NZ Herald
  • Home

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The vision is clear

Where walking helps waterways

Other
3 May, 2021 03:00 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Pelorus River in South Island of New Zealand. Photo / Getty Images.

Pelorus River in South Island of New Zealand. Photo / Getty Images.

Not for sale

When the Pelorus Project says it is taking steps to restore water quality, it is - literally.

Step by step, the waterways of Marlborough's Pelorus catchment are being brought back to pristine condition.

When we say "step by step", we mean actual steps – monitors are walking the waterways of the region, on farmland and in settlements, taking note of the baseline water quality and noting problems to be tackled.

It's all part of the Te Hoiere/Pelorus Restoration Project – and this walking 'catchment condition survey' is one of the first actions by a collaborative group bringing together local and central government, iwi Ngāti Kuia and the community to improve waterways health in the region.

The Pelorus catchment is the largest river system to flow into the Marlborough Sounds, with a number of rivers and their tributaries combining to join the sea at the Motueka/Havelock estuary.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

To get the project under way, catchment condition surveys have been carried out over the past few months, working with landowners to assess water quality and prioritise action. While much of the upper catchment is native forest, there are also large areas of exotic forestry and dairy and dry stock farming on the lower country.

The Te Hoiere project is a large-scale initiative to improve freshwater quality and community resources, 'ki uta ki tai' (from the mountains to the sea). The main focus addresses the impact of land use, as well as wider conservation goals with environmental, social, economic and cultural benefits for the region's communities, says Marlborough District Council lead, land and water, Pete Hamill.

While there will be some "quick wins" from the initial survey, such as simple fencing or stock-crossing improvements, it will also alert the council to more complex issues which can be worked through by landowners and community catchment groups, with expert support provided.

Peter Hamill. Photo / Supplied.
Peter Hamill. Photo / Supplied.

Urban waterways which run through settlements such Rai Valley and Havelock will also be walked top to bottom.

"It basically means walking up every stream with the landowners who give access and carrying out an assessment. Then we can work out how to get the best bang for our buck, in terms of improving water quality," Hamill says.

Back in the mid-1990s, MDC investigations showed some waterways in the catchment had unacceptable water quality, including high levels of E. coli. Work with landowners to build culverts and fix stream crossings improved the situation but, while overall quality has improved, plenty more can be done.

The Pelorus River is known to many locals and visitors for the popular swimming hole at Pelorus Bridge, midway between Nelson and Blenheim: "People will drive 45 minutes or an hour to get there and go for a swim — it's a really iconic spot," says Hamill.

That section of the river was also used as a filming location for Peter Jackson's film The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. This branch of the catchment runs mostly through native forest and has high water quality – but other waterways flow through areas of farming and forestry and are not as clean.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"There are waterways which are classified as great, some that are lower than that, and some are marginal," Hamill says. "As a whole, it's fair to marginal; there are definitely areas where we can make a difference."

Hamill says as well as improving water quality, an important aspect is encouraging biodiversity. A colony of long-tailed bats lives near the Pelorus Bridge and the project will support Forest & Bird's pest trapping in the area. Another aim is encouraging the return of whio (blue duck) to the catchment.

"Twenty years ago we had whio living here and now we don't, so it's about how, through predator control, we can re-introduce them and make it a safe place for them to live."

Photo / Getty Images.
Photo / Getty Images.

The Te Hoiere/Pelorus catchment has been identified as an "exemplar" by the Ministry for the Environment, as an example for other regions.

"Part of the process is thinking about it being an exemplar catchment," Hamill says. "It's about transformational change and showing what can be done when you get landowners involved, showing their commitment to improvements.

"The people who live there are the ones who benefit from it, and we want to work with them to make it a place in which the community thrives as well as the waterways. We could make the catchment pristine again by just shutting down every piece of forestry and every farm and putting it back into native forest, but that's not the goal.

"The goal is to have a thriving ecosystem and a community thriving as well."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from The vision is clear

The vision is clear

Bringing new life to the Pelorus

11 Aug 12:00 PM
The vision is clear

The rugby team that got dirty

31 Jul 12:00 PM
The vision is clear

Bringing back a once thriving lake

13 Jul 12:00 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The vision is clear

Bringing new life to the Pelorus

Bringing new life to the Pelorus

11 Aug 12:00 PM

400 farmers, a council & hi-tech analysis are aiming to improve catchment water quality.

The rugby team that got dirty

The rugby team that got dirty

31 Jul 12:00 PM
Bringing back a once thriving lake

Bringing back a once thriving lake

13 Jul 12:00 PM
"Dirty hands" goes full circle

"Dirty hands" goes full circle

05 Jul 04:00 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP