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TAIRUA HARBOUR (WAI110)
WHANGAPOUA HARBOUR (WAI 475)
A Report on the Nature of the Tairua & Whangapou.a Harbou.rs, and the Way in which they have Changed since 1840
Report prepared by
Gary Williams
January 2000
G & E WILUAMS CONSULTANTS LTD
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THE NATURE OF
TAIRUA & WHANGAPOUA HARBOURS
COROMANDEL PENINSULAR
INTRODucnON
l'lUJIOSI! 1 This report provides information on the nature of the Tairua and Whangapoua Harbours, within the context of the larger estuaries, open to the sea, that exist along the east c;oast of the Coromandel Peninsular. It has been prepared for the Waitangi Tribunal, in response to a request by Garl Hirschfeld in respect of the Wai 110 and Wat 475 claims.
2 The aim of the report is: to firstly give Bome background information on coastal environments and the nature of estuaries, their characteristics and variability; and then to describe the Tairua and Whangapoua Harbours in terms of their natural form, the changes that have taken place since 1840, their present condition and their sensitivity to future impacts. The nature of the estuaries has been assessed and described in terms of the relative influences of the various factors or parameters that can be used to describe and categorise such coastal water bodies.
Investigations
3 A general assessment of the estuaries of Tairua and Whangapoua has been carried out using information that could be readily obtained from inquiries of the relevant Regional and District councils, Government departments or Crown institutions and local people familiar with the estuaries and the history of the Coromandel Peninsular. There are a number of large estuaries, open to the sea, along the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsular, and different scientific and historical studies have been made on each of these estuaries. Information has then been drawn from the available studies on all these estuaries, to make an assessment of the Tairua and Whangapoua estuaries.
4 The series of large estuaries along the east coast of the Corornandel peninsular, of varying size, form and character, as described later in this report, are, from south to north. Whangamata, Wharekawa, Tairua, Whitianga and Whangapoua. Some environmental data is available on all these estuaries. A study of the effects on estuary sedimentation of changes in
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11 I hold the qualifications of Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Science and Master of Commerce. I am a member of the Institution of Professional Engineers of New Zealand. I have worked for the Water and Soil Division of the Ministry of Works and Development atits Head Office and Napier District Office, and for the Walrarapa and Hawke's Bay catchment authorities. I have also worked overseas in Mozambique and Papua-New Guinea.
12 Since 1987 I have practised as a private consultant, working mainly for regional and district councils on catchment and river management, and other water and soil resource investigations, including coastal processes and protection measures.
13 I have been involved in studies and works on many estuaries, through river management as well as coastal management, and been involved in studies and works on coastal lagoons and wetlands. In Hawke's Bay this included the Hawke Bay coast and Ahuriri Estuary, Whakaki Lagoon and Maungawhio Lagoon. I presented evidence to the Waltangi Tribunal on the nature of Te Whanganui-a-Orotu (W AI 55). I also carried out an investigation of the Te Whanga Lagoon on Wharekauri/Chatham Island (WAI 65) for the Tribunal. This involved a comparison of the Te Whanga Lagoon with other large coastal water bodies around New Zealand. On the west coast of the North Island I have studied a range of estuaries and coastal areas from Taranaki to Wellington, including estuaries at the mouths of the Pate a, Whanganm, Manawatu, Otaki, Walkanae and Hutt rivers.
14 My engineering experience has been related more to physical factors and physical modifications to coastal and river environments. However, biological factors are not only important in assessing environmental effects, they provide important indicators and guidance in the r;;arrying out of river and coastal management. As an engineer I have often had to draw on the knowledge of many different professionals, and utiUse this knowledge in solving prar;;tka1 problems and implementing management strategies.
Findings
15 The findings ofthis study are based on the general assessments I have undertaken, given the information I was able to obtain and my professional experience over 25 years in the field of water and soil resources. They r;;an not be definitive, and should be read in the context of the jnformation limitations and the restrictions of a general assessment
16 The main findings can be summarised as follows:
3 pd Wdc0:90 000c 90 'uer P899Z9>: 90 : 'ON 3NOHd SW~IllIM 3 ~ 8 : WO~~ o The Tairua and Whangapoua estuaries are semi-enclosed estuaries, with substantial barrier spits at the coast They are made up of main channels, where the stronger currents of the tidal exchange are concentrated, wide intertidal flats and vegetated margins of estuarine grasses and mangroves.
o These estuaries have a similar form and general character, but are significantly different because of the peculiarities of their coastal location and the nature and condition of their catchment.
o The Tairua estuary extends inland as a wedge up a long rlv·er valley, with a single substantial river flowing through it There is a very substantial barrier on the south side, where the township of Pauanui is located. There is a Jower connecting barrler to the Paku rock outcrop on the :north side, and this gives rise to a more complex estuary form of side inlets where the township of Tairua is located.
o The Whangapoua estuary has develoJ?ed in an area of converging river valleys, which have been mostly enclosed by a very substantial barrier spit It has a roughly circular shape, with a relatively very small and also apprOximately circular catchment There are a number of streams and minor rivers entering the estuary, with no dominant contributing waterway.
o There is very little information about the nature and condition of the estuaries prior to European settlement. There would, though,. have been some modification of the coastal land and immediate environs of the estuaries by Maori. The natural form and character of the estuaries was, however, probably not significantly altered.
o FollOWing European settlement there was a profound and devastating change to the catchment vegetation and over time to the immediate surrounds of the estuaries. The catchment vegetation was virtually destroyed by milling and fire, and this has given rise to greatly increased rates of sediment accumulation in the estuaries. The clear felling harvesting of the more recent plantation forests (of pines) has probably maintained high levels of sediment accumulation.
o The number of people living around the estuaries was kept at a very small level until recent decades by poor access. Improving road access has given rise to a very rapid increase in both permanent and summer population levels.
o The main threats to the estuary environment now, apart from continued clear fell harvesting of plantation forests in the catchments, is the impacts from the increasing population -in terms of bacterial contamination from sewage, nutrient enrichment, rubbish, power boats and the introduction of rapid spreading exotic plants, and overfish1ng.
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COASTAL ENVIRONMENT
Geological Formation
17 Coasts are dynamic variable environments that have been formed over recent geologic time, since the sea level stabilised at around the present level, about 6,500 years ago.
