The location of Whale Song
Wharemauku Park (proposed naming)
- Kāpiti Coast
Wellington, New Zealand
Whale Song partner, Ngahina Developments, representing local iwi interests, sees this vision as an essential part of the Paraparaumu town centre’s future. Ngahina Developments granted a perpetual lease of a one-acre site where the Whale Song sculptures will be located. This land is alongside the Wharemauku Stream, which has its headwaters in the Maungakotukutuku valley, flowing through Paraparaumu township to Raumati Beach before reaching the sea.
The current proposed development of the larger site (28 hectares) which will encompass Whale Song requires the Whale Song sculptures to shift slightly northwest from the original planned site. This will enable a much-improved restoration of the Wharemauku stream than previously envisioned, providing for a larger wetland/flood protection area of approximately 8 hectares. The new wetland park area will be accessible to the public with pathways and boardwalks. As well as being highly visible from the Kāpiti Expressway the site already connects with the National Te Araroa Cycle and Walkway Trail.
Wharemauku Park
Wharemauku Park is a proposed central park and the heart of Paraparaumu and Kāpiti, as part of the Kāpiti's Urban Regeneration Project.
It incorporates Whale Song, a Wharenui/Cultural Centre, and the Wharemauku Stream Forest Nursery restoration project.
The park's focus is on cultural connections, with all that it encompasses being interwoven with rangi, wai, whenua, tipu, and kararehe.
Wharemauku Stream Restoration
The park is aimed at restoring the wairua of the Wharemauku Stream and its surroundings, improving hydrology and floodwater resilience, culminating with the creation of a new central park as a centrepiece of this wider area of future development.
What are the key objectives?
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restored ponding areas and a widened stream to improve flood protection.
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restoring and protecting the catchment for future generations.
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enhancing opportunities for public access and recreation along the stream.
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improving water quality, biodiversity throughout the stream and its immediate environs.
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making the stream a focal point for the Kāpiti community.
Who are the key partners?
The restoration of the Wharemauku Stream, its ecology, capacity and its future surroundings requires a unified approach from multiple parties as described in the vision above. Key partners include Puketapu ki Paraparaumu Hapū, Kāpiti Coast District Council, Coastlands Shoppingtown, Ngahina Developments and The Wellington Company.
