Canterbury`s Spectacular Coast

C
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Y ’s
Spectacular
Coast
About these resource books
This coastal resource book is one of two books; the other is Canterbury’s Marine
and Coastal Animals. This book is divided into three broad regional sections;
north, central and south Canterbury. Canterbury’s Marine and Coastal Animals
is not divided into regional sections — instead it identifies Canterbury’s different
coastal environments and the animals that live in those areas.
These books are designed to be used together, but can be used individually.
The visual links between the two resource books are a series of symbols.
Wherever there is a symbol, there is corresponding information in the other
resource book. Below are the symbols you will see in these resource books.
Canterbury’s Marine and Coastal Animals
N
You will find additional coastal information in the North Canterbury
section of Canterbury’s Spectacular Coast.
C You will find additional coastal information in the Central Canterbury
section of Canterbury’s Spectacular Coast.
S
You will find additional coastal information in the South Canterbury
section of Canterbury’s Spectacular Coast.
Canterbury’s Spectacular Coast
You will find additional marine and coastal animal information in
the Canterbury’s Marine & Coastal Animals book.
Cover photo credits: Environment Canterbury (ECan)
Box sticker photo credits: Hector’s dolphin - Greg Stone, South Island Pied oystercatcher - Department of Conservation (DOC), Coastline - ECan
Revised and updated 2009. Paper used for these resources is acid free and elemental chlorine free.
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Contents
INTRODUCTION2
CANTERBURY’S SPECTACULAR COAST
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NORTH CANTERBURY COAST
4
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KAIKOURA COAST
4
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GORE BAY CATHEDRALS
5
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NAPE NAPE
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MOTUNAU ISLAND
6
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PEGASUS BAY
6
CENTRAL CANTERBURY COAST
7
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IHUTAI/AVON HEATHCOTE ESTUARY 7
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PORT LYTTELTON 9
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OTAMAHUA/QUAIL ISLAND 10
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HOROMAKA/BANKS PENINSULA 10
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TE WAIHORA/LAKE ELLESMERE AND KAITORETE SPIT
12
SOUTH CANTERBURY COAST
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THE CANTERBURY BIGHT
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WAITARAKAO/WASHDYKE LAGOON
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PORT OF TIMARU AND CAROLINE BAY
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WAINONO LAGOON AND WAIHAO BOX
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Up to 90% of New Zealanders live within 40 kilometres of the sea — an unusual statistic in world terms.
The coast provides a source of kai moana (sea food), and the water provides spiritual fulfillment to all Tangata Whenua. They, like many
other people in the region, see the coast as an integral part of the whole environment reaching from the mountains to the sea, and do
not look at coastal issues in isolation from other environmental issues. For Tangata Whenua, the coast has always played a significant
role in the lives of their ancestors, and the present generation, and will continue to be important for future generations. Their system
of traditional rights to, and attitudes towards natural resource management has evolved over time. For Tangata Whenua, the natural
resources of their area or rohe are a statement of identity and mana.
Coastal North Canterbury
Canterbury region
Coastal
South
Canterbury
Coastal
Central
Canterbury
C
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Spectacular Coast
The Canterbury coastline is spectacular
in its variety, from Kaikoura to Pegasus
Bay and from Banks Peninsula/Horomaka
to South Canterbury — rocky platforms,
eroding sea cliffs, wide sweeping sandy
beaches, sheltered bays of volcanic rock,
coastal lagoons, estuaries, mud flats and
the long, exposed, shingle beaches of the
Canterbury Bight.
The most stable part of the Canterbury
coast is Banks Peninsula. It blocks the
northward drift of sediment, causing this
sediment to build up at the northern end of
the Canterbury Bight. Banks Peninsula also
shelters the southern part of Pegasus Bay
from strong southerly storm swells, allowing
the accumulation of relatively fine sands and
sediment in this area.
Along our coast, wetlands have formed
in low-lying areas adjacent to river mouths.
There are more than a dozen estuaries and
lagoons, some of which are of international
importance for their wildlife, especially birds.
A changing Coast
The Canterbury coastline is constantly
changing. Powerful waves remove sediment
from the shore, gradually eroding the coast
and losing land to the sea. In other areas
sediment builds up, and the coastline
grows seawards.
Another phenomenon changing our coastline
is global warming. Over the past century the
average global temperature has increased by
almost 0.6ºC. Scientists expect the average
temperature to increase by an additional
1.8ºC over the next 100 years (IPCC, 2007).
Over the past 100 years the sea level has
risen 2 mm per year. It is predicted to rise
up to half a metre over the next 100 years.
Along Christchurch’s coastline, sea level rise
could lead to the inundation of low lying areas
around Brooklands Lagoon and the AvonHeathcote estuary/Ihutai, and an increased
incidence of tidal flooding in low lying riparian
(river bank) areas near the mouths of the Avon
and Heathcote rivers. With higher water levels,
dune erosion may increase. However, the
overall result should be continued accretion
(building) of the dune-backed beaches
between the Estuary and Brooklands Lagoon
(Tonkin and Taylor, CCC, 1999).
Who does what?
Environment Canterbury, the City Council
and the Department of Conservation all work
together to protect the coastline. In this region,
Environment Canterbury has responsibility
for the “Coastal Marine Area” which is the
foreshore, seabed, coastal water and the air
space above the water between the outer
limits of the territorial sea (12 nautical miles)
and generally the area of the average of the
highest tides. The City Council administers the
area from this point landwards but as the coast
and land are so closely linked, the city and
regional councils work together. The coastal
environment as a whole is part of the Regional
Coastal Plan. The Department of Conservation
is responsible for native animals and plants at
any location including coastal and marine areas.
Pegasus Bay, photo courtesy of
Christchurch City Council (CCC)
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North Canterbury Coast
THE KAIKOURA COA ST
NATURAL HISTORY
The beautiful Kaikoura coastline stretches
from the Conway River in the south to
the Clarence River in the north, and is
approximately 100 kilometres in length.
The coast is dominated by rugged land
formations, with the Kaikoura mountain ranges
and Pacific Ocean just a few kilometres apart.
