Te Whau

Named after the Whau tree, and often referred to as a river, this estuary of the Waitemata meanders down between Te Atatu and the Patiki/Rosebank peninsular and terminates at an ancient portage before splitting into two streams. The Whau marks the borders of the soon to be abolished Waitakere and Auckland Cities. Under the terms of the Orakei Act 1991 the Ngati Whatua o Orakei " Trust Board may from time to time negotiate with the Crown, or any other body or authority concerned, for the settlement of any outstanding claims relating to the customary rights and usages of the hapu, including those matters which derive from the mana whenua of the hapu in the Tamaki isthmus." This means the Whau also forms a Crown recognised border for the Iwi - since it defines the area as the isthmus - and consequently a border for Te Kawerau a Maki on the western side. Also emphasising the crossroads nature of the portage is the ghastly electrical pylons which tower over the skyline and whose cables cross over through this part.

The waterway is within walking distance of my residence and so last week I took a stroll...

The wooden bridge on Great North Road over the Whau was upgraded to concrete in 1932. The Auckland Harbour Board - according to one history - insisted it be 10 feet above the creek. No doubt this was because it was for many years an important navigable waterway and several enterprises (mostly brickworks and pottery factories) used the creek for transporting products to Auckland. The next bridge towards the harbour - at Ash street (which forms a bypass around the Avondale shops) - was completed in the 1970s and is at least as high as the Whau bridge and the next bridge towards the harbour that carries the motorway (and the last bridge before the Harbour bridge itself) must be at least as high as these two. So far so navigable.

I note the litter trap has an Auckland City sign and is attached to their side. The other side is Waitakere City - and it is a moot point whether the boundary is at the high water mark or in the centre. This jurisdictional conundrum also affects the Portage Licensing Trust which operates on both sides.

On the Waitakere side is industry - on the Auckland side is residential and recreational. The industrial side features many a squalid scene of pollution; but what is not apparent to the casual observer is that the other bank is just as badly abused - only that fact is usually concealed by vegetation. Underneath the carpet of weeds is a layer - or many layers - of every imaginable waste and refuse: plastic, glass, metal, ceramics. It is in a very sorry state in many, many places.

These next pictures were taken from the Eastern bank looking towards the West:


So far, a few overhanging branches here and there and a few stumps in the channel, but so far so navigable.

And then (photos now from the western bank) we see this horrid intrusion:

It looks like the main sewer line - about 1.5m in diameter and sitting barely above the high tide level. Yes, a kayak could probably get under at high tide, and a dinghy at just below high tide, but for every other purpose the waterway is obstructed and unnavigable at this point. What a shame. The pollution from the seafood and stone industries is particularly acute at this point with the western bank covered in varying ages of rubbish - some very recent. If it wasn't for the weeds it would be quite obvious and some action by the authorities would have to be taken, but hidden as it is - nothing is done and they pollute without consequence.

As for the site of the actual Maori waka portage - the boat ramp of yore - the 1916 map I have consulted seems to make it out to be in the bend in the river just before (downstream of) the sewer line interruption - between 28 and 32 Portage Road. On the Google map the property boundaries and the satellite image seem to suggest it has been divided and destroyed. Other possible landing areas are however present on the Eastern side opposite this spot and further round the bend.





After the sewer pipe and around a bend is the rail bridge. This is quite high - quite a bit more than the ten foot clearance of the Great North Road bridge - and it has only just been completed, but follows the exact same line as the original. At low tide the bed is semi-exposed under the rail bridge; however the water is constantly flowing out of the channel. At this point there are no mangroves to be seen. If I was foolish enough to taste the water it would probably be "fresh" - as opposed to salt. Just beyond the rail bridge - a matter of 20 or so metres the creek splits in two.
The earthworks were just being finished by the workmen when I arrived and a lot of progress had been made in the last fortnight when I saw it last. The plantings will be next now the bulldozing and digging is complete. The tide was coming in and I noticed they had left a part of the old bank separate from the newly formed edge (which had a protective white mat over it). And as the tide moved up it completely surrounded this bit of land.
If it is surrounded by the high tide then doesn't that make it an island?And since it is in the Whau then it is neither Auckland City or Waitakere City is it?It might not even be in the Portage Licensing area either.
According to the GPS unit the location of this tiny 2 metre square island is:
36º 54' 27.5 South
174º 41' 32.7 East
The naming rights should go to Kawerau a Maki since it is on their side. Their Pou stares out over it - amid the transmission lines.

Olympic park marks the end of the Waitemata harbour. Culverts on Wolverton Street mark the end of the tidal influence from what I can surmise.
And as for the Whau tree - reputedly twice as light as cork - that still flourishes along the banks (shrub at right of picture).

[UPDATE: Just found this map on the Auckland City Libraries site - from 1860s. There is an island in about the same location.--UPDATE ENDS]