Wetlands you can visit in the: Tasman-Marlborough area
The Tasman-Marlborough area spans the Historically, extensive wetlands were A recent survey of freshwater wetlands top of the South Island, home to Nelson found in the lowlands of Marlborough, in the Tasman District identified over and Blenheim, two of New Zealand’s particularly around Blenheim. These 800 natural wetlands, including 440 bogs sunniest towns. The diversity of the wetlands are now almost entirely gone, and swamps, 63% of them in parks or region’s climate, topography, and with just 1 % of the original freshwater reserves. Most of them are smaller than geology, and its central location, wetland area remaining on the Wairau 10 hectares. The District also has many supports a huge variety of plants and Plain. dune lakes, alpine tarns, glacial lakes, animals, many at their southern or landslide-impounded lakes, sink holes, northern limits of distribution. Some of the remaining wetlands are still braided rivers, extensive estuaries, and in a very natural state and provide unique kaarst (limestone) wetlands. The area includes: habitat for a good range of native fish, • World famous Waikoropupu (‘Pupu’) including species like the banded and Many smaller and less well-known Springs shortjaw kokopu, red finned bully and wetlands are being restored or enhanced • Farewell Spit, an internationally long fin eels. Rare wetland plants found by agencies and community groups recognised ‘Ramsar’ site of immense in the area include swamp nettle (Urtica working in partnership. The region is beauty, cultural and ecological linearifolia) and matt-leaved mazus also renowned for its wineries, and significance (Mazus novaezealandiae). several have created their own wetlands.
• Mangarakau swamp and Faultline associated wetlands, formed by Tasman-Marlborough Wetland Agencies Whanganui inlet, currently being earth movement crushing rock into considered for Ramsar status. sticky clay that blocks drainage, occur Tasman District Council along Marlborough’s Wairau, Awatere www.tdc.govt.nz and Clarence Faults. Beach-ridge wetlands, found around Rarangi, are a Marlborough District Council rare landform in New Zealand. www.marlborough.govt.nz
Department of Conservation www.doc.govt.nz
Fish and Game New Zealand www.fishandgame.org.nz The Tasman-Marlborough Wetland Directory is sponsored by Tasman District Council www.wetlandtrust.org.nz 1 Wetlands to visit in the Tasman Area
Description/ Activities Facilities Access, further information 1Name / type special features
Info Walks Birdlife Boating Fishing / Highly Interp. Lookout / Picnic Accom. centre shooting scenic panels bird hide area
Stunning 30 km long sand Farewell Spit spit at the tip of the South Island. www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to- go/nelson-tasman/places/farewell-spit-and- Sandspit with tidal ✓ ✓ ✓ puponga-farm-park/ and dune lakes Ramsar wetland
Guided tours Follow the Collingwood-Puponga highway. Signposted at Port Puponga. www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to- Waikoropupu Largest springs in the go/nelson-tasman/places/takaka-area/te- (Pupu) Springs Southern Hemisphere. waikoropupu-springs/
✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Stunning clear water www.showcaves.com/english/nz/springs/Pupu.html Karst spring
Unique flora and fauna From Takaka, take the Waitapu rd for 2km and then turn left into Pupu Springs Rd. Range of wetland types in Mangarakau a dramatic setting with Swamp & striking limestone rock formations to the west. http://mangarakauswamp.com/ Whanganui Inlet Community restoration www.nfrt.org.nz/reserves/mangarakau-wetland/ Swamp, estuary project. ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ complex (400 ha) DoC, Golden Bay Area office, Takaka (03) 525 Also visit Wetland View 8026 Park – private accommodation with Turn left north of Pakawau and follow Westhaven covenanted portion of the Inlet. The wetland and information centre are wetland. signposted. Remote area, take supplies.
Must see Worth a special visit Worth a short detour Plan to visit if passing Short stop if passing
www.wetlandtrust.org.nz 2 Wetlands to visit in the Tasman Area
Description/ Activities Facilities Access, further information 1Name / type special features
Info Walks Birdlife Boating Fishing / Highly Interp. Lookout / Picnic Accom. centre shooting scenic panels bird hide area National Park with two Nelson Lakes large, deep glacial lakes www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to- and many smaller tarns. go/nelson-tasman/places/nelson-lakes-national- park/ Glacial lakes and Several lakeside walks or ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ tarns hikes to high viewpoints above the lakes. Short or long hikes, trout fishing. The gateway to the park is St Arnaud, a 1-2 hour drive from Nelson or Blenheim. Dune lake in stunning Lake Otuhie limestone bluff setting Access from Cowin Road between Paturau and the with giant kokopu and Anatori, immediately after the road gate on the long finned eels. Public ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Dune lake bridge that crosses Sandhills Creek. access across marked route (rough in places) Closed for lambing 1 August-30 September. May across farmland. also close during high fire risk periods.
www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to- go/marlborough/places/blenheim-area/things-to- Wairau Lagoon Coastal lagoon with 3- do/tracks/wairau-lagoons-walkway/ hour walking track. ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Coastal lagoon West of Blenheim. Access off Hardings Road Duck- shooter access is off Redwood Pass Road, or from the Wairau Bar using a boat.