The shoreline is a mixture of rocky reefs
interspersed with gravel beaches.
About a kilometre offshore from the Kaikoura
Peninsula is the deep-sea Kaikoura Canyon.
Here there is an up-welling of cold,
nutrient-rich water providing an excellent
feeding habitat for a diverse range of seabirds,
invertebrates, fish, and marine animals
including seals, dolphins and whales.
THE KAIKOURA CANYON
Kaikoura coastline, photo courtesy of ECan
The deep-sea Kaikoura Canyon is a biodiversity
hotspot. This vast richness is due to the
amazing underwater landscape. Just offshore,
the continental shelf drops rapidly creating
the Kaikoura Canyon. The Kaikoura Canyon
is 60 kilometres long and up to 1200 metres
deep. It starts just 500 metres off the Kaikoura
coast at Goose Bay and reaches a depth of
1000 metres in just 3 kilometres. The canyon
extends out to the south-east of Cook Strait,
linking the waters of Kaikoura with the depths
of the Hikurangi Trough and the Kermedec
Trench (one of the deepest places on earth,
reaching a depth of 10,047 metres).
The Canyon is influenced by two ocean currents,
a warm current from the East Cape and a
colder one from Southland. These currents
act like converging (joining) rivers, and when
their waters mix there is a huge up-welling of
deep-ocean nutrients. These nutrients support
an enormous variety of life, from plankton and
krill to fish, dolphins and whales.
HUMAN HISTORY
EARLY SETTLERS — MAORI
In Maori lore the Kaikoura Peninsula was the
place where Maui braced his foot when he
fished up the North Island, and was named
‘Te taumanu o te whaka a Maui’ — the thwart
(seat) of Maui’s canoe. The name ‘Kaikoura’
translates to ‘meal of crayfish’ (‘kai’ — food
or meal, ‘koura’ — crayfish).
Te Runanga o Kaikoura, the modern day
representatives of Ngati Kuri (the hapu or
sub-tribe of Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu) hold
manawhenua and manamoana — the
customary authority over the land and sea,
of the Kaikoura District. Maori occupied the
Kaikoura district for over 800 years before
the arrival of the first Europeans. Most of the
NORTH
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Maori settlements were concentrated along
the coastline as it was rich in marine resources
which Maori utilised and managed.
Tangata Whenua have a strong cultural,
spiritual, historic or traditional association
with the Kaikoura coast and surrounding
area. Recent developments with ventures
such as Kaikoura Whale Watch provide not
only a further connection with the natural
environment for local iwi, but also growth
and prosperity for the area as a whole.
LATER SETTLERS — EUROPEANS
In 1843 Captain Robert Fyfe, reputed to
be Kaikoura’s earliest European settler,
established ‘Waiopuka’, the first shore whaling
station. The station was near where his house,
built in 1860, still stands on its whale bone
piles. Early European settlement in the area
focused on pastoral (sheep) farming and
the harvesting of marine resources. Many
whales and seals were hunted to the point
of extinction. Whaling declined over time and
the last of New Zealand’s whaling operations
ceased in 1964.
ANIMALS
The Kaikoura coastline is home to a number of
unique marine and coastal animals including:
Whales — sperm/paraoa, humpback/paikea,
southern right/tohora, orca and long-fin.
Dolphins — dusky, common, Hector’s/
upokohue and bottlenose.
Seals — New Zealand fur/kekeno, leopard,
and elephant/ihupuku.
Seabirds — Hutton’s and sooty shearwaters/
titi, prions/titi, mollymawks/toroa and
albatross/toroa.
Gore Bay Cathedrals, photo courtesy of K Bell, ECan.
Shorebirds — gulls, shags/koau, terns/tara
and oystercatchers/torea.
• Finding a balance between tourism and its impact on the
natural environment.
For more information on marine mammal
and seabird life, please refer to the booklet
‘Canterbury’s marine and coastal animals’.
PLANTS
In Kaikoura, plant enthusiasts are treated to
a rich variety of coastal plant life, the most
notable being the reef habitats with their
extensive areas of sea grass and kelp beds.
SITES TO SEE
• Peninsula walk — walk around the
peninsula and enjoy spectacular ocean
and mountain views, seals and seabirds.
• New Zealand fur seal colony — there are
a number of colonies along the Kaikoura
coastline.
• Kaikoura Ranges — enjoy day or overnight
walks in the coastal Kaikoura mountains.
• Fyfe House — a historical local house
near the old onshore whaling station.
WHAT ARE THE ISSUES?
• Lack of any marine and coastal
protected areas and reserves.
• The effects of land development
— urban and rural.
• Keeping the water clean —
dumping of waste in the sea and on the land.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
• Take only pictures, leave only
footprints — the coast is a fragile
environment, one that we can all enjoy but need to respect.
• Take action now — a clean-up day is a great way to keep waste in check along the coastline.
• Join a local care group such as ‘Te Korowai O Te Tai O Marokura’ —
Kaikoura Coastal Marine Guardians.
GORE BAY
CATHEDR A LS
One of the most prominent features of the
North Canterbury area is the Gore Bay
Cathedrals. These rock formations were
formed by erosion of soft rock (red
conglomerate and sandstone), leaving behind
hard rock shapes that look like cathedrals.
They serve as a record of sedimentation
history and are rare features of the
Canterbury coast.
NAPE NA PE
Nape Nape Scenic Reserve is noted for its
unique forest community and heavily eroded
limestone coastline formations. This rather
unique environment supports a growing
colony of fur seals and a variety of bird
species. In among the forest community
and along this stretch of coast, a rare grass
species (Austrofestuca littoralis) can be found.
The surrounding sea is well known for fishing
and surfing.
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NORTH
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MOTUNAU ISLAND
Motunau Island is one of Canterbury’s few
offshore islands. It has been the site of three
distinct periods of Maori occupation. Evidence
from midden sites (old waste sites) reveals
that the island was a bountiful source of food.
In 1958 the island became a nature reserve
and is now internationally recognised for its
abundant wildlife such as white-flippered
penguins, fairy prions and sooty shearwaters.
