Auckland Regional Policy Statement OUTSTANDING NATURAL LANDSCAPE AREAS SUMMARY INFORMATION Prepared for Auckland Regional Council by Stephen Brown Environments and Boffa Miskell Ltd August 2008 Auckland Regional Policy Statement TABLE ONE: OUTSTANDING NATURAL LANDSCAPE AREAS – SUMMARY INFORMATION Area Location Landscape Wild or Type Landscape Description Additional Information Key ONL Elements, District Plan Zone # Name cultured Features & Patterns nature Rodney District (West & North West) 2 Ararimu Valley Hill Country Wild nature Hill ridge sequence overlooking the Remnant, regenerating Retention of indigenous • General rural West (Hill country) Ararimu Valley that descends to the indigenous vegetation, with vegetation reinforcing Ararimu Stream, overlaid by a mixture some young rogue pine. topography. of remnant native forest and Vegetation running down to Maintaining low levels of shrubland on the higher slopes and stream corridor. built modification. ridge tops, and also following local stream corridors – intermixed with open pasture on the unit’s margins. 3 Taylors Rd Hill Country Wild nature Linear sequence of stream corridors Slopes running down to Retention of indigenous • General rural South of (Hill country) and some more elevated ridge land stream corridors, with good vegetation in patterns • Countryside living rural Helensville that is notable for the presence of pockets of regenerating & related to underlying • Open space 1 remnant pockets and bands of native remnant forest (kauri). Areas topography. forest. of more open and developed/modified land excluded from ONL Unit. 4 Lake Kereta Lowland Wild nature Impounded dune lakes (two) framed ONL defined by pines on Retention of dune • Dune lakes Cultured by high inland dunes to the east and coastal side and by pasture lake/wetland landscape and • Inland water (protection) nature the combined dune / pine forest around bush remnants. Low remnant vegetation with low • Open space 1 (Lowland) margins of Rangitira Beach to the level of residential levels of subservient • Protected items 403 west; containing raupo wetland. Also development that is development (houses, roads, flanked by remnant native forest subservient, tucked into the infrastructure). (kanuka dominated), particularly hummocky dune towards Kanae Road and down the landform/bush remnants. coastal side of Lake Kereta, as well as some pasture. BM A07177_006c_20080804_updated3_final_SKB_RdL_ONL_matrix.doc Page 1 Area Location Landscape Wild or Type Landscape Description Additional Information Key ONL Elements, District Plan Zone # Name cultured Features & Patterns nature Rodney District (West & North West) 5 Lakes Ototoa Lowland Wild nature Deeply incised and impounded dune Lakes and their context of Retention of dune • Dune lakes & Cultured lakes with raupo wetland flanked by vegetation, including lake/wetland landscape and • Inland water (protection) Kuwakatai nature native forest (kanuka dominated) regenerating indigenous remnant vegetation with low • Open space 1 (Lowland) margins and step slopes containing forest, extends over ridgeline levels of subservient • Protected items 404, 405, open pasture. to inner harbour in area of development as well as more 463, 396, 397, 398 Patauoa Creek. Around deer modified pastoral and • Scheduled or restricted farm more exotic vegetation vegetated landscape. activity on Donohue Rd and higher level of development, but consistent with more modified pastoral/treed landscapes identified as outstanding.) 6 Papakanui Spit Harbour & Wild nature South Kaipara Head duneland, ONL is defined by edge of Retention of remote natural • Dune lakes – Waionui Estuary (Coastal) Papakanui sand spit and Waionui Inlet Woodhill Forest (pines) and duneland. • Open space 1 Inlet/ South extending north of Rangitira Beach gradual transition from • Scheduled or restricted Kaipara Head and dominated by a massive dune major dunes into the lower activity 101, 108, 152 system that denotes the south head of profile duneland of Rangitira • Designation 920 the Kaipara Harbour mouth. Beach. 7 Muriwai / Coastal Wild nature Very linear and extensive ocean beach Defined on landward side by Retention of remote beach • Open space 1 Rangitira (Coastal) on the edge of the Tasman Sea pine plantation and at the environment and duneland • Designation 920 Beach (North extending as far inland as its dune coast by the transition into backdrop. • Protected items 469, 472 of Muriwai system. the long relatively straight settlement) profile of Muriwai Beach. 