Our urban stream

Our urban stream, the Middleton Stream, lies in the valley between Ada St and
Bassett Rd. It runs from Mt Hobson Ohinerau down our valley then through a culvert under Middleton Rd to Hobson Bay, Te Waitaramoa.


The local group, From the Deck, has been working with the Auckland Council since
2018 to clean this stream and enhance its sustainability.


We have planted 4500 natives, trees, shrubs, grasses, in the valley. In 2024,
helped by Council funding 10 tonnes of rubbish was cleared from the stream.


Our goal is to clean our stream and to prevent another disaster like the
flood of January 2023 which sent rubbish ricochetting down to the Middleton Rd
culvert, ripped out planting and gouged out properties on the way.


You are warmly invited to a neighbourhood gathering on Sunday, February 9 th from 3– 5pm at 10 Ada St, later visiting the restoration area at Swinton Close. You will meet neighbours, hear what our 2025 plans are, and have a fine afternoon tea.


Please phone Penny Hansen 021 585 078 or Carole Davies 021 848165
or email pjhansen48@gmail.com or carolejdavies@gmail.com
for more info.

Winter 2022 newsletter

Dear All, 

Herewith our update for the winter 2022.  

As you will see our planting this year will be undertaken by the professionals due to the risky terrain being planted. However, we will still get together – please come to 9a Swinton Close on Sunday, June 19th, 3.30 – 5.30pm to ask your questions of our experts. And enjoy our snacks, drinks and your neighbours’ company. 

Meanwhile, enjoy this sunny winter Saturday. 

Warm regards, 

Penny Hansen Carole Davies Tushar Sharma

ftd-winter2022Download

June 2021 planting day pictures

Thanks to all who came. We had a great day – rather, a great morning as the job was completed easily by lunchtime.  This was due to several factors : 

  • the fantastic turn out of Conservation Volunteers NZ.   Mostly young people, these volunteers dug in quickly and energetically. Thank you to Andrew, Deborah – what an organisation – marvellous.  Some of these volunteers had been before and marvelled at the growth. 
  • another contributor to this efficiency was the ID system for planting what, where, developed and implemented by Colin Harvey and Martin Keay before everyone arrived. 
  • and of course the timely delivery of our 350 canopy plants by Te Ngahere –  thanks to Richard Mairs and his team. 

Rain was forecast but did not eventuate – again. Thanks to Carole for her house for barbecue and gathering afterwards, and to our Local Board and Council members who took time to join in. We had such a productive and enjoyable day! We planted around 350 plants including canopy trees such as karaka, titoki, puriri, pohutukara, and punga!

Also : If you remember the huge pine tree we felled almost two years ago now, you will be pleased to know the wood has rotted down into a soil the aficionados were very impressed with. Great planting soil. 

– Penny Hansen

Here are some pictures from the event.