We’re changing the way we look after our greenway, to make sure it keeps providing the best for Northcote – both as a place for us to connect and as a stormwater system to protect our community.

Te Ara Awataha is the green spine that runs through Northcote Development, preventing flooding to homes and providing an open space for all to enjoy. 

As we’ve worked with our partners to rejuvenate the stream, we’ve seen the return of many much-loved native species; however, we’ve also found some unwelcome guests taking up residence – unsightly and persistent weeds.

With the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods washing away many of our plants, and the dry summer that followed gave the weeds the opportunity to become well established and extensive. This has meant the greenway is not providing its amenity, and biodiversity functions as well as it could.

While we initially hoped we could maintain the area through hand weeding alone, this unfortunate combination has meant minimal and targeted use of chemical weed spraying, along with hand weeding, is now needed bring Te Ara Awataha back to the standard we want it to be. A trusted ecological contractor will complete the work, taking all necessary safety measures and keeping spray levels within the recommended guidelines.

Work will start in early September. This will include both the weed removal work and replacement planting. There will be signs in place during spraying to keep our community informed.