News release

7 March 2013

First public access in 129 years

The historic Wainuiomata Lower Dam will open to the general public for the first time in 129 years on Saturday 16 March, 2013.

Greater Wellington Regional Council is opening the area to the public after developing buggy-friendly tracks and other facilities to make the area around the dam accessible and safe.

Completed in 1884, the dam is one of the oldest in New Zealand and was a significant source of water for Wellington until the 1950s.

“It is a beautiful area as well as a historically significant site and we are delighted that the public will be able to enjoy it for the first time,” said Regional Council Social and Cultural Committee Chair Nigel Wilson.

This addition to the Wainuiomata Recreation Area will be officially opened on Saturday 16 March. The opening ceremony, hosted by the Regional Council and local iwi, begins at 9:30am.

“It’s a tranquil, sheltered river valley with a wonderful wetland surrounded by regenerating native rain forest, ranging in stature from manuka to mature trees. You can expect to see or hear a full range of local native birds, including kereru, bellbird, tui, paradise duck, and the less common North Island tomtit, rifleman and whitehead. It’s an unexpected treasure, a short distance from suburbia,” said Mr Wilson.

“Everyone’s welcome, but please leave your dog at home – while dogs are allowed on leads in other parts of the Wainuiomata Recreation Area, they are not allowed around the dam because of the wetland birds breeding there.”

The walks, swimming holes and picnic areas extend 1.8km up valley to the historic Lower Dam. The walk from the car park is approximately 80 minutes return.

OPENING OF THE WAINUIOMATA LOWER DAM

Saturday 16 March
9.30am-11am
Wainuiomata Recreation Area

How to get there: Take the main road south through Wainuiomata to Coast Rd, turn left onto Moores Valley Rd, right into Whitcher Grove, go straight ahead to Reservoir Rd.

Facts about the Wainuiomata Lower Dam:

• The Wainuiomata Lower Dam was commissioned in 1884, making it one of the oldest dams in New Zealand

• It was the second major source of water for Wellington city, after the lower Karori dam

• The dam is 10 metres high

• It’s an earth-fill embankment dam with a near-vertical concrete wall on the upstream side

• Total capacity of the dam was 27 million gallons (122 million litres)

• 27km of pipeline was laid from the dam to Wellington city

• It cost £130,000 to build the dam and pipeline

• By 1887, it was supplying 176 litres per head per day (population of Wellington was 26,000)

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On The 2013 Budget

Among Thursday’s main talking points:

We are apparently on track for a margin-of-error $75 million surplus, now in sight for 2014/15. But this sickly creature is hobbling out of the lab on the basis of all kinds of facilitative conjuring: such as trimming by $200 million the amount of new spending next time around.

With this strictly nominal surplus in sight, the 1984-ish justification for eternal austerity will have a news talisman: namely, getting Crown debt down to 20% of GDP by 2020. More>>

Budget Report, Lockup Audio & Images: Budget Day 2013 As always and especially after the managerial mishaps of the past few weeks and months, (e.g. Aaron Gilmore, the Mighty River Power share float, the GCSB mishaps) Budget Day 2013 was always going to be a pageant of reassurance... More>>

Budget 2013 Comment: Plain Sailing, But It's No America's Cup Pattrick Smellie: Compared to the last four budgets, this year's reflects an economy moving out of recession and into calmer waters... Yet if the fastest annual growth rate we can expect over the next two years is 3 percent - with the Christchurch rebuild in full swing - then you'd have to say New Zealand's underlying low-growth problem is far from fixed. More>>

Auckland Discord: Govt’s Power Hungry Housing Approach A Threat - Labour

Last week the Government said this, ‘The Government commits not to use any proposed or existing powers ... to override the council's planning and consenting processes’. But its housing Bill says this; ‘If an accord cannot be reached in an area of severe housing unaffordability, the Government can intervene by establishing special housing areas and issuing consents for developers’. More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - Housing accords legislation passes first reading - Legislation For Housing Accords, Land Supply - Housing package improves affordability, access
• Greens - Budget numbers show National’s failure on home affordability
• Auckland Chamber of Commerce - Budget 2013: Housing intervention needed
• Out-Link - Gareth Morgan: Response to housing problem limp-wristed
• Earlier, Pre-Budget - Auckland Accord announced

Extending Protest Ban, Relaxing Permit Rules: Govt Abuses Urgency To Extend Anadarko Amendment

The Government is trying to pass legislation under urgency which would make the Anadarko Amendment – which limits protest at sea – apply to an additional 1.7 million square kilometres, the Green Party said today. More>>

ALSO:

• Parliament Today - Parliament Resumes To Pass Budget Bills
• Labour - Government to extend protest ban
• Greenpeace NZ - Oil Companies Lacking ‘Expertise’ and ‘Financial Ability’ Set to Be Handed Drilling Permits
• 2010 image via: Pacific.Scoop - Media watcher gives NZ press nil score card for China oil spill coverage