18 Over the last 2 million years (of the Pleistocene period) the general climate of the Earth has varied greatly, and the sea level has varied in concert, as ice sheets built up and melted. Short warm periods, similar to the present, have been int",rspersed with longer cold periods, when large ice sheets covered much of the higher latitude areas of the Earth. The climate has varied through the cold glacial periods with relatively wanner and colder times, as well as through the warmer interglacial periods. Recent research suggests that the climate of the present warm interglacial has been unusually uniform, with the sea level correspondingly stable.
19 Thus, prior to about 15,000 years ago, when there were massive ice sheets and glaciers, the sea level was up to about 135 to 150 metres lower than the present level. As the climate of the Earth warmed and the ice melted, the sea level rose, reaching its present level about 6,500 years ago, with a somewhat higher maximum level for a period about 5,000 years ago.
20 A new shoreline was formed, with a diversity of coasts: of eroding cliffs, drowned river valleys, and, where suitable sand and gravel material was available to reworking processes, long low barrier beaches. These low barriers have formed due to the longshore movement of material supplied by rivers or eroding coastal cliffs, or from the inshore movement of material on shallow sea beds. They separate shallow water bodies from the open sea giving rise to coastal lagoons and more enclosed estuarine river mouths.
21 Although most coastal systems would have developed their primary form soon after the sea level stabilised at its present level, coastal reworking processes of erosion and deposition continue, and many coasts are being actively reworked. Estuary and lagoon systems are most subject to change, being made up of erodible silt, sand and gravel materials, while sediment infilling continues to take place over time.
22 The nature of an estuary can be considered and described in terms of a numbe), of defining factors, both physical and biological. Physically there are: tides (the influence and magnitude of the tidal exchange); waves (generated from the sea or by wind set up within the estuary); form (the shape and bed form of the water body); and salinity (the spatial-temporal variations in salinity). Biologically there are: margin plants (species present and pattern of vegetation around and within the water body); aquatic life
5 relationships between fish, shellfish and invertebrates and hence the biological communities present); and bird life (presence and use made by different species).
Coastal Estuaries
23 The terminology used to describe coastal systems is not well defined, and a number of different terms are used. Enclosed or semi-enclosed coastal water bodies may be called estuaries, lagoons, inlets, sounds, fjords, ports or harbours and arms of the sea. The terms are used in different ways, in scientific literature as well as in common usage.
24 The drowning of river valleys has given rise to many 'projections' or 'extensions' of the sea into the land, so that the sea is partly enclosed by land (or vice versa, the land projects into the sea, and partly encloses the sea). In some cases the~ is a relatively wide expanse of sea between the coastal headlands, and the forces and characteristics of the sea prevail. This includes both the wide!; projections of relatively open sea or bays, and the narrower and more elongated, but still deep water projections of sounds (in river formed valleys) and fjords (in glader formed valleys). The shorelines along these wate!; bodies are similar to open sea shorelines, with the full range of sea forces - of tides, waves and salinity - being felt, and a marine environment existing along the shore, although their form or morphology is influenced by variations in shelter and hence energy.
25 Estuaries have developed where the drowned river valley had a more enclosed fonn, or a coastal spit Of barrier was formed at the coastline to give a semi-enclosed water body, with a reduced influence from the forces of the sea. In this case there is an interplay of river and sea forces, with sediment transport influenced by both, and an on going mixing of fresh and sea water. The mixed environment gives rise to a more complex ecology of plant and animal species, that have varying salinity tolerances. The exchange of water over the tidal cycle, with sea water flowing in and out, and the variations in freshwater inflow g:lves rise to a dynamiC environment, which the estuarine life must be adapted to.
26 The degree of mixing of sea and fresh water varies - depencUng on water depths, tidal exchange and freshwater inflow volumes, and the penetration of sea waves or generation of waves within the estuary. Estuaries can have a distinct saltwater wedge underneath the fresh water (due to the (slightly) greater density of salt water), be slightly stratified, partially mixed or fully mixed. The constant flow with tidal exchanges generally g:lves rise to tidal channels, where the coarser bed materials can normally be reworked by these flow forces, but these channels are shifting and meander across the estuary. Wind generated waves within the estuary can generally move the finer muddy sediments that deposit on the intertidal flats, except on the more confined and upper margin areas of the estuary, where vegetation will
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e ."'@ Uf'it Me·,.,'9'P §d#@t.h'W ••I.gw 9 :paI\Taoa1:j establish. There are then complex and shifting environments within estuaries, and plant and animal life within estuaries will alter as conditions change.
27 Some estuaries are large water bodies because the drowned river vaUey(s) had a narrow opening at the present sea level, and the valley floor was shallow enough to silt up and form tidal flats at this sea level. They often have more than one river flowing into them.
28 Around New Zealand there are a number of large estuaries - as well as the deeper drowned valleys of sounds and fjords. In the North Island the larger estuaries, with extensive tidal flats, are: Kawhia, Aotea, Raglan, Manakau, Kaipara, Whangarei, Waitamata, Tauranga, and Ohiwa.
CORO~DELPENINSULARESTUARrnS
Geological Setling
29 The Coromandel Peninsular has a steep rugged well-eroded volcanic landform. There is a main axial range, which extends from the volcanic lands of the central plateau of the North Island, in a generally northward direction. The underlying sedimentatary rock of the New Zealand continental crust, of Mesozoic age greywacke, is mostly covered by a volcanic rock, of Miocene age, consisting of andesite from volcanoes and extrusion flows. More recent rhyolite from dissected domes and extrusion flows, of Pliocene age, overlies the older volcanic rock in the central part of the range. This pattern of older andesitic volcanoes and younger rhyolite from domes and flows is repeated at a younger age in the Taupo volcanic area.
30 The older andesitic volcanic material of the Coromandel Range has been hydrothermally altered in places by on going or later volcanic activity, as hot mineralised water rises up through faults and cracks. Thls gives rise to seams of mineral bearing rock, which are relatively hard, and can be exposed by later erosion. A wide range of minerals is present in these rock seams, and natural leaching from this material gives rise to higher mineral content in water courses and estuaries.
31 This baserock is generally covered by exploded volcanic tephra materials (of pumiceous deposits and airfall ash), with the most recent major eruptions affecting the area being two from the Okataina (Rotorua) volcanic centre - Rotoma Tephra of c. 8,500 years ago, and Whatakane Tephra of c. 4,800 years ago - and one from Mayor Island - Tuhua Tephra of c. 6,200 years ago.
