Surely a protective arm for the beach? That’s what Te Whau Point looks like from here. Let’s explore its story.
Te Whau Point is on early survey maps of the Whau area. This area is now Blockhouse Bay. The point is also marked on charts of the Manukau Harbour. It juts into the sea. This creates a protective arm for the beach.
In the 1880s, Te Whau Point was a landmark. It had a pine tree-crowned cliff face. Boaties coming up the harbour could clearly see it. It was an attractive sight.
Sadly, time has taken its toll on Te Whau Point. Small landslides have occurred. These happened from time to time. Occasionally, they dislodged older trees.
October 2003 was a bad month. Several major slips happened. Unusually heavy rainfall caused them. Each slip brought down a part of the cliff face. It fell onto the footpath. It also went over the wall into the sea.
A succession of landslides occurred in 2003. This happened after heavy rainfalls.
After the slips, the council cleared away the debris. They planted native vegetation. This was an effort to stabilise the area. But this vegetation was washed away in turn.
Many residents have a theory. They believe the slips worsened. This happened when the council cut down the remaining pine trees. The pines were removed to plant natives. The roots of the pine trees died. The soil around them loosened further.
The council had a different explanation. A technical report blamed the sandstone soil. The report said the removal of the pines wasn’t the cause.
Today, the cliff face at Te Whau Point stands. It is crumbling slowly. It is bare except for some hardy vegetation. This clings here and there.
Te Whau Point was once a beautiful backdrop. It enhanced the attractive, popular beach. Now, it is a crumbling eyesore.