East Harbour Regional Park

East Harbour Regional Park, looking south into Butterfly Creek valley

Type| Regional park
Location| Eastbourne, Lower Hutt, Wellington Region, New Zealand
Coordinates| 41°17′S 174°55′E﻿ / ﻿41.29°S 174.91°E﻿ / -41.29; 174.91
Operated by| Wellington Regional Council
Status| Open

East Harbour Regional Park is a regional park stretching from Baring Head along the east side of the Wellington Harbour along the east side of Eastbourne. It is located in Lower Hutt City, in the Wellington Region of New Zealand's North Island.[1]

The park is operated by Wellington Regional Council.[1]

## Geography[edit]

The park covers the bush-clad hills between Eastbourne and Wainuiomata, from near sea level to up to 373 metres (1,224 ft) (Lowry). Several tracks, some along ridges and one into the valley of Butterfly Creek, connect the entrances on the Wellington Harbour side and the entrances on the Wainuiomata side.[1]

The southern portion of the park includes the Kohangatera and Kohangapiripiri lakes.[1]

## History[edit]

Local Māori occupied the area before European settlement, with a network of routes connecting settlements along the eastern harbour coast.[2]

Te Atiawa were continuing to visit the area for seasonal fishing and berry-picking when the New Zealand Company began organised European settlement in the region in 1839, and were continuing to occupy the area late into the 19th century.[2]

Days Bay became popular for picnics and walking from the 1890s. Tracks were built in the area under a Great Depression work scheme, making the Butterfly Creek picnic area more popular from the 1930s.[2]

There were several shipwrecks along the coast, even after the Pencarrow Lighthouse was built in 1906 and Baring Head Lighthouse was built in 1925.[2]

The area became the base for a proposed regional park in 1973.[2]

Volunteers began planting native trees in the park in 2018, and had planted almost 7000 trees by 2021. The plantings include trees along the coast, and toitoi, flax, and ngaio along the Wainuiomata River bank.[3][4]

Wellington Regional Council consulted on the future of the park in 2020,[5] opting reduce stock grazing and increase native bush and wetlands.[6]

As of 2021, there were plans to establish overnight accommodation near the Baring Head Lighthouse.[7]

## Recreation[edit]

The park is used for mountain biking, cycling, walking, running and tramping.[1][8] There is a 6 kilometre return walk from the coastal carpark to Baring Head Lighthouse.[7]

Dogs are permitted on a leash during summer months, but are not permitted lower lighthouse, the Parangarahu Lakes Area or at Baring Head/Orua-pouanui at any time. There is a ban on dogs during the August to October lambing season.[1]

Fireworks are prohibited.[1]

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g "Belmont Regional Park". gw.govt.nz. Wellington Regional Council.
2. ^ a b c d e "Belmont Regional Park". gw.govt.nz. Wellington Regional Council.
3. ^ Green, Kate (3 March 2021). "Wellington work skills programme changing lives, one tree at a time". stuff.co.nz. Dominion Post.
4. ^ Chin, Frances (11 June 2021). "Planting days part of regional council's goal to grow 400,000 trees". stuff.co.nz. Dominion Post.
5. ^ "Greater Wellington invites input on future of regional parks". Australasian Leisure Management. ausleisure.com.au. 21 August 2020.
6. ^ Green, Kate (17 December 2020). "Stock grazing to be reduced, native bush and wetlands restored in Wellington region's parks". stuff.co.nz.
7. ^ a b Lamb, Michael (25 August 2021). "Post-lockdown planning: NZ's best lighthouse walks". New Zealand Media and Entertainment. New Zealand Herald.
8. ^ Bennett, Sarah (7 July 2021). "Top tips for off-road cycling in Wellington". New Zealand Media and Entertainment. New Zealand Herald.

