2009. Ridge between Avoca Valley and Horotane Valley

I parked my car at Vega Place before ZEALANDIA HORTICULTURE at the bottom of Avoca Valley, Christchurch, as I wanted to walk around DUNCAN PARK and climb to the top rock on the ridge between north-facing Avoca Valley and Horotane Valley. (Old name for Zealandia Horticulture was Valley Nursery).


2009. Zealandia Horticulture, Vega Place, Christchurch. Castle Rock & Avoca Valley ridge backdrop, Port Hills

I walked along truck-noisy Port Hills Road a bit, and opposite Chapmans Road I passed the entrance to FERRYMEAD PONY CLUB, which leased most of Duncan Park at the bottom of the ridge and Avoca Valley. From the north the ridge was pyramid-shaped, but from the side it looked dragon-back shaped.


2009. Ferrymead Pony Club entrance, Port Hills Road, Christchurch. Castle Rock & lower Avoca Valley ridge backdrop, Port Hills

The track began at Duncan Park carpark on Horotane Valley side of the ridge, and I walked through a gate with big macrocarpas on my right and steep horse paddocks going over the ridge to Avoca Valley. Due to heavy rains the last few days the track was muddy. Newly eroded white clay from the ridge covered the grass.

I walked beside the ridge between farm fences going up to a pine forest ascending the ridge slope. Tomato greenhouses stretched across the bottom of Horotane Valley towards Tunnel Road, which went up Heathcote Valley through Lyttelton Tunnel to Lyttelton Port.

The track had hoofprints in the mud, and I passed a concrete horse-trough half-filled with stagnant water and lemna weed. I passed horse paddocks in Horotane Valley, with horses wearing canvas horse-coats, and further up Horotane Valley were more greenhouses and orchards where we sometimes bought apricots, plums and vegetables. In the distance, at Horotane Valley head I saw Castle Rock and The Tors.


2009. Duncan Park circuit track, Horotane Valley lower ridge side. Castle Rock, Port Hills backdrop

A bloke wearing a brown tartan shirt passed me. Further on he stopped and did stretching exercises at a small gatepost. He left me when he realized I wasn't going to compete with his fast pace on wooden steps, zigzagging up the slope beside the pine forest.


2009. Horotane Valley lower ridge slope, Duncan Park, overlooking tomato greenhouses & Avon-Heathcote Estuary, Christchurch

On top I crossed a stile below two rows of electric pylons, and enjoyed views of northern Christchurch and Avon-Heathcote Estuary. I disliked gorse infestation I'd passed on the Horotane Valley track and up the slope.


2009. Horotane Valley lower ridge view of northern Christchurch towards Mount Thomas


2009. Duncan Park circuit track ridge view of lower Avoca Valley left & lower Horotane Valley right, overlooking northern Christchurch


2009. LPG Pipeline warning on ridge between Horotane Valley & Avoca Valley, Port Hills

Following farm fencing, I walked up the knobbly ridge crest with Horotane Valley on my left and Avoca Valley on my right. Initially the ridge track was grassy and muddy, so I kicked off my jandals and walked barefoot while dodging cow pats. By electric pylons I passed two gates, both with signs stating:

WARNING
HIGH PRESSURE
LPG PIPELINE...


2009. Ridge view over lower Horotane Valley, Tunnel Road, lower Heathcote Valley, Avon-Heathcote Estuary & Saint Andrews Hill, Christchurch


2009. Avoca Valley ridge view of northern Christchurch towards Mount Thomas. Chapmans Road right


2009. Ridge view of lower Avoca Valley & northern Christchurch. Pegasus Bay top right


2009. Ridge view of lower Avoca Valley & northern Christchurch


2009. Ridge view of upper Horotane Valley, Castle Rock & The Tors. Mount Cavendish Gondola Station behind

By a metal pole with an orange plastic cap I crossed the fence to Horotane Valley side of the ridge crest, where the path became stony with paddock grass changing to native scrub clinging to rocks on the narrowing ridge crest.

On the way up I had great views of Mount Cavendish, Castle Rock and The Tors on my left, and Avoca Valley, Rapaki Track, Witch Hill, Mount Vernon, Canterbury Plains and snowy Southern Alps on my right.

The higher I climbed the better the view.


