West Coast Marine and Coastal Localities:
a Detailed Description of 14 Segments
5.12 Paringa
(Ohinemaka beach – Tauperikaka Point, 39 km)
5.11.1 Summary
The Paringa segment is mostly steep and forested coastline backed by hills,
with the exception of lowland swamps in the vicinity of the Ohinemaka River.
The Paringa River is the largest waterway in this segment, with several
smaller rivers and streams flowing out to sea. The shoreline is dominated
by rocky reefs and rock stacks that also extend offshore, with a few beaches
of coarse sand and fine gravel. The continental shelf lies almost completely
within the territorial limits, with the steeper continental slope and the
Moeraki Canyon dropping off from depths of about 200 metres. The area supports
marine life important to the southern West Coast, and also represents a
biological transition zone between the West Coast and the outer Fiordland
coast. Coastal access is mainly for fishing and recreational activities,
by several walking routes to the coast or by boat from launching sites.
The landscape and habitats in this segment remain substantially in a natural
state.
Notable features of this segment include its moderate accessibility by land
and boat, unmodified catchments and coastline, scenic natural coastal landscapes,
marine wildlife, rocky reefs, canyons and variety of recreational uses.
Fishing and tourism are the main uses of this coastal marine area.
Existing protection includes conservation lands covering almost all of the
coastal land in this segment (including the Whakapoai Wildlife Refuge for
the protection of tawaki), plus several specified areas under the Regional
Coastal Plan.
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Pingao dunes at Ship Creek beach. Photo: T Hume, NIWA |
5.11.2 Natural Features
Coastal Land and Islands
The Paringa segment comprises a series of rocky headlands interspersed with
embayments backed by steep hillslopes and catchments cloaked in mixed indigenous
forest. Lowland areas occur in the vicinity of Ohinemaka River, as well
as near the Paringa River mouth, Abbey Rocks and Ship Creek.
Twenty-five small vegetated rock stacks occur throughout this segment, often
in small clusters and mostly between Abbey Rocks and Arnott Point. Only
a few of these have been surveyed to some extent.
The threatened seal cress occurs at Hanata Island as a relatively large
population of about 300-400 plants, and in smaller numbers at Abbey Rocks
and Arnott Point248. The threatened shore spurge
occurs near Cole Creek249.
Several of the coastal dunes in this segment have been assessed to be of
considerable botanical value, and some of these are described as follows250.
Dunes at Cole Creek are rated highly for their biological value because
of their dune to forest sequence and also because they have examples of
native coastal vegetation easy of access from the highway. The native dune
plant pingao is abundant there and marram grass and most of the gorse have
been removed. The Ohinemaka beach has good sequences of forested dunes and
beach ridges in the central and southern parts despite the presence of gorse,
and a large coastal swamp with forested frontal dunes in the north. The
threatened shore spurge occurs in places south of Paringa River and the
colony on the Piakatu-Paureka beach may be one of the most extensive in
the country.
The area contains a variety of sedimentary and igneous rock formations251, and sites of geological interest include the igneous and sedimentary geology near the Paringa River mouth and the igneous geology at Ship Creek252.
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| View to Arnott Pt from Knights Pt lookout Photo: T Hume, NIWA |
Murphy Beach Photo: T Hume, NIWA |
Coastal Wetlands and Waterways
There are four main rivers (Ohinemaka, Paringa, Moeraki (Blue) and Whakapohai
(Little)) in this segment253, but more than forty
other streams run seaward from small coastal catchments.
The Paringa and Moeraki Rivers are the largest waterways in this segment,
draining catchments of mountains and lowland hill country, including Lakes
Paringa and Moeraki respectively.
The Ohinemaka River flows for 15 km and has a 72 km2 catchment. It is a
small rain-fed river that has northern tributaries that drain a large dune
swamp extending most of the way to Heretaniwha Point.
The Whakapohai River flows for 16 km and has a catchment of 61 km2. The
lower floodplain widens steadily to a width of about 300 metres at the mouth,
with the outlet occasionally closed and only a narrow, shallow and swift
channel permitting egress to the sea.
