West Coast Marine and Coastal Localities:
a Detailed Description of 14 Segments
5.5 Charleston
(‘Penguin Beach’ – Morrisey Creek, 24 km)
5.4.1 Summary
The Charleston segment includes the southern portion of the Foulwind sand
plain and tidal wetlands in the north, and coastal hill country in the south.
The Totara and Waitakere or Nile Rivers are the main rivers flowing out
to sea in this segment. The seabed is mostly of a uniform shelf grading
out to fine sediments but with inshore rocky reefs in the south and a variety
of beach types. The area supports marine life that is typical of the northern
West Coast. Access to and use of this segment is greatest in the Nine Mile/Okari,
Totara/Nile and Charleston areas. Dairy farming and residential development
are predominant uses of the coastal land, while the immediate coastal strip
in the south of the segment is largely undeveloped.
Notable features include: coastal accessibility to some settlements by road,
extensive coastal wetlands, relatively unmodified and remote coastal forest
in the south, coastal wildlife, protected catchments, diverse marine habitats,
cultural and historic heritage and a variety of recreational uses.
Existing protection includes: areas of conservation land around Okari Lagoon
and other coastal wetlands; more extensive protected areas in the coastal
hill country south of the Nile River, including Charleston Recreation Reserve
and Paparoa National Park. There are also specified areas under the Regional
Coastal Plan.
5.4.2 Natural Features
Coastal Land and Islands
Nine Mile Beach north of Okari Lagoon has one of the more extensive and
well developed dune landforms in the northern West Coast. These dunelands
have mostly been developed into farmland with few areas of native vegetation
left. Sand dune communities within conservation land also occur along the
beachfront of Okari Lagoon but they are dominated by gorse and marram.
Along the rocky coast in the south of this segment, several small embayments
occur – at Little Beach and along the Charleston coast (Joyce, Constant
and Doctor Bays). South of these bays the coastal escarpment rises to 100-200
metres and is mostly covered in indigenous scrub and forest, with uplands
of pakihi shrubland and forest.
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| Farmed dunes along the sandy Nine Nile Beach Photo: D Neale, DOC |
Joyce and Constant Bays, with Charleston settlement on the right Photo: D Neale, DOC |
Sites of geological interest include the granite minerals at Constant Bay105 and the exposed crystalline rocks near the Nile River mouth and Charleston.
These formations are among the oldest rocks in New Zealand, dating back
to the Precambrian period.106 The curious ‘twin
bay’ formation of Joyce and Constant Bays is a result of the stratified
geology of the area.
Small populations of the threatened coastal cress (Lepidium flexicaule)
occur on the rocky coasts at Joyce Bay and near Deep Creek. The threatened
Charleston gentian occurs on several coastal rocky headlands near that town.
Coastal Wetlands and Waterways
The Okari Lagoon (400 ha) is the largest wetland in the Charleston segment.
Though historically very dynamic, its present form is a tidal sand and mudflat
estuary bounded by a narrow band of saltmarsh vegetation and large areas
of developed farmland and sand dunes. It receives water and sediment from
the Tasman Sea and the Okari River at its northern end and to a lesser extent,
from surface runoff and minor tributaries107. Although
the estuary’s margins and its 6950 ha catchment are mostly in private
ownership and have been modified (by drainage, nutrient runoff, shore protection
works and introduced species), the wetland itself retains a very natural,
indigenous character.
The Totara River mouth flowed north through the Okari Lagoon until about
1970, but now discharges directly out to sea through a mouth shared with
the Little Totara River. The Nile River mouth flows slowly through a bedrock
channel to Little Beach. It is lined by the gravelled Beach Road and residential
buildings but retains large areas of native vegetation on its margins.
Seashore and Marine Areas
A shore platform at the Okari Lagoon mouth is one of the few bedrock landforms
in sheltered coastal waters of the West Coast region. It appears to be a
relict landform that is now barely affected by the levels of wave action
that created it, having probably been formed prior to the seaward advance
of the beach in this locality.
Nine Mile Beach is one of the longest sand beach systems on the West Coast.
It supports shallow subtidal surf clam beds and other species that are typical
of such habitats.
Inshore reefs characterise the inshore area south from Parsons Hill and
while intertidal surveys indicate broad similarities to other northern West
Coast reefs108, no subtidal reef surveys have yet
been undertaken. Access to the reef areas is generally difficult; there
are few offshore reefs to provide shelter and depth away from the coastline,
and the sea is frequently turbid and rough. The Charleston Bays area has
a variety of coastal rocky reef habitats that appear to increase this locality’s
habitat diversity.
Offshore, the seabed slopes gradually out across the inner shelf towards
the Challenger Plateau at a gradient of less than two degrees within the
territorial limit, reaching a depth of about 150 metres at the territorial
sea limit. Seabed sediments grade from cobble and coarse sand beaches to
muddy sediments offshore.
Coastal and Marine Wildlife
A variety of coastal and wetland birds utilise the estuarine flats and other
habitats of the Okari Lagoon including terns, oystercatchers, gulls and
waders109.
Relatively high numbers of blue penguins have been reported in the Nile
River mouth area, and the 51 burrows counted here makes it possibly the
greatest known concentration of blue penguins between the Mokihinui and
Taramakau Rivers110.
A New Zealand fur seal rookery on the coast south of Deep Creek produces
up to 380 pups per year111.
Sooty shearwaters are reported to nest near Hampton’s Rock112,
and spotted shags roost on the heads north of Joyce Bay113.
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| The exposed 'Cod Rocks' are just north of Joyce Bay, Charleston Photo: D Neale, DOC |
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Marine Fish and Other Species
The Charleston marine segment, like the rest of the western 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 skate114.