32 The peninsular then has a steep rugged topography, with a deeply weathered baserock, covered by easily eroded tephra materials. The area is subject to short term high intensity rainstorms, which can result in
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f I-I.:LI. oo/a. 19 :pel\~eoe~ widespread erosion where there is not a dense vegetation cover. This erosion mostly consists of shallow soil slips, but can also included debris avalanches on the steeper land and large deep seated earth slumps.
33 The narrow peninsular shape and steep landform gives rise to short steep water courses, subject to flash flooding.
34 There are relatively very small areas of alluvial flats in the Coromandel Peninsular, and they are mainly near the coast, around the larger estuaries, especially around Whitianga and Whangapoua. There is a significant infilled alluvial valley along the lower reaches of the Tairua River.
35 There are substantial barrier deposits at the outlet of the large estuaries along the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsular, possibly because of a large supply of volcanic tephra material to the coast. The core samples of sediment taken from the bed of the estuaries, as part of the estuary sedimentation studies, suggest a rapid build up of material initially, when the estuary was firstfonned about 6,5QO years ago. This build up may have been assisted by tephra deposits from the major volcanic explosions, with one dated about 6,200 years ago. The cores from the Whangamata estuary have a thick layer of pumiceous material at the bottom of the sediment layer. One core in the Whangapoua estuary also shows a rapid initial deposition, although in this case it was not identified as tephra material.
36 The coastallandfonns of barrier beaches, spits and estuarine deposits are situated in an especially dynamic environment, at the margin of land sea and air, and are constantly changing in response to the interplay of tides, wave action, wind and floods. While the overa\1shape or form may stay the same, being a function of the peculiarities of the site, the location and specific arrangement of the deposits can be very variable. Rare extreme events can also have a major impact In rivers this extreme channel forming event arises from large landslide blockages and then a sudden bursting. On the coast, the extreme event is the tsunami, which is like a short duration tide with much larger fluctuations in leveL
37 The coastline barrier deposits of the east coast Coromand.el Peninsular estuaries are relatively large and stable, but would be periodically affected by tsunamis. Long wave tsunamis are generated along the east coast of New Zealand form large earthquakes off the coast of Chile. The most recent one occurred in 1868, and there are historical accounts of the severe effects this tsunami had on the O1.atham Islands and along the east coast of New Zealand. A much less severe tsunami was generated in 1960 and its effects in Whitianga Harbour have been recorded. Here an unusually large ebb and flow occurred about every 40 minutes, giving a level variation of about 6 metres and a maximum mean flow velocity of over 6 mj 5, with the tsunami effects lasting for about four days. On the low ebb of the cycle much of the estuary went dry, while at the highest level (of about 2 metres above the highest spring tid.es) the streets of Whitiangi were awash. These large
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earthquakes occur at the same tectonic plate boundary about evelY 100 to 150 years, with the 1868 earthquake preceded by large quakes in 1748, 1604, and 1513. The next one must then be due!
38 There are now townships sited on these coastal barrier deposits - at Whangamata, Pauanui, Whitianga and Matarangi. At Tairua there is a lower and less substantial barrier connection to a volcanic rock outcrop, of Paku. This coastline deposit has also been recently built on.
39 Archaeological excavations have been carried out on this lower coastal deposit at Tairua, and these excavations showed that the deposit was made up of distinct depositional stages. The oldest layer that contained remains of Maori food and artifacts was up to -4 metres below the dune surface, a.nd the remains included rocky shore shells and bones of seal and moa- and of birds of freshwater streams and lagoons as well as of forested areas. This thin layer of remains was covered by a substantial layer of sand that became stabilised with a cover of vegetation. A further layer of shells then covered this surface, with the shells consisting mainly of pipi and cockles, that would have been taken from the adjacent estuarine tidal flats. Another substantial layer of sand was laid down, with a surface stabilised by vegetation, before the final covering of dune sand to the present surface. This stratification suggests a periodic deposition, such as may have occurred from tsunami events.
40 The bore logs of the cores taken from the estuary sediments show layers of shells at intervals, and these shells are re-worked deposits of broken shell hash. This again indicates periodic substantial reworking of the coast and estuary bed.
Estuary Form
41 The large estuaries along the east coast of the Coromanded Peninsular have a general similarity, but are individually moulded by the nature and condition of their catchments and the pecUliarities of the coastline where they are formed. The nature of the estuaries can then be best outlined through a comparative description of the estuaries.
42 The estuary sedimentation studies show that there was very little sediment build up in the estuaries, following their initial formation, while the catchments were covered with forest vegetation. The estuary form would then have been relatively stable, with only slow vegetational changes along the estuaJY margins, mainly in the upper estuary area and around the mouths of rivers and streams entering the estuaries, as accumulative deposition occurred. The estuaries are all shallow, with large intertidal flats and well formed main channels maintained by the tidal flux.
9 43 The catchments of the estuaries are shown on Figure I, at a scale of 1:250,000. The estuaries themselves are shown at a scale of 1:50,000 on Figures 2 to 5.
Whangamata Estuuy
44 The Whangamata estuuy has formed in a relatively wide shallow drowned valley, with a long baserock headland separating it from the sea on the east side. The estuary has a small catchment reaching to the top of the Coromandel Range, with short steep streams down to the estuary. The largest contributing waterway is the Wentworth River that enters the lower part of the estuary, through a long side inlet (the Moanaanuanu Estuary). There is a substantial alluvial plain at the head of the estuary, beside the Wentworth River, and the neighbouring Otahu River.
4S The catchment has a mainly forest cover at present, with about 50 % of the catchment in plantation (pine) forest. Much of this plantation forest is dose to the estuary itself.
46 The estuary has a well defined single main channel down its length, with side channels towards the various contribUting streams. At present over half of the estuary area consists of channels and open intertidal flats. There are extensive areas of mangroves in the side inlets, around the stream mouths and around the upper end of the estuary. A comparison of aerial photography since the first photography of 1944 shows that there has been a steady spread of mangroves over the years. This mangrove colonisation has been most rapid in the middle and upper estuary, and particularly at the inlets to the main contributing streams.
47 The sedimentation study of this estuary noted the presence of bivalves such as oyster and pipt in the lower estuary, indicative of a relatively marine inlet environment. In the middle and upper estuary the bivalves present were those of cockles and the large trough shell, which are typical of more protected bays and estuary flats.
Tairua Estuary
48 The Tairua estuary has formed in a long river valley that extends well back into the range land. There is a single medium sized river (the largest of the Coromandel Peninsular) flowing down this valley and through the estuary. There are relatively large areas of alluvial flats alongside the lower reaches of the Tairua River, and on the southern side of the estuary. There is a very substantial barrier spit on the south side, where the township of Pauanui is sited, and a much lesser connecting barrier on the north side out to the rock outcrop of Paku.
