50:
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28:
57:
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area had experienced shifts between being marine, estuary, swamp and floodplain over the last 2 million years. The land underneath the
Estuary consists of gravel embedded between fine silts and sands deposited by the rivers and sea. The Brighton Spit which encloses the Estuary was formed by sand carried by the
304:
The
Estuary formed around 450 years ago and covers around 880 hectares (3.3 square miles). In 1989 the Canterbury Regional Council and the Christchurch City Council drilled an exploratory bore near the mouth of the Avon River / Ōtakaro discovering layers of fossils and sediment types that showed the
452:
The Avon–Heathcote
Estuary Ihutai Trust was formed in 2002. This resulted from requests from the wider community to act in the estuary's long-term interests. The members of the Trust include representatives from the community, existing groups (Friends of the Estuary and the Christchurch Estuary
416:. Governor Grey did not uphold all the terms of Kemp's Deed which included a promise to allow access to traditional mahinga kai and kaika nohoanga (seasonal camps) and by the 1850s Māori were barred from access to their mahinga kai sites around the estuary.
372:, which was located near to South New Brighton Park, the latter supporting iwi to reside there throughout each year due to the abundance of food supplied by Ihutai. Traditional food sources around Ihutai included pūtangitangi (
500:
262:
255:
481:
survey was undertaken by Julia Palmer and a total of 175 different invertebrate species were found to inhabit the
Charlesworth Reserve in the Avon-Heathcote Estuary/Ihutai.
497:
687:
884:
523:
288:
622:
49:
82:
879:
793:
521:
Post-1847 changes in the Avon-Heathcote
Estuary, Christchurch: a study of the effect of urban development around a tidal estuary
869:
223:
121:
874:
632:
412:
via the land purchaser Henry Kemp who obtained Māori signatures to a deed of purchase now referred to as Kemp's
Purchase or
275:
It is shallow with the mean at high water of ordinary spring tides (HWOST) of 1.4 metres (4.6 ft)—and is predominantly
531:
444:
also known as Jimmy
Robinson married Puawai a local Māori and is said to be the first European to access the Estuary.
752:
353:
341:
314:
219:
117:
454:
231:
306:
239:
187:
520:
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202:, and it is an important recreational playground and educational resource. It was once highly valued for
287:
The estuary's official name became
Estuary of the Heathcote and Avon Rivers / Ihutai as a result of the
853:
The
Estuary: Where our rivers meet the sea: Christchurch's Avon-Heathcote Estuary and Brooklands Lagoon
230:, and is primarily enclosed by the 4-kilometre (2.5 mi) long Brighton Spit, on which the suburbs
638:
425:
279:, as only about 15 percent of the area lies below low water of ordinary spring tides (LWOST).
317:
was forced southward towards that of the Ōpāwaho / Heathcote River, forming the estuary of today.
377:
349:
235:
440:
and other supplies and the
Estuary provided an important trading route. In 1837, a whaler named
332:
and arrived around the 13th century according to western archaeological evidence, though Māori
628:
465:
and other agencies. As of 2024, the board also includes scientists such as emeritus professor
462:
373:
329:
310:
207:
544:
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iwi included Ihutai (The Estuary). The nearest kāika (settlements) included Orua Paeroa at
27:
357:
345:
756:
527:
504:
276:
325:
769:
413:
365:
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from the south-west. The estuary has a triangular shape, a short inlet connection with
199:
140:
863:
624:
Te whakatau kaupapa: Ngai Tahu resource management strategy for the Canterbury region
466:
133:
819:
478:
337:
336:(genealogies) date settlement before this period of time with the discovery of the
246:
170:
32:
361:
401:
227:
245:
The most prominent features of the inlet are the single deep channel between
97:
84:
820:"Charlesworth Reserve Invertebrate Survey, Christchurch, Summer 2021 – 2022"
389:
333:
749:
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56:
405:
385:
195:
191:
183:
36:
661:
437:
429:
621:
Tau, Te Maire; Goodall, Anake; Palmer, David; Tau, Rakiihia (1990).
855:. Christchurch, New Zealand: Parks Unit, Christchurch City Council.
409:
369:
627:. Wellington, New Zealand: Aoraki Press. pp. (5)23 - (5)24.
128:
433:
381:
508:
794:"Surprise find – 175 invertebrate species in city wetland"
424:
Sealers and whalers were often valued by Māori who traded
400:
snail called whetiko flourished. In March 1848 Governor
604:
602:
396:) and pipi (shellfish). In former times a soft-shelled
733:
731:
265:
The Avon Heathcote Estuary viewed from Clifton Hill
194:. It is well known as an internationally important
166:
162:
154:
150:
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127:
113:
74:
20:
180:Estuary of the Heathcote and Avon Rivers / Ihutai
63:Estuary of the Heathcote and Avon Rivers / Ihutai
21:Estuary of the Heathcote and Avon Rivers / Ihutai
190:and remains one of New Zealand's most important
75:
222:enters the estuary from the northwest, and the
313:Rivers and as the Spit grew, the mouth of the
8:
404:negotiated sale of 20 million acres between
17:
666:Kā Huru Manu : The Ngāi Tahu atlas
490:
469:, and biologist Lesley Bolton-Ritchie.
