The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Gully restoration under way along new section of Waikato Expressway

Hamilton News
1 Sep, 2020 06:45 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Three gullies on the Hamilton section of the Waikato Expressway are being cleared of weeds and pest trees and planted with a huge variety of natives. Photo / Supplied
Three gullies on the Hamilton section of the Waikato Expressway are being cleared of weeds and pest trees and planted with a huge variety of natives. Photo / Supplied

Three gullies on the Hamilton section of the Waikato Expressway are being cleared of weeds and pest trees and planted with a huge variety of natives. Photo / Supplied

The first of around 133,000 plants, shrubs and trees to be planted in three gullies on the Hamilton section of the Waikato Expressway were heeled in during August.

The planting is part of a Gully Restoration Plan developed with input from the project's Tangata Whenua Working Group.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency's acting portfolio delivery manager Jo Wilton says the planting demonstrates a commitment to prioritising the environment alongside progress.

The local long-tailed bat is one of the species that will benefit from the restoration of the weed-infested gullies. Photo / Supplied
The local long-tailed bat is one of the species that will benefit from the restoration of the weed-infested gullies. Photo / Supplied

"We are doing more than just building a highway – we are improving these gullies the road passes over by clearing out weeds and pest trees and planting a huge variety of natives which will support the indigenous animals of the area.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Restoring these weed-infested gullies to their former glory will greatly benefit the local long-tailed bat population and native lizards."

Big trees to be planted will supplement existing kahikatea, which are favoured roosts for bats. A fenced sanctuary for lizards – removed from the expressway's path – is located nearby and will be pulled down so the lizards can move into the improved gully environment.

The restoration work covers 10ha in three gullies at the southern end of the Hamilton section of the expressway, starting with the Mangaonua just south of Morrinsville Rd and including the neighbouring Mangaharakeke and Mangaone gullies further south at Tamahere.

"Most exotic and pest trees have been removed, leaving only a few willows, pines and privet to provide cover. Weeds like honeysuckle, periwinkle, blackberry and gorse have been removed to make way for an array of native plants, mostly sourced from the area," Ms Wilton says.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Once these areas have been planted, there will be pest control for approximately the next five years to ensure possums, rats and stoats make way for the animals that have traditionally thrived in these areas – bats, birds and lizards.

"Neighbouring landowners have taken an interest in this work and many are involved in gully restoration on their own properties."

Weeds like honeysuckle, periwinkle, blackberry and gorse have been removed to make way for an array of native plants. Photo / Supplied
Weeds like honeysuckle, periwinkle, blackberry and gorse have been removed to make way for an array of native plants. Photo / Supplied

About 100,000 plants will go into the Mangaonua, Mangaharakeke and Mangaone gullies this season, with the remaining 33,000 plants to go in next year.

Total plantings along the seven sections of the Waikato Expressway number more than 3 million, with the Hamilton section's total 650,000.

Discover more

Road reconstruction works start on SH29 on Monday

16 Sep 08:10 PM

The Hamilton section of the expressway is expected to open to traffic late next year.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from The Country

Opinion

Opinion: Are rising butter prices bad news?

25 Jun 11:18 PM
The Country

NZ shearers prepare for Scotland's toughest sheep

25 Jun 10:36 PM
The Country

Strengthening the Eastern Bay farming community

25 Jun 10:04 PM

Kaibosh gets a clean-energy boost in the fight against food waste

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Recommended for you
BYC podcast: Greatest moments from a 20-year journey
Sport

BYC podcast: Greatest moments from a 20-year journey

25 Jun 11:01 PM
Second person charged after deaf and blind man's death in alleged hit-and-run
Rotorua Daily Post

Second person charged after deaf and blind man's death in alleged hit-and-run

25 Jun 10:59 PM
NZ shearers prepare for Scotland's toughest sheep
The Country

NZ shearers prepare for Scotland's toughest sheep

25 Jun 10:36 PM
Crash on Tauranga Eastern Link leaves one critically injured
Bay of Plenty Times

Crash on Tauranga Eastern Link leaves one critically injured

25 Jun 10:33 PM
Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Moana Natasha Kemp dies at 50
New Zealand

Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Moana Natasha Kemp dies at 50

25 Jun 10:22 PM

Latest from The Country

Opinion: Are rising butter prices bad news?

Opinion: Are rising butter prices bad news?

25 Jun 11:18 PM

Opinion: If the export income increases, New Zealanders are better off.

NZ shearers prepare for Scotland's toughest sheep

NZ shearers prepare for Scotland's toughest sheep

25 Jun 10:36 PM
Strengthening the Eastern Bay farming community

Strengthening the Eastern Bay farming community

25 Jun 10:04 PM
Feral goats' days numbered in 'unique' conservation park

Feral goats' days numbered in 'unique' conservation park

25 Jun 07:40 PM
Engage and explore one of the most remote places on Earth in comfort and style
sponsored

Engage and explore one of the most remote places on Earth in comfort and style

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search