49 The estuary generally widens out towards the sea, with a single main channel that is an extension of the upstream river channel, but with a more complex form near its mouth. The presence of the Paku outcrop has given
10 vd Wd80:90 000G 90 'uer v899c9£ 90 : 'ON 3NOHd S~IllIM 3 ~ 9 : WO~~ rise to side inlets and some consequential splitting of the main channel. A 1842 sketch of the mouth of the estuary shows a well formed connecting barrier out to the Paku outcrop, with a mangrove covered island alongside this barrier on the estuary side, and a connecting channel to the side estuary area where the Pepe Stream enters. A survey plan of this area was prepared in 1861 to define the first land transaction at Tairua to a G Graham. A Crown Grant was later issued for the land in 1864. This plan clearly shows a large inlet behind the coastal barrier, with a well defined main tidal channel. It also showed a well defined tidal channel in the side estuary area up to Pepe Stream. Both channels connected out to a channel in the main part of the Tairua estuary. No vegetation was shown on the estuaty areas in this plan. Since that time this area has been greatly modified.
50 The catchment is relatively large extending up to and along the divide of the Coromandel Range. It is largely forested, with a substantial portion in native forest but with extensive plantation forest along the middle and lower parts of the catchment '
51. The estuary has a large area of main channel and tidal flats, at about two thirds of the estuary area" and only a small area of mangroves.
Whitianga Estuary
52 The Whitianga estuary has developed in an area of converging river valleys, and has a complex branching form with both dominant main channels and side channels to the various contributing waterways. In this estuaty there is a relatively large proportion of open intertidal flats compared to mlrin channel area.
53 The catchment is relatively large, but in contrast to the Tairua catchment has a roughly circular shape. There are a number of significant rivers entering the estuary, with no especially dominant river, although the two largest, the W lriwawa and Whenuakite, enter close together at the southern extremity of the estuaty.
S4 There is a substantial alluvial plain area at the mouth of the estuary, which restricts the estuary opening to the sea, and the township of Whitlanga is sited on this land. There is also a considerable area of alluvial land along the river valleys to the south of the estuary, especially along the Whenuakite River, which drains the lower coastal hills. The catchment steep land and much of the lower lUll country is covered in forest, with plantation forests covering some of the lower land.
S5 The estuary is large in comparison to its catchment and the flows of its contributing rivers and streams, and about 40% of the estuary area is now covered with mangroves. Captain James Cook stayed in the vicinity of Whitianga for about a fortnight in 1769 to view the transit of the planet Mercuty, and so determine lUslongitudinal position more accurately.
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Sd Wd80:90 000~ 90 'uer 1>899~9£ 90 : 'ON 3NOHd SW~llliM 3 ~ 8 : ~~ During that time he drew a map of the coast and part ofWhitlanga estuary, while some accounts of the landform and vegetation of the place was recorded. Cook's chart shows some distinct islands with a mangrove cover within the Whltianga estuary, but of much lesser extent than the present coverage of mangroves. One early (but undated) survey plan obtained from LINZ also showed the lower part of the estuary, and oruy a few islands with vegetation on them were shown.
Wbangapoua Estuary
56 The Whangapoua estuary has also developed in an area of converging river valleys, but has been mostly enclosed by a very substantial barrier spit It has a less complex form than the Whitianga estuary, but this estuary also has a large proportion of open intertidal flats compared to main channel area. There is a smaller proportion of the estuary covered by mangroves, but there is a lot of scattered mangroves, and vegetation is spreading over the shallow tidal flats.
57 The catchment has a similar roughly circular shape as that of the Whltianga estuary, with no dominant contributing waterways. However, the catchment is very much smaller in size, although the Whangapoua estuary is not much smaller in area than the Whitianga estuary. The fresh water flows through the estuary are then minor for an estuary of this size.
58 There are considerable areas of alluvial flats along the waterways entering the estuary and the streams have short steep headwaters followed by quite flat graded channels down to the estuary.
S9 Most of the steep land and hill country of the catchment is in forest, with about SO% of the catchment in plantation forests, mostly on the hill country, but extending up to the catdunent divide in places.
Historical Perspective
60 Limited information could be found on the nature of the estuaries and their margin vegetation prior to the coming of the Europeans. The historical records obtained oruy touched on these mattets and did not provided any detailed descriptions.
61 The information available suggests that the low country along the coast and especially around the estuaries had been partly cleared by the Maori inhabitants, prior to the coming of the European, Gearing was undertaken for the planting of crops, and some form of planting rotation was probably used. Accidentally started bush fires would also have extended the areas of bracken, manuka scrub and re-growth forest Fires may also have been deliberately Ut to increase the area of bracken fern, and hence of the bracken root used for food.
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!c;:a.:.LC- 001t. Ie :pel\~aoeH 62 Along the margins of the estuaries there would have been extension swampy areas, and old survey plans of the margin of the Tairua estuary indicate that the main swamp vegetation was flax and raupo, with re-growth manuka and rewarewa along the more elevated margins.
63 Beyond the immediate coastal area the land would have been covered by dense native forest, and the more inaccessible swamp land probably had a virgin native vegetation character, including trees such as cabbage trees, lacebark, ribbonwoods, pukatea and kahlkatea.
64 Captain Cook gave a short deSCription of the Whitianga estuary area in his diary. Looking towards the head of the estuary he stated: " ... I saw or at kas t tlwught I saw the head of the river, it here branched into several channels and formed a number of very low flat islands all covered with a sort of mangrove trees and several place$ of the shores of both sides Of the river were covered wilh the same sort of wood: the sand banks were stored with cockles, and clams and in many places rock oysters. Here is likewise pretty plenty of wild fowl, such as shags, ducks, curlews, and a bkuk bird as big as a crow, with a long sharp bill of a colour between red and yellow. We also saw fish in the river but of what sort I know not. "
65 Cook also noted: "The country especially on the 5E side of this river and bay is very barren producing little but fern and such plants as delight in a poor soil and for the most part destitute of wood or any otlleT sign offertility but the face of the country on the other side looked much better and is in many places covered with wood."
66 Cook's party remarked on the quantity of shellfish consumed by the Maori, and the large piles of shells they found everywhere, and that the Maori diet was mostly fish, shellfish, and birds. They were very impressed by the vast quantity of oysters available.
