About Tūhaitara Coastal Park

Trust 
Te Kōhaka o Tūhaitara Trust is a registered charity responsible for the rehablitation and management of Tūhaitara Coastal Park. The Trust is run by six trustees, three appointed by Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and three by Waimakariri District Council. The Trust employs a full-time General Manager, a part-time Secretary and ranger staff to manage the park that was established as an outcome of the settlement between Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and the Crown, with the lands being gifted to the people of New Zealand.

Land
Tūhaitara Coastal Park covers approximately 700ha of land along the coastline from the Waimakariri River mouth to the settlement of Waikuku Beach. Stretching along the coast for 10.5 kilometres, it comprises many natural features of local, regional and national importance. Tūhaitara Coastal Park provides a range of opportunities to preserve Ngāi Tahu values, retain and enhance rare indigenous biodiversity and provide recreational and educational opportunities for all people.

The area is predominantly protection and plantation pine forest and sand dunes. However, the park includes areas of national and regional significance including the Tūtaepatu Lagoon, Taranaki Stream and Saltwater Creek freshwater coastal system, and The Pines Wetland.

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Whakapapa and Tikanga

​The name Te Kōhaka o Tūhaitara acknowledges whakapapa and tikanga. Tūhaitara was an ancestress of Ngāi Tūahuriri. The occupiers of the Kaiapoi Pā and North Canterbury were known as te hapū o Tūhaitara / the family of Tūhaitara. Kōhaka refers to a nest, to the season of spring, indicating a time to apply vision, new concepts, the sowing of thoughts or seeds.

The residents of Kaiapoi Pā and in more recent years, members of Ngāi Tūahuriri Rūnanga, have had a close relationship with the lands. Tūtaepatu Lagoon was a rich and important source of mahinga kai, particularly tuna (eel).

 

In addition, the area surrounding Tūtaepatu Lagoon contains the urupā for Tu Rakautahi, who was the founder of the Kaiapoi Pā. It is part of the area known as the greatest pounamu trading centre in the South Island. 

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Team 

Our current trustees are; Chair - Joseph Hullen, Deputy - Al Blackie, Rex Anglem, Catherine McMillan, Andrea Rigby, Nukuroa Tirikatene-Nash.

​We also have a small team dedicated to the Trust's vision and implementation of the 200-year Land Management Plan.

General Manager | Kaiwhakahaere - Nick Moody
Senior Kaimahi Taiao - Deane Barlow 
Kaimahi Taiao - Rex Anglem, Emily Dawson, Mikaela Woods, Nickolai Leary-Anglem, Murray Franklin 

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Karakia

Tēnei mātou ngā tangata o te Kōhaka o Tūhaitara

This is us the people of the nest of Tūhaitara

 

E mihi nui te aroha ki a kotou katoa

Greetings/acknowledgement of great love to you all

 

Mauri ora, mauri tū

Living essence, standing essence

 

Wai ora me te wairua tapu

Living water and the holy spirit

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