“A very significant stream” and an “understated gem”. This is what some ecologists call Motions Creek. Motions Creek is a taonga to mana whenua. It is home to important fauna and flora.
Motions Creek flows from Western Springs lake. It runs along a rock-walled channel. Then it goes through the Auckland Zoo and Jaggers Bush. Finally, it reaches the Waitemata Harbour off Meola Road.
The rock walls along Motions Creek boast an interesting flora. Ferns thrive here. You can find both introduced and native ferns. Introduced ferns include Cyrtomium falcatum. Cystopteris fragilis also grows here. Tuber ladder fern and Pteris cretica are present. African club-moss is another introduced species.
Native ferns offer their own beauty. Asplenium oblongifolium graces the walls. Austroblechnum lanceolatum adds to the scenery. Diplazium australe is another native fern. Doodia mollis and Histiopteris incisa also grow here. Hypolepis dicksonioides completes the native fern collection.
Other plants populate the creek banks. Mistflower and ivy-leaved toadflax add color. Mexican daisy brightens the area. Galinsoga and tree daisy dot the landscape. Geranium species thrive. Creeping mallow and grey sedge add texture. Juncus usitatus and Natal lily stand tall. Setaria palmifolia and Ehrharta erecta sway gently. Cestrum nocturnum and Polygonum capitatum offer variety. Hemlock, Artemisia verlotiorum and tutsan complete the diverse plant life.
Aquatic plants thrive in Motions Creek. Glossostigma elatinoides carpets the stream bed. Isolepis inundata adds to the underwater scenery. Myriophyllum propinquum provides shelter for aquatic life. Mosses like Leptodictyon riparium flourish. Fissidens berteroi is nationally endangered. Fissidens leptocladus and Fissidens ridiulus also grow here.
Motions Creek is home to diverse fauna. Common bully fish swim in its waters. The at-risk torrentfish finds refuge here. Longfin eels travel from Western Springs lake. They journey to the ocean for reproduction. Then they return to Western Springs Lake. Inanga galaxiae, short fin eels and smelt also inhabit Motions Creek.
In the mid-1870s, Auckland City Council acquired Motion’s property. It was located at Western Springs. The council established a municipal pumping station. This provided the city’s water supply.
William Motion, in a company called Low & Motion, built a mill. The mill used water flowing from the domain pond to grind flour. The water supply was limited. The mill could only operate two half days a week.
Low & Motion decided to build a new mill at Motions Creek. This was due to the limited supply of water. In 1872, the city bought the Western Springs Park site. They bought it from Low & Motion for the water. This was due to a local drought.
Motions Creek is more than just a waterway. It is a vital link for wildlife. It is a beautiful natural space. Remember its significance as we continue.