67 The vegetation cover of the Coromandel Peninsular changed rapidly with the arrival of Europeans.
68 Small European settlements were established at Tairua and Whitianga relatively early on, iititially as part of the obtaining of spars for ships from the kauri trees of the native forest covering the Coromandel Peninsular.
69 In the Tairua catchment a lease for the extraction of timber was obtained in 1864 and a timber mill set up. At Whitianga the first purchase of land (Browne's Grant) was in 1837, with timber milling starting in 1838. A tramway was constructed across the large swamp of the Whitianga flats in 1884, to bring in the logs. The main milling began in the 1860's and declined after about 19l0, to mostly cease by the 1920' s.
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Ld Wd60:90 000c 90 ·uer 1>899c9£ 90 : ·ON 3NOHd SW~llllM 3 ~ 8 : WO~j 70 The milling of timber affected the forest cover of the land and in consequence the estuaries along the coast in a number of ways. It was not just the effect of the cutting down of the large trees within the forest. The felling, removal and cutting to waste of the branches and head of the trees left behind a great deal of dead wood, debris and litter. This provided a Jot of easily burnt material, and in spite of the high rainfall of the peninsular, bush fires were very commo~ and some were undoubtedly very destructive. Some fires were also deliberately lit, by the gum diggers collecting kauri gum, who liked a clearer area to work in.
71 The cut logs were brought down to the coast from the steep catclunent areas by 'driving' them down the water courses. This was done by building 'driving' dams, timber dams that stored water and had a trip door to spill the stored water suddenly. Logs were brought to the water courses, and then during a flood or fresh the dams would be tripped to flush the logs down to the coast. Sometimes a series of dams would be tripped in sequence, and thousands of logs could be driven downstream in a single drive. In the estuaries log booms were constructed to catch the logs and store them for milling.
72 Over time most of the tributaries of the Talrua River had these timber dams constructed along them, and the logs were collected by a boom sited just upstream of the present wharf. The mill was located on the estuary edge here, and over time the waste slab and sawdust produced by the mill was used to reclaim land along the estuary banks. The Talrua catchment was cut over right to the catclunent divide, and in fact in 1884 there was a dispute over whether the Tairua mill could take timber from the western side of the divide.
73 On the Whitianga estuary seven booms were constructed, at the river mouths and as storage pens by the mill at Whitianga.
74 This log driving generated mini dam burst flood pulses, and with the logs being transported, and the cumulative effects of sequential dam tripping, these 'drives' would have had a marked scouring effect on the bed of the streams and rivers, giving rise to constant re-worklng of the channels. Sediment transport rates would have been greatly above natural levels, while the debris brought down would have been vastly above even a most severe natural event in the original forested catchments.
75 At the estuaries there would have been some localised scouring from the driving pulses, but in general there would have been widespread deposition from the sediment carried down with the logs. Erosion would be much more widespread during intense rainstorms on the denuded catclunent land, and this would have greatly increased the rate of supply of sediments to the estuaries and to the coast.
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fea.:LI. 00/1. /9 :PO/\"j:eo9Cj 76 Following the destruction of the native forest by logging and fires, large areas were re-planted in the 1930's, as part ofthe relief work programme for unemployed people. In the Tairua catchment this planting of exotic species commenced in 1929. Although large areas were planted between 1930 and 1935, many of the species used turned out to be unsuitable for milling. Logging of these plantation forests began in 1958, and thereafter radiata pine was used for re-planting and extensions of the forests. A large proportion of the Tairua and Whangapoua catchments are now in plantation forests, and the forests are of an age that a substantial increase in logging will take place over the near future.
77 Pastoral forming is being carried out on the lower hill country and flat land, mostly close to the estuaries and coast, and especially in the Whitianga catchment. This land use, if practised with reasonable regard to soil conservation requirements, would probably not generate much more in the way of sediment loading to the estuaries than occurred with the mainly scrub and bracken cover of this land in 1840. Nutrient loading would be increased by the use of artificial fertilisers on farm land, and the use of chemical sprays would add the toxic wastes that form from these chemicals to the water flowing down to the estuaries.
78 The main townships along the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsular are sited beside the larger estuaries along this coast - Whangamata, Pauanui and Tairua, Whitianga and Matarangi. These townships have rapidly expanded in size over recent years, following on from major improvements to the roading network on the peninsular.
79 The census (permanent) population of the Tairua area up to 1981 is given in the table below. From the first census that specifically mentions Tairua in 1874 up to 1936 the figures cover only the European population.
DAn 1874 1878 1881 1886 1891 18% 1901 1906 1911 1916 1921 PEOPLE 167 324 499 397 360 257 478 440 525 278 338 DATE 1926 1936 1945 1951 1956 1961 1966 1971 1976 1981 PEOPLE 232 315 212 237 258 279 412 415 762 927
80 The census night population for the townships of Tairua and Pauanui for 1991 and 1996, and the temporary summer population given by a survey in December 1995 and January 1996, along with the projections of permanent population given in the TCDC Waste Water AMP is given in the table below. The same information for Whitianga and Matarangi is also given in this table.
POPULATION 1991 1996 2001 2006 Tairua/Pauanui 1666 2034 2351 2615 Summer peak 15219 Whitianga 2322 2897 3476 4102 Summer peak 10360
lS
6d Wd01:90 000Z 90 'uer pa99Z9>: 90 : 'ON 3NOHd SW~llllM 3 ~ D : WO~~ IMatarangi 49 100 140 168 Summer peak 2540
Present Conditions
81 The Tairua and Whangapoua estuaries have been markedly affected by the vegetation cover changes and land uses of the past 150 years. The margin vegetation has been greatly altered and the bed of the estuaries has been affected by increased sediment deposition because of catchment changes, mainly forest destruction and later clearance for pine re-afforestation and then plantation harvesting. This has resulted in a coarser estuary bed material, and changes in estuary vegetation by colonisation of the more elevated estuarine areas.
82 Alongside the Tairua estuary there are some remnant swamp areas, which are some of the very few remains of what were once very extensive estuary margin swamps and lagoons around the estuaries of the Coromandel Peninsular. Much of the estuary margin has though been radically altered, with very little native vegetation alongside the estuary. The most highly modified area is that of the Tairua township itself. This part of the estuary was the most sensitive to change, consisting of smaller side inlets surrounded by low lying flat land. The more recent township of Pauanui has had much less impact on the estuary, being sited on the wide and relatively stable barrier spit, with the built area being kept back further from the estuary edge - and the coast
83 Apart from the side inlets around Tairua itself, the general fOIm of the estuary has probably altered little, although around the margins in particular the estuary is probably shallower than it was. Less detailed sedimentation studies have been carried out on the Tairua estuary than other estuaries on the Coromandel Peninsular, however, the work done showed much Increased rates of sediment accumulation over the last 60 years.
