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Kia ora and welcome!
In this issue we meet some wonderful Waihola residents and bring you news about dunnies, monies and baiting bunnies.
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A picture paints a thousand wildings removed
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8am, Hunter Valley Station, above Lake Hāwea, near Kidds Bush Reserve.
The first chopper load of workers from Central Wilding Tree and Landcare services has just arrived, and they are preparing for the day using online check-in and health and safety systems. The work is led by the Upper Clutha Wilding Tree Group, and we’re proud to play a part.
What’s so bad about wilding conifers? Why do we spend so much time and effort controlling them? Is it even worth it? ORC Project Delivery Specialist Will has the lowdown in this video:
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If you observe an instance of pollution to water, air, or land in Otago, don’t just tell the postie and five of your friends — tell us so we can do something about it.
Call the Pollution Hotline — which is staffed 24/7 — on 0800 800 033 or fill in the form on our website orc.govt.nz/reportpollution (checked during business hours).
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Sediment discharged into Otago Harbour in 2023. It was reported to our pollution hotline, staff did an inspection and, following investigation, enforcement action was taken.
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Tour of Leith builds flood knowledge
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A tour of the Water of Leith catchment in Ōtepoti Dunedin was a great opportunity for ORC staff to build knowledge about this catchment and what ORC does to plan for and lessen the effects of intense rainfall in this urban area.
Leith Valley in autumn is cold, with the sound of water running over rock — the water volume today is around half a cumec (cubic metres of water per second, m³/s), which is 0.5 tonnes of water moving past every second — food for thought when you learn it got above 200 cumecs in the flooding of 1929.
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Manager Natural Hazards Dr Jean-Luc Payan explains how the steep sides of the catchment mean it’s at risk from sediment and debris
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The Water of Leith catchment covers approximately 4900 hectares
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Malvern Street area – debris caught in Water of Leith debris trap, 2016
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The source is high up in the catchment, at the headwaters of Mt Cargill. The start of the catchment is a narrow valley — compact and steep-sided with plenty of foliage. If there’s a heavy rain event, there’s little time from the rain starting to a fast flow, with the danger of debris such as trees, soil from the banks, even cars, taken by the river and blocking the channel — so constant monitoring and prediction is vital.
How much rain is too much? If we get 80–100 mm of rainfall or more in 24 hours, we know things can evolve really quickly. The Dunedin CBD is part of the catchment: the hospital, university campus, lots of houses and flats.
A debris trap (a row of tall metal poles spaced at intervals) installed in 2005 collects and stops material heading downstream where it would reduce or block the river channel and bridges.
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Woodhaugh Gardens channel — looking upstream
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At Woodhaugh Gardens, flood hazard mitigation is a concrete channel with steps for fish passage. This channel goes all the way to the Dunedin Botanic Garden area.
The wide channel disperses water as fast as possible, but turns the river into a big drain and costs a lot to maintain, as concrete ages and needs to be replaced. At the time (the 1950s and ’60s) this was thought the way to go, but by the 1970s, environmental awareness and costs meant that this approach was less favoured. Nowadays, nature-based solutions, or green infrastructure, are considered in addition to these kinds of hard solutions.
Next stop, Lindsay Creek, a tributary of the Water of Leith. Next to the road, you’d never know it was here — until it flooded. A really narrow channel with faces so sharp the steepest street in the world is nearby; erosion, debris and a dense urban environment all come into play here. It’s a high-risk area with a sensitive population, as the hospice is nearby. Our flood modelling is a way for us to understand when and at what flow the area could be undermined, how deep, how fast and how it could affect driving, walking and people’s houses.
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Grass sides and a much wider channel — improvements made near Dundas St in 2010–2011 — Water of Leith looking upstream
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It’s a different story when we get to the Cumberland Street to Forth Street section, where the channel banks change to grass and the channel is much wider. For some sections, physical models were built to test our ideas before some of this work was done, as the complexity of the flow meant computer simulation wasn’t going to show us what we needed.