PEG A SUS B AY
Canterbury’s only vast stretch of sandy
surf beaches with a dune system is found
in Pegasus Bay — 55 kilometres of wide
sweeping beaches from Banks Peninsula to
the Waipara River mouth. It contrasts sharply
with the rest of the Canterbury coast, which is
made up of mixed sand and gravel beaches
and rocky coasts. Pegasus Bay is the most
highly used coastline in the Canterbury region.
Its popularity for recreation and development
means high human impact and environmental
effects, especially from driving over the fragile
dune systems.
Pegasus Bay is an enormous sediment trap.
Banks Peninsula shelters the southern part
of Pegasus Bay from strong southerly storm
swells, allowing the build-up of relatively fine
sediments in this area to form sandy beaches.
Much of the sand comes from the Waimakariri
and Ashley Rivers, which, unlike most other
Canterbury rivers, do not discharge gravels
to the coast, only sand. This build-up of
sand also forms sand dunes, which create a
physical barrier between the sea and the land,
protecting us from the worst extent of storms
and flood damage. Without healthy sand
dunes, settlements along Pegasus Bay could
be threatened.
Pegasus Bay, photo courtesy of
Christchurch City Council (CCC)
Sand scarab beetle, photo courtesy of DOC
CO A ST
Sand dunes are a constantly changing
environment as they are exposed to extreme
winds and tidal activity. Specially adapted
sandbinding plants help to stabilise the dune
system by trapping windblown sand and
holding it in place. Pingao and spinifex are
native sandbinders and create a lower profile
more stable dune than invasive introduced
plants such as marram grass and iceplant.
Pingao and spinifix were heavy grazed in the
past and were largely lost from Pegasus Bay,
however, restoration planting programmes are
now ensuring their survival.
Ice plant, photo courtesy of CCC
Without plants growing in the dunes, the sand
would be carried inland and away by the wind.
Sand dunes and native plants also provide
unique habitats for specially adapted dune
animals such as common skinks, sand scarab
beetles and katipo spiders. Pingao and spinifx
have an open growth pattern which is perfect
for the katipo spider to set up its amazing
web snare.
The dune system of Pegasus Bay, plants and
animals face ongoing threats from grazing,
fire,driving over the dunes and development.
Pingao with seed, photo courtesy of CCC
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Central Canterbury Coast
Students at the Avon-Heathcote Estuary, photo courtesy of CCC
IH U TA I/ AV ONHE ATHCOTE ESTUARY
NATURAL HISTORY
Estuaries are semi-enclosed coastal areas
where fresh water and salt water mix. They
often have a sandbar or gravel spit which
protects the estuary from strong ocean
currents and waves. Estuaries are ‘open’
ecosystems both linked to, and affected by
the wider environment. Nutrients from the land
are carried to estuaries via rivers, and from
the sea by the tides. Pollution can reach an
estuary by the same means. Nutrients can
be removed by outgoing tides, and by the
birds and fish that leave the estuary.
route for local Maori and was used when
exchanging flax and potatoes for steel adzes,
axes, muskets and other goods.
LATER SETTLERS — EUROPEAN
The Avon-Heathcote estuary/Ihutai was also
important to early European settlers because
it was used as the main transport and trade
route to Christchurch. Until the Lyttelton
rail tunnel opened in 1867, small vessels
(schooners, yachts, whaleboats and steamers)
ferried people and goods up to the Barbadoes
Street bridge on the Avon River, or to Wilson
Bridge on the Heathcote River.
The Avon-Heathcote estuary/Ihutai was
formed about 450 years ago when sand and
gravels carried down from the Ashley and
Waimakariri Rivers to the shoreline built up
to create the Southshore Spit. Today the
estuary covers about 880 hectares and is
12 km from Christchurch city centre.
As rail and road transport systems developed,
the value of the estuary to Europeans diminished.
As the settlement of Christchurch grew, people
drained the estuary and cleared it and other
wetland areas for farmland and housing. The
estuary was used as a sewage outfall and a
rubbish dump. The draining, land reclamation
and development caused the rivers to become
clogged with sediment. By 1900 the Avon was
less than 10 cm deep in some places.
HUMAN HISTORY
PLANTS
EARLY SETTLERS — MAORI
The Avon-Heathcote estuary/Ihutai was
a favourite food and resource gathering
(mahinga kai) spot for early Maori, particularly
for eeling, fishing and shellfish harvesting.
It was a highly valued and treasured area.
Middens (ancient waste heaps) and several
thousand campsites have been found along
the banks of the estuary and in the sand
dunes up to the Waikari River mouth. The
mouth of the estuary was an important trade
Estuaries are harsh environments for plants
because the water is salty. Plants that live in
estuaries are unique and specially adapted
to cope with the varying salt (salinity) levels,
strong currents, harsh sunlight and wind, and
low oxygen levels in the muddy estuary soils.
Seagrass is the only flowering plant in
New Zealand that can live submerged
in seawater, and it can be found in the
Avon-Heathcote estuary/Ihutai. Sadly, in the
1920s seagrass beds started disappearing
from the estuary, and it is now a threatened
species. The reason for the decline is
unclear; some believe it is caused by a
fungal disease, others due to an increase
in sediment which smothers the plants.
Salt marsh plants such as sea rush and
jointed rush/oioi grow to 1.5 m tall and form
dense rushlands. These surround patches
of raupo, which is a freshwater plant,
indicating that there are some freshwater
springs in the estuary. Jointed rush was
used by ancient Maori as thatching on the
outside of their houses.
The beautiful red, grey and green salt
meadows form on drier areas beyond the
salt marshes in the estuary. Here, native
succulents such as saltwort and glasswort/
ureure mix with mats of creeping herbs such
as remuremu and shore primose/makoako.
Cordgrass is an introduced species that was
used to reclaim estuary land for farming. It has
had a detrimental effect on native plants and
animals, and is now classified as a noxious
plant. It is being removed to allow revegetation
of native species.