84 Around the Whangapoua estuary there is generally a relatively wide zone of estuary margin vegetation. However, all the flat valley land beyond:, which would have been swamp land in the past, has been drained; and is now farm land. The mangrove vegetation is clearly spreading, with scattered mangroves extending out from the areas of continuous mangroves around the edge of the estuary.
85 The general form of the estuary, with its branching main tidal flux channels and extensive intertidal flats, is probably unaltered, but there has clearly been some sediment accumulation, especially at the inlets and stream mouths around the estuary, with the consequential changes in estuary vegetation.
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0,d Wd0,:90 000c 90 'uer 1>899c9£ 90 : 'ON 3NOHd ~IllIM 3 ~ 8 : WO~3 86 Sediment cores from the Whangpoua estl~ary have been analysed, and they show the same trends as at other Coromandel Peninsular estuaries. The rate of sediment accumulation after initial formation of the estuary was very slow, suggesting a relatively stable interaction of catchment runoff, sediment supply and estuary flushing. Following Polynesian settlement the accumulation rates increased to some extent (1% to 4 times the natural catclunent background rate), and then increased dramatically follOwing European settlement (to 20 to 40 times the background rate). This large increase in sediment accumulation has been accompanied by an increase in the coarseness of the estuary bed sediment, with a higher proportion of sand.
87 The sedimentation data available suggests that the Whangapoua estuary has had one of the highest increases in sediment accumulation follOWing European settlement. This would follow from the nature of the estuary and jts catchment. The flushing action in the estuary would be relatively poor, with a complex pattern of tidally flushed channels and a number of small streams and rivers entering the estuary at various points around its margin.
88 The data also tentatively suggests that a plantation forest cover, with periodic clear felling harvesting, will give rise to higher rates of sediment supply than the earlier cover of pastoral farming and scrub or re-generat1ng forest cover. It is, though, clearly not as destructive a forest harvesting as the early European harvesting, as outlined briefly above.
PRESENT ES'fUARIES SENSITIVITIES
Issues
89 The present state of the estuaries, in combination with present and likely future land uses in the estuary catchments and further urbanisation alongside the estuaries, raise a number of issues with regard to the condition, biological health and general environmental state of the estuaries.
90 Further conversion of catchment land to plantation forests and the future increases in areas being harvested as the current forests become mature for harvesting, may maintain the present high levels of sediment accumulation in the estuaries. The Whangapoua estuary will be particularly vulnerable in this regard. Sediments will accumu.late more rapidly in this estuary, and about 50% of its catchment is in plantation forest, with much of it now ready for harvest. On going rapid accumulation with have consequential effects on the estuary vegetation and hence on the nature of the biological communities within the estuary.
91 The Tairua estuary is likely to be the least affected of the larger estuaries.
92 The effect on heavy metal accumulations within the estuaries of increased rates of sediment supply has also been studied. The available data indicates
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v899~9£ 90 : 'ON 3NOHd 5~1111M 3 ~ 8 : WO~3 that the levels of heavy metals in the Coromandel estuaries has been increased over background levels by mining activities. However, the levels present are similar to those in other estuaries unaffected by mining activities. The typical background levels of metal concentrations in the sediments of the Coromande1 estuaries was found to be of the same order as in other New Zealand aquatic environments, despite the mineralisation present in SOme of the catchment rock.
93 Roading improvements are progressively being carried out on the Coromandel Peninsular lOading network. For instance, at present major improvements are being carried out on State Highway 25 between Whitianga and Whangapoua. This access improvement will increase the pressure for subdivisions and both permanent residence and summer holiday homes. In the past population pressures on the Coromandel estuaries have been kept low by poor access. A combination of demand for the transport of logs out of the area and ease of access for tourism and summer residence is increasing the demand for road improvements. There are, though, some inevitable conflicts in this. The forestry requirements tend to be in conflict with holiday and tourism requirements, while the increase in people coming to the area can easily downgrade the very things they have come there to enjoy. The coastal estuaries are the features most likely to suffer, while being one of the main attractions of the area.
94 The township of Matarangi, on the Whangapoua estuary barrier spit, is still quite small, and has a well designed sewage treatment plant capable of handling the high summer peak loadings. However, very high levels of bacterial contamination have been measured in the channels that drain the treated effluent water from the Matarangi treatment plant with high levels in the estuary itself. The problem arises from a lack of infJItration capacity, because the treatment filter beds and disposal fields are sited on low ground virtually within the estuary. The treatment plant will have to be expanded to cope with the planned increase in the size of the Matarangi subdivision, and a different method of final disposal will have to be found, jf the estuary is not to be contaminated.
95 Tairua and Pauanui share a sewage treatment plant, which was original)y constructed for the Pauanui subdivision, with extra capacity to take Tairua sewage. The existing disposal system is now clearly inadequate, with temporary use being made of an existing trench constructed for other purposes. The existing treatment plant and disposal system can not cope with the present loading and TCDC is investigating alternative treatment facilities.
96 High levels of bacterial contamination have been measured in the Pepe Stream area of the Tairua estuary, especially after heavy rain.
97 Water quality monitoring is carried out by the Environment Waikato, and this has shown that, while water quality standards for shellfish gathering are
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!9PLL. OO/L. /9 :psl\']:eosH met at most open coast sites, they are not met at many enclosed or estuarine sites. Bacterial levels are likely to be higher in enclosed water bodies because they are more likely to receive contamination from runoff or groundwater seepage, while being less well flushed than the open coast. Information on bacterial levels in shellfish themselves is very limited, but some tests on pip! collected from Whitianga estuary showed low levels of bacteria, and they were considered safe to eat in terms of food regulation standards.
98 The TCDC Waste Water AMP shows how the expenditure on sewage treatment for the townships beside the maln Coromandel Peninsular estuaries has been steadily rising over recent years, and this trend will continue as population levels increase. Facilities are at present inadequate, and further and possibly greater contamination of the estuaries is likely in the future, unless there is a concerted effort on the part of the District Council to address this issue in a comprehensive manner.
99 Contamination can also occur from individual septic tanks, and population increases will increase the amount of disposal by individual systems as well.
