heading north, will provide an additional road for the region's growing population. In times of natural disaster it will be the only major land access into Wellington not exposed to tsunami. There have been several heavy rain events since 2006, producing floods and landslips that have severed access to the capital, the Hutt Valley and SH1 North. The most recent event, in November 2016, really highlighted the risk we face for the future. For a city which holds the seat of government, this is not appropriate. Closer to our own area of concern, we believe that the consequent reduction of traffic on SH58 and Grays Road will greatly benefit the Pāuatahanui Inlet environment. Stormwater run-off from roads contains toxic residues from oil spills, tyre and brake wear and incompletely burnt petrol and diesel. |
These pollutants threaten the health of the animals of the Inlet. We are also very concerned with sediment build-up in the Inlet and the effect this will have on plants and wildlife. Thankfully NZTA and the contractors are paying great attention to these concerns. In the first instance Transmission Gully has GreenroadsTM accreditation. GreenroadsTM is an internationally recognised sustainability certification system specific to the design and construction of roads. Sedimentation, in particular, has been address in many ways and the Inlet is being monitored to measure the effectiveness of the measures put in place. Trees are being planted along the designated TGM route and fish, lizards and other animals have been collected and held under controlled conditions until they can be released again after the construction is complete. In the long term, we hope to enjoy an improved Inlet ecology and increased safety for pedestrians and cyclists. |
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Living Waters DVD |
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The Inlet is a very special place within a very special harbour and Cheryl Cameron, an award-winning documentary maker, has celebrated the harbour in a documentary series called 'Living Waters'. There are twelve episodes dealing with subjects as diverse as shags, pollution, riparian planting and Ngati Toa's relationship with the harbour. GOPI's educational resources team has produced some units of work to accompany the documentaries. You can buy the complete DVD for just $15 at Pataka, or you can see all twelve episodes, along with fascinating extra material from the interviews, at <Living Waters>. |
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Inlet Pathway |
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Porirua City Council's plan for the Inlet Pathway Te Ara Piko, 'The Meandering Path', is progressing well and you will have noticed very significant developments over the past couple of years. The pathway now extends from Motukaraka Point all the way to Pāuatahanui village. This is good news indeed as it provides an opportunity to view the Wildlife Reserve from another aspect, looking across at its bird breeding grounds. Construction of the extension from Motukaraka Point to the Camborne Walkway is now underway with the first stage at the Kakaho stream outlet. The pathway has so far been created with great sensitivity to the environment but it takes time to solve the problems and this new section is especially tricky. There are sensitive salt marshes at the mouth of the Kakaho Stream to be crossed and there are safety issues with placing the pathway alongside the road. Along with the local residents, we have agreed with the council about the form the pathway will take and consultation is continuing to ensure environmental concerns are being addressed. When this last section is complete it will then be possible to walk all the way from Pāuatahanui Village to Paremata Bridge allowing one to view the Inlet on foot from nearly all directions. That is something to really look forward to. |
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Our Educational Resources |
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Education is recognised as playing a huge role in the implementation of the Porirua Harbour and Catchment Strategy and Action Plan. As part of our solid commitment to the Porirua City Council's exciting vision for the harbour, we are involved with the council in educating the community on keeping the harbour healthy. Our teaching resource Let's visit the Inlet is available on this website. We're sure teachers planning Inlet visits will welcome the 11 activity worksheets found here. We also have a number of worksheets available for class or independent work, some of which are designed to go with the Living Waters documentaries. |