News

The Trust welcomes the highly experienced Matt Trlin as our 10th current trustee. Matt, a long-time Porirua resident, brings over 30 years’ service in community engagement, and environment, urban and infrastructure planning and management. Passionate about Te Awarua o Porirua Harbour, its catchment and community, Matt is committed to fostering awareness, partnerships and action needed…

The Trust was delighted to welcome Ashleigh Sagar as a trustee in October. Born and raised in Takapūwāhia, Ashleigh (Ngāti Toa Rangatira) has a lifelong connection to TeAwarua o Porirua. Through her work with the Te Mana Taiao team at Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira, Ashleigh brings together Mātauranga Māori and environmental science to care…

Three of our trustees joined the Te Hononga ki te Upoko hikoi around the Taupō Swamp. Expertly guided by Bill McAulay of the Friends of Taupō Swamp and Catchment we witnessed the tremendous progress made since plantings began in 2018. Many of the native trees are already 5 metres tall. The project is a great…

Our annual report for 2024/25 records the highs and lows of the year. Signing of the Harbour Accord was the stand out highlight while the Regional Council’s pausing of implementation of Plan Change 1 of the Natural Resources Plan was the lowlight. Without Plan Change 1 there is no pressure to implement restoration recommendations from…

Like mini volcanoes erupting, these plants alongside the Papakowhai cycleway are throwing off their starting mats after a season or so in the ground. Plantings like these all around the harbour and on the banks of its contributing streams are helping filter the nasties before stormwater hits the harbour.

Congratulations to Robyn, Angus and all the Whitirea Restoration Group team for 20 years of hard mahi contributing to the recloaking of this gem of a regional park. As Robyn said, before they started the only native bush was a remnant in Onehunga Bay. The fire of 2010 was a big setback. Groups similar to…

Plimmerton Rotary club in conjunction with GWRC, PCC, Ngāti Toa and GOPI have embarked on further plantings around the inlet. The plants shown above were put in at Motukaraka Point by a big crowd of community volunteers. Plimmerton Rotary club in conjunction with GWRC, PCC, Ngāti Toa and GOPI have embarked on further plantings around…

Even moderate rain events cause the manholes along the main road at Mana to overflow with sewage which the drains into the harbour. Authorities have been treating the symptons of this for years rather than tackling the causes. The Trust supports the Paremata Residents Assn in their campaign to get this addressed as a priority…

The 2025 planting season is underway with various groups around the harbour and its catchments getting new plants in the ground. The photo above is from the Whitiereia Park Restoration Group’s community planting day on May 25. A group of 20 added 700 plants , helping create a habitat for fern birds. For upcoming planting…

This old trimaran broke its moorings in the recent southerly storm.  It was one of two boats to run aground.  Port outrigger has bottom section missing.  Hopefully a plan is underway to refloat it but will be a mission and need a big high tide among other things

The national long distance waka ama championships were held on our awa in late April. Wonderful to see participants from all around the country competing in perfect conditions on the waters of the outer harbour. The nationals were last held in Porirua 13 years ago. A foul weather course chartered for the Parumoana arm was…

Huge changes are coming in the provision of water services and the Trust has made submissions to the three councils on the preferred organisational model. We are supporting the proposal for the creation of a water services organisation covering the five metropolitan councils of Wellington i.e. Porirua, Wellington City, Hutt City, Upper Hutt and the…