Onehunga Bay Restoration Group

 

Where can you find the group?

Onehunga Bay (sometimes known as Shelly Bay) is in the Whitireia Park Reserve, just north of Titahi Bay.

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Contact the Greater Wellington care group faciltator on 04 803 0367 or 0800 496 734.

Whitireia Park

Whitireia Park is a local asset for Ngati Toa, local residents of Titahi Bay and the wider Porirua community. Many people use the park for various activities such as biking, walking, running, model plane flying, windsurfing or just swimming or picnicking. Some local residents and users of the park wanted to help restore some of the local biodiversity in the park and formed the Onehunga Bay Restoration Group to focus their resources on an area that has high usage in the park. The group welcome anyone who would like to join in the effort, as well as benefitting the environment it is a good way to make new friends.

What is the group doing

 

 

 

 

The Onehunga Bay Restoration Group is working to restore two areas in the Park. One of these areas is the sand dunes at Onehunga Bay. The group is progressively replacing invasive marram grass on the foredune of the bay with native spinifex and pingao and are planting some rare native plants such as shore spurge and sand tussock. These plants trap sand blowing onto the beach and will create dunes above the high water mark. A low bollard and rope fence has been erected around each planted area to protect these fragile new plants from being squashed by people walking or driving on them. Protector nets are put on young plants to prevent browsing by rabbits until the plants have grown out of reach.

The second area is a wetland behind the Onehunga Bay carpark. The aim is to provide a corridor of planting from the bush block in the gully down to the carpark. This involves many wetland species and also some hardy species capable of withstanding the salt-laden wind on the dry hills on either side of the gully

The group planted just over 2,000 plants throughout the winter during four community planting days and have hosted two school groups as well as a volunteer day from FRSITO, the industry training organisation and standard setting body for the Fire and Rescue industry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current activities

After a very busy planting season, the group are now organising site preparation for next year’s plantings as well as maintaining existing planted areas. A busy planting season is being planned for autumn next year.  If you would like to help out please contact the group’s facilitator.