Te Auaunga/Oakley Creek winds 15 kilometres from Hillsborough, through Mt Roskill, and Waterview spilling out into the Waitemata Harbour.
Since 2004, Friends of Oakley Creek have been working tirelessly to restore habitats for birds, fish and native plants along this waterway, one of Auckland’s longest and most accessible urban streams and improve the creeks water quality.
A $15,000 funding injection from Auckland Council courtesy of the Natural Environment Targeted Rate by way of the Regional Environment Natural Heritage grant has helped Friends of Oakley Creek to continue their inspiring work.
In the last year, they’ve been able to plant 5635 native plants in the surrounding area bringing the total number of natives planted to 82,917.
Local volunteers looking to contribute have supported Friends of Oakley Creek with clean-ups and weeding sessions which has seen the removal of massive amounts of bindweed, a problem weed.
“It’s wonderful to see the changes along the stream, and to have such a supportive and encouraging community,” says founder Wendy John.
“The programmes we’ve been able to coordinate directly benefit them so it’s really amazing to see so many locals getting involved.”
Friends of Oakley Creek are working on a stream of new developments, including silt control and encroachments onto reserve land.