Jointed rush/oioi, photo courtesy of DOC
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ANIMALS
Most of the animal life in the estuary is not
immediately apparent because it lives mainly
in the mud. The detritus (dead organic matter)
in the mud supports a very complex and
intricate food web of estuary animals. When
the tide retreats, thousands of burrows, tracks
and deposits belonging to various animals are
easily seen.
Mud worms, or bristleworms, are unique to
the estuary environment. They are related to
earthworms, but have a pair of short bristly
structures on each segment of their body. These
worms either live permanently in burrows feeding
on organic matter in the mud, or are mobile,
scavenging for food on the surface or through
the mud. They leave casts of undigested
sediment along the trails they make. They are a
significant food source for wading birds and fish,
and worm populations can exceed 20,000 per
square metre of estuary mud.
Three kinds of mud crabs are found in the
estuary — the kairau found in the upper-tidal
zone, the stalk-eyed mud crab which comes
C O A S T
out at night in the mid-tidal zone, and the
hairy-handed crab/papaka huruhuru which
is found throughout the inter-tidal zone.
Densities of 255 crabs per square metre
have been recorded in the Avon-Heathcote
estuary/Ihutai.
Cockles/tuangi are a shallow-burrowing
shellfish. They are a key species in the
estuary ecosystem; as a food source for
oystercatchers, sand flounder and people,
and as a water filter for the estuary.
Flounder/patiki and other flatfish use the
estuary to breed and their young return there
to mature. Eels/tuna, adult whitebait species,
yellow-eyed mullet and many small fish are
daily or seasonal visitors, feeding on plankton
and marine species.
The Avon-Heathcote estuary/Ihutai and
nearby oxidation ponds are internationally
recognised as an important wetland for birds.
In the past 150 years, 113 bird species have
been recorded in the estuary. To have such
a variety of waders and wetland birds in one
place is unique.
Map showing godwit migration
GODWITS/KUAKA
The Avon-Heathcote estuary/Ihutai is protected
by the Southshore Spit. The estuary is an
important feeding area for the Eastern bartailed godwit/kuaka, which rests and roosts on
the sand at the tip of the spit. These amazing
birds are migratory, flying 11,000 km each
year from eastern Siberia and Alaska to New
Zealand. In the northern hemisphere, when
the ground starts to freeze in September and
the supply of insects decreases, the godwits
head south over open ocean directly to New
Zealand. This amazing non-stop journey takes
only 5 or 6 days. They spend the summer here,
feeding and putting on weight. In early March,
as autumn approaches, up to 2,000 godwits
leave the Avon-Heathcote estuary/Ihutai to
return to eastern Siberia and Alaska to breed in
the Arctic summer. They can be seen feeding
at the estuary from September to early March
each year.
SITES TO SEE
• Southshore Spit — excellent birdwatching:
see oystercatchers, terns, and the godwits
during spring and summer.
• Raupo Bay — see pied stilt roosting and
other estuary wildlife.
• McCormack’s Bay — watch black
cormorants, gulls and terns.
Alaska
MAY-JUNE
Russia
• Windsurfing and sailing — during the high
tides of summer, spectacular windsurfing
and sailing displays can be seen.
• Jubilee Walkway — walk around the
eastern margin of the Avon River and
estuary through a variety of habitats
including, pine plantations, native shrubs
and tidal flats.
MAY
WHAT ARE THE ISSUES?
Japan
• Pollution from sewage, heavy
metals and rubbish.
China
SEPTEMBER
• Invasion by introduced plant
species.
• Dogs disturbing nesting and
roosting birdlife.
• Excess silt and sediment flowing in
from land clearance.
APRIL-MAY
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
New Guinea
• Protect rivers and tributaries from
pollution from stormwater.
Indonesia
• Remove rubbish, including dog
droppings, from land around the
estuary.
Australia
• Take part in riparian (river bank)
planting schemes to protect native
species.
MARCH
New Zealand
• Walk dogs on leads around birds.
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PORT LYTTELTON
NATURAL HISTORY
The port of Lyttelton lies on the northern
shore of Lyttelton Harbour; a sea inlet in the
north-west of Banks Peninsula. The harbour
is a sea-filled, ancient volcanic crater that
erupted about 11 million years ago. The
harbour runs westwards from its headlands
at Awaroa/Godley Head on the northern side,
and Adderley Head on the southern side.
Steep hills rise from the sides of the harbour,
with Mt Herbert/Te Ahu Patiki reaching the
highest point at 920 metres above sea level.
HUMAN HISTORY
EARLY SETTLERS — MAORI
Maori called Lyttelton Te Whaka or Te
Whakaraupo — the harbour of bullrush reeds.
Maori have lived in and around the area since
800 AD. History states that an ancient pa
called O Hinehou once existed in what is likely
the entrance to the present-day Lyttelton
tunnel, dating back to the time of Waitaha
and Ngati Mamoe tribes. It was later invaded
and became a village of Ngai Tahu, led by
the chief Te Rakiwhakaputa. Eventually Te
Rakiwhakaputa settled at Rapaki, the small
bay to the west of Ohinehou where Maori
eventually settled after European colonisation
of Lyttelton. To this day Rapaki is a significant
Maori marae.
Ngai Tahu also built a fortified pa on the
island of Ripapa in Lyttleton Harbour, which
they inhabited until the tribal wars against
Te Rauparaha in 1832. Today, Ripapa is a
Historic Reserve of significance to Ngai Tahu
as it is a Wahi Tapu site and has Topuni status.
The hapu of Ngati Wheke, who are now based
at Rapaki, are the guardians of Ripapa.
LATER SETTLERS — EUROPEAN
Lyttelton was originally known as Port
Cooper — a planned colonial settlement
that was formalised in 1849. The earliest
European visitors were from the original
visit by the ship ‘Pegasus’ in 1809,
followed by whaling ships such as the
‘Antarctic’ in 1830. The early settlers
included various families such as the
Wakefields, Gebbies and Godleys, after
whom some local geographic features are
named. Port Cooper was renamed after
George William Lyttelton, the Canterbury
Association Chairman at the time, who
oversaw the planning of the township.
