Our Groups - Opanuku Stream

Volunteers of all ages, from a variety of places and walks of life have been at the heart of the transformation taking place on the beautiful Opanuku Stream. In recognition of their hard work and dedication let us introduce you to them all.


Te Ata

Te Ata carried out an 8 month project with PTS Opanuku Stream, adopting an area on the Corban Estate which they visited weekly to weed, plant and care for. They also entered vigorously into an art programme with our PTS Arts coordinator, Janet Holt, creating a beautiful sign for their area, al fresco art of their part of the stream, ceramic tiles, paper making and beautiful collages, all celebrating their restoration work.


Pacifica Mamas

Adopting a large area of streamside directly behind their centre on the Corban Estate, the group rapidly cleared the area of copious amounts of junk and weeds. Plants are now lush and beautiful, assisting in stabilising the erosion prone stream banks. A significant portion of their area, originally covered in bamboo, is yet to be planted, due to a long term programme of eradication undertaken by council contractors. In the last few years, the Mother of Divine Mercy community group has come to assist the Mamas in their area with 20 – 40 people of all ages finishing up their hard work with a BBQ and singing. Both the mamas and some members of the Mother of Divine Mercy group contributed to the development and decoration of Moana the Tuna, situated adjacent to their adopted area on the Corban Estate.
 

Mother of Divine Mercy group

The Mother of Divine Mercy group began work with PTS in 2008 assisting the Pacific Mamas (see above) to maintain their adopted area on the Corban Estate. In 2010 they have adopted their own area below the Henderson Valley Pony Club. It was an exciting event when 2,500 plants were lifted by helicopter across the swollen stream onto their planting site.
 

Corban Estate Volunteers

The area adopted by this group, made up largely of CEAC staff, studio tenants and tutors, was chosen in an attempt to discourage the ongoing dumping that had been happening there for years (stolen goods, bottles etc). Situated on the Corban Estate, the area was also overgrown by Japanese honeysuckle, Privet, tradescantia and other invasive weeds. The group visits the area every 6 weeks and with much hard work are transforming the area to one of beauty, despite an ongoing battle with hungry rabbits in the area.
 

Corrections

One of the first groups to adopt an area and begin restoration work, Corrections (Community work teams) has carried out major and essential work on the stream. With two adopted areas, one on the Corban Estate, and the other on Henderson Park, plus a variety of work to assist in areas too difficult for some younger volunteers (such as primary school students) their impact has been considerable. They have removed mountains of litter and weeds, with their earlier plantings now growing vigorously and tall. One of their earlier members says she ‘found her niche’ planting on the stream, and has gone on to becoming employed by one of our leading local restoration organisations as a team leader. Several other members found work as a result of learning gained.
 

Waipareira Alternative Unit.

This unit of students has, until this year, worked hard to maintain and beautify their adopted areas on Henderson Park, and at the end of Keeling Road, near to their centre. Students have paid yearly visits to the Cascades Kauri Park where Riki Bennett of Ohomairangi has taught them how to identify traditional Maori bush (plant) food and medicine as well as showing them how modern day Park Rangers stay safe and well fed in the bush. One teacher, along with the past Principal’s husband, both of whom were raised in close proximity to the Opanuku Stream, contributed their stories to the Tales of the Opanuku Stream booklet. Unfortunately, with the retirement of their long standing principal, and restructuring of the unit has led to a cessation of the groups work on their adopted area, hopefully a temporary situation.
 

Henderson South Primary School

From the beginning, the students from this local school have entered with great enthusiasm and energy into the restoration of their adopted area not far from their School. Many of the students live close to the stream and take great delight in telling us of their (out of school hours) visits to their ‘place’ by the stream. Each year students participate in a range of stream based workshops, learning about stream creatures, becoming familiar with wetas, eels and so on and hearing about how Maori lived, and live, in the natural world. Students have worked with PTS artists in the creation of a beautiful school mural – when asked what they would like the theme to be, the resounding answer was “the stream all full of rubbish and weeds, and then us, in our red uniforms, planting and cleaning it up”.
 

Henderson Valley School

Henderson Valley School joined Project Twin Streams in 2009. They have a number of adopted sites which they are able to walk to from the school. Several classes attend working sessions a number of times during the year and these combine with stream side education programs. The students are presently working with Art Coordinator Kristin Kell on designs for a wall symbolizing the Opanuku Stream. The wall will enclose a new Native Tree Identification Garden to be constructed at the school late in 2010.
 

