Restoring the Waitawa Stream

In the heart of Rotorua, a quiet transformation is taking place. The Waitawa Stream is being brought back to life by the hands of those who whakapapa to the land. At the centre of this revival is the Puna Ora Care Group, led by Lorraine Hall of Ngāti Hurungaterangi, a hapū of Ngāti Whakaue. 

“When we took on the project, the awa was filled with rubbish – tyres, plastics; it was murky and muddy,” Lorraine recalls. “Like anything though, the more you put into it, the more it comes back to life.” 

The project is a partnership between mana whenua, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, and Rotorua Lakes Council. Together, the goal is to restore the stream’s mauri and create a thriving habitat for birds, insects and aquatic life. 

Regional Council Land Management Team Leader Scott Kusabs sees the mahi as a powerful example of community led kaitiakitanga. 

“This is an important project led by mana whenua. Over many working bees, the dedicated care group have planted the stream banks with close to 3,000 plants. This is stabilising the edges and shading the water, which supports the habitat of the aquatic creatures that live there. 

“Regional Council’s role is to support and enable the group to be kaitiaki of the stream, by providing technical advice and resources where needed.” 

What was once considered a small, murky drain along the edge of the sports field is now a bubbling, clear, spring-fed stream surrounded with native vegetation. 

For Lorraine, the work is deeply personal. “For me, it’s about succession planning for future generations. It’s also about saving our taonga and the taonga species that live in this awa. All the things that maintain and sustain a healthy way of living – that’s what we’re doing for our mokopuna.” 

The stream, one of many that feed into Lake Rotorua, flows through Ngāpuna – “the place of many springs” and its health is vital not just for the local ecosystem, but for the communities downstream. 

Rotorua Lakes Council Open Spaces Operations Advisor Gary Coker reflects on the transformation of the land beside Neil Hunt Park.  

“Traditionally, this side of the park was quite wet and underutilised. We removed pest trees and retired the stretch of land along the river edge. That allowed the care group to plant native species and restore the stream.”

Now, the area is thriving. Walkers and park users enjoy the natural beauty and native species are returning.

“It’s all about restoration – for our birds, insects and aquatic life,” Gary says. “It’s a great example of what our residents and care groups can do and are doing across our city.” 

Lorraine smiles as she watches her mokopuna playing in and around the stream.  

“We’re planting the seeds for them. We won’t be here to see it come to fruition, but one day, when my moko are my age, they’ll realise that the work being done now has paid off.” 

The Waitawa Stream is more than a waterway, it’s a living legacy – and thanks to the aroha, mahi and vision of the Puna Ora Care Group and its partners, it’s coming back to life again.