Meola Creek

Have a walk around Meola Creek and Mt Albert

stephen — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:32:43 +0000

Click on this link Meola Creek Walk for a mapped walk around Meola Creek in Mt Albert. See the developments around the creek for yourself.

1840′s map of Upper Meola Creek

stephen — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 07:38:54 +0000

A map of Upper Meola Creek from the 1840′s. Thank you local historian Lisa Truttman?

Meola Creek and Reserve Clean-up Day 25 February 2012

stephen — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 07:27:21 +0000

Who: Auckland Council Solid Waste Team & Sustainable Coastlines invites you

What: Clean-up day; !! Please bring laced shoes, sun hat, sunscreen, drinking water and any personal items you need

When: Saturday, 25 February 2012, 1-3pm

Where: MOTAT site , 200 Meola Rd, Pt Chevalier . Enter through the high wire gate by Meola Creek (sanitary facilities available)

Sustainable Coastlines’ brand-new education container will be on site for participants to learn more about litter and its impact on the marine environment.

Albert Eden Local Board Deputation – Meola Creek

stephen — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 07:22:45 +0000

STEPS presented to the Albert Eden local Board on 7 December 2012 as attached.

We outlined the progress made over the past 3 years on Meola Creek projects, and also the major challenges which face the creek as it still carries large loads of runoff and sewage. Meola Catchment is the largest catchment on the Auckland isthmus and is owned by Auckland Council and the people of Auckland.

Our plantings look beautiful and have improved the ecological processes by the stream banks. Trapping of pests and monitoring is also now under way. We look forward to Auckland Council including the Roy Clements Treeway in its budget for maintenance of ecological areas. Only then can we reach equilibrium in the battle against weeds such as tradescantia, kikuyu, moth plant, woolly nightshade and others.

The most fundamental issue is gaining protection for Auckland’s creeks in the Auckland plan. Over the last 50+ years without protection in the District plan Meola creek has been piped for several kilometers, overloaded with runoff, sewage, silt and frequent flooding to the point where it is the single largest carrier of pollutants into Waitemata Harbour. At the same time its catchment has been infilled and covered by large areas of roads, concrete and other impermeable surfaces – leading to low base flows which reduce its capacity, increase the concentration of pollutants and severely limit the chance of fauna to survive in the creek. The Albert Eden Local Board has written a submission to the Auckland plan stating the need

for this protection.

In 2012 Mayor Len Brown and Albert Eden Local Board have committed to meet with the business community to help raise awareness on creek impacts. We will undertake more planting during winter, and STEPS will pursue with the Council the reclaiming of around 1 million cubic meters of water per year which is pumped by Winstones Quarry and Auckland Council out of Meola Catchment and straight into Manukau Harbour.

STEPS vision 2011

Progress on Meola overflows

stephen — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 07:19:55 +0000

STEPS has held meetings with Auckland City Mayor Len Brown this year. The Mayor has taken a close interest in Watercare plans for a Central Interceptor. STEPS and Watercare advised the Mayor that this project is a means of reducing the ongoing flooding of Meola Creek, with resultant benefits for Waitemata Harbour and Te Tokaroa / Meola Reef.

The Letter from the Mayor indicates that Watercare has now revised the project dates so the dates are now four years earlier. STEPS is delighted by this news and thanks Mayor Brown and Watercare Services. STEPS will continue to support this project.

STEPS AGM 2011 report and Meola 2010/2011 Update in Pictures

stephen — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 23:16:23 +0000

STEPS held its 2011 AGM on 30 June. A lively discussion was held with a panel including:

- David Bowden Auckland Council

- Matt Davis, Auckland Council

- Mike Sheffield Watercare Services

- Melissa Marler

- Nick Goldwater.

Click here for a summary of the AGM and click here for a pictorial summary of activities 2010-2011, with slides showing the creek and surrounding areas as they appeared in this calendar year.

Auckland City Mayor, Len Brown, visits Meola Walkway

stephen — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 22:40:51 +0000

STEPS hosted a walk through the new plantings with Mayor Len Brown on Saturday 11th June.

The Mayor displayed a keen interest in both the fundamental sewerage and stormwater issues underlying many of the problems of the upper Meola Creek; and in the recent plantings and boardwalk which fit closely with the vision for “green fingers” extending inland from Watemata and Manukau Harbours.

STEPS’ vision for a walkway from our maunga at Owairaka to Te Tokaroa/ Meola Reef on the Waitemata Harbour fits well with this vision and the Local Board Chair and members who accompanied the Mayor extended an invitation to STEPS to review our portfolio of planned projects with them.

The Mayor has met with Watercare Services regarding dates for the new Central Interceptor project, and he is now planning to meet with the local business community regarding support for Meola Creek on 9 August 2011.

We thank the Mayor for his time and support for this important Auckland stream and ecological area.

You’re invited to STEPS AGM, Thursday June 30th, Alberton

stephen — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 08:35:24 +0000

STEPS will be holding its AGM on Thursday June 30, 2011, 7pm, at Alberton (100 Mt Albert Road).

After the AGM, we will be holding an open panel/floor discussion.

The panel will contain representatives from Watercare, Auckland Council and STEPS, who will present short updates on items including the interceptor, stormwater and plans for the Roy Clements Treeway plantings/wetland, and then be available for discussion of these items. We also plan to discuss our approaches to access to local green spaces.

Come along to support improving our environment. All welcome. Please note this date and pass on the information to anyone who might be interested.

Agenda attached STEPS AGM Agenda 2011

Technical reports on water pollutants relevant to Meola Creek

stephen — Thu, 12 May 2011 08:10:46 +0000

The Auckland Council has made us aware of many good technical reports at

http://www.arc.govt.nz/plans/technical-publications/technical-publications_home.cfm

In particular they recommend the following are relevant to Meola Creek situation.

P378 – Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Auckland’s aquatic environment

TR2008/023 – Urban sources of copper, lead and zinc

TR2008/028 – Literature review of organic chemicals of emerging environmental concern in use in Auckland

TR2008/029 – The impact of urban stormwater in Auckland’s aquatic receiving environment contaminants

TR2009/111 – The impacts of stormwater in Auckland’s aquatic receiving environment – a review of information 2005-2008

STEPS would like you as a member

stephen — Fri, 06 May 2011 07:36:22 +0000

STEPS is a voluntary organisation and most of our work is done in the Mt Albert and Sandringham areas in Auckland. We can make a lot more progress if we have new members, new supporters or volunteers who can help us with legal and planning issues, planting, weeding etc.

If you would like to join our efforts please contact us via this web site.

At this time we have been advised that the Mt.Albert Residents Assoc. (MARA) Community Patrols are now operating, and Fergusson Ave down to Kerr Taylor Reserve is now included in the Friday night patrols.

Are there any STEPS members or volunteers who might be interested in joining these community patrols? We need more patrollers so we can operate 2 nights (Fri & Sat nights) without it being a burden on anyone. For everyone to have only one patrol per month, we need to increase our 15 patrollers to 30. We patrol 10.00pm to 2.00am with a break at midnight.Please contact us if you are able to help MARA.