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Constant Bay at low tide Photo: D Neale, DOC |
As well as a significant trawl fishery along this coastal segment other
commercial fishing methods are used such as trolling for albacore and set
netting for rig and school shark.
Surveys of coastal fish, seaweeds and intertidal reef communities at several
sites (e.g. Parsons Hill, Little Beach and Charleston) indicate that the
reef communities in this segment are generally typical of the northern West
Coast115.
5.4.3 Cultural and Archaeological Heritage
Archaeological sites of national significance (including occupation and
food-gathering sites) occur between the Buller and Okari Rivers116 and the Okari Lagoon has a significant place in Maori history117.
South of Okari the foredunes have been modified by historic goldmining,
and Charleston (including the old harbour area at Constant Bay) retains
historic features dating back to the 1860s gold rushes.
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| Looking North from Needle Point Photo: D Neale, DOC |
Bouldery coast looking north towards Tiropahi River mouth (obscured) and Needle Point Photo: D Neale, DOC |
5.4.4 Recreation and Tourism
Recreational fishing occurs at points throughout this segment, especially
where there is access close to State Highway 6 and other roadways. A variety
of recreational fishing activities are undertaken, including surfcasting
from rocks and beaches, boat fishing, hand gathering and netting. Whitebaiting
occurs mainly in Okari Lagoon, Totara River and Nile River. Extensive beds
of cockles, pipi and other shellfish in Okari Lagoon are probably used for
food gathering. Mussel gathering occurs in the vicinity of road access points
near Charleston.
Recreational boats access the sea and lagoons from launching sites that
include Okari River roadend, Joyce Bay and Nile River, as well as from sites
outside the segment itself (such as Fox River mouth, Woodpecker Bay and
Westport Harbour).
The coastal landscape around Constant Bay and other accessible areas provide
opportunities for a wide range of recreational activities. A walking track
from Constant Bay leads to coastal cliffs at Doctor Bay that are one of
the most popular and accessible rock climbing areas on the West Coast. Other
walking routes to the coastline provide access for fishing, beach walking,
birdwatching and exploring.
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| Nile River mouth and Little Beach Photo: D Neale, DOC |
The northern portion of Okari Lagoon and sandy beach Photo: D Neale, DOC |
5.4.5 Commercial Use
Farming is a predominant use of the pastured dunes and coastal sandplains
along Nine Mile Beach.
This marine segment, as for the rest of the inshore west coast of the South
Island, is fished by commercial fishers using a variety of fishing methods
including set net, longline and trolling with the most common method being
bottom trawl118. Vessels in this area mostly operate
out of Westport and Greymouth, but also from Nelson or other ports.
A beach gold mining permit exists between Parsons Hill and Totara River.
5.4.6 Other Public Uses and Facilities
Public access can be gained along the Nine Mile Beach Road from Tauranga
Bay, from Beach Road north of the Nile River, and from Constant Bay and
Joyce Bay, as well as several less obvious walking routes to the coast.
Private land and/or difficult terrain restrict public access to some areas,
especially south of Doctor Bay. Access is also possible at low tide to the
southern part of this segment along the coast from Whitehorse Creek; while
travel can be difficult in places, it is possible to walk north along the
coastline from there to Charleston.
Residential housing is mostly concentrated in the Charleston – Beach
Road area, with single residences also scattered in the Okari – Nine
Mile Beach area.
A scientific monitoring station at Constant Bay comprises a small shed and
instrument cable, part of a nationwide network managed by NIWA to provide
information on tides and other water level changes.
There are Resource Management Act coastal permits issued in this segment119 for:
- a mooring (Okari Lagoon)
- beach erosion control (Little Beach)
- blacksand goldmining (Nine Mile Beach)
- a sea level monitoring station (Constant Bay).
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| Sandy coast and farmland at Rahui Photo: D Neale, DOC |
Bouldery coast south of Tiropahi River, Woodpecker Bay in the distance Photo: D Neale, DOC |
5.4.7 Existing Protection and Management Areas
Conservation land around Okari Lagoon occurs mostly along the foredune area
including the Okari Spit Scenic Reserve (24 ha). A QEII covenant covers a
small area of wetland on the landward margin of the lagoon.
Small areas of conservation land occur in the vicinity of the Charleston coastline.
Most of the coastal land from Doctor Bay south to Morrisey Creek is conservation
land, including the Four Mile Scenic Reserve (459 ha) and part of Paparoa
National Park.
Whitebaiting is not permitted in non-tidal areas, nor upstream of ‘back
pegs’ on the Okari and Nile Rivers120.
Okari Lagoon is a Ngai Tahu Statutory Acknowledgement Area.
The area lies within Fisheries Statistical Area FSA 34, which is part of the
Challenger Fishery Management Area (FMA 7). The adjoining land area is within
the Buller District.
The operative West Coast Regional Coastal Plan recognises:
- Coastal Protection Area; CPA5 Okari Lagoon
- Outstanding Natural Features and Landscapes; ONFL 4 Parsons Hill to Razorback Point
- Marine Mammal and Bird Site; MMB5 north end of Nine Mile Beach, MMB6 Charleston, MMB7 south of Deep Creek
- Coastal Hazard Areas; CHA5 Nine Mile Beach and Little Beach.
106 Thornton 1985
107 Neale 1998a
108 D. Neale, unpublished DOC data
109 Neale 1998a
110 Blyth et al 2006
111 Bradshaw 1999, Neale & Best 1999, Neale 1999a
112 J. Green pers comm 2005
113 Neale 1996b
114 Stevenson & Hanchet 2000
115 Roberts et al 2005, Neale & Nelson 1998
116 Hooker 1990
117 Ngai Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998
118 Booth et al 2005
119 www.wcrc.govt.nz “Maps on the Web”, June 2006
120 Whitebait Fishing (West Coast) Regulations 1994