100 There has recently been a change in the approach to solid waste disposal in the TCDC area. The small landfills that were scattered around the district have been closed, and any rural rubbish collection discontinued. Solid waste rubbish is now handled at transfer stations have been constructed in the main population centres, with the rubbish finally being disposed of in the regionallandftll at Redvale in the Auckland region. The TCDC Solid Waste AMP includes allowances for the rehabilitation of closed landfills, including one atTairua and one by the Whangapoua estuary.
101 Although this disposal method involves considerable handling, treatment and transporting, it does ensure the complete removal of the rubbish brought to the transfer stations. The District Council have, however, stated a policy of user pays for solid waste collection and disposal. They have also assumed that the amount of solid waste handled will be kept at present levels over the next ten years, by reducing the waste disposed of per capita by 20%.
102 Handled waste may reduce under this approach. but because the user payments reduce the use made of the transfer stations. Unless private disposal of rubbish is closely policed, this policy could give rise to a Significant increase in dispersed and unauthorised disposal The margins of the estuaries are likely to be seen as easy disposal sites, given the complex margin of nooks and crannies and the tree vegetation that exists along the edges of the estuaries. Certainly disposal of rubbish in these areas has been a problem in the past, particularly before there was a well organised system of community rubbish collection.
103 Recreational use of the estuary will undoubtedly increase over time, and some uses, in particular those involve power boats (including Jet skis), can have significant deleterious effects on the biological communities of
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FROM : G & E WILLIAMS PHONE NO. : 06 3626684 Jan. 062000 06:12PM P14
estuaries. These communities are sensitive to a stirring up of sediments and turbidity from boat wake and wash. Ovel' fishing and excessive collection of shellfish is obviously detrimental to the species fished, but may also disrupt the ecological balance of the environment.
104 The Tairua estuary would have a high recreational use, given the populations at Tairua and Pauanui, and the harbour facilities available. Whangapoua would be much Jess affected.
105 Boats can also transfer aquatic plants from one place to another, and there are many exotic plants that are adapted to estuarine conditions, and can rapidly spread and take over as the dominant vegetation cover. This species change can clearly affect the overall biological community, and can also change the rate at which vegetation changes tal Council Responses 106 The Regional and District councils share the responsibility for the protection of the natural environment. The Regional Council responsibilities are sp('lt out in the Resource Management Act (1991) (RMA) and generally cover water uses, discharges to water, plant and animal pest control and land uses that effect soil conservation and water quality. District Council responsibilities are more open ended, and relate more to land use, but the District Council must give recognition in its planning to the requirements of Regional Council plans, as well as the New Zealand coastal plan. 107 Both councils are clearly aware of the issues relating to estuaries and the protection of the estuarine environment. Environment Waikato has a considerable monitoring programme, and has published information on its monitoring activities, as well as formulating Regional plans with rules to protect the estuarine environment. lOS The Proposed District plan ofTCDC, based on the RMA, is a vexy different document to the earlier Transitional District plan. The environmental and marine sections of the Transitional plan are mainly concerned with the safeguarding of people from natural hazards, maintaining sensitive areas such as beaches attractive for people, managing structures and services in the coastal environment and providing for the use of coastal waters. The plan does provide for some protection of native vegetation and wetlands. 109 The Proposed plan has a number of section on aspects of environmental protection, including biodiversity and landscape character, and protecting the natural environment is an essential part of the plan. The Duck Creek 20 ReOe'ived: 6/ 1/00 17: 16; 06 3626684 .> Char1 Hirsohre1d; Page 15 FROM : G & E WILLIAMS PHONE NO. : 06 3626684 Jan. 062000 06:12PM P1S wetland at Tairua and the Whangapoua Harbour are listed as water bodies that should be given special protection. 110 Retiring strips of land along water courses and water bodies, and planting them as buffer zones to reduce sediment and nutrient inflows, is a particularly effective way of protect;lng natural water from contamination, while enhancing the natural biodiversity of the land. Both councils promote the establishment of these riparian strips, and emphasis the use of native vegetation. 111 The implementation of these plan objectives is, however, a complex matter of social policy and political decision making. The resource consent processes, through which policies are implemented, can be very complicated and involve many people with different, and at times inevitably conflicting interests. Promoting desirable objectives demands political wHl and an active and responsible community. Life being what itis this is not always forthcoming, and the real world is always going to be more than a little complex! 112 It is yet to be seen how effective the councils will be in implementing their objectives and policies. The Regional and Proposed District plans are very recent documents. CONCLUSIONS 113 Only a general assessment of the nature of the Talrua and Whangapoua estuaries, and the way they have changed since 1840, could be made from the information obtained. Some well executed and documented studies have, though, been carried out, particularly on estuary sedimentation trends, and the Regional and District councils have a general knowledge and some specific information on the estuaries and their environmental character, some of which has been documented. 114 The records of early European exploration and occupation provide some jnformation on the natural character and condition of the estuaries. The changes wrought on the landscape, and the extraordinarily destructive milling and clearing of the estuary catchments is well recorded. 