Ngā Wairau
Blue Green Network
More info
Many homes and businesses were significantly affected by the Auckland Anniversary floods in 2023. Since these events, the Council have identified over 160 houses in Milford which pose a risk to life in future flooding events, and these are in the process of being removed.
To avoid future risk to our neighbourhood, and the wider Wairau catchment, the Council is embarking on a multi-phase long term plan called the Ngā Wairau Blue Green Network. You can watch the video above for an overview.
You can also read more about the Ngā Wairau Blue Green Network on the Auckland Council website here.
How will Grow Collective be involved?
From the beginning of Grow Collective, our goal has been to connect our neighbours, to create beautiful spaces for our community to gather, and to be involved in initiatives that bring wellbeing to our neighbourhood. Because of this, we are working with Council to speak into the interim and long-term plan for the flood-affected properties and the long-term resilience of our community.
We have a seat on the CAG (Community Advisory Group) that meets with Council monthly to speak into future plans and learn more about the progress of the project.
We are starting a project to map the fruit trees in the flood-affected properties, and with our volunteers, care for these trees and provide access to gather fruit when it is safe and appropriate to do so.
We are working with Council to gain interim land use on several of the flood-affected properties and will be organising flower meadows and activities on these sites over the coming months and years.
If you want to learn more about this, follow us on social media or reach out by clicking the connect button below.
130 Nile Road
SUnflower Meadow
Grow Forest Hill will be working with Auckland Council and our community to plant a sunflower meadow on 130 Nile Road, one of the flood-affected properties.
Over the coming months, we will be preparing the grass for our sunflower meadow. This will involve placing a layer of cardboard or organic carpet to suppress the grass, then covering it with a layer of mulch. This will break down over the next 6 months.
We are then inviting our neighbours (you) to sow and grow sunflowers. We will be doing workshops at Grow Forrest Hill (Seine Reserve) on Sundays, as well as providing local schools with resource packs to join in on the fun.
In November we will be running a series of plantings, and by the end, expect to see a sea of 2000 + sunflowers. They will flourish over the next 3 months, flowering in early 2027.
We will be running a series of events in the park, to gather the community, and enjoy the space. Keep an eye on our social media for more info (there are links at the bottom of this page).
If you would like to be involved, join our WhatsApp group for information on upcoming working bees.
Case Study:
Te Auaunga - Oakley Creek
Mt Roskill
Te Auaunga Oakley Creek is an Auckland Council Healthy Waters project in Mt Roskill, and provides an example of what a blue-green network looks like in Tamaki Makaurau.
This project was developed to prevent flooding from nearly 200 homes in three Local Board areas
Established a river park along Te Auaunga - Oakley Creek
Daylight seven piped tributaries
Restored eight hectares of open space
Improved water quality of the contributing catchment.
Learn more from the design team behind the project. Boffa Miskell
Learn more about the charitable trust responsible for caring for this space since it was completed. Friends Of Oakley Creek