Seashore and Marine Areas
Shallow rocky reef communities have been surveyed at several locations within
this segment and their biological features are generally similar to other
parts of South Westland254. The reefs often extend
to depths of over 20 metres.
Ohinemaka beach in the north is a six kilometre stretch of coarse sand foreshore,
while numerous smaller beaches occur to the south, mostly in association
with rocky features such as headlands, stacks and patchy reefs.
Offshore, the Moeraki Canyon dominates a complex seabed form. The majority
of the canyon formation lies within the territorial limit, and begins within
about two to three miles of the shoreline near Knights Point, reaching depths
of about 950 metres within territorial waters. Elsewhere in this segment,
the seabed slopes out to the continental shelf edge at about 150 metres
depth and about ten to fourteen miles offshore. Seabed sediments are not
well surveyed in this area; beach sediments are variously coarse sand, gravel
and pebbles
Important anchorages for commercial fishing vessels are located on the northern
side of Arnott Point and the shore side of Abbey Rocks.
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| Whakapoai River beach Photo: T Hume, NIWA |
Cole Creek beach and Adiantum Bluff, with the Haast plain beyond. Photo: T Hume, NIWA |
Coastal and Marine Wildlife
Hanata Island, Tititira Head, Abbey Rocks, Monro beach, Murphy Beach and
Arnott Point have been rated as habitats of high wildlife value255.
Seals haul out at Hanata Island, Arnott Point and several other locations.
Small numbers of pups are born at Hanata Island256.
Arnott Point (and its adjacent islet) is the main seal haulout in this segment,
rising to several hundred animals in the winter months257.
Lone elephant seals are frequently seen at the Arnott Point colony.
About 190 tawaki (Fiordland crested penguin) nests are dispersed from Buttress
Point to Cole Creek, with relatively well-known and accessible colonies
at Monro beach and Murphy Beach258. Blue penguins
have been reported nesting at Tititira Head259.
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 primarly 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 skate260.
Commercial fisheries for crayfish, tuna, red cod, hoki, ling, bluenose,
hapuka, flatfish and rig (to mention a few) are an important feature throughout
this coastal and inshore segment.
A diversity of 45 coastal rocky reef fish species have been recorded in
this segment, with 37 of these recorded from the reefs between Whakapoai
River and Murphy Beach261.
Paua in this area have been found from limited surveys to be relatively
scarce and small262.
5.11.3 Historical and Archaeological Heritage
There is evidence of pre-European Maori occupation at Ohinemaka and Paringa.
The lithographic stone quarry at Abbey Rocks is a site of historical geological
interest263. While there are no other listed European
historic sites here, there is other history in this area for example relating
to early European sealers at Arnott Pt264 and exploration
as far south as Tititira Head by Thomas Brunner265.
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| Knights Point to Arnott Point Photos: T Hume, NIWA |
Whakapoai River and Lake Moeraki Photos: T Hume, NIWA |
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A sequence of four ‘pocket beaches’ at
Monro Track, Moeraki River mouth, Whakapoai River mouth and Murphy Beach. Photos: T Hume, NIWA |
5.11.4 Recreation and Tourism
Beachwalking is popular at the more accessible points along the coast, especially
the Monro Track beach, Murphy Beach, Arnott Point, Paringa River mouth and
Ohinemaka Beach. Monro Track is a benched track that provides foot access
to the beach; it is often used by visitors seeking views of tawaki coming
ashore.
Recreational fishing occurs throughout this segment, and includes surfcasting
(mostly at the more accessible locations), boat-based fishing and diving
and whitebaiting (especially in the Ohinemaka, Paringa and Moeraki Rivers).
The Paringa segment is popular for recreational diving and crayfishing,
mostly from boats but also occasionally by some shore based divers at Whakapoai
River mouth and Monro Track. Recreational boating activity is mostly associated
with fishing activities.
