Download Butterfly Creek - Greater Wellington Regional Council

Butterfly Creek
Where the
wild
things are
[Eastbourne Hills]
Facilities
Bus (Muritai Road and Eastern Bays Marine Drive)
Walking tracks
Parking (Roadside)
Bird watching
Toilets (Butterfly Creek picnic area and Korohiwa,
Picnic table
south end of Muritai Road)
Dog walking
Highlight
Hike the trails to one of the most popular picnic spots in the Hutt Valley. On the way enjoy some of the best
bird watching and encounter some of the largest kahikatea in the East Harbour Regional Park.
Description, values & significance
Butterfly Creek is a peaceful valley behind Eastbourne and is part of East Harbour Regional Park. The park has
one of the richest orchid assemblages in the region with 33 species recorded. In any given month, at least one
species of native orchid is likely to be in flower! Once extensively logged the steep hillsides now have wellestablished regenerating forest. The Eastbourne area was once an important seasonal settlement for local
Māori.
Accessibility/How to get there/particular time of year to visit
The Butterfly Creek area is accessible by foot on a number of different tracks behind Eastborne. Bus Numbers
81, 83, 84 and 85 all go along Muritai Road and provide easy access to the beginning of these tracks. There is
carparking in residential areas and by the bus barnes.
Threatened species/species of interest
The unique topography of the Eastbourne hills gives rise to varied forest types, from some of the best lowland
beech/ rata forest in Wellington on the hills to lush rimu, kahikatea, pukatea and nikau stands in the damp valley
floors. The park hosts important stands of northern rata and restoration efforts by volunteers have protected
the rata from intensive possum browse. The diverse forest produces plentiful food for tui, bellbird, kereru,
tomtit, North Island robin, falcon, red-crowned parakeet (kakariki) and whitehead.
Key threats
An active volunteer care group is endeavouring to restore some missing elements from this damaged
ecosystem. The threatened northern rata suffered considerable possum browse in the past and is now at risk
of hybridising with póhutukawa, diluting the gene pool. Póhutukawa does not naturally occur south of Taupo,
and was introduced to the region.
Walks (length)
Manager
Four Tracks lead from Eastbourne up through
regenerating bush and mature beech forest before
descending into the Butterfly Creek valley and onto
the popular picnic spot.
There are several access points to this track. Kowhai
Street and the Korohiwa bus barns are about 2
hours return. Muritai Park is about 3 hours return.
MacKenzie Road is about 3.5 hours return.
Greater Wellington Regional Council
Protection status
Scenic Reserve
Community Involvement
Mainland Island Restoration Operation (MIRO)
Walks (grade)
These tracks are moderate to hard walking.
How to get there
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EAST HARBOUR
REGIONAL PARK