Making a day of it on Matiu

Every six weeks or so in summer I head out to Matiu (aka Somes Island) in the middle of Wellington Harbour as a volunteer with the Eastbourne Forest Rangers. For a volunteer job, it’s pretty cruisy – most of the time. Supplementing the work of the full-time Department of Conservation rangers, our most important task is welcoming people ashore and making sure they don’t bring un-welcome guests with them – such as rats, mice (unlikely), Argentine ants (they will eat live birds, skinks and tuatara – not kidding) and weed seeds (enough on the island already, thanks). Then it’s just a matter of roaming the island keeping an eye out: checking people aren’t wandering off track or lighting up, making sure boaties and kayakers don’t make illegal landings, and pointing out the odd tuatara or two (my favourite part of the job).

But recently, I journeyed over for a Whakawhanuangatanga Day (building relationships), hosted by the Kaitiaki Board for Matiu – a joint management Board between the owners Taranaki Whanui, and DoC who looks after the island on a day-to-day basis. This was a day to celebrate recent achievements and progress and say thanks to the various groups and people who are nurturing the island back into fullness of life – EFR, Forest and Bird (planting out since 1981), the Matiu-Somes Charitable Trust and others.

Special tribute was paid to the Karobusters, with the unveiling of the mural above – celebrating their 10 years on the island eradicating karo (a native, but not here thank you) and other unwanted pest plants that make life hard for those natural to the area. The mural may be the first of many similar artistic endeavours on the island, as the Kaitiaki Board would like to use different spaces around the island to acknowledge the various contributions made.

As I’ve said before on this blog, Matiu is a microcosm of Aotearoa New Zealand for me. It’s story reflects and touches on our land’s geological history, Maori settlement, European colonisation, agricultural and industrial development, two World Wars and the ongoing migrations of people and wildlife. The island has been returned to the tangata whenua, is co-managed between iwi and government, and now powered almost solely by sustainable energy – wind and solar supplemented for some cooking and heating needs by an experimental hydrogen-from-water unit.

Matiu was a popular place for picnics shortly after European arrival in Wellington in 1840, then became closed to ‘normal human traffic’ when it became first an animal quarantine station, then one for humans: to prevent unwanted diseases entering the mainland. However, in 1995, the animal quarantine station closed and the island was opened to the public again – revealing its chequered history and new-found place as a sanctuary. It is now a safe place for kakariki, native skinks, tuatara, etc – and for people: to find out how our land used to be, and could be again. 

It’s elemental: a toast to Te Awa Kairangi

Feeding the flames beside the Hutt River

The invitation came out of the blue: “FIRE AND WATER ... A celebration of community and river at Whakamoonie (the official signs call it Poet’s Corner - guess someone's exercising poetic license to rename this spot on the Hutt River between the Whakatikei River and the Moonshine Bridge).

In any case, Friends of the Hutt River were “providing an opportunity to enjoy yourselves down at the Hutt River.... There will be BBQ and bonfire.  Stone skimming and stone throwing. … Greater Wellington [regional council] will provide information on progress on understanding the cyanobacteria problem.”

- Hah, there’s the catch, entice people along with inducements of fun and free food, then whack them round the face with the serious stuff: “This is your river – it’s deteriorating, badly”.

The elements were simple enough:

·    a talk from a ranger on how to identify that dastardly cyanobacteria algae – the dark brown/black stuff will kill dogs and maim people (well ok, officially the line is: ‘can cause irritation of the skin, eyes, nose and mouth, and if swallowed, can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, cramps and nausea”).

·    a swim (even if there was a bit of cyanobacteria up river)

·    floating paper boats, and a home-made raft made of planks strapped together over a couple of steel drums

·    a good, old NZ gas BBQ – brought down to the stones in the back of someone’s van

·    wrapped up by toasting marshmallows over an open fire (yes it was permitted) in the bottom part of a steel drum.

From the ranger we learnt that many of the nutrients (such as nitrogen and phosphorus) feeding into the Hutt River are entering through groundwater.  The causes? Not so sure on that. Probably things like stormwater, fertilizers and chemicals used on farms, lawn and garden, urban runoff. (No doubt, some of the chemicals used by Council Parks departments also contributes a share).

So, some serious long-term things to consider – and Friends of the Hutt River will continue to work on the council to understand and fix levels of toxicity of the river, as well as monitor river flows. But the main purpose of this afternoon was to enjoy what we have, even it is currently less than perfect.

Yes, a simple formula of fire and water to toast the River Hutt/Te Awa Kairangi – ‘the river of great value’. Let’s try to keep it that way; and make it better and safer than it currently is.

Read more:

Friends of the Hutt River - Facebook page

Greater Wellington - Rivers & Streams

Toxic algae facts