2009. Waimakariri River and Kaiapoi River Confluence

2009. Wrights Road Carpark, Waimakariri River Regional Park, Christchurch

I parked my car at Wrights Road carpark, entrance to Waimakariri River Regional Park. I wanted to walk down Waimakariri River north bank, through Poynter Nature Reserve to the confluence with Kaiapoi River, walk up Kaiapoi River south bank to Raven Quay, then return to my car on the stopbank track called Kaiapoi Island Trail East.


2009. Dobson Drive Warning Signs, Waimakariri River Regional Park, Christchurch


2009. Kiwirail Engine on Bridge 17 over Waimakariri River, Christchurch


2009. Kaiapoi Island Trail East Sign on Stopbank by Waimakariri River Railway Bridge 17, Christchurch

I walked eastwards along Dobson Drive, under Waimakariri River Main North Road Bridge, and coolpixed a Kiwirail goods train while it rumbled across Bridge 17 over Waimakariri River.


2009. Poynter Nature Reserve Sign, Dobson Drive, Waimakariri River Regional Park, Christchurch

I passed POYNTER NATURE RESERVE sign and walked along the shared bike / walking track beside Waimakariri River. I passed poplars beside Dobson Drive and the stopbank on my left, with willows, concrete blocks and Waimakariri River on my right.


2009. Shared Use Track, Dobson Drive left, Waimakariri River Regional Park, Christchurch


2009. Shared Use Track view of Waimakariri River, Dobson Drive, Christchurch


2009. Waimakariri River north bank downstream view, Dobson Drive, Christchurch

By Jury's Outlet, I coolpixed flax and tussock grass plantings along a sludgy creek taking swamp water from Jury's Wetland behind the stopbank to Waimakariri River.


2009. Jury's Outlet to Waimakariri River, Dobsons Drive, Christchurch


2009. Stopbank view of Dobson Drive & Jury's Outlet to Waimakariri River, Christchurch


2009. Stopbank view of Dobson Drive & Waimakariri River north bank, Christchurch


2009. Stopbank view of Macrocarpa Shelterbelt, Pines & Willows, near Dobson Drive, Christchurch

Bored by riverside willows, I sidled up a track and walked eastwards along the top of the stopbank, with a macrocarpa shelterbelt and farmland leftwards. Pine trees leftwards and willow trees rightwards wafted spring pollen in arboreal orgy. Pornographer broom behind pines spoilt the show.



2009. Pinus radiata Male & Female Cones, Waimakariri River Stopbank, Dobson Drive, Christchurch


2009. Willow Catkins, Waimakariri River Stopbank, Dobson Drive, Christchurch


2009. Pines & Willows, Waimakariri River Stopbank, Dobson Drive, Christchurch


2009. Shared Use Track by Monopoli's Pond & Dobson Drive, Christchurch


2009. Monopoli's Pond by Waimakariri River north bank, Christchurch


2009. Railway Reserve by Waimakariri River north bank, Christchurch

On the shared track again, I snapped Monopoli's Pond beside Waimakariri River and the RAILWAY RESERVE sign in the picnic site. By Dobson Drive / Anglers Causeway an angler angled by his SUV. On a Waimakariri River island I saw shags and gulls. On the opposite bank I saw more anglers and SUVs.


2009. Dobson Drive / Anglers Causeway Junction, Waimakariri River north bank, Christchurch


2009. Waimakariri River north bank upstream view, Railway Reserve, Christchurch


2009. Yellow Eyed Mullet, Waimakariri River north bank, Railway Reserve, Christchurch

As fishing looked good from shingle banks, I made a mental note to bring Leah and Luke another time to try our luck at salmon fishing. On the riverbank, I snapped a dead yellow eyed mullet.


2009. End of Dobson Drive, Waimakariri River, Christchurch


2009. Start of Poynter Track by Waimakariri River, Christchurch


2009. Poynter Track Info Boards & Native Bush Plantings by Waimakariri River, Christchurch


2009. Poynter Track Info Board, Waimakariri River, Christchurch


2009. Wooden Bridge & Native Plantings, Poynter Track, Waimakariri River, Christchurch


2009. Duckboard Bridge, Poynter Track, Waimakariri River, Christchurch


2009. Sprayed Grass, Native Plantings & Willows, Poynter Track, Waimakariri River, Christchurch

At the end of Railway Reserve beyond Dobson Drive carpark, I looked at signs showing POYNTER NATURE WALK. I passed willows and native bush plantings, and crossed a wooden bridge over a slimy creek.

At one point I found sprayed weedkiller had killed grass by native plantings. Many willows were dead, reminding me of WW1 Delville Wood battleground, and I wondered whether they were poisoned too?


2009. Dead Willows in Swamp, Poynter Track, Waimakariri River, Christchurch

2009. Boardwalk entering The Crossing, Poynter Track, Waimakariri River, Christchurch


2009. The Crossing Info Board, Poynter Track, Waimakariri River, Christchurch


2009. The Crossing, Poynter Track, Waimakariri River, Christchurch


2009. Boardwalk leaving The Crossing, Poynter Track, Waimakariri River, Christchurch

Through the swamp I walked THE CROSSING boardwalk, where in the centre an info board gave Maori and European settler history: Maori foraged wildfowl, fish and native plants, while European settlers planted swamp-sucking crack willows. At the crossing, in the middle of the swamp I late-lunched on CocaCola, Pam's Chunky Steak Pie and a Flemings Chewy Muesli Bar.