Henderson High School
 

  • Parekura Special Education Unit.
    This unit has worked tirelessly since 2007 on their adopted areas on the stream not far from the school, to the point where they have become skilled planters and plant releasers! In celebration of their work the unit worked with the PTS art team in the creation of beautiful mosaic tiles which are now installed in their adopted area. Students have also taken part in a range of workshops teaching them about the stream and the life that abounds in and around it.
     
  • Outdoor Education Classes
    Beginning in 2006, outdoor education students and their teachers have weeded, cleared rubbish, planted and maintained a range of areas within the large area adopted by Henderson High School, including a small wetland that had become badly degraded. Plantings are flourishing with the wetland well on its way to better health. The first class to begin work with us worked with the art team to create Totara posts, inlaid with ceramic tiles, to name and celebrate their stream work.
     
  • Maori Language Class
    From the beginning, various students and teachers cycling through this stream at the High School, have worked to create Te Maara Oranga, a garden containing plants used (and still used) by Maori in their traditional way of life with a special emphasis on medicinal plantings. Ohomairangi has been working with us, and with the students, in the creation and installation of interpretive signage, and with the delivery of Rongoa Maori workshops. With funding from the council arts team, a carver is currently working with the students in the creation of a Totara Pou for the area, along with a carved stone.


Western Heights Primary School

Since 2007 students from the senior school have visited their area several times per year, on the northern side of the Opanuku Stream behind the school, en masse to plant and weed. Their energy and enthusiasm for their work there is evident in the healthy native plantings all along the stream.
All the students have enjoyed sessions with Ohomairangi and with Neil Henderson to grow their understanding of the important work they are doing around the Opanuku Stream. In 2009, along with Art Students from St Dominic’s school, students created a beautiful mural for the school, celebrating the Opanuku Stream and all the life that it sustains.
 

Waitakere City Council volunteers

Two council groups have adopted areas within easy walking distance from the civic centre. Council planners have a very active relationship with their area, preparing the land, weeding and planting throughout the year with some members already skilled in the restoration process. All actively participated in a presentation on biodiversity, and its relevance to their area. A second group, made up of 5th floor staff, visit their area when needed, maintaining, planting and clearing rubbish, gradually transforming a weed and rubbish filled area, adjacent to a small park, to one of natural health and beauty.
 

Church of the Latter Day Saints – Henderson Valley Ward

This very active group continue to visit their adopted area of streamside throughout the year, bringing people of all ages who are transforming what was once a very degraded area. Their enthusiasm and commitment has been greatly tested with three lots of planting having been depleted by theft. However, persistence has paid off and the plants are now flourishing. In the warm summer months, volunteers get right into the stream, pulling out dumped car tyres and other rubbish, and just having fun.
 

Corban Estate Weaving Circle/Te Pa Harakeke o Te Iwi (village of flax for the people)

Te Pa Harakeke o Te Iwi stands on parkland owned by Waitakere City Council and has been developed and managed by the Corban Estate Weaving Circle with assistance from Project Twin Streams Opanuku Stream and the Green Network Community Assistance Programme of Waitakere City Council. Containing special heritage flax weaving cultivars, along with a range of rare and endangered ground cover plants, the site is a place of cultural harvest and public education. See Feature Box on main Opanuku page.
 

Walsh Trust

The Walsh Trust joined PTS in 2010. Fifteen to twenty volunteers come to each session once a month. They have two adopted sites one close to Misty Valley Drive and the other near South Kensington Way. After finishing each work session the group enjoys socializing around the BBQ.
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GE Money

GE Money have been involved with PTS since 2006, and have a number of adopted sites along the Opanuku Stream. They come once a month with an average of 10 volunteers attending each time. This year they hosted two schools, St Joseph’s School and Glen Innes Primary. Over the last few years they have hosted these schools one each year. On these occasions GE Money provide the students with BBQ food and cover the cost of tutors for stream side education. In 2007 the company donated a macrocarpa park bench which is a feature of Henderson Park. In 2009 they made a generous cash gift which has enabled us to purchase tools and to develop educational resources.


National Bahai Centre

The Opanuku Stream flows through this beautiful property which has some great bush areas. Members have been revegetating the stream margins over the past two years.

Freyberg Community School has adopted areas on the Upper and Lower Opanuku Stream. In the second and third terms of the school year, students from the middle and senior school (some 150 -200 students, teachers and parents) visit over two days each time.


Bella’s Artists

Bella’s artists are a group led and inspired by Lynette McKinstrie who meet each week in the Waitakere Central Community Arts Council rooms. Earlier this year they came and drew inspiration from the Opanuku Stream for a collaborative painting and drawing project which combined views of various aspects of the stream environment. The finished piece was presented to the Walsh Trust who were very pleased to receive it for the decoration of their premises.