The first four ships of Canterbury Association
immigrants arrived in 1850, bringing
New Zealand’s first printing press with
them. The Lyttelton Times (later becoming
the Christchurch Press) was first produced
in 1851. However, communication with
Christchurch was difficult because the
Lyttelton Port/Whakaraupo, photo courtesy of ECan
only direct link between the two townships
was either by sea via the Avon-Heathcote
estuary/Ihutai or over the Bridle Path.
The establishment of New Zealand’s first
telegraph line in 1862 and the opening of
the rail tunnel under the Port Hills enabled
Lyttelton to become the major port in
Canterbury. The road tunnel did not open
until 1964.
Quail Island/Otamahua and Ripapa Island
were both used as quarantine stations, with
Quail Island being used as a leper colony in
the early 1900s.
Lyttelton’s buildings all have stories to tell.
For example, a gaol (jail) was built in 1860
and the prisoners did hard labour, building
most of the roads and stone walls around
the town. The old gaol site was turned into
a playground in the late twentieth century,
and now, on Saturday mornings, it is the site
of a popular farmers’ market. The Timeball
Station, built to aid ship navigation through
the harbour, is a popular tourist attraction.
ANIMALS
Marine mammals such as Hector’s dolphins/
upokohue and New Zealand fur seals live
and breed in the waters of Lyttelton Harbour.
Both are protected species.
Many marine birds are found in the harbour,
such as cormorants (shags), petrels, terns,
and penguins. Bellbird/korimako and fantail/
piwakawaka are also present around the
coast and the beautiful and distinctive song
of the bellbird can be heard in regenerating
bush remnants.
PLANTS
Historically, Lyttelton shared many of the
same plants as the rest of Banks Peninsula
and was heavily forested. The first 50 years of
European settlement saw most of the forest
felled or burned to make way for farmland
and settlements. The natural vegetation of
pingao, flax and ngaio were replaced by pine
trees and lupins. Today there are patches
of regenerating native forest on the slopes
surrounding Lyttelton Harbour.
Rocky shore, Lyttelton Harbour,
photo courtesy of B.Smith
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CENTR A L
C A NTERBURY
O TA M A HUA/
Q U A IL ISLAND
Quail Island is Canterbury’s largest island.
The native quail/koreke which inspired the
island’s European name was extinct by 1875.
Local Maori dubbed the island Otamahua,
which means ‘the place where children collect
sea birds’ eggs’. Iwi used the island as a
base to gather eggs, fish and shellfish. Fine
sandstone collected from King Billy Island/Aue
was traded to use for grinding and polishing
pounamu (greenstone).
Other uses for the island included quarrying
for ballast rock, a leper colony and a
quarantine station for animals used in
Antarctic explorations. People were also
quarantined on the island during the 1917
flu epidemic. The Quail Island Trust has
begun a major native revegetation programme
on the island.
SITES TO SEE
• Awaroa/Godley Head — on the north side
of harbour entrance, popular reserve that
also served as WW II military fortress with
Coastal guns.
• Rapaki marae — located five km west
of Lyttelton, established in 1849.
• Otamahua/Quail and Ripapa Islands.
• Timeball Station.
• Farmers’ Market — Saturday mornings
on the site of the old gaol.
Ripapa Island,
photo courtesy of K.L.Jones
Quail Island cliffs - photo courtesy of DOC
CO A ST
WHAT ARE THE ISSUES?
• Dredging the seabed to allow
enough depth for container and fishing ships. This kills bottom-dwelling marine life.
• Increased sedimentation from land development.
• Water pollution from bilge water
and oil/fuel spills from boats.
• Damage to marine life caused by entanglement in or digestion of rubbish such as discarded fishing nets.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
• Remove rubbish from harbour
shore — don’t drop rubbish in the water when on boats.
• Follow the set-net ban to protect
Hector’s dolphins.
• Help with coastal revegetation
projects such as Otamahua/
Quail Island.
HOROMAKA/
BANKS PENINSULA
NATURAL HISTORY
Banks Peninsula was originally an island
formed by at least three very large volcanoes;
one at Lyttelton, the other at Akaroa. They
were active a long time ago (five to 12 million
years ago) and over time the volcanic cones
eroded and the sea filled the old craters.
These craters are now Akaroa and Lyttelton
harbours. Banks Peninsula became attached
to the South Island at some time during
the end of the last Ice Age, after rocks and
sediment eroded from the Southern Alps
formed the Canterbury Plains. When viewed
from the sea, Banks Peninsula still looks very
much like an island.
HUMAN HISTORY
EARLY SETTLERS ― MAORI
There are three known successive phases
of Maori migration and settlement on Banks
Peninsula. Waitaha settled there first, followed
by Ngati Mamoe, and then Ngai Tahu arrived
sometime in the seventeenth century.
Horomaka is the more commonly known
Maori name for Banks Peninsula, but the
term ‘ Te Pataka o Rakaihautu’ (the food/
store house of the chief Rakaihautu) is more
generally used by Tangata Whenua.
Around 1830 the Maori settlement at
Takapuneke (in Akaroa Harbour) was the scene
of the notorious incident aboard the brig
‘Elizabeth’. The British captain, John Stewart,
helped North Island Ngati Toa chief, Te
Rauparaha, to capture the local senior Ngai Tahu
chief, Te Maiharanui and his family. Not long after
Te Ruaparaha and his allies returned and sacked
the settlements of Onawe Pa and Takapuneke.
Partly as a result of this incident, an official
British Resident, James Busby, was sent
to New Zealand in an effort to stop such
atrocities. The events at Takapuneke thus led
directly to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.
LATER SETTLERS ― EUROPEAN
Banks Peninsula was first sighted by
Europeans on 16 February 1770 from the
ship ‘Endeavour’ during James Cook’s first
voyage to New Zealand. On the following day
he concluded it was an island and named it
Banks Island in honour of Joseph Banks, the
botanist who accompanied him on his voyage
to New Zealand. On that day he also saw the
entrance to Akaroa Harbour, but did not go
into it as he sailed further south mapping the
New Zealand coast. Explorers later realised
the sea did not connect around the island but
formed a peninsula.
