West Coast Marine and Coastal Localities:
a Detailed Description of 14 Segments
5.11 Cook
(Waihapi Creek – Heretaniwha Point, 43 km)
5.10.1 Summary
The Cook coastal segment is mostly a coastal plain backed by marine terraces
and broad river flats, interrupted by moraine bluff headlands that are being
eroded by wave action. The Cook/Weheka, Karangarua, Makawhio and Mahitahi
Rivers are the main waterways.
The inshore zone is mostly of coarse-grained mixed sand and gravel or cobble
beaches, while boulder reefs provide patchy ‘hard shore’ habitat.
The shelf in this segment broadens to a shallow seabed plain in the south
but is broken by a more complex formation at the head of the Cook Canyon
in the north.
The area supports marine life that is typical of the central West Coast.
Access to the coastal and marine area is most commonly at Gillespies Beach,
Hunt Beach and Bruce Bay. The coastal plain and terraces are mostly in protected
forest, but residential development is a feature at some sites, with farming
occurring on some of the river flats.
Notable features of this segment include: the coastal settlement at Bruce
Bay, coastal accessibility, a network of river mouths and other coastal
wetlands, scenic natural coastal landscapes, cultural and historical heritage
and a variety of recreational uses.
Existing coastal protection includes large areas of conservation land, including
parts of Westland Tai Poutini National Park north from the Cook/Weheka River.
Karangarua Lagoon and Makawhio River are Ngai Tahu Statutory Acknowledgement
Areas and there are also several specified areas under the Regional Coastal
Plan.
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| Cook Canyon | Tall indigenous forest exposed to the sea by coastal erosion at Maori
Beach, Bruce Bay. Photo: T Hume, NIWA |
5.10.2 Natural Features
Coastal Land and Islands
The glacial landforms in the Cook segment are typical of such landforms
in this central part of the West Coast; they include moraine bluffs, shingly
riverbeds, outwash terraces and dunelands. Overall, the coastal landscape
is largely in a natural state, and includes some of the most extensive areas
of lowland podocarp forest in New Zealand.
Sites of geological interest include the Cook/Weheka River mouth lateral
moraine landform and a huttonite mineral site of international importance
at Gillespie Beach232.
Coastal Wetlands and Waterways
Several large to medium rivers flow out to sea in this segment and are described
here along with their associated coastal wetlands from north to south233.
Of these the Cook River flats, Karangarua River mouth and Waikowhai Stream
have been rated as habitats of high wildlife value234.
The Cook/Weheka River has a 32 km course and a catchment of about 340 km2.
Its cold waters are laden with glacial silt derived from its major source,
the Fox Glacier/Te Moeka o Tuawe. Consequently it has a very changeable
riverbed and mouth, with the lowest reaches making a major shift to the
north in the 1970s to follow the course of the Clearwater River and emerge
adjacent to Oturokua Point.
The Ohinetamatea River has a 29 km course and a catchment of about 100 km2.
The lower reaches the river flow in a confined entrenched channel, becoming
a wide, tannin-stained sluggishly flowing tidal reach shortly before entering
the sea.
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| Gillespies Beach Photo: T Hume, NIWA |
Hunt Beach Photo: T Hume, NIWA |
The Karangarua River has a 47 km course and a 350 km2 catchment, with
a moderately wide and slightly braided lower reach. It shares a common estuary
with the smaller and much-branched Gordon and Nicholson Creeks. Both of
these creeks are deeply entrenched, sluggish, tannin-stained, have a mud
and gravel bed and are tidal for several kilometres upstream from their
common mouth.
The Manakaiaua River is a small rain fed river about 18 km long with a 60
km2 mostly forested catchment (but with rough pasture in the lower reaches
where its channel is less entrenched, slightly tannin-stained, sluggish
and tidal). It shares an outlet with Hunt Creek.
The Makawhio River is a 31 km long snow and rain-fed river with a 175 km2
catchment. It runs across a partly forested flood plain to its lower reaches,
becoming wider, sandier and slower flowing as it reaches a large lagoon
at its mouth.
The Mahitahi River is 33 km long with a mostly forested 225 km2 catchment.
In the lower reaches it has a narrow flood plain and is slightly braided.
Seashore and Marine Areas
Rocky shores in this area are made up entirely of glacial moraine and till.
The largest of these formations are Heretaniwha Point and Makawhio Point,
with others at Gillespies Point/Kohaihai, Malcolm’s Knob, Cook Bluff
and Karangarua River mouth. Sub-tidal rocky reefs occur at each of these
sites as well as locations further offshore, such as Post Rock off the Karangarua
River mouth and Tutanekai Rock off Makawhio Point235.
