Meola Creek Enhancement Programme

Have you ever visited a lava rock forest?

Norwood Reserve in Mt Albert hides a hidden ecological gem: within this public space is a lava rock forest - a native forest vegetation cover that forms on lava flows in the years and centuries after an eruption. Norwood Reserve is one of the few remaining such treasures in Auckland, along with the nearby Roy Clements Treeway, and Withiel Thomas Reserve in Epsom. These precious pieces of historical lava rock forest are now less than half of one percent of their pre-European extent. 
 
Norwood's lava rock forest stands between Chamberlain Golf Course and Meola Creek in Mt Albert. It is a remnant of Auckland's largest volcanic field basalt lava flow, which runs from Titiko/Mt St John in Epsom to the Waitematā Harbour, between Pt Chevalier and Westmere. 
 

A practical plan to help

An integral part of the Central Interceptor project is to leave public spaces better than how we found them. The Waitītiko Meola Creek Enhancement Plan was developed in 2018 following extensive consultation with community groups - particularly St Luke’s Environmental Protection Society (STEPS) and the Albert Eden local board.
 
Between 2020-2025, our contractor will remove a large amount of both inorganic and organic rubbish to control plants and animal pests in the forest. When the pest plants are cleared it will make room for native trees and shrubs.
 
The plan describes the various improvement activities we will undertake in local green areas adjacent to Meola Creek to help improve the health of this important local stream. The full Enhancement Plan is available below, along with the tree protection plans for our major construction sites.

Minutes of Meola Creek Community Liaison Group meetings

The Meola Creek CLG meets regularly to discuss progress on the Enhancement Plan and other issues relating to the sites along the creek.

Photo: Stream restoration planting is a fun group activity even if it gets a little muddy