In the early years of the nineteenth century,
sealers and whalers appeared on the scene
CENTR A L
C A NTERBURY
CO A ST
and they found Maori (Ngai Tahu) settlements
near where Lyttelton and Akaroa now stand.
By the 1830s, Banks Peninsula had become
a European whaling centre — to the detriment
of Maori, who succumbed in large numbers to
disease and inter-tribal warfare exacerbated
by the use of muskets.
ANIMALS
The Banks Peninsula coastline is home
to some incredible animals including the
world’s smallest dolphin — Hector’s dolphin/
upokohue, and penguin — the white-flippered
penguin/korora. As well as penguins, other
types of birds you might see are gulls, petrels,
terns/tara, albatross/toroa and cormorants.
Abundant marine life can be found in the
waters off Banks Peninsula including
New Zealand fur seals/kekeno, southern
right whales/tohora, crayfish/koura,
blue cod/kopukopu and paua.
PLANTS
As the peninsula was once an island, it
contains many unique plants not found
elsewhere, such as the Banks Peninsula sun
hebe and the Banks Peninsula daisy. Almost
all the peninsula was once covered in native
forest. This forest, the result of many millions
of years of land formation and evolution, had
the same or similar plant species 20,000 years
ago as we find today in the remaining reserves
and vegetation remnants. However, at least
15 species have been lost. Most of this forest
was felled or burned during the first 50 years
of European occupation.
Cliff faces from Sumner to Awaroa/Godley
Head support a hardy collection of native
grasses, herbs and small shrubs. In the
nineteenth century, European settlers
destroyed many of the coastal plants through
burning and over-grazing. A big threat to
native plant life today comes from the invasion
of foreign weeds. Native planting is having a
positive effect in some parts of the peninsula.
Akaroa harbour,
photo courtesy of M Gardner
Akaroa Harbour - view to the heads, photo courtesy of M.Perry
SITES TO SEE
• Akaroa — Canterbury’s oldest town, 84
km southeast of Christchurch, originally
settled by the French in 1840. Today it has
a very distinct nineteenth century French
flavour and is a popular tourist destination.
• Wainui — holiday and farming community
across the harbour from Akaroa
township. At French Farm the French
Navy established gardens and a nursery.
• Little River — a rural town with a history
as a sawmilling settlement. Many artists
now reside in the area and display their
works at some of the art galleries and
cafés.
from exploitation, providing opportunities to
explore and enjoy the natural undersea world.
Since the reserve’s establishment, marine life
has increased and it is now home to many
species of fish such as cod/kopukopu and
leather jackets/kokiri, as well as crayfish/koura
and paua. The white-flippered penguin breeds
in the bay and is protected by an extensive
predator trap-line. This trap-line has benefits
for other species as well, including jewelled
gecko/moko-kakariki and weta.
For more information see the Marine and
coastal animals booklet.
WHAT ARE THE ISSUES?
• Pohatu Marine Reserve — the only
marine reserve on the east coast of the
South Island.
• About 25% of all marine pollution
at Banks Peninsula comes directly
from shipping activities.
POHATU MARINE RESERVE
• Plastic fishing gear, discarded
fishing nets and rubbish from
fishing vessels and other ships, can be fatal for marine mammals,
which drown if they become
entangled in nets.
Pohatu Marine Reserve is located in the
south-east of Banks Peninsula at Flea Bay,
and is the only marine reserve on the east
coast of the South Island. A marine reserve
is an area set aside for preserving the marine
environment in its natural state. It is like a
marine national park, a place totally protected
• Predators introduced to New
Zealand, such as stoats, cats,
rats, hedgehogs and weasels,
have caused a dramatic decline in
populations of native species such
as the white-flippered penguin.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
• Take part in community pest
management schemes such as
predator trapping and eradication
campaigns.
• Join a conservation group and take part in native planting days and coastal clean-ups.
• Follow the set-net ban to protect
Hector’s dolphins.
11
12
C E N T R A L
C A N T E R B U R Y
T E WA IH OR A/
L A KE ELLESMERE
A ND K A ITORETE SPIT
Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere is the fourth
largest lake in New Zealand and an
internationally renowned wetland. It is really a
lagoon and is usually closed to the sea by a
26 km barrier — Kaitorete Spit. This incredible
strip of land contains the largest unmodified
dune system in Canterbury and important
Maori archaeological sites. It is also a great
place to find agates or catch a glimpse of the
rare katipo spider.
Kaitorete Spit,
photo courtesy of ECan
Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere,
photo courtesy of ECan
C O A S T
OUR
SPECT
A
CUL
A
R
CO
A
ST
South Canterbury Coast
WA ITA RA KA O/
WASHDYKE LAGOON
NATURAL HISTORY
CA NTERBURY BIGHT
Bight = bay.
The area of coast that extends from Banks
Peninsula/Horomaka and 170 kilometres
south to Timaru is known as the Canterbury
Bight. It is one long open coast of mixed
sand and gravel beaches.
The beaches of the Canterbury Bight are
unusual in world terms, being made of a
mixture of sand and gravel which comes from
the large braided rivers and erosion of the
cliffs that back the short steep beaches for
60 kilometres of the bight. Powerful waves
driven along the shore by ocean currents
move the sediment northwards up the coast.
many native and migratory bird species
— 67 bird species have been recorded at
the lagoon, and of these 32 were native or
endemic (found only in New Zealand).
Washdyke Lagoon/Waitarakao is formed by
a mixed sand and gravel beach blocking a
small creek outlet. It is threatened by severe
coastal erosion and sea flooding processes.
The beach fronting the lagoon has retreated
nearly 500 metres inland since the 1880s.
This coastal erosion, combined with land use
practices such as drainage and stop-banking
along the Washdyke-Seadown coast, has
resulted in a substantial reduction of the
lagoon’s area. The development of the Port of
Timaru, in 1879, diverted the northward drift
of barrier-forming sand, gravels and stones
away from the lagoon. This has resulted in
an increased rate of erosion — in 1881 the
lagoon encompassed 235 hectares, in 1955 it
was 79 hectares (a 66% reduction), by 1987
it was down to only 62 hectares and in 2000
it was a mere 20 hectares.