Bruce Bay is one of the more sheltered beaches on the West Coast, protected
from southerly storms by the prominent headland of Heretaniwha Point. However,
the bay’s coastline has eroded considerably over the last few decades236.
Offshore the Cook Canyon dominates a relatively complex seabed form. Although
the deepest reaches of the canyon extend outside the territorial limit,
it does begin within about two miles off the Gillespies Beach shoreline
and reaches depths of approximately 550 metres within territorial waters.
The sediments and topography of the canyon area (see Chapter 2) has recently
been surveyed in detail by NIWA and it has been found to comprise an intricate
channel network acting as a significant ‘sink’ for continental
shelf sediments237. South of the canyon, the seabed
slopes moderately steeply to the edge of the continental shelf at depths
of about 150 metres. Seabed sediments of the continental shelf grade from
coarse sand and gravel beaches to sandy mud offshore, but tend to remain
somewhat coarser at the head of the canyon.
An important safe anchorage area is located adjacent to Galway Beach offering
protection from unfavourable coastal weather patterns.
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| Mahitahi River mouth Photo: T Hume, NIWA |
Makawhio Point, looking south to Makawhio River with Mahitahi River
in distance Photo: T Hume, NIWA |
Coastal and Marine Wildlife
Up to several hundred New Zealand fur seals haul out on the rocky coast
from Gillespies Point/Kohaihai to Galway Beach during the winter months,
dwindling to much lower numbers in the summer238.
This colony has been rated as a habitat of high wildlife value239.
Seals also occur in lower numbers at Malcolm’s Knob and other moraine
headlands in the area.
About 40 tawaki (Fiordland crested penguin) nests occur around the headland
of Heretaniwha Point.240
Marine Fish and Other Species
This coastal region, like the whole west coast of the South Island, supports
a rich diversity of fish and invertebrate species that are fished both commercially
and recreationally by a number of fishing methods including trawl, longlining,
trolling, potting and set netting.
Inshore trawl fisheries are multi-species and are primarily based on flatfish
(several species), red gurnard, red cod, giant stargazer, tarakihi and blue
warehou. Other species taken as bycatch include arrow squid, dark ghost
shark, ling, barracouta, jack mackerel, spiny dogfish, rig, school shark,
sea perch, rough skate and smooth skate241.
Commercial fisheries for crayfish, tuna, red cod, hoki, ling, flatfish and
rig (to mention a few) are an important feature throughout this coastal
and inshore segment.
5.10.3 Historical and Archaeological Heritage
Mahitahi (Bruce Bay) is regarded as the first landing place of Maui (Te
Tauranga Waka a Maui) and the area is steeped in ancient traditions that
make it a very significant area for Maori in South Westland. Archaeological
sites are located at Bruce Bay242 as well as relics
with a history of shipping and timber milling. The Karangarua Lagoon and
the Makawhio River have significant places in Maori history as kainga nohoanga
(settlements) and mahinga kai and the area is the source of the stone aotea243.
Remains of goldmining and pack tracks occur intermittently along the coastline
as far south as Gillespie Beach244.
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| Hunt Beach Photo: T Hume, NIWA |
Karangarua River Photo: T Hume, NIWA |
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Ohinetamatea River Photo: T Hume, NIWA |
5.10.4 Recreation and Tourism
Recreational fishing occurs in parts of this segment and includes surfcasting
(at accessible locations), river mouth and lagoon fishing and whitebaiting
(especially in the Ohinetamatea, Karangarua, Manakaiaua, Makawhio and Mahitahi
Rivers). There is also mussel and shellfish gathering (especially at Hunts
Beach and Bruce Bay), boatfishing and set netting.
Bruce Bay is a popular scenic viewing place for visitors, being one of the
most accessible South Westland beaches from State Highway 6.
Gillespies Beach is visited by tourists often on their way to view the seals
at Gillespies Point/Kohaihai. A walking track follows the historic goldminers’
route to Galway Beach, and historic goldmining features are interpreted
on information panels at Gillespies Beach.
5.10.5 Commercial Use
This area, like most of the inshore West Coast, is fished by commercial
fishers using a variety of methods including bottom trawl, trolling, potting,
set netting and longlining. Vessels in this area mostly operate out of Greymouth,
but also Jackson Bay, Westport and Nelson.
Two mining licences exist on the coastal strip at Gillespies Beach, and
seven from the Karangarua River to Heretaniwha Point.
