Whangateau Catchment Collective

08/06/2026

Today is World Oceans Day - a day to celebrate not only the open ocean, but also the harbours, bays and estuaries where land and sea meet.

Here in Whangateau Harbour, our estuary is part of the much bigger marine system of Tīkapa Moana / Hauraki Gulf.

The harbour plays an important role in that system. On its sandflats, tiny microscopic plants form the base of the food web - providing a rich food source for worms, crabs, cockles and other shellfish. That food moves through the harbour, feeding fish, shorebirds and other marine life.

Some of that food, along with broken-down seagrass, mangrove and saltmarsh material, is carried out with the tides, helping to feed shellfish and other life along the coast.

The estuary is also a nursery and feeding place for ocean-going marine life. Baby fish like snapper and parore use the harbour’s sheltered habitats as they grow, especially the sandstone reef. Eagle rays and short-tailed stingrays move through the harbour to feed. And sometimes, even orca visit to hunt the rays.

So when we look after Whangateau Harbour and its catchment, we’re also looking after the ocean beyond.

Ngā mihi nui to everyone who takes action for this special place. 💙

03/06/2026

Proud to be part of this collective mahi with such an awesome group of humans! 💚 Huge thanks to Takatu LandCare for leading this project with such care and commitment, Fraser Farms for making this restoration possible, Healthy Waters for their support, and everyone who helped bring it together. 🫶🏼

27/05/2026

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝘁𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀: 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗴𝗴𝘆, 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 💚
Wetlands are some of the most important and most depleted ecosystems in NZ, and the Whangateau Harbour catchment still holds some very special examples.

Our catchment has different types of wetlands, from estuarine and coastal wetlands (such as salt marsh and oioi rushland), to freshwater wetlands further inland and in low-lying places near the harbour.

A beautiful and rare example can be seen at Ōmaha Taniko Wetlands Scientific Reserve, where part of this wetland sequence remains, including critically endangered swamp forest with kahikatea and pukatea trees.

Wetlands are nature’s filters and sponges. They help clean water as it moves through the catchment, slow flows after rain, trap sediment, and provide vital food and habitat for wildlife, including endangered birds.

Many of the catchment’s wetlands have been modified and need support to recover and thrive. This Friday, we’re supporting a collaborative community planting effort led by Takatu LandCare to help restore another critically endangered wetland type: mānuka fen near the harbour's edge.

From the hills to the harbour, wetlands matter. 🌿

20/05/2026

𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘂𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗲𝘁𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆? 🌿

Join Takatu LandCare and the Whangateau Catchment Collective on Friday 29 May for a planting day at the harbour's edge, helping to restore a mānuka fen wetland - a critically endangered ecosystem.

Mānuka fen wetlands provide habitat for special native species including mātātā / fernbird, matuku-hūrepo / bittern, forest gecko and green gecko - while also helping improve water quality from the farm to the harbour.

This is practical community restoration work that makes a real difference - and every pair of hands will help us get 4,500 plants in the ground.

No experience needed - just bring sturdy footwear (gumboots are great), gloves and spades if you have them, and a water bottle. BBQ lunch provided!

📍 Where: Fraser Farm, meet at Matakana Country Park to carpool
🗓️ When: Friday 29 May 2026
⏰ Time: 9:30 am

Please register here - it really helps with planning & catering - thank you!
https://events.humanitix.com/tlc-planting-day-wetland-restoration

Huge thanks to Fraser Farms for making this project possible. 🌿

13/05/2026

Tuna / longfin eels are one of the remarkable taonga species that connect our streams, wetlands, harbour and moana. We see them in our awa and we’ve detected them through eDNA testing across the Whangateau catchment’s waterways.

They remind us that catchment restoration isn’t just about planting trees - it’s about looking after the whole journey from hills to harbour to sea, including clean water, healthy stream habitat, wetlands, and safe passage for native fish.

A beautiful post worth sharing 💙

09/05/2026

🌱 Do you have Fridays free? Come along to a planting day! 🌱

Takatu LandCare, a member group of the Whangateau Catchment Collective, is leading a planting day on Friday 29 May, helping restore coastal wetland habitat in the upper Whangateau Harbour catchment.