Due to the number and variety of bird species,
Washdyke Lagoon/Waitarakao is legally
recognised as a Wildlife Refuge. The lagoon
is also recognised by Environment Canterbury
as an Area of Natural Significant Value.
Owing to its proximity to Timaru the lagoon
has high recreational values for activities
such as bird-watching, walking, whitebaiting
and fishing.
SITES TO SEE
EARLY HUMAN HISTORY
• Rock pools — easy walking distance
south of the lagoon. These pools are best
viewed right on low tide so check the tide
before you visit.
In South Canterbury the sea provided fish,
seals, birds and shellfish for early Maori
travelling through the area in their search for
moa. A small Ngai Tahu fishing camp was
located at Waitarakao in the early 1800s
and there was also a Maori eeling camp
established beside the Washdyke creek
and lagoon around the 1900s.
ANIMALS
Washdyke Lagoon/Waitarakao is recognised
as a globally significant wetland habitat for
The lagoon and its tributaries (Washdyke
Creek, Papaka Stream and Seadown Drain)
hold over eight fish species including common
bully, inanga, banded kokopu, longfin eel/tuna
and the Canterbury mudfish/kowaro.
PLANTS
The area is dominated by introduced
weed plants including gorse and shrub
lupin, although patches of native saltmarsh
ribbonwood remain. This area would benefit
from native coastal plantings and habitat
restoration to combat the problem of invading
exotic plant species.
• Hector’s dolphins/upokohue and
New Zealand fur seals/kekeno are often
seen playing in the bay.
• Wetland birds — great place to view
native and international migratory species.
WHAT ARE THE ISSUES?
• Feral and domestic cats killing
birdlife.
• Pollution from the industrial area via Washdyke Creek.
• Domestic and ocean-borne rubbish.
• Invasive exotic plant species outcompeting native plant species.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
• Organise beach clean-ups to help
reduce the amount of rubbish in the area.
• Join a local coast care group and
get involved in native planting and
fencing projects.
Aerial view of Washdyke/Waitarakao lagoon,
photo courtesy of ECan
13
14
SOUTH
C A NTERBURY
CO A ST
THE PORT O F TI MARU
A ND C A ROLINE BAY
NATURAL HISTORY
Over 120 years ago the Timaru coast, from
Dashing Rocks to Patiti Point, was a line
of cliffs cut by gullies to form a shoreline of
small headlands and bays. All of the beaches
were steep and shingly. Beach gravels, from
the rivers and cliffs of South Canterbury,
were transported northwards along the
coast by the prevailing current. The gravels
travelled uninterrupted to Washdyke and the
Canterbury Bight.
In 1878, construction of an artificial harbour
began in Timaru with the building of a
concrete breakwater. This structure changed
the coastline at Timaru dramatically. The
natural flow of gravels was blocked and
shingle accumulated south of the harbour.
This created a significant area of reclaimed
land which is now used by various industries.
Although the shingle was blocked by the
breakwater, finer sand was able to get
around and was carried to the foot of the
clay cliffs north of the harbour, building up to
form the beach now known as Caroline Bay.
It has been estimated that around 30,000
cubic metres of sand (this would fill about
six Olympic swimming pools) builds up in
Caroline Bay every year. Because it has
nowhere to go, the shoreline has built
out (accretion) at a rate of over five metres
per year.
The building of the breakwater to create a
harbour has had considerable impact on the
Canterbury coast north of Timaru. The erosion
rate of the beaches and lagoons of Washdyke
and the Canterbury Bight has increased
by staggering proportions. With gravel and
shingle trapped at the breakwater, no new
gravels have been available for replenishing
the northern Canterbury coastline. By 1933
(only 55 years after construction of the
breakwater) the Waimataitai Lagoon was
completely destroyed. (See page 13 on
Washdyke Lagoon).
HUMAN HISTORY
MAORI
For early Maori in this area, moa were a major
source of food. This was supplemented by
birds, eels and flounder found in coastal
lagoons. The main settlements were on or
near the coast but Maori travelled inland in
their search for moa. By the time Europeans
arrived, only about 100 to 200 Maori were
left in South Canterbury, living mainly around
Arowhenua and Waimate.
Tuhawaiki Point (just south of Timaru and
known to locals as Jack’s Point) was named
after the great southern Ngai Tahu chief,
Aerial view of Timaru port, photo courtesy of ECan
Tuhawaiki (Bloody Jack), who drowned there
in 1844.
A 20 acre site near Caroline Bay was set aside
for South Canterbury’s Maori in 1848-49.
Although this land has since been purchased
back by the local council, the name Maori
Park has remained.
EUROPEAN
In the 1830s the Timaru area was identified
as a place where shore-based whaling
stations might be established. Whaling
gangs were dropped ashore with supplies
and equipment to set up camp at likely
sites. From these excursions, three whaling
stations were established around 1839 by
the Sydney-based firm Weller Brothers.
The sites chosen were Caroline Bay, Patiti
Point and Motumotu near Tuhawaiki Point
(Jack’s Point). These whaling stations only
ran for about three years before economic
difficulties closed them down.
In 1851 the Rhodes brothers began farming
in the area using the shore at Timaru to land
stores and ship away wool. In 1853 the
Rhodes began laying out the town of Timaru
and in 1859 the population was boosted by
the arrival of 100 settlers on the ‘Strathallan’.
In the early days, Timaru was serviced by
ships anchored off the coast. Goods were
ferried to shore by boats and off-loaded
into the large landing services building. This
was a time-consuming and risky business.
Prior to construction of the artificial harbour,
many ships were wrecked along the coast
of Timaru. Since the harbour construction,
Tuahawaiki Point, photo courtesy of ECan
SOUTH
a number of modifications have occurred,
including extensions and the realigning and
raising of breakwaters.
Timaru owes much of its prosperity and
current size to the construction of the port.
Over the years it has provided employment
for many and continues to do so today.
It provides mooring and services for fishing
fleets, and handles the imports and exports
of a range of products.
