New Zealand Walk: Aucklanders now reconnected to Onehunga foreshore
The Onehunga foreshore officially opened last month, with the $30m development providing Aucklanders with their first sig- nificant access to the Onehunga seashore since the 1970s.
The joint Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Local Board / NZ Government project has cre- ated 6.8ha of parkland between SH20 and the Manukau Harbour – with new beaches, a boat ramp and turning bay, and a pedestrian/cyclist bridge linking the foreshore to Onehunga Bay Reserve.
The new seaside park is 750m long and extends 250m into the harbour at its widest point, stretching from Seacliffe Road in the west to the Manukau Cruising Club in the east.
The project required 334,000 cubic metres of fill, rock, sand and topsoil; more than 30,000 plants and 350 trees.
The foreshore site is attractive to a variety of birdlife. Manukau Harbour supports more than 20 per cent of New Zealand’s wading birds and the area attracts 48 coastal bird species. Keep an eye out for international commuters huahou and kuaka (bar-tailed gotwit), and domestic travellers
like oyster catchers, pied stilts, and NZ
■ dotterel. Onehunga foreshore ‘homebodies’ include heron, gulls, and pied shag.
“After decades of advocacy and involvement from the people of Onehunga, followed by a three year construction programme, it’s wonderful to finally open up access to newly created beachside recreational areas and facilities – all within walking distance of central Onehunga,” says Simon Randall, chair of Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Local Board.
“This will become a popular walking and cycling route, just a stroll from Onehunga shops to the lagoon and reserve, and then a short walk across the new overbridge to the large beachside park and tracks,” says Mr Randall.
“The government’s significant $19m investment in this new urban amenity is part of a broader commitment to addressing the impacts of transport projects. We greatly value our partnerships with local communities and recognise the importance of Onehunga not only to Auckland, but New Zealand’s early history.”
Ted Ngataki’s wayfinding carving navigates the surrounding landscape from a Māori perspective. The artwork celebrates the layers of mana whenua embedded in the foreshore location. Bernard Makoare’s stunning bridge panelling is a contemporary modern expression that celebrates the nature of the sea at full tide and the mudflats at low tide.
The new reserve also features shared cycling and walking paths, seating and picnic areas, carparks and extensive planting.
Local board member Brett Clark says the completed project has very much benefited from the knowledge and input of the Onehunga Foreshore Working Group, including representatives from The Onehunga Enhancement Society (TOES).
“The project successfully reconnects Onehunga to the sea, and recaptures the biodiversity and recreational opportunities that were displaced when the motorway was built across Onehunga Bay in the 1970s,” says Mr Clark.
Across the motorway, a new festival lawn adjacent to Onehunga Lagoon will be home to the Onehunga Bay Festival in March 2016.