It’s part of our wider hills-to-harbour restoration mahi -connecting local groups, landowners, restoration practitioners and volunteers to care for the catchment and harbour.

Parking is limited, so carpooling is encouraged - we'll meet at Matakana Country Park.

Special thanks to Fraser Farms for making this possible, to Takatu LandCare for leading this mahi, and to Auckland Council for its support.

Please register to assist with catering and to receive any updates.

We are planting 7,130 sq/m with 4,481 plants on a Takatu Rd Farm. The spraying and fencing is underway, the plants are ordered, now we need a lot of volunteers!

22/04/2026

A huge thank you to the landowners working with us in different ways across the catchment.

From restoring waterways, wetlands and forests, to supporting access for stream and wildlife monitoring and eDNA testing, to simply being open to a cuppa and a conversation - it all matters.

Caring for this place depends on trust, relationships, and the many ways people contribute to the collective effort. Ngā mihi nui to everyone helping make that possible. 💚

09/04/2026

𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗶 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 💚

Identified as a priority in the community-led Whangateau Harbour and Catchment Action Plan, this is a great example of collective effort in action.

First championed through Whangateau HarbourCare, a founding member of the Whangateau Catchment Collective, the project is being progressed through the Collective, with wider support building around a shared vision for this special place.

There is still a long way to go, but it’s heartening to see local people, groups and businesses stepping up in support. The potential here is significant - a coastal forest restored by the community, for the community.

Ngā mihi nui to Linus, who has been advocating for the potential of this site since 2021, and to everyone else helping build momentum around it now.

A couple of weeks ago, Linus and Alicia (WHCG) presented the Ti Point Forest concept plan to the Rodney Local Board — an important step in moving the project forward.

Progress with projects like this can take time, but we’re starting to see positive movement and alignment in the right areas.

The proposal has been well received to date, with support in principle for the overall vision and a clearer pathway emerging around next steps. It’s also been encouraging to see recognition of this as a community-led initiative — locals stepping forward to help shape the future of this space.

Importantly, the project aligns closely with wider community and Local Board priorities, including:
• Biodiversity restoration
• Improving waterway and catchment health
• Strengthening community connection and education
• Recreation, access, and recognising cultural and heritage values

The project is also being reinforced through wider Council engagement, with Ti Point identified as a priority within the Whangateau Harbour and Catchment Action Plan, and recently referenced in feedback to Auckland Council’s Annual Plan.

Early concepts for an initial phase may include:

• Replanting with native bush
• Fencing to protect regeneration areas
• Exploring options for a walking track
• Establishing an ongoing Council maintenance framework

Nothing is confirmed at this stage, but we’re encouraged by the direction things are heading and will continue working alongside Council, the Rodney Local Board, mana whenua and the wider community to keep things progressing.

Thank you to everyone involved — we’ll continue to share updates as we move forward.

26/03/2026

Awesome day out in Whangateau Harbour with rangatahi over the weekend. 💙🤿

Our pilot youth event gave young people the chance to strengthen their snorkel skills, learn marine monitoring techniques, and get hands-on with citizen science. The group explored the harbour, spotted lots of baby fish in the sandstone reef nursery, and carried out fish and plankton surveys.

It was great to have a mix of local youth and those from further afield taking part, including some who were visiting Whangateau Harbour for the first time.

Huge thanks to the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust team - Callum, Becky and Sophie - for your energy, encouragement, and expert guidance throughout the day. And ngā mihi nui to our awesome participants — days like this help grow the next generation who connect with and care for Whangateau Harbour. 🐟

18/03/2026

This Saturday, 21 March: last few spots for our free youth marine exploration event! 🤿 Conditions are looking good - so if you're a snorkeller aged 14-25, come join us in Whangateau Harbour!

Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/whangateau-harbour-marine-exploration-tickets-1982658940262?discount=RODNEYRANGATAHI

Search for seahorses and do fish surveys on the reef, learn new skills and contribute to citizen science with the awesome guides from Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust💙

Recommended for ages 16–25, but youth aged 14–15 may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Strong swimming ability and prior snorkelling experience required. No previous marine monitoring experience needed - all equipment and instruction provided.