Grovetown Community restoration Lagoon project. One of the largest www.grovetown.co.nz/ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ remaining wetlands on Oxbow lagoon the Wairau Plain. Access from Grovetown village near Blenheim
www.wetlandtrust.org.nz 3 Wetlands to visit in the Tasman Area
Description/ Activities Facilities Access, further information 1Name / type special features
Info Walks Birdlife Boating Fishing / Highly Interp. Lookout / Picnic Accom. centre shooting scenic panels bird hide area Lakes with raupo margin Kaihoka Lakes in a native forest setting near the coast. www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to- go/nelson-tasman/places/kaihoka-lakes-scenic- Lake Shags, paradise ducks, reserve/ Canada geese and grey ✓ ✓ ✓ ducks present. At Pakawau, turn left off the main road and head over Pakawau Saddle, turning right on to Kaihoka Short 10 min walk Road just before Whanganui Inlet. Follow this road between the two lakes. for 6 kilometres to Kaihoka Lakes Scenic Reserve.
Community restoration Marahau project to restore an area Estuary of wetland. Stopbanks were removed to reinstate ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ natural flows and shallow Coastal wetlands ponds excavated. Planting and pest control. Sandy Bay, Marahau Rd. near Abel Tasman National Park entrance.
Sculpture trails in forest and wetland reserve with Milnthorpe Park pakihi (heathland) vegetation. Art-works www.doc.govt.nz/Documents/parks-and- Pakihi, estuary, placed around the trail recreation/tracks-and-walks/nelson- ✓ ✓ freshwater ponds network- brochures marlborough/walks-in-golden-bay.pdf available from local stores and information centres. Signposted from the Takaka-Collingwood highway, close to Parapara.
www.wetlandtrust.org.nz 4 Wetlands to visit in the Tasman Area
Description/ Activities Facilities Access, further information 1Name / type special features
Info Walks Birdlife Boating Fishing / Highly Interp. Lookout / Picnic Accom. centre shooting scenic panels bird hide area www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to- Motueka Important roosting and go/nelson-tasman/places/motueka-area/things-to- breeding habitat for do/tracks/motueka-sandspit/ Sandspit wading birds including godwits, oystercatchers, Track starts at the coastal end of Staples St, off SH ✓ ✓ ✓ Estuary and terns, shags, turnstones, 60 north of Motueka (also accessible off the main sandspit knots and dotterels. Loop road through Motueka township (Thorp St). walk along the coast and back via the town.
Kahikatea floodplain https://www.marlborough.govt.nz/environment/rivers Spring Creek being restored. Planned -and-wetlands/reports/the-ecology-of-spring-creek- walking tracks, bird hides, planned ✓ planned planned awarua-2000 Floodplain forest boardwalks, and interpretation panels. Contact the Council for details Marlborough District Council, (03) 520 7400
At 3445 ha this is the www.doc.govt.nz/our-work/waimea-inlet-restoration- Waimea Inlet largest shallow bar-built project/ estuary in the Sth Island. ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ It supports 41 species of Estuary fish, 50 species of Inlet is adjacent to the city of Nelson. There are waterfowl. numerous access points.
Lake Killarney Small lake in Takaka, pleasant urban park to relax and enjoy the open Lake and wetland ✓ ✓ ✓ water and birdlife. https://places.nz/7161 margin
Restoration project Commercial Street, Takaka
www.wetlandtrust.org.nz 5 Wetlands to visit in the Tasman Area
Description/ Activities Facilities Access, further information 1Name / type special features
Info Walks Birdlife Boating Fishing / Highly Interp. Lookout / Picnic Accom. centre shooting scenic panels bird hide area www.stuff.co.nz/environment/76586416/willow- Para Swamp Extensive valley bottom clogged-para-wetlands-emerging-as-marlborough- swamp visible from the jewel-after-tree-felling Freshwater wetland ✓ highway. Limited access (120 ha) at present. SH 1 between Picton and Blenheim in the Waitohi Valley. On the west-side of SH1 2 km north of Tuamarina.
www.wetlandtrust.org.nz 6