2009. Ridge top rock view southwards towards Witch Hill & Mount Vernon, Port Hills


2009. Ridge top rock view south-westwards across upper Avoca Valley, Mount Vernon Reserve, Canterbury Plains & Southern Alps


2009. Avoca Valley ridge, top rock view down lower Avoca Valley, over northern Christchurch, towards Mt Thomas


2009. Avoca Valley ridge, top rock view over Tunnel Road, Avon-Heathcote Estuary, Pegasus Bay & Southern Alps


2009. Avoca Valley ridge view over Avon-Heathcote Estuary, Southshore Spit & Pegasus Bay towards Kaikouras


2009. Avoca Valley ridge view over swampy lower Heathcote Valley, St Andrews Hill, low tide Avon-Heathcote Estuary, Southshore Spit & hazy Pegasus Bay

I scrambled up to the top rock and had 360 degree views including a glimpse of snowy Mount Herbert beyond Great Tor. I sat on the top rock and drank CocaCola and ate my "Pams Fresh Pie Chunky Steak," while enjoying views of northern Christchurch, Avon-Heathcote Estuary, St Andrews Hill, Pegasus Bay and beyond to the Kaikouras.

I was about as high as Port Hills Summit Road, some distance behind me, and over my right shoulder Castle Rock loomed on Horotane Valley head.


2009. Ridge top rock view of Horotane Valley head & Castle Rock, with Summit Road, Mount Cavendish & Gondola Station behind


2009. Ridge top rock view of Castle Rock, Horotane Valley head, Port Hills


2009. Ridge top rock view of Summit Road & The Tors, Port Hills, Christchurch

I climbed down the same way I'd gone up, but at the pylons on the ridge crest above Ferrymead Pony Club, I crossed another stile on the left and went down Avoca Valley slope, continuing my circuit around Duncan Park. I walked down wooden steps, like on Horotane Valley slope, through native plantings and gorse.

A fantail checked me out, and at the bottom of Avoca Valley I circled round horse paddocks, where a brown horse ambled over expecting a titbit by the stock-shock fence.

On my left I passed pines and willows beside Avoca Valley Stream, and horse jumps on my right. I went through a gate by the stream, hopped over the stream, and took a short-cut through Zealandia Horticulture back to my car. Nursery sheds and plastic greenhouses were still the same as 14 years before when I worked there.

The ridge climb and return took me 2.5 hours.

Coda: 2010-2011 earthquakes damaged Christchurch, Heathcote Valley & other valleys. Summit Rd & The Gondola station were closed due to rockfall dangers. During the 04.09.10 earthquake, Castle Rock rockfalls slid into Heathcote Valley near the Bridal Path.

Content & pics Copyright Mark JS Esslemont.

2009. Heathcote River North Bank, Woolston Loop

2009. Woolston Cut Footbridge by Bamford Primary School, Christchurch. Avoca Valley, Port Hills backdrop


2009. Heathcote River, Woolston Loop downriver start by Woolston Cut, Christchurch. Avoca Valley, Port Hills backdrop

I parked my car in Gould Cres by Bamford Primary School. I crossed Woolston Cut footbridge and walked down Woolston Cut till I reached Heathcote River north bank, where waters flowed down Woolston Loop to the Pacific. I'd already walked the longer south bank of Heathcote River, Woolston Loop, and wanted to walk the north bank of Woolston Loop too.


2009. Heathcote River, Woolston Loop downriver view from Long St, Christchurch


2009. Heathcote River downriver bend on Woolston Loop by Long St, Christchurch


2009. Hazchem Sign, Long St, Woolston Loop, Christchurch


2009. Heathcote River Woolston Loop business, end of Long St, Christchurch. Avoca Valley, Port Hills backdrop

I followed Heathcote River upriver along Long St, backdropped by Heathcote Valley and Horotane Valley in the Port Hills. I passed a HAZCHEM business sign, and passed a Christchurch City Council sign:

CCC PUBLIC ACCESS
ALONG RIVER...


2009. Christchurch City Council Sign, Heathcote River, Woolston Loop, Christchurch


2009. Heathcote River upriver view of Farmland, Woolston Loop, Christchurch

Long St ended with businesses on my right and Heathcote River on my left. As Woolston had been an industrial area for over 100 years, I would pass many more businesses on Woolston Loop.

