Parks Network Plan For more information, contact the Greater Wellington Regional Council PO Box 11646 Manners Street Wellington 6142 July 2011 04 384 5708 GW/CP-G-17/23 www.gw.govt.nz Updated with amendments, 2016 MAP 1. GWRC AND DOC MANAGED PARKS AND RESERVES Otaki N MT BRUCE (DoC) Kiriwhakapapa Käpiti Island Otaki Forks Waikanae TARARUA FOREST PARK (DOC) A k Paraparaumu a t a r a w a Mt Holdsworth R o Road Castlepoint a Queen d Raumati Waiotauru Road Elizabeth Masterton MacKays Maungakotukutuku Park Crossing Paekakariki WHAREROA FARM (DOC) Hutt Water d a Collection Area o Akatarawa Waiohine R (Wellington Water/GWRC) l l Gorge i H Carterton i Forest k i r a k a k e Karapoti Kaitoke a P Road Whitireia Bulls Run Regional Road Park Battle Hill ParkWaterworks Road Mana (Park Board) Bridge Rimutaka Rail Trail Road Te Marua Island Thornley Farm Forest Street M Greytown o o Titahi Bay Park n Tunnel sh Totara in Gully Onepoto e Park R o Featherston Riversdale Road a d Porirua Te Ara Tirohanga Belmont (Rimutaka Trig Track) Cannons Creek Regional Dry Creek Upper Hutt COLONIAL KNOB Takapu Park (DOC) Road Kaitangata Pakuratahi Cross Creek Lake Domain Crescent HUTT RIVER TRAIL Hill (GWRC Flood Protection) Forest Stratton Road Street Oakleigh Street Cornish Lake Wairarapa Street Lower Hutt Wainuiomata/ Martinborough Wainuiomata WAIRARAPA MOANA WETLANDS Hill Road Orongorongo (DOC) Lees Grove Water Collection Area Reservoir (Wellington Water/GWRC) Wairongomai Matiu/Somes Road Ruamahanga River Island Days Hine Bay Road Wainuiomata Kowhai Street Recreation Burdans Gate Area East Harbour Wellington Regional HIWINUI FOREST (GWRC) Park RIMUTAKA FOREST PARK Catchpool (DOC) Pencarrow Ocean Head Beach d a o R Lake st Onoke a STONEY o C TAUANUI CREEK FOREST FOREST Baring Head / (GWRC) (GWRC) Örua-pouanui Putangirua Palliser Bay Pinnacles AORANGI FOREST PARK (DOC) White Rock Cape Palliser Date of effect of plan This Greater Wellington Parks Network Plan was adopted by the Greater Wellington Regional Council on December 2010 and came into effect on 1 January 2011. This is now the operative management plan for all Greater Wellington parks and replaces the previous management plans for each area: • Regional Forest Lands Management Plan, 2006 • Regional Parks Network Management Plan, 2003 • Battle Hill Farm Forest Park, 2008 • Belmont Regional Park, 1996 • East Harbour Regional Park, 2007 • Kaitoke Regional Park, 2005 • Queen Elizabeth Park, 2006. Minister of Conservation sign-off 04 PARKS NETWORK PLAN JULY 2011 Contents Foreword ............................................................................................................................7 Part 1 Introduction to the plan ........................................................................................9 1.1 Purpose of the plan ..................................................................................................9 How to use the plan ...............................................................................................10 1.2 Requirement for the plan ........................................................................................11 Part 2 Greater Wellington parks....................................................................................12 2.1 History of Greater Wellington parks ........................................................................12 2.2 Relevant legislation and policies ..............................................................................13 2.3 The relationship of Greater Wellington parks to other public lands ..........................15 2.4 Relationship of Greater Wellington parks to the community ....................................17 2.5 Why our parks are valuable ....................................................................................17 Part 3 General management framework ......................................................................19 3.1 Management framework summary .........................................................................19 3.2 Greater Wellington parks vision ..............................................................................19 3.3 Guiding principles for management ........................................................................19 Part 4 General management outcomes and policies ...................................................22 4.1 Biodiversity and ecosystems ....................................................................................22 4.2 Landscape and geological features .........................................................................24 4.3 Cultural heritage ....................................................................................................25 4.4 Land management .................................................................................................26 4.5 Visitor services ........................................................................................................29 4.6 Park infrastructure ..................................................................................................30 4.7 Partnership in parks ................................................................................................32 4.8 Research .................................................................................................................33 4.9 Land tenure, acquisition and disposal .....................................................................33 Part 5 Monitoring and review of this plan ...................................................................35 5.1 Plan review .............................................................................................................35 5.2 Plan monitoring ......................................................................................................35 Part 6 Park-specific management and policies .............................................................37 6.1 Akatarawa Forest ...................................................................................................37 6.2 Battle Hill Farm Forest Park .....................................................................................45 6.3 Belmont Regional Park ............................................................................................51 6.4 East Harbour Regional Park .....................................................................................61 6.5 Kaitoke Regional Park .............................................................................................96 6.6 Pakuratahi Forest ..................................................................................................104 PARKS NETWORK PLAN JULY 2011 05 Contents 6.7 Queen Elizabeth Park ............................................................................................112 6.8 Wainuiomata Recreation Area ..............................................................................120 Part 7 Rules for use and development ........................................................................126 7.1 Introduction .........................................................................................................126 7.2 Allowed activities ..................................................................................................129 7.3 Managed activities ................................................................................................131 7.4 Restricted activities ...............................................................................................134 7.5 Prohibited activities ...............................................................................................138 Glossary ..........................................................................................................................140 References/bibliography ...............................................................................................143 Appendix 1 - History of parks ............................................................................................i Appendix 2 - List of lands in each park - legal descriptions ..........................................iii Appendix 3 - Greater Wellington Parks, Forests and Reserves Bylaw 2009 .............xxiv 06 PARKS NETWORK PLAN JULY 2011 Foreword Wellington’s regional parks are a precious Parks need to be places that are relevant community resource. They are valuable to people. Although there will always be storehouses of biodiversity and a source of those who value the parks but do not visit great pleasure for the ever increasing numbers them, many use the parks and appreciate the of people who visit them. They provide a experiences they offer. Our aim is to maximise superb scenic backdrop to the urban settings the availability of our parks network to as of the Region. many sectors of society as possible. This Parks Network Plan covers over Working with the community in developing 33,000 hectares, including five regional parks, the range of experiences in our parks will be a Akatarawa and Pakuratahi Forests and core element of the new management regime. Wainuiomata Recreation Area. Some areas are There are clearly opportunities to develop adjacent to city parks and trails while several new recreational and educational experiences are more remote forest areas. They each have and provide for sustainable economic their own special characteristics but they activities where these are compatible with the all share certain key qualities. This Greater local ecology and public amenity values. Wellington Parks Network