2009. Stopbank View of Farmlands & Alps: near Waimakariri River / Kaiapoi River Confluence


2009. Poynter Track Swamp View of Waimakariri River Stopbank near Kaiapoi River


2009. Duckboard Bridge, Poynter Track near Waimakariri River / Kaiapoi River Confluence

I climbed the stopbank again to look at farmland and distant Alpine views. Back in the low tide swamp I crossed another duckboard bridge. At the LOOKOUT by Waimakariri River / Kaiapoi River confluence, I walked another boardwalk and admired rivers and distant Pacific views from a wooden bench.


2009. Kaiapoi River / Waimakariri River Confluence Lookout, South Island, NZ


2009. Whitebaiter, Kaiapoi River, near Waimakariri River, Mainland, NZ


2009. Maori Boaties, Kaiapoi River, near Waimakariri River, South Island, NZ

Again I saw anglers and SUVs on the opposite Waimakariri River bank. I watched a whitebait fisherman in gumboots wading Kaiapoi River by the opposite bank, and sliding his big net into shallows. He stopped whitebaiting for a while, when 5 Maori men in a boat chugged by at 5 knots.


2009. Warning Signs, Kaiapoi River / Waimakariri River Confluence Lookout


2009. Boardwalk to The Landing near Lookout, Kaiapoi River,

By THE LANDING info board at the Lookout, I read more Maori and European history: use of wildlife foods by Maori and draining of swamps and building of stopbanks by European settlers. I made another mental note to weekend-cruise the Kaiapoi River in MV Tuhoe.

The info board mentioned more Mainland rivers - Rakaia, Rangitata, Waitaki - and informed me that Waimakariri meant, "Cold Water," and Kaiapoi meant, "Swung Food," in Maori.


2009. The Landing Info Board, Kaiapoi River


2009. Kaiapoi River South Stopbank, western view to Kaiapoi

On top of the stopbank, I walked up the Kaiapoi River for about 1 km, with swamp on my right and grassy farmland and snowy Alps on my left...


2009. Raven Quay over Courtenay Stream view of Kaiapoi housing along Courtenay Dr


2009. Raven Quay view of Kaiapoi housing & upstream Kaiapoi River


2009. Raven Quay Maori Whitebaiter, Courtenay Stream near Kaiapoi River


2009. Kaiapoi River, low tide upstream view near Raven Quay


2009. Kaiapoi River, high tide upstream view near Raven Quay


2009. Kaiapoi River, downstream view near Raven Quay


2009. Courtenay Lake Fishing Rules, Kaiapoi


2009. Courtenay Lake, Kaiapoi


2009. Courtenay Lake Ducks, Kaiapoi


2009. Courtenay Lake Black Swan, Kaiapoi

At Raven Quay I watched 2 Maori men patiently whitebaiting by sliding their nets into Courtenay Stream. I snapped Kaiapoi River views, and lingered at nearby Courtenay Lake, where I birdwatched ducks and black swans. Kids 17 years and under were allowed licensed salmon and trout fishing all year round at Courtenay Lake.


2009. Raven Quay, Start of Kaiapoi Island Trail East & Poynter Track


2009. Raven Quay view of Maori Whitebaiter, low tide Courtenay Stream near Kaiapoi River


2009. Raven Quay view of high tide Courtenay Stream near Kaiapoi River


2009. Kaiapoi River South Stopbank view of Swamp Willows, near Raven Quay


2009. South Stopbank view of a Swamp Creek entering Kaiapoi River


2009. South Stopbank view of Swamp by Kaiapoi River


2009. Kaiapoi River South Stopbank view of Paddock, Kaiapoi & Southern Alps

I returned to my car via the track on top of the stopbank, a long L shaped walk, with rivers, swamps, farmlands and Alpine views. Along the way, 2 male bikers and a man and brown dog passed. Besides me, they were the only people on the tracks that still Thursday afternoon.

My dawdle from Wrights Road carpark to Raven Quay took 2.5 hours. My faster return along the stopbank took 1 hour 10 minutes.


2009. Corner of Kaiapoi River & Waimakariri River Stopbanks


2009. Waimakariri River Stopbank view of Swamp near Poynter Track


2009. Waimakariri River Stopbank view of a Kaiapoi Paddock & Southern Alps


2009. Waimakariri River Stopbank view of Irrigation Pivot in a Kaiapoi Paddock


2009. Walker on Waimakariri River Stopbank going from Christchurch to Kaiapoi


2009. Stopbank view of Waimakariri River, near Poynter Track


2009. Waimakari River Stopbank going from Kaiapoi to Christchurch


2009. Waimakariri River Stopbank view of end of Railway Bridge 17, Christchurch


2009. Mark JS Esslemont, Swamped, Poynter Track, Waimakariri River, Christchurch

In the weekend Leah and I walked Poynter Track to see high tide rivers. Kaiapoi River and Courtenay Stream were about 1 metre higher than low tide waters I'd seen three days before. An Australian harrier circled above the swamp. I wondered what it was hunting?

After The Crossing on the return loop going to Railway Reserve, I was impressed with native plantings beside Poynter Track, but gorse, broom and blackberries were ghastly: more than elsewhere on Poynter Track.


2009. Boardwalk, Poynter Track, Waimakariri River, Christchurch

Coda: The 4 Sept 2010 quake badly damaged Kaiapoi, leaving many quaked trashed houses & quake displaced people. There was liquefaction damage by Raven Quay, Courtenay Stream & Courtenay Lake. Raven Quay had wide quake cracks & Kaiapoi River bank slumped towards the river. Houses along Courtenay Dr near Raven Quay were badly damaged by the quake.

Content & pics Copyright Mark JS Esslemont.

See "Visit Waimakariri"