Native plantings on Heathcote River bank obscured businesses and river views, and trapped litter. I saw soft drink cans and booze cans, plastic bottles and polystyrene. I found a DESIGN TEAM INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE ceramic mug, which I salvaged as a souvenir.


2009. Pukekos (purple gallinule) Christchurch emblem, Heathcote River, Woolston Loop


2009. Heathcote River upriver view of Farmland, Woolston Loop, Christchurch


2009. Heathcote River upriver view of Farm Shed, Woolston Loop, Christchurch


2009. Heathcote River upriver view of Woolston Loop businesses, Christchurch

I saw pukekos, ducks and shags in the water. Ducks were nervous as it was duck shooting season. Whenever I raised my Nikon ducks flew off. A week before, non duck shooting season, ducks stayed put on the river.


2009. Heathcote River downriver view, Woolston Loop, Christchurch


2009. Illegal Dumping, Cumnor Tce side of Heathcote River, Woolston Loop, Christchurch. Ironic Car Crusher Yard one block behind

At the end of farmland, Cumnor Tce side of Heathcote River, I saw the carcass of a blue minibus dumped with a pile of tyres beside it - not there when I'd passed a week before. Views of Horotane Valley and Avoca Valley behind MANA TRANSPORT LTD made up for visual pollution.


2009. Heathcote River downriver view of Woolston Loop businesses, Christchurch. Horotane Valley & Avoca Valley, Port Hills backdrop


2009. Heathcote River upriver view of Cumnor Tce business, Woolston Loop, Christchurch


2009. Heathcote River upriver view of Cumnor Tce businesses, Woolston Loop, Christchurch


2009. Graffiti downriver view of Heathcote River, Woolston Loop, Christchurch. Mount Cavendish left. Castle Rock & The Tors, Port Hills, right

I passed riverbank shell middens. I wondered if they were ancient Maori middens or shells left by more recent settlers, at lime kilns?



2009. Shell Midden, Heathcote River, Woolston Loop, Christchurch

I passed a concrete DANGER 11000 VOLT MED CABLES sign on the riverbank, an identical sign was on the southern bank, so I assumed cables went under the river. A kayaker paddled downriver, while I examined a graffiti sprayed corrugated iron fence hiding a business. On the opposite bank, noisy trucks on Cumnor Tce lumbered past.

I crossed two wooden footbridges over ditches. A green, plastic pallet was dumped on mud amongst reeds. Someone's fishing platform? By another CCC PUBLIC ACCESS ALONG RIVER... sign I joined King Edward Tce beside Heathcote River.


2009. Wooden Footbridge over ditch, Heathcote River downriver view, Woolston Loop, Christchurch


2009. Illegal Dumping, King Edward Tce, Heathcote River, Woolston Loop, Christchurch

Litter polluted King Edward Tce, like litter I'd seen on Cumnor Tce a week before. Two more illegal dumps blocked my way along the riverbank - household junk and garden rubbish.

I thought if Christchurch City Council didn't expect people to pay for dumping their own rubbish at council depots, there'd be less illegal dumping. CCC would have more revenue-earning rubbish to recycle, as dumpers would dump at depots and ratepayers wouldn't have to pay for illegal dump collections.


2009. King Edward Tce upriver view, Heathcote River, Woolston Loop, Christchurch. Post 2010-2011 quakes the old bldg was renovated as The Tannery. My son worked at The Brewery gastropub next door

All along Woolston Loop Heathcote River water was turbid and crappy. I wondered what Environment Canterbury (ECan) was doing about Heathcote River water quality? I was loath to dip my toes, wash my face, or swim in that filthy water. I wondered what the E. coli count was?


2009. Industrial Era Info Board by Heathcote River, Rutherford St, Wooston Loop, Christchurch

By Rutherford St, I stopped to read info boards:

"INDUSTRIAL ERA

The opening of the railway from Lyttelton to Christchurch 1867 fuelled an era of industrial growth. The Heathcote River was replaced by the railway as the main highway of travel and trade.

