Ever wonder what lies beneath Queen Street? Today we explore the hidden story of the Wautaiti Stream. It is also known as the Waihorotiu Stream. This waterway once flowed openly through the heart of Auckland.
The Waihorotiu Stream began as a tributary of the Waitematā River. Rising sea levels eventually submerged it into the Waitematā Harbour. Millions of years ago the stream carved out the Queen Street valley. The upper part of that valley is now Myers Park.
Interestingly, a spring feeding the stream near the Baptist Tabernacle is questionable. Historical documents do not confirm its existence. Construction over a spring would have been unlikely anyway.
The Waihorotiu Stream flowed through a swampy area. This area is now Aotea Square. Lava flows from the Albert Park Volcano blocked the stream around 145000 years ago. From Aotea Square the stream ran north between Queen and Elliot Streets. Near Victoria Street, it emerged behind the Courthouse. From there it flowed down to the lower part of Queen Street. It entered the harbour at Fort Street. In early colonial times, this was known as Fore Street.
The lower reaches of the Waihorotiu Stream were tidal. Doubtless pre-European Māori fished in this area. The swampy area of Aotea Square was likely used to trap birds and eels. A side tributary between Wellesley and Airedale Streets might have provided drinking water. This was for both Māori villages and early European colonists. However, the spring north of Waterloo Quadrant may have been preferred. It was used by the Grey and Menzies Mineral Water Company.
The stream flowed into Horotiu Bay. After European settlement, it was renamed Commercial Bay. In Māori mythology, the stream is home to Horotiu. Horotiu is a taniwha, a local nature spirit.
Early European settlement focused on Shortland Street and Albert Park Hill. As the population grew, the Queen Street valley filled with buildings. This was partly due to a major fire in Shortland Street. An open stream in the road’s center caused problems. This was especially true before a proper sewerage system existed. The stream’s sides crumbled in wet weather. Crossings were few. People and carriages often fell into the river. The river served as a water source. However, it became heavily polluted by the mid-1860s.
Surveyor General Charles Ligar tried to regulate the Waihorotiu Stream. He built walls to constrict its waters. This became known as the Ligar Canal. But it proved inadequate. People called it an abomination and a pestiferous ditch. Eventually, the stream was bricked over. It formed a sewer. Water still percolates under Myers Park. It runs into the old drain under Queen Street. It discharges under the Ferry Building.
A sewer east of the canal began in 1854. Progress was slow. It was completed in 1873. Auckland citizens were unhappy with sewage entering the ports. By March 1914, a sewage plant opened at Ōkahu Bay in Ōrākei. This directed the city’s sewage further east along the Waitematā Harbour.
In 1990, artist Selwyn Muru unveiled Waharoa. This is a sculptural gateway at the entrance of Aotea Square. A haiku by poet Hone Tuwhare is carved into the piece. It discusses the Wautaiti Stream. In 2011, an artist proposed uncovering the stream. It would become a centerpiece of a more people-friendly inner city.
So next time you walk down Queen Street remember the Waihorotiu Stream. It flows beneath your feet. A hidden river shaping Auckland’s history.