Waiwhetū:
Star-reflecting stream

The Friends of Waiwhetū Stream is an active community group established in 2011 to work towards a healthy ecosystem for the Waiwhetū Stream in Lower Hutt. The Waiwhetū Stream starts in the Eastern Hutt Hills in the suburbs of Taita and Naenae and flows out to the mouth of the Hutt River. As the Hutt Valley was settled, the stream underwent changes which were often disruptive of its natural state. In places the natural stream was straightened with concrete channels, vegetation cleared and rubbish and pollutants entered the stream. To rehabilitate the stream Friends of Waiwhetū volunteers undertake many activities to improve the natural ecosystem. Planting native vegetation, eradicating weeds and clearing rubbish are some of the projects carried out. Contact us to learn more and get involved.

Planting along the Stream

Please contact FoWS before planting any plants. We plant only local, eco-sourced native plants and we plan where these are best planted for the stream and surroundings.

friends.waiwhetu.stream@gmail.com

Volunteer efforts

We rely on volunteers! This year Gracefield School planted native trees and grasses South of Wainui Road Bridge, opposite Rishworth Reserve.

To protect the plants, a large pile of mulch was delivered by HCC.

This pile was first attacked by a group of year 9's from Chilton St James. They spread about a third of the pile of mulch. Then a group of five volunteers from Cutriss Consulting came along and after an hour an a half they leveled the pile of mulch and we now have plants that will grow over the summer.

Well done everyone - a very coordinated effort!

Click here to get involved

Gracefield School above and to the right.

Below, Chilton St James year 9s and to the right, Cutriss Consulting volunteers

What We Do

10 years of Friends of Waiwhetū Stream

In December 2022 the Friends of Waiwhetū Stream published a book of their ten-year journey to restore the stream.
You can download a copy of the book here

Winter plantings

Great work by about 20 volunteers planting 500 native plants on Sunday 23 July

Opposite 45 Riverside Drive South.

Thank you everyone

Volunteers

Paul Bellamy and daughters Miyo (8) and Asayo (6) fully decked out with gloves and pickers as they pick up rubbish near Te Whiti Park. Paul is wearing our new sun hats - contact the committee if you'd like one.

Rubbish Pick up

Regular volunteers Charlie (left) and Justin (right) Harrington near Norton Park Bridge. Since 2014 the number of 50 L rubbish bags collected every year has been decreasing.

Volunteers Afternoon Tea

A very big thank you to all our volunteers - a group photo of us at Pelorus House on Sunday 10 September.

Sculpture

The beautiful sculpture at the northern end of Te Whiti Park was funded in part through the money from the 2014 Wellington Community Awards. Hutt City Council also supported the installation.

Created by Jason Dench (www.rawtiron.com) the sculpture is a kowhai tree and the stream.

Getting Involved

Awards

HCC award 2014

Hutt City Council and Wellington Airport Regional Community Award

Keep NZ Beautiful Award 2019

The beautiful sculpture at the northern end of Te Whiti Park was funded in part through the money from the 2014 Wellington Community Awards. Hutt City Council also supported the installation. Created by Jason Dench (www.rawtiron.com) the sculpture is a kowhai tree and the stream. AWARD finalists Friends of Waiwhetu finalists in the Keep New Zealand Beautiful Community Awards for 2019