Pauatahanui Inlet Where the wild things are Facilities Public transport Mountain biking Kayaking Parking Dog walking (leash) Look out Information Horse riding Bird watching Toilets* Swimming Picnic table Wheelchair accessible Fishing Café (Pauatahanui Village and Mana shops ) Pram accessible Boating Walking tracks *There are toilets at the north end of Paremata Bridge; near the water ski club building; by Lighthouse Pauatahanui; and at Motukaraka Point. Highlight Pauatahanui Inlet is the only large estuarine wetland left in the lower half of New Zealand’s North Island. It contains three important management areas, Pauatahanui Wildlife Reserve, Duck Creek Scenic Reserve and Horokiwi Wildlife Reserve. Description, values & signif icance Thought to refer to the shapes of the inlet, Pauatahanui means ‘big side of the paua shell’ and contains one of the most important salt marshes in the North Island. The Inlet is well recognised for its high ecological, aesthetic, recreational (there are well formed walking and cycle ways) and cultural values. The area around the inlet has been inhabited for at least the last 600 years and is rich with wāhi tapu, archaeological sites, and historic places. The inlet has a diverse local and migratory waterfowl and wading-bird fauna, with bird viewing hides for bird watching. The reserve also contains threatened fish species and endangered vegetation. Accessibility/How to get there/particular time of year to visit The reserve is accessed from 5 Paekakariki Hill Road, Pauatahanui Village. If driving from Wellington take State Highway 1 north, turn off on to State Highway 58, then left into Paekakariki Hill Rd. If you are driving from the Hutt Valley turn off State Highway 2 at Haywards Hill on to State Highway 58, and turn right into Paekakariki Hill Rd). Parking is available. Threatened species/species of interest The Pauatahanui Inlet is home to many waterfowl and waders including pied shag, banded dotterel, pied oystercatcher, variable oystercatcher, caspian tern, grey teal, royal spoonbill, with occasionally visiting bar- tailed godwits. The inlet is the only large area of salt marsh and seagrass in the Wellington region and has a diverse invertebrate community critical to the food web. A walk along the rush-lined streams can also offer a glimpse of the banded kokopu. Key threats The ecology of Pauatahanui Inlet is under threat from three primary sources - sedimentation, contamination (polluted storm water, sewage and rubbish) and eutrophication (the increasing concentration of nutrients). This highly sensitive ecosystem is already affected by large-scale catchment deforestation and hydrological changes due to road building. Pests such as rats and mustelids threaten nesting birds. Walks (length) Protection status There are currently four flat, easy walking tracks scat- Wildlife Reserve tered around the Inlet that vary in length from 20 – 40 minutes return. Community Involvement Day-to-day management is undertaken by a Walks [grade] management committee under the auspices of Easy Forest and Bird. Guardians of Pauatahanui Inlet are the local care group. Plimmerton Rotary assist with Manager the construction of the Te Ara Piko pathway Greater Wellington Regional Council, Department of Conservation, Porirua City Council and Forest and Bird How to get there ´ GRAYS ROAD PAUATAHANUI INLET PAREMATA HAYWARDS ROAD PAEKAKARIKI HILL ROAD !i.