ANIMALS
Marine mammals such as Hector’s dolphins/
upokohue can be seen in and around
Caroline Bay. New Zealand fur seals/kekeno
can also be seen sunbathing at Dashing
Rocks or on the shingle beaches to the
south of the port.
A variety of sea birds are also found in
the harbour and bay area. These include
red-billed gulls/ karehakoa, black-backed
gulls/karoro, variable oystercatchers/torea
and cormorants (shags).
SITES TO SEE
• Newly developed foreshore with
sand dunes and wetland area.
• Dashing Rocks.
• Trevor Griffiths Rose garden.
• Shipping and fishing activity in the Port
of Timaru.
WHAT ARE THE ISSUES?
• Water pollution from stormwater
drains and bilge water.
• Biosecurity threats — unwanted
marine hitchhikers coming into the area and New Zealand waters
with foreign ships (such as the
seaweed undaria, and the northern
Pacific seastar).
• Pollution from fishing vessels and
tankers (such as oil spills and
discarded equipment).
• Rubbish littering beaches and
recreation areas.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
• Join a local coast care group to
action further enhancement work
e.g. native plantings.
• Remove rubbish from harbour and
shore — don’t drop rubbish in the
water when out in boats.
• Organise beach clean-ups to help
reduce the amount of rubbish in the area.
Waihao Box, photo courtesy of ECan
C A NTERBURY
WAINONO LAGOON
AND WA IH AO BOX
NATURAL HISTORY
Wainono Lagoon is protected by a
steep barrier beach made from coarse
greywacke gravel and sand. The sand and
gravel come from the Waitaki River and from
eroding cliffs further south. They travel north
along the coast with the prevailing northerly
current, and settle along the coast. Even
with new gravels, at Wainono Lagoon the
coast is eroding and retreating inland by
about 0.5 metres per year. During storms the
steep shingle barrier is often over-topped
causing flooding.
Wainono Lagoon, covering an area of
325 hectares, is South Canterbury’s largest
coastal wetland. It lies 35 kilometres
south of Timaru and nine kilometres
northeast of Waimate. It is a wetland of
international importance as it provides
winter feeding habitat for national and
international migrant birds. The Waihao River
flows into the lagoon and out to sea via an
artificial outlet, the Waihao Box.
The Waihao Box was built in 1896. Prior
to its construction, the river mouth moved
along the coastline depending on weather
and river flow, and was occasionally blocked
completely by the shingle barrier. Controlling
the mouth of the Waihao River helped
reduce flooding and helped in the drainage
of the Waihao catchment. Financed by local
farmers, the 60 metre-long wooden box was
built to drain the fertile coastal lands of the
CO A ST
Hook swamp area. The box was destroyed
during a storm in 1908, and was replaced
in 1910 approximately two kilometres south
of the original. It usually opens naturally, but
sometimes requires an excavator to remove
shingle built up across the opening. The
Waihao Box is now managed by Environment
Canterbury and is the only remaining outlet
box in New Zealand.
HUMAN HISTORY — MAORI
Local Maori are remnants of Waitaha, a
collection of ancient tribes who trace their
lineage to the Uruao Waka. The Waihao/
Wainono area is of traditional and cultural
importance. It is a mahinga kai site — a
traditional place for gathering food and
other resources. Waihao refers to a type
of shortfin eel/hao, a traditional delicacy.
The roto (lake) and awa (river) supported
permanent settlements such as the kaika
(village) Punatarakao.
The traditional, transient lifestyle of the
people led to their dependence on the
resources of the river and it was the mahinga
kai of the Punatarakao wetland area that
made it attractive as an occupation site.
ANIMALS
Unusual fossil bones from whales and
penguins have been found in this area.
Fish that commonly occur throughout the
year are whitebait/inanga, longfin eel/tuna,
shortfin eel/tuna, flounder/patiki and brown
trout. The Waihao River and the Wainono
Lagoon are an extensive waterway of
international importance for wading and
15
16
SOUTH
C A NTERBURY
aquatic birds. Around 30 species of
wetland birds can be commonly found at
the lagoon including shags, herons, swans,
ducks, stilts and terns. The threatened
Canterbury mudfish/kowaro is also found
in reasonable numbers in some of the
smaller waterways that link to the lower
Wainono/Waihao system.
PLANTS
Tall rushes originally dominated the edge
of the lagoon, but these now only occur
on the western side. On the north-west side,
thickets of willows, flax/harakeke and tall
grass can be seen. On the low-lying flats
north of the lagoon, small rushes can be
found and ribbonwood grows on the
shingle beach to the east.
Species that are not native to the area
include gorse and lupins, which grow in
the beach gravels. Further back from the
mudflats, several species of introduced
grass are grazed.
There are also several aquatic plants in
the lagoon, including water buttercup.
CO A ST
SITES TO SEE
• The Waihao Box.
• Wainono Lagoon — birdwatching
opportunities including international
migrants.
• Beach walking and beachcombing
— spectacular views from the
mountains to the sea.
WHAT ARE THE ISSUES?
• Rubbish — this can harm wildlife by ingestion and entanglement.
• Loss of land through coastal
erosion.
• Increased livestock causing bank erosion and contamination of waterways.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
• Join or organise beach clean-ups.
• Raise awareness about the
coastline’s biodiversity and how to
enjoy this without damaging it.
• Join a local coast care group and get involved in native planting
and fencing projects.
Wainono lagoon, photos courtesy of ECan
“New Zealand begins with
the sea and ends with the sea.
Understand this and you begin
to comprehend New Zealand
and the New Zealander.”
M A U R I C E
N E W
CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL
Environmental Education
Ph: (03) 371 1999
Fax: (03) 941 8987
www.ccc.govt.nz
S H A D B O L T
Z E A L A N D
ENVIRONMENT CANTERBURY
Environmental Education
Ph: (03) 365 3828
Fax: (03) 365 3194
www.ecan.govt.nz
A U T H O R
DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
Environmental Education
Ph: (03) 379 9758
Fax: (03) 365 1388
www.doc.govt.nz
SOUTHERN ENCOUNTER
AQUARIUM
Education
Ph/Fax: (03) 377 9196
www.southernencounter.co.nz