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The former channel near the St David Street footbridge in 1986 — looking upstream
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The modified channel completed in 2014 by ORC — looking downstream
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Further down, beside the university clocktower, the channel has been cleverly widened. The new design replaces a 3-metre wall with graduated steps and landscaping that allows the public to be connected to the river. The steps are designed to allowing flooding. The historic St David Street footbridge has also been widened, a tricky job due to the heritage status of the bridge and the multiple services running beneath it.
Learn more about ORC’s flood defences.
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Are rabbits a problem on your property? It’s time to act!
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In Otago, it’s the responsibility of the land occupier to manage rabbits on their land, and feral rabbits can quickly become a problem if not managed properly.
Winter is an ideal time to tackle rabbits — limited food supply means they’re more likely to take bait and burrows are easier to find.
Ideal habitats for rabbits include gardens and lawns with short grass, garden sheds, wood piles or dense vegetation that provides cover. You can help give them the boot by:
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removing any piles of wood, rubbish or old vegetation that offer rabbits protection from the weather and predators
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pruning the bottom of shrubs and hedges so they don’t provide a suitable shelter for rabbits
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ensuring that any gaps under buildings and sheds are blocked to prevent rabbits from burrowing underneath
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fumigating and closing any burrows you find
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installing a good rabbit-netted fence to keep them off your property.
Engaging the services of a rabbit contractor may be more effective, if rabbit numbers are high.
For more information, visit orc.govt.nz/rabbitmanagement
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Time to think about standing in this year’s local government elections
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Trev and canine sidekick Fleur are among the local stars of ORC’s ‘stand’ advertising campaign, encouraging people to consider standing in this year’s local elections
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“July might seem a long way off, but now’s a good time to start thinking about whether you or someone you know might fit the bill,” says Richard Saunders, ORC’s Chief Executive.
“People can find out more by heading to our Election 2025 web page, where they can find information about what a regional council does, the role of a councillor, how much they get paid, how many meetings they need to attend and how much reading is required.
“In the next triennium (three-year term), council will make decisions which support outcomes for our community in natural resource management, public transport, preparing for and responding to emergencies and natural disasters as well as the economic, social, cultural, and environmental wellbeing of the region. You can be a key part of that.
“By standing for election to ORC, you’ll be a part of Otago’s democracy. Being an elected member of local government can be a rewarding role, as you advocate for your communities and work with our partners to achieve the best outcomes for this region we love.
“Thinking about standing but not sure how to go about it? We have some good advice online, and our staff are here to help.”
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D is for disposal field.
A disposal field is a vital part in the treating and disposing of wastewater in a septic tank system.
It is a system of pipes or chambers and the final stage in a septic tank system, designed to distribute the partially treated effluent from a septic tank evenly across the soil, allowing it to further filter and break down through natural soil processes.
It’s cheaper to maintain your septic tank than to fix it, so ...
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Our compliance team has been investigating incidents at the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) Shotover wastewater site since 2024.
Compliance monitoring is ongoing to ensure that QLDC achieves compliance with consent conditions which cover the operation of the wastewater site.
Any incidents on the site are ORC’s highest priority investigation and are taken very seriously. All compliance investigations need to be thorough and to a high standard, and in undertaking their investigations, ORC has ensured this happens.
As part of ongoing investigations, ORC has sought technical specialist advice around the site since July 2024. An application for an Enforcement Order is currently before the Environment Court.
So far, we have undertaken the following compliance actions:
Council has been monitoring the site, including taking regular water quality samples. Since 7 April, ORC has also been undertaking weekly monitoring at council’s SOE monitoring site on the Kawarau at Chard Road.
Read more about the enforcement order, monitoring results and our regulatory role.
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Shotover River, looking downstream towards Branches Station
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Waihola Looking Forward is a group of local volunteers beautifying the area and making community spaces more user friendly.