545:"Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998"
182:is the largest semi-enclosed shallow
7:
737:
722:
710:
608:
593:
581:
569:
557:
289:Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998
453:Association), representatives from
448:Avon–Heathcote Estuary Ihutai Trust
818:Palmer, Julia (22 February 2022).
477:In the summer of 2021 to 2022, an
14:
885:Wetlands of the Canterbury Region
249:("Shag Rock") and Brighton Spit.
348:. Traditional food gathering or
254:
55:
48:
26:
158:8 km (3.1 sq mi)
153:
1:
759:, Estuary Trust, New Zealand.
774:Avon-Heathcote Estuary Trust
532:Royal Society of New Zealand
686:Christchurch City Council.
328:were the first settlers in
901:
688:"Christchurch before 1850"
526:February 10, 2009, at the
455:Christchurch City Council
420:Early European settlement
224:Ōpāwaho / Heathcote River
122:Ōpāwaho / Heathcote River
43:
25:
880:Estuaries of New Zealand
770:"Board members Archives"
368:and Te Kai a Te Karoro
870:Rivers of Christchurch
459:Environment Canterbury
321:Early Māori settlement
875:Rivers of New Zealand
755:May 23, 2010, at the
503:May 23, 2010, at the
442:James Robinson Clough
210:for food gathering).
662:"Te-Kai-a-Te-Karoro"
511:, New Zealand, 2007.
315:Avon River / Ōtākaro
220:Avon River / Ōtākaro
118:Avon River / Ōtākaro
851:Owen, S-J. (1992).
94: /
827:www.estuary.org.nz
236:South New Brighton
98:43.547°S 172.723°E
388:), īnanga (adult
374:Paradise Shelduck
360:and subsequently
307:Ashley / Rakahuri
176:
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129:Ocean/sea sources
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637:. Archived from
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611:, p. 10-14.
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549:
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541:
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192:coastal wetlands
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103:-43.547; 172.723
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59:
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30:
18:
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757:Wayback Machine
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641:on 27 July 2022
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200:migratory birds
143: countries
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463:tāngata whenua
449:
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421:
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366:Travis Wetland
322:
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6:
4:
3:
2:
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786:
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771:
765:
762:
758:
754:
751:
746:
743:
740:, p. 18.
739:
734:
732:
728:
725:, p. 14.
724:
719:
716:
713:, p. 12.
712:
707:
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689:
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509:Estuary Trust
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472:
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467:Islay Marsden
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407:
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384:), kanakana (
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283:Official name
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242:are located.
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134:Pacific Ocean
132:
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114:River sources
112:
107:
79:
73:
51:
42:
38:
34:
29:
24:
19:
16:
852:
830:. Retrieved
826:
813:
802:. Retrieved
800:. 2022-06-21
797:
788:
777:. Retrieved
773:
764:
745:
718:
706:
694:. Retrieved
681:
669:. Retrieved
665:
655:
643:. Retrieved
639:the original
623:
616:
596:, p. 5.
589:
584:, p. 4.
577:
572:, p. 3.
565:
560:, p. 2.
553:
539:
516:
493:
479:invertebrate
476:
473:Biodiversity
451:
423:
338:South Island
326:Māori people
324:
303:
286:
274:
247:Rapanui Rock
244:
232:New Brighton
217:
203:
179:
177:
171:Christchurch
155:Surface area
33:Christchurch
15:
660:Ngāi Tahu.
414:Kemp's Deed
402:George Grey
392:), pātiki (
376:), pārera (
356:, Rapuwai,
350:mahinga kai
311:Waimakariri
271:Description
228:Pegasus Bay
204:mahinga kai
167:Settlements
146:New Zealand
101: /
89:172°43′23″E
76:Coordinates
864:Categories
845:Literature
804:2022-06-25
779:2024-03-02
634:0908925069
498:Newsletter
485:References
432:for steel
358:Kāti Mamoe
346:Rākaihautū
344:ancestor,
330:Canterbury
277:intertidal
240:Southshore
188:Canterbury
86:43°32′49″S
738:Owen 1992
723:Owen 1992
711:Owen 1992
609:Owen 1992
594:Owen 1992
582:Owen 1992
570:Owen 1992
558:Owen 1992
398:perwinkle
390:whitebait
380:), tuna (
378:grey duck
362:Ngāi Tahu
352:sites of
334:whakapapa
35:with its
798:Newsline
753:Archived
524:Archived
501:Archived
436:, axes,
430:potatoes
394:flounder
300:The Land
214:Location
832:25 June
750:History
696:28 July
671:28 July
645:28 July
438:muskets
406:Kaiapoi
386:lamprey
354:Waitaha
342:Waitaha
295:History
196:habitat
184:estuary
37:estuary
631:
823:(PDF)
691:(PDF)
434:adzes
410:Otago
208:Māori
141:Basin
834:2022
698:2022
673:2022
647:2022
629:ISBN
428:and
426:flax
408:and
382:eels
309:and
238:and
218:The
198:for
178:The
340:by
186:in
866::
825:.
796:.
772:.
730:^
664:.
601:^
530:,
507:,
461:,
457:,
370:pā
291:.
234:,
836:.
807:.
782:.
700:.
675:.
649:.
547:.
534:.
206:(
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