115 There is, as usual, little information on the ecology of the estuaries, either now or in the past, but there has clearly been some Significant changes, determined by gross changes in the physical nature of the estuaries and their catchments, and consequential changes in catchment and estuarine processes. While the general form of the estuaries has been largely unaltered, the detail of channel patterns, erosion and depositional processes, estuary material size and vegetational patterns have changed. The margins of the estuaries have been most grossly altered, with a nearly complete loss of the fringing wetlands of swamps and lagoons. 21 ix~ended Page 15.1 116 The main threats to the estuary environment now arise from the continued clear felling of plantation forests, with much of these forests becoming ready for harvest and the impacts of increasing numbers of people, both as permanent residents and summer visitors. 117 The sediment effects of logging these forests can be greatly mitigated by specific logging techniques, such as skyline logging, and the proper management of riparIan zones along water courses. These measures are being promoted by EnvironmentWaikato through the resource consent process. 118 There is a clear conflict between protecting the environment of the Coromandel Peninsular and making it available for the use and enjoyment of more people. This conflict will be most sharply felt In the estuary environment. 119 This conflict can perhaps be well demonstrated by noting that the planning documents of the District Council aim to concentrate future subdivision and population increases in the existing townships of the Peninsular, to utilise existing services and (perhaps) better manage the population pressures. However, all these townships are located alongside estuarIes, Which are so sensitive to the activities of people. 120 Structure plans are required under the District plan to guide additional subdivisions in these townships. One Is outlined for Matarangi in the plan document, and a very substantial and ambitious one with major environmental implications is outlined for Whitianga. However, there appears to be very little happening, in practice, to actually enhance the existing estuary environment by real and effective protective measures - such as the development of riparian buffer zones, and an expeditious implementation of adequate sewage treatment facilities. 121 The estuaries then remain threatened by further rapid sediment accumulation and direct environmental degradation from increased use and less than fully effective mitigation of the adverse impacts of population Increases. January 2000 GJWilliams Water & Soll Engineer G & E Williams Consultants Ltd RD1, OTAKI (06) 3626684 22 Recei.ved: 6/ 1/00 17:17; 06 3626684 ~> Char~ Hirach~e~d; Page 16 FROM : G & E WILLIAMS PHONE NO. : 06 3626684 Jan. 062000 06:13PM P16 REFERENCES [1] Schofield J C 1967: Geological Map of New Zealandt Sheet 3. N Z Geological Survey, Wellington. [2] McLay C L 1976: An Inventory of the Status and Origin of New Zealand Estuarine Systems. Proceedings of the New Zealand Ecological Society. [3] Knox G A 1980: The Estuarine Zone - An Overview. Soil & Water, National Water & Soil Conservation Organisation, Wellington. [4] Sackett R 1983: Edge of the Sea. Time-Life Books, Amsterdam. [5J Bennett F 1986: Talrua. Pauanui Information Bureau, Pauanui. [6] Owen S-J [EciJ 1992: The Estuary - Where Our Rivers Meet the Sea; Christchurch's Avon-Heathcote Estuary and Brooklands Lagoon. Christchurch City Council, Christchurch. [7] Hume T M & Dahm J 1992: An Investigation of the Effects of Polynesian and European Land Use on Sedimentation in Coromandel Estuaries. Water Quality Centre of DSIR & Waikato Regional Council, Hamilton. [8] Davis R A 1994: The Evolving Coast. Scientific American Library, New York. [9] Swales A & Hume T 1994: Sedimentation History and Potential Future bnpacts of catchment Logging on the Whangaxnata Estuary, Coromandel Pensinsular. NIWA, Hamilton. [10] Thames Coromandel District Council 1994: Transitional District Plan [11] Barnett A G 1995: Small Tsunami Hazards - Are We Pushing our Luck? New Zealand Engineering, Wellington. [12] Riddle J 1996: Saltspray & Sawdust. Gumtown Publishers, Whitianga. [13] Thames Coromandel District Council 1997: StrategiC Plan [14] Thames Coromandel District Council 1998: Proposed District Plan [15] Environment Waikato 1999: State of the Environment Report (16] Montgomery Watson 1999: TCDC - Waste Water Asset Management Plan (17] Montgomery Watson 1999: TCDe - Solid Waste Asset Management Plan 6/ 1/00 17:17; 06 3626684 .> Ohar~ HirsOh~e~d; Page 17 FROM G 8. E WILLIAMS PHONE NO. 063626684 Jan. 062000 06:14PM P17 -l(oC"i - Corom81 '-, " "':' :. :' .... ~ '.'. .~: ".' ...... -'. '!' • .; , ': . ; (I,- COROMANDEL PENINSULAR LOCATION OF ESTUARIES & CATCHMENT BOUNDARIES Areas In Forest shown shaded green Takan from Heinemann New Zealand All .. SCALE .1: 250000 Received: 6/ 1/00 17:19; 06 3626684 ~> Char1 HirBoh~e1d; Page 18 FROM : G & E WILLIAMS PHONE NO. : 06 3626684 Jan. 06 2000 06:15PM P18 :.... A'l''l'ACHMENT 1 TAIRUA ESTUARY Towing Spans from Te Karo to MHS Tortoise Unkown Artist Natloal Library of Australia Taken from "Talrua" by F Bennett oe a62eee4 -> Char1 Hirech~e1d; Page 19 Received: 61 1/00 17:20; NO, FROM G & E ", .- 'T, " '.. ·:f; . 4. : " '~... !" '\ " ,. ....~~ t,~'" ;'," ,. , ' I ~, t. ~. " .:-':,:. , " , e " , ... '. ~ , .... \. ':'-:- .'. ,', ~ . \ , , . i '. , " , :', ~, ,;." " , ~1 ...',. .. / , , .. .\ .....~ , .:.)~? ., I." ,~, , I ,~ " ~:,, ,~ :'::: ,, " .;: l' ~ :J I, , , • I • : ~ '•. h· l . "'" "~"' .. , , . ~ 'j" '. '; ; .', ,": '~ . , }<' ; :, .., , \ : ,, i,• , , ., , I t , :.~ " i .';, f '. ~ .. , , j '·4 :-A ~ , ..".'. ,• ;, ",' , , . '\a \, (:. , , :'. fII ,, .# .. :'~"'l"~ .. " " .. '. ATTACHMENT 2 '.. , .... •, • • TAIRUA ESTUARY I,• ; .. SlIrvey 01 Land for G Graham '.- SUivey of 1861 . !. Plan 167 - LINZ records .' " .. -_ ...... !.., . ~:: Received: 6/ 1/00 17:20; 06 3626684 -> Char1 Hirsch~e~d; Page 20 FROM : G & E WILLIAMS PHONE NO. : 06 3626684 Jan. 06 2000 06:17PM P20 • _. .. ~-. A 'PLAN .,.'M:J...l.l: C\Jl\Y lV.y ....J..:..: ...... 1. , • .... - •• ... ,-.~ ,• .,... _'-'_U ...... -....., ~. • A'l''l'ACHMEN'l' 3 WHITIANGA ESTUARY Plan of Mer~ury Bay by James Cook Map of 1769 British library Taken from 'SaHspray & Sawdust' by J Riddle De 3B2eeS4 _> Char1 HirBOh~&1d; Page 21 ReoQiVed: al 1/00 17;21; pl-IJNE NO. : 06 3626684 Jan. 062000 06:17PM P21 FROM : G & E WILLI ATTACHMENT 4 WHlTIAN Survey of Mercury Bay Area Surveyof Unkown date Plan 36291 - LlNZ records ,~ I ',f J .. ! q " ' " " " "~' . '.:- r" c).' .. ," :~:::,.,...!: ' .~ . ';.\' "', . " " ) '. 4:';.I~': ~~: ·\... ··l .1., ; ..•. . ' ...... ,' .it;'" . ... " . .;.: )~'~::. :,.'.\~.