They’ve just boxed up some sweet new seats for people to take in the lakeside view and have also been busy making sure planted areas around the township are looking swell.
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Some of the awesome mahi being done by the group
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A project currently in the planning stages is the planting of natives on the unused corner of SH1 and Nore St — with the objective of protecting and improving the quality of Waihola creek and enhancing the visual approach to the township. Watch this space for more updates!
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Native planting is planned for this unused corner section
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Nau mai, haere mai to Lexie Davidson, our new Enviroschools Regional Coordinator in Central!
Lexie joins the Ōtākou Enviroschools tīma, where her role is supporting our facilitators in all the mahi that they do in schools. Working together with Leisa de Klerk, the Enviroschools Regional Coordinator Lead, we've got the wider Otago region well covered!
Regional coordinators are an important part of the Enviroschools kaupapa, providing the link between regional councils and the national Enviroschools team to the facilitators and their partners in district and city councils, as well as schools and community groups.
The Enviroschools processes are not linear – they overlap, are revisited, modified and further developed, so our regional coordinators are central to the complex web that is Enviroschools, and we are grateful to have Lexie start with us!
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Lexie celebrating a fruitful future with Damian Foster, Enviroschools’ Wānaka coordinator
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Why is white-edged nightshade a pest?
White-edged nightshade prevents the establishment of native undergrowth on edges of native bush and negatively affects economic well-being and biodiversity.
The shrub does well in dry areas and once it establishes it forms thick brushes that stock cannot eat or pass through.
What does it look like?
Size: White-edged nightshade is a quick-growing shrub that can grow up to 5 metres tall.
Leaves: The large woody stems and green oak-shaped leaves are covered in nasty sharp spines. Its leaves have white veins on the upper surface and dense chalky-white hairs on the underside.
Flowers: In summer, white or pale lavender flowers bloom in clusters at the end of branches. Green-yellow tomato-shaped berries grow on the ends of prickly stalks.
Habitat: We only have one known site near Hampden, but it is also known to have existed on Quarantine and Goat islands in the Otago Harbour.
What should I do?
Help us find white-edged nightshade
If you think you've seen white-edged nightshade, you need to notify us immediately.
Find out more about white-edged nightshade on our Pest Hub.
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Jon Clark, island keeper / resident manager
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Quarantine Island / Kamau Taurua Community Inc.
Kamau Taurua / Quarantine Island (also known as St Martin Island) is a special place in the heart of Otago Harbour between Port Chalmers and Portobello with a fascinating ecology and history.
The island is a public recreation reserve and historic precinct listed by Heritage NZ Pouhere Taonga. The island lies within the takiwā (area) of Te Runaka ō Ōtākou, and their mana whenua is recognised.
Quarantine Island / Kamau Taurua Community Inc. are the caring, passionate kaitiaki (guardians) who help to care for the island, protecting and enhancing its ecology and heritage, and welcoming visitors.
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Cemetery fence, recently repaired on a motu (island) mahi day
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'The Community' (formerly the St Martin Island Community) has been involved since 1958. All the buildings and structures (the jetty), as well as the reserve, are managed under a community agreement with the Department of Conservation. A resident keeper, who lives on the island, looks after visitors and manages everything.
The island was once completely bush-clad, but the forest was cut down to make way for quarantine buildings and farming. One of the trust’s projects is re-establishing diverse native vegetation by gradually replanting the steeper slopes or fencing them off from stock to allow passive restoration. To foster biodiversity, they also control weeds and squeaky mammalian pests: Norway rats and mice.
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View of Hereweka Harbour Cone from the island
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The trust holds a monthly Welcome Day, and other mahi days — you can visit and explore the island, have a chat and/or join in conservation work or other motu mahi. There is always building maintenance and related labouring mahi to get stuck into, too!
