What if I told you that a humble stream in Birkdale is more than meets the eye? Kaipatiki Creek flows gently from Eskdale Reserve to the Upper Waitemata Harbour. The catchment area blends urban life with native bush.
Kaipatiki Creek is a low order stream. It has a low gradient. Once, local kids caught koura freshwater crayfish in a pool at Kaipatiki Creek. This was at the corner of Kaipatiki Road and Easton Park Parade.
Back in 1997, a restoration project began. Volunteers focused on the stream beside Kaipatiki Road in Glenfield. They worked from Easton Park Parade to the estuary. They aimed to challenge the idea of Kaipatiki Creek as just a drain. Over time people expressed delight. They were proud to learn about the native fish in the stream.
In 1996, Kaipatiki Road ended at the bottom of Stanley Road. By 1999, the road extended to Kaipatiki Estuary. A bridge joined Beachhaven Road and Kaipatiki Road. People called the stream a stormwater drain. However the volunteers realised it was also a natural stream.
Fortunately, the stream followed its natural path. It was mostly shaded by trees and vegetation. The hillsides had been burnt off. Yet the wet streamside never completely lost its forest. Remnants of the former kauri forest regenerated. This happened in the 40 years after the last fire.
Below Easton Park Parade, Kaipatiki Creek carved a channel. It flowed through Waitemata sandstone. The stream tumbled over smooth pebbles when not in flood. Clear waters sparkled between sandy banks. Closer to the estuary, it flowed gently. Ferns and mosses grew in designs carved into the sandstone.
Volunteers weeded the banks to free native plants. These plants grew and spread. Above the Glenfield College tennis courts, the Native Plant Trail crosses Kaipatiki Creek. This is via a footbridge.
By 1996, Kaipatiki Creek and its banks were littered. There were remains of rubbish dumps. Recent roadside dumpings included mattresses and appliances. Every rain flushed more litter into the stream. The stream was often discolored. This was by paint machine oil or detergent.
In 1998, the Freshwater Native Fish Society surveyed Kaipatiki Creek. They found several native fish species. Banded kokopu were breeding upstream. Volunteers often saw eels gliding in the water.
Jenny Christianson started Kaipatiki Project in 1998. She aimed to weed the bush on the banks of Kaipatiki Stream. She quickly gathered volunteers. The project is now located in Birkdale. It is surrounded by the Eskdale Reserve Network.
Today the stream faces challenges. Rubbish has replaced what was removed. We didn’t see or hear any eels or fish in 2019. Yet, Kaipatiki Creek’s story continues. It is a story of restoration. It is a story of community. It is a story of nature reclaiming its space.