8 Kaukapakapa Hill Country Wild nature A prominent escarpment feature Bush covered escarpment Regenerating indigenous • General rural River Cultured covered in remnant forest, including above Kaukapakapa River vegetation reinforcing • Open space 1 Escarpment nature (Hill several stream corridors and (tributary of Kaipara River). topography. • Protected Item 418 country) catchments that extend down to, and Remnant and regenerating include, part of the Kaukapakapa indigenous vegetation. River. Transmission line passes through. Landscape unit defined by pines, especially in the west. BM A07177_006c_20080804_updated3_final_SKB_RdL_ONL_matrix.doc Page 2 Area Location Landscape Wild or Type Landscape Description Additional Information Key ONL Elements, District Plan Zone # Name cultured Features & Patterns nature Rodney District (West & North West) 9 Kaukapakapa Hill Country Wild nature An extensive sequence of hill country Intact predominantly south Remnant and regenerating • General rural (Hill country) and ridges extending down into facing dissected hill slopes indigenous vegetation • Inland water (general) stream valleys and gullies - defined by with remnant and reinforcing topography. • Designation 501 a mixture of remnant native forest, regenerating indigenous Pastoral landscape with • Significant aggregate and shrubland intermixing and vegetation. Some pockets remnant pockets of extraction resource & contrasting with farmland both within more open. Central part of indigenous vegetation with 500m buffer subject to the unit and on its margins. unit has more pasture and high aesthetic values. rules 7.13.1(m), 7.15.2(h), development but with 7.14.2.8(e), 7.14.6.6(e), remnant pockets of 7.14.7.2(c), 7.14.8.3(e), indigenous vegetation within 7.14.9.4(b) more pastoral landscape. Extending into escarpment and along stream margins around Waitoki. 10 Makarau Hill Country Wild nature Combination of hill country ridges and Steeper south facing slopes Remnant and regenerating • General rural Valley, north (Hill country) escarpments descending into stream with mature and indigenous vegetation • Inland water (general) Helensville valleys that displays an intermixing of regenerating intact cover of reinforcing topography. • Open space 1 remnant native forest, shrubland and indigenous vegetation. Some Pastoral landscape with • Protected items 422, 423 areas of open pasture. spray clearing – pines. remnant pockets of • Designation 501 Coming over tops of ridge on indigenous vegetation with south side of Makarau Road high aesthetic values. more open and pastoral, with stands of native remnant indigenous trees eg totara, kahikatea, kanuka, puriri, kauri. BM A07177_006c_20080804_updated3_final_SKB_RdL_ONL_matrix.doc Page 3 Area Location Landscape Wild or Type Landscape Description Additional Information Key ONL Elements, District Plan Zone # Name cultured Features & Patterns nature Rodney District (West & North West) 11 Headland, Hill Country Wild nature .A distinctive headland promontory Escarpment above river- Intact indigenous vegetation • General rural Makarau (Hill country) around which the Makarau River mouth. extending to water edge. • Open space 1 River Wild nature sweeps, defined by both its relatively Headland landform. Covered (Harbour and steep topography and remnant by intact mature indigenous Estuary) forest/shrubland cover which is vegetation including kauri, particularly pronounced towards the kahikatea and totara running apex of the headland. Linked with the down to water. Landscape mangrove colonies within the river unit ends of white ‘hump’ corridor and the river itself. bridge. 12 Mataia Hill Country Wild nature Clearly defined coastal and stream Escarpment and headland Prominent coastal landform • General rural Headland Cultured corridor escarpment, including the landform at waters edge. with largely intact cover of • Inland water (general) nature (Hill margins of the Mataia Creek that are Remnant indigenous indigenous vegetation. • Protected items 391, 392 country) covered in remnant native forest and vegetation with pockets of Wild nature shrubland facing the open water of pasture. (Harbour and the Kaipara Harbour. Pines define back edge of Estuary) ONL unit. 13 Glorit Knoll Hill Country Wild nature .A prominent, if small scale, knoll Discrete knoll landform, with Intact indigenous vegetation • General rural Cultured feature covered in mature native solid area of mature coastal retained on discrete elevated nature forest that overlooks part of the remnant forest. knoll landform. (Hill country) central Kaipara Harbour and adjacent coastal flats that are now extensively farmed. Together with unit 15 local landmarks because of their contrast with the surrounding rural environment. 14 Mt Auckland Hill Country Wild nature The highest peak immediately inland Mt Auckland – intact mature Intact indigenous vegetation • General rural and part of the Cultured of the Kaipara Harbour that is covered indigenous forest remnant reinforcing locally prominent • Open space