For more details, visit quarantineisland.org.nz
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Hope flows in Te Hakapupu thanks to local mahi
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Rain or shine, four years of hard mahi by the community has paid off for Toitū Te Hakapupu: The Pleasant River Catchment Restoration Project, with 92,000 native plants established, 39 km of fencing installed, five fish passage barriers improved, and 10 sediment traps installed that have already trapped 1082 cubic metres of sediment (that’s 7220 bathtubs full!).
These achievements have all helped the project in its main goal of improving water quality in Te Hakapupu now and into the future. Project partner, Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki, key collaborator East Otago Catchment and a number of passionate locals have also helped create a Catchment Action Plan, a living document that reflects the aspirations of the community for the next 40–50 years.
Driven past one of the project’s signs just north of Waikouaiti on State Highway 1 and wondered what it’s all about? Find about more about this fantastic collaboration.
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Help shape a plan for the Upper Lakes area
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The Upper Lakes Integrated Catchment Group preparing for a workshop brainstorming exercise in their fourth workshop held in Wānaka in April
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The community is being asked to share their views on protecting and enhancing the environment of the Upper Lakes area for future generations.
The Upper Lakes Integrated Catchment Group (ICG) is inviting people to give feedback on the initial work to develop a catchment action plan for the Upper Lakes area.
Upper Lakes ICG co-chair Ayla Meikle says the work on the plan to date covers the group’s vision, environmental values, pressures and goals.
"The group has a working vision that the Upper Lakes, with its soaring mountains and deep alpine lakes, is where manaaki whenua (caring for the land and waters) and manaaki takata (caring for the people) is embraced. We are committed to preserving and improving the environment's unique biodiversity, while aiming to inspire future generations to further protect and enhance the catchment's delicate native ecosystems."
Ms Meikle says she joined the group to represent rural members of the Wānaka Catchment Group and be part of the conversation focused on environmental actions.
“The key outcome of this group is undoubtedly the collaboration of interested environmental action groups across the region through the development of an integrated catchment action plan for the Upper Lakes area. The resulting plan, and relationships formed during the process, will help prioritise actions to support existing groups and ‘on the ground’ actions.”
Mana whenua representative Darren Rewi says, “It’s an honour to represent Ngāi Tahu ki Mirihiku, and a privilege to be Māori and to be involved in planning to ensure that the Upper Lakes catchment area is looked after and managed to meet the expectations of everyone.”
Otago Regional Councillor Alexa Forbes says, “It’s really important to develop a catchment action plan in partnership with iwi, the community, and ORC. There’s already some great mahi happening in this catchment, and we will take this into account in developing the plan, focusing on where there are gaps and opportunities for further collaboration.”
The group hopes to have a finalised catchment action plan by August 2025. There will be more opportunities for the community to get involved.
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Have your say on the Upper Lakes catchment action plan
The group is seeking feedback from the wider community on the vision, values, pressures and goals for the Upper Lakes Catchment Action Plan to make sure they are on the right track.
Whether you are a resident, a regular visitor, or simply care about the future of the Upper Lakes area, you are invited to give your feedback. Feedback closes at 11.59pm on Sunday, 15 June 2025.
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The Upper Lakes Integrated Catchment Group look at native planting carried out by Mana Tāhuna at Lake Hayes
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ICG members Cora (one of the co-chairs) and Sandra (representing Aukaha) brainstorm actions that can help work towards our goals (Wānaka, April)
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Background
This project is part of Otago Regional Council’s Integrated Catchment Management programme which supports mana whenua and communities to co-develop catchment action plans.
The Upper Lakes integrated catchment group includes mana whenua representative(s) and approximately 15 community representatives from conservation groups, agricultural catchment groups and industries, along with staff from QLDC, the Department of Conservation, and Land Information New Zealand.
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The area of the Upper Lakes catchment action plan
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Find out about upcoming community events and Council meetings here.
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Feel free to forward this email to anyone who might like to read it. If you have any story ideas or want to know anything specific about anything in this issue, let us know by emailing onstream@orc.govt.nz
If you have been forwarded this email, you can sign up here.
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