The area has some remote but high quality surfing sites such as at Buttress
Point and Tititira Head.
Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki runs guided nature walks for their clients
to a variety of sites including Murphy Beach, Arnott Point, Monro Beach
and Ship Creek. A carpark, rest area and lookout with interpretation panels
at Knights Point provide for a variety of tourist traffic and the elevated
site offers picturesque views of the coastline and ocean.
5.11.5 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
and Jackson Bay, but also Westport and Nelson. Rocky reefs in this area
are fished extensively for rock lobster using craypots by vessels out of
Jackson Bay and Okuru266. Abundance surveys in
1993 indicated poor prospects for a paua fishery in this area267,
though advice from a paua industry representative suggests otherwise.
5.11.6 Other Public Uses and Facilities
Jet boats and other small vessels are able to navigate to the Paringa and
Moeraki River mouths. Boats also access the area from Bruce Bay, Okuru and
Jackson Bay.
There are several coastal walking routes in the area, including to the Ohinemaka
River mouth, Monro Track, Whakapoai River, Murphy Beach, Arnott Point and
Cole Creek. Foot access can be gained from these access points to numerous
other sites along this coast, but access is severely restricted by tides
around many of the rocky headlands, especially between Buttress Point and
Piakatu Point.
Vehicles are able to access the area only via the rough tracks to the Whakapoai
River mouth, the lower reaches of the Moeraki River and Cole Creek Beach.
However views of the area are possible from many parts of State Highway
6.
At the mouth of the Ohinemaka River there are several huts used for whitebaiting,
surfing and hunting. A house at the Whakapoai River mouth is permanently
occupied and a cableway extending from the shore to the nearby rock stack
was previously used for launching a commercial fishing vessel.
There are Resource Management Act coastal permits issued in this segment268
for:
- whitebait stands (Ohinemaka, Paringa and Moeraki Rivers);
- driftwood and log removal (Moeraki River).
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| Rocky coast between Tititira Head and Awataikato Point. Photo: T Hume, NIWA |
Paringa River Photo: T Hume, NIWA |
5.11.7 Existing Protection and Management Areas
Much of the coastal land and catchments in this segment are within conservation lands, including the Whakapoai Wildlife Refuge (which provides for the protection down to and including the foreshore of breeding tawaki in colonies from about Abbey Rocks to Breccia Creek). Private and other land tenures occur especially in the vicinity of the Paringa River mouth.
The area 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.
Whitebaiting is not permitted in non-tidal areas, nor upstream of ‘back pegs’ on the Paringa and Moeraki Rivers269.
The operative West Coast Regional Coastal Plan recognises:
- Outstanding Natural Features and Landscapes; ONFL8 Hunt Beach to Waita River;
- Marine Mammal and Bird Sites; MMB17 Buttress Point, MMB18 Hanata Island, MMB19 Tititira Head, MMB20 Awataikato Point, MMB21 Abbey Rocks, MMB22 Otumotu Point, MMB23 Murphy Beach, MMB24 Arnott Point, MMB25 Seal Point.
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| Arnott Point reefs Photo: Nick Shears, Auckland University |
Ohinemaka Beach Photo: T Hume, NIWA |
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 Arnott Point beach Photo: L.F. Molloy |
| Rocky shore near Knights Point Photo: DOC |
248 Neale 2006e, unpublished DOC data
249 R. Piper pers comm 2006
250 Johnson 1992
251 Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences (1992)
252 Hayward & Kenny 1999
253 Orchard et al 1987
254 Shears in prep
255 Coker & Imboden 1980
256 Neale 2006e, Neale & Best 1999
257 Neale & Best 1999
258 McLean et al 1997
259 Coker & Imboden 1980
260 Stevenson & Hanchet 2000
261 Roberts et al 2005
262 McShane et al 1993
263 Hooker 1990
264 Begg & Begg 1979
265 Brunner 1847
266 Stevens 2000
267 McShane et al 1993
268 www.wcrc.govt.nz “Maps on the Web”, June 2006