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| Cook/Weheka River with Fox Glacier in the distance; Photo: T Hume, NIWA |
Cook/Weheka River Photo: T Hume, NIWA |
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Waikowhai Stream Photo: T Hume, NIWA |
5.10.6 Other Public and Cultural Uses and Facilities
The main public access (including vehicle access) to the coastal marine
area in this segment occurs at Gillespies Beach and Bruce Bay. Access is
also possible by vehicle and/or walking to the Cook/Weheka River mouth and
Hunt Beach. Public access to other parts of this coastline is mostly by
walking or beach vehicle from those points. Access across waterways and
along the coast is possible along the full length, but restricted by the
tide at several points, especially at the Cook, Karangarua, Makawhio and
Mahitahi River mouths. Foot access around Heretaniwha Point is also made
difficult by the action of the sea and tides against a steep moraine bluff.
Recreational and commercial fishing vessels occasionally launch out of the
Mahitahi River, which provides access to the rocky reef areas to the south
and other adjacent fishing areas.
There are few areas of settlement in the Cook segment, though isolated residential
buildings occur at Gillespies Beach, Hunt Beach and Bruce Bay.
Te Tauranga Waka a Maui Marae at Bruce Bay was opened in 2005, recognising
the importance of the area to South Westland Maori and providing a facility
for use.
Rock protection works have been placed along the banks of the Mahitahi River
and for several hundred metres along the coast towards the north, aiming
to protect the State Highway and other assets at Bruce Bay from coastal
erosion.
The traditional practice of collecting seagull eggs from the Karangarua
lagoon during spring is still carried out by local Ngai Tahu245.
The Makawhio River and nearby beaches within this segment are the main sources
of aotea (kyanite), a stone traditionally used for carving.
There are Resource Management Act coastal permits issued in this segment246
for:
- whitebait stands (Ohinetamatea, Karangarua, Makaawhio and Mahitahi Rivers);
- gravel, stone or log removal (Karangarua River, Manakaiaua, Bruce Bay);
- river and coastal protection works (Bruce Bay and Mahitahi River).
Much of the coastal land to the north of Cook/Weheka River lies within Westland Tai Poutini National Park; other coastal land is protected as conservation land further south and around Gillespies Beach. Private and other land tenures occur, especially in the vicinity of Gillespies Point/Kohaihai, Karangarua Lagoon, Hunt Beach, Makawhio River and Bruce Bay.
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| Heretaniwha Point Photo: DOC. |
Gillespies Point/Kohaihai Photo: D Neale, DOC. |
Karangarua Lagoon and Makawhio River are Ngai Tahu Statutory Acknowledgement Areas. As a mark of the significance of the mahinga kai and the kainga nohoanga at Karangarua and Makawhio, reserves were set aside for Ngai Tahu in this area at the time of the 1860 Arahura Deed of Sale, and subsequently under the South Island Landless Natives Act 1906.
Whitebaiting is not permitted in non-tidal areas nor upstream of ‘back pegs’ on the Omoeroa, Karangarua, Manakaiaua, Makawhio and Mahitahi Rivers and Hunt Creek247.
The Cook segment lies within Fisheries Statistical Area FSA 33, which is part of the Challenger Fishery Management Area (FMA 7). The adjoining land area is within the Westland District.
The operative West Coast Regional Coastal Plan recognises:
- Culturally Significant Areas; CSA16 Hunt Beach, CSA17 Maori Beach, CSA18 Heretaniwha
- Coastal Recreation Areas; CRA15 Gillespies Beach, CRA16 Bruce Bay
- Outstanding Natural Features and Landscapes; ONFL7 Waitahi Bluff to Oturokua Point, ONFL8 Hunt Beach to Waita River
- Marine Mammal and Bird Sites; MMB15 Gillespies Point/Kohaihai, MMB16 Heretaniwha Point.
- Coastal Hazard Areas; CHA16 Hunt Beach, CHA17 Bruce Bay.
232 Hayward & Kenny 1999
233 Orchard et al 1987
234 Coker & Imboden 1980
235 RNZN 2002b
236 Pickett 2005
237 P. Barnes pers comm 2006
238 Neale & Best 1999
239 Coker & Imboden 1980
240 McLean et al 1997
241 Stevenson & Hanchet 2000
242 Hooker 1986
243 Ngai Tahu Settlement Act 1998
244 Hooker 1990
245 Ngai Tahu Settlement Act 1998
246 www.wcrc.govt.nz “Maps on the Web”, June 2006
247 Whitebait Fishing (West Coast) Regulations 1994