Woolston Tanneries Ltd (est 1878) was one of 8 tanneries that operated in Woolston during the industrial boom. Also in the area were 2 lime kilns, 11 wool scourers, a flax mill, a glue works, a soap and candle works, an abattoir, a leather manufacturer and a carpet factory.

In the days when river traffic had priority, swing bridges... could be swivelled onto the bank to allow passage of boats. Today's bridge on Garlands Road... was designed in 1930 and reflects the Art Deco architecture influence of the time."


2009. Kayakers on Heathcote River, by Garlands Rd Bridge, Christchurch

"The river now provided a source of water and a means of transport, power and waste disposal for the heavy industries which established along its lower reaches.

Take a walk across the road to the Woolston Cemetery (est 1850) the final resting place of many figures prominent in the history of Heathcote River.

Woolston once a busy residential and commercial area, became one of the chief industrial centres of New Zealand." (CCC)

"RESTORING THE RIVER'S HEALTH

The development of heavy industry and overcrowding in Woolston last century led to severe pollution of the Heathcote River. There were no sewers - industrial effluent and household waste were channelled directly into the river.

'In 1903 4.5 million litres of industrial effluent were being discharged each day... coal smoke filled the air... turning the skyline dark and murky... (and) the Woolston area of the Heathcote River was so polluted that virtually no plants could live in it. (The Estuary: where our rivers meet the sea)'

Christchurch became known as the unhealthiest place in the country. Repeated outbreaks of diseases such as typhoid, diphtheria and dysentery in the mid 1870s, and fears of a full scale epidemic of bubonic plague provided incentive to improve standards of hygiene.

Changes were gradual and pollution of the river continued until the 1970s when industrial effluent was finally piped to the sewers for purification.

Today there is widespread appreciation of the river, as breathing space for the city and suburbs. With the efforts of the City Council and many hard working volunteers the Heathcote is beginning to regain some of its natural character." (CCC)


2009. History of Chapel of St Luke, Woolston Cemetery by Heathcote River, Woolston Loop, Christchurch

A paunchy man got out of his car and pissed by the riverside. I crossed busy Garlands Rd concrete bridge, with its Art Deco design, to Connal St where I looked at Woolston Cemetery (first burial 1852, last burial1989).

An info board described the history of the funeral Chapel of Saint Luke (1888) which was moved in 1949 from Woolston Cemetery to Jubilee Hospital when the cemetery became full. After Jubilee Hospital closed the Chapel of Saint Luke was moved in 1991 to its present position at City Mission, Hereford Street. (CCC)


2009. People Buried in Woolston Cemetery by Heathcote River, Woolston Loop, Christchurch

Another info board described people buried in Woolston Cemetery:
Politicians - Murray-Aynsley; Ollivier; Richardson.
Philanthropists - Bray; Ollivier; Cholmondeley.
Children - Milner; Monck.
Business People - Acland; Penfold; Adley; Charlesworth; Hawker; Ollivier. (CCC)


2009. Grave Plan & Notable Trees, Woolston Cemetery by Heathcote River, Woolston Loop, Christchurch

A third info board described the grave plan and notable trees in Woolston Cemetery: oak; Dutch elm; ash; limes. (CCC)


2009. Graves & Notable Trees, Woolston Cemetery by Heathcote River, Woolston Loop, Christchurch

I passed GELITA THE GELATINE GROUP, while a rancid smell of burning bones issued from the factory chimney. Another kayaker paddled downriver.

With riverside graffiti, dirty water, rubbish in the water, litter and dumping on riverbanks near Woolston Barrage, Heathcote River was stuffed.


2009. Fly Agaric, Amanita muscaria, Heathcote River, Woolston Barrage, Christchurch

At the end of Connal St, I walked on the soggy, grassy riverbank and passed riverside duplexes painted bright colours: blue, yellow, orange, green, maroon... Duplexes curved round the first / last riverbend of Woolston Loop, past reeds and ducks. I saw Radley Park on the opposite bank, and passed riverside poplars and Fly Agaric, Amanita muscaria, on my left and roadside businesses on my right, till I crossed Woolston Barrage, then returned to my car along Woolston Cut. Woolston Loop, walk time: 1.5 hours.


2009. Heathcote River Footbridges by Woolston Barrage, upriver Woolston Loop, Christchurch

Content & pics Copyright Mark JS Esslemont.