## External links[edit]

* Greater Wellington Regional Council

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Lower Hutt, New Zealand

Seat: Hutt Central

Populated places|

| Western Ward|

* Alicetown
* Belmont
* Harbour View
* Haywards
* Kelson
* Manor Park
* Maungaraki
* Melling
* Normandale
* Tirohanga

|

Northern Ward|

* Stokes Valley
* Taitā (Pomare \- Wingate)

Central Ward|

* Avalon
* Boulcott
* Epuni
* Hutt Central
* Woburn

Eastern Ward|

* Fairfield
* Naenae
* Waterloo

Harbour Ward|

* Ava
* Days Bay
* Eastbourne
* Gracefield
* Korokoro
* Lowry Bay
* Māhina Bay
* Moera
* Petone
* Point Howard
* Seaview
* Sorrento Bay
* Sunshine Bay
* Waiwhetū
* York Bay

Wainuiomata Ward|

* Wainuiomata (Arakura \- Glendale \- Homedale \- Parkway)
* Pencarrow Head
* Wainuiomata Coast

Geographic features|

* Baring Head / Ōrua-pouanui
* Hutt Valley
* Pencarrow Head
* Remutaka Forest Park
* Te Awa Kairangi / Hutt River

Facilities and attractions|

* Baring Head Lighthouse
* Belmont Regional Park
* Central Fire Station
* Christ Church
* Dowse Art Museum
* East Harbour Regional Park
* Hutt Workshops
* Pencarrow Head Lighthouse
* Petone Settlers Museum
* Queensgate Shopping Centre
* The Glebe
* Vogel House
* Wainuiomata Recreation Area
* Wainuiomata Water Collection Area
* War Memorial Library

| Railway stations|

* Andrews
* Ava
* Beach
* Belmont
* Epuni
* Manor Park
* Melling
* Naenae
* Petone
* Pitcaithly's
* Pomare
* Taitā
* Waterloo
* Western Hutt
* Wingate
* Woburn

|

Rail lines|

* Haywards–Plimmerton
* Hutt Expressway
* Hutt Park
* Hutt Valley
* Melling

Government|

* City Council
* Mayor
* Regional Council

Education|

| Schools|

* Chilton Saint James School
* Hutt Intermediate School
* Hutt Valley High School
* Kimi Ora School
* Naenae College
* Raphael House Rudolf Steiner School
* Sacred Heart College
* St Bernard's College
* St Oran's College
* Wainuiomata High School
* Wellesley College

|

Tertiary|

* Open Polytechnic
* Wellington Institute of Technology

* v
* t
* e

Greater Wellington Regional Council

Regional parks|

* Akatarawa Forest
* Baring Head
* Battle Hill Farm Forest Park
* Belmont Regional Park
* East Harbour Regional Park
* Hutt River Trail
* Hutt Water Collection Area
* Kaitoke Regional Park
* Pakuratahi Forest
* Queen Elizabeth Park
* Te Awarua-o-Porirua Harbour
* Wainuiomata Regional Park
* Wainuiomata Water Collection Area
* Wairarapa Moana Wetlands
* Wellington Harbour
* Whitireia Park

* v
* t
* e

Protected areas of New Zealand

Conservation parks|

* Ahuriri
* Aorangi
* Aotea
* Catlins
* Coromandel
* Craigieburn
* Eyre Mountains/Taka Ra Haka
* Hakatere
* Hāwea
* Hanmer
* Kaimai Mamaku
* Kaimanawa
* Kaweka
* Ka Whata Tu O Rakihouia
* Korowai / Torlesse Tussocklands
* Lake Sumner
* Mavora Lakes
* Mount Richmond
* Northland
* North-west Nelson
* Oteake
* Pirongia
* Pureora
* Remutaka
* Ruahine
* Raukumara
* Ruataniwha
* Tararua
* Te Kahui Kaupeka
* Te Papanui
* Victoria
* Whakarewarewa
* Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne

Ecological islands|

* Brook Waimārama Sanctuary
* Bushy Park
* Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari
* Orokonui Ecosanctuary
* Tawharanui Open Sanctuary
* Zealandia

Government purpose reserves|

* Pāuatahanui Wildlife Reserve
* Pukaha / Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre

Historic reserves|

* Hāpūpū / J M Barker
* Maungauika / North Head
* Puhi Kai Iti / Cook Landing Site
* Stony Batter
* Te Kuri a Paoa/Young Nick's Head

Marine reserves|

* Akaroa
* Auckland Islands
* Cape Rodney-Okakari Point
* Hautai
* Hawea (Clio Rocks)
* Hikurangi
* Horoirangi
* Kahukura (Gold Arm)
* Kahurangi
* Kapiti
* Kermadec Islands
* Kutu Parera (Gaer Arm)
* Long Bay-Okura
* Long Island-Kokomohua
* Moana Uta (Wet Jacket Arm)
* Motu Manawa-Pollen Island
* Moutere Hauriri / Bounty Islands
* Moutere Ihupuku / Campbell Island
* Moutere Mahue / Antipodes Island
* Parininihi
* Piopiotahi (Milford Sound)
* Pohatu / Flea Bay
* Poor Knights Islands
* Punakaiki
* Taipari Roa (Elizabeth Island)
* Tapuae
* Taputeranga
* Taumoana (Five Finger Peninsula)
* Tauparikākā
* Tāwharanui
* Te Angiangi
* Te Awaatu Channel (The Gut)
* Te Hapua (Sutherland Sound)
* Te Matuku
* Te Paepae o Aotea (Volkner Rocks)
* Te Tapuwae o Hua (Long Sound)
* Te Tapuwae o Rongokako
* Tonga Island
* Tuhua (Mayor Island)
* Ulva Island-Te Wharawhara
* Waiau Glacier Coast
* Westhaven (Te Tai Tapu)
* Whanganui-A-Hei (Cathedral Cove)
* Whangarei Harbour

National parks|

| Current|

* Abel Tasman
* Aoraki / Mount Cook
* Arthur's Pass
* Egmont
* Fiordland
* Kahurangi
* Mount Aspiring
* Nelson Lakes
* Paparoa
* Rakiura
* Tongariro
* Westland Tai Poutini
* Whanganui

|

Former|

* Te Urewera

National reserves|

* Hāpūpū / J M Barker
* Lewis Pass
* Puhi Kai Iti / Cook Landing Site
* Subantarctic Islands
* Te Kuri a Paoa/Young Nick's Head

Recreation reserves|

* Bastion Point
* Otago Central Rail Trail
* Truby King Recreation Reserve

Regional parks|

* Akatarawa
* Ambury
* Ashley Rakahuri
* Ātiu Creek
* Auckland Botanic Gardens
* Āwhitu
* Battle Hill Farm
* Belmont
* Duder
* East Harbour
* Glenfern Sanctuary
* Hunua Ranges
* Kaitoke
* Lake Tekapo
* Long Bay
* Mahurangi
* Motukorea Browns Island
* Muriwai
* Mutukaroa / Hamlins Hill
* Ōmana
* Onekawa Te Mawhai
* Orere Point
* Pākiri
* Pakuratahi
* Papamoa Hills
* Queen Elizabeth
* Scandrett
* Shakespear
* Tāpapakanga
* Tāwharanui
* Tawhitokino
* Te Ārai
* Te Muri
* Te Rau Pūriri
* Waharau
* Waimakariri River
* Wainuiomata Regional Park
* Waitākere Ranges
* Waitawa
* Wenderholm
* Whakanewha
* Whakatīwai

Scenic reserves|

* Alice Eaves Reserve
* Bruce Park
* Goldie Bush
* Peel Forest Park
* Waro Limestone

Wetlands|

* Awarua Wetland
* Farewell Spit
* Firth of Thames
* Kopuatai Peat Dome
* Manawatu Estuary
* Pāuatahanui Wildlife Reserve
* Wairarapa Moana
* Whangamarino

Other areas|

* Hutt Water Collection Area
* Northern Pegasus Bay
* Wainuiomata Water Collection Area
* Whitireia

Other|

* Amenity area
* Ecological area
* Sanctuary area
* Wilderness area
* Wildlife management area

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