Location Map LANDSCAPE VALUES Landscape Unit No. 72 Description: Paku KEY LANDSCAPE FACTORS / VARIABLES LANDSCAPE UNIT 72 Paku The Bio-physical Landscape Naturalness / Natural Science Factors Land Forms Land Cover / Activities Vegetation Types(s) Sea / Water Bodies Natural Processes Wild Nature / Cultured Nature Naturalness / Endemicity (Wild Nature) OR Aesthetic Values / 2D Composition THE LANDSCAPE AS A WHOLE Perceived / Relative Naturalness (Cultured Nature) Percei ved Naturalness 2D Definition / Patterns Vividness / Memorability Coherence / Unity Sense of Place Perceptual / Associative Values 3D Articulation 3D Spatial Structure / Layers Expressiveness / Legibility Land marks Key Views Enticement into Landscape Outstanding Natural Landscape / Feature Descriptors Rating: Remarkable / Exceptional Eminent Exemplary Conspicuous AMENITY OUTSTANDING derived from research into perception of landscapes as a whole using the Q Sort method by Prof. Simon Swaffield and John Fairweather of Lincoln University Key Physical Elements Landscape Characteristics LEGEND 0 1 2 4km Paku is a twin coned extinct volcanic peak located at the head of the Tairua Habour. Included within this unit is the highest, central vegetated peak and the lower rocky margins of the headland located along its eastern margins. Rocky shoals and weathered outcrops dominate this stretch of coastline. The volcanic peak is covered in mature coastal forest, while the vegetation along the headlands eastern margins includes native scrub and pohutukawa trees. The vegetation takes on a more windswept character, clinging onto the steep faces fronting the Pacific Ocean. Paku is located in a prominent position at the head of the Tairua Harbour. It interacts with the Pacific Ocean to the east and the typically calmer waters flowing between the Tairua Harbour and the Ocean. This landscape unit abuts roading and residential development located on its lower and middle slopes. The presence of residential settlement and roading across the hill has eroded much of the naturalness of the coastal slopes. Despite this development the distinct volcanic peaks and the exposed rocky coastline retain a sense of naturalness. The craggy coastline, coastal outlook, exposure, and distinctive volcanic peaks combine to form a dramatic feature that unifies the landscape. Paku, complete with its distinct vegetated volcanic peaks and exposed craggy coastline is a key landmark at the head of the Tairua Harbour. Elevated positions on Paku afford stunning panoramic views of the Tairua Harbour, Pauanui and Tairua Beaches and the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean and its off shore islands Outstanding Landscape Amenity Landscape APPROXIMATE SCALE ONLY The landscape expresses the interplay of tidal interaction with the heavily weathered rocky coastline. Windswept pohutukawa emphasises coastal exposure. STATUS DRAFT. SCALE as shown @ A3. DATE September 2011. PAGE 156
VIEWPOINT 72a. The distinctive conical peak of Paku rising sharply flanking the entrance to Tairua Harbour LANDSCAPE UNIT 72 Paku VIEWPOINT 72b. View looking south east from Tairua beach showing the twin coned peaks of Paku VIEWPOINT 72d. View of the summit showing indigenous vegetation clinging from exposed rock VIEWPOINT 72c. Shot of the steep craggy coastline and line of houses that wrap around it STATUS DRAFT. SCALE as shown @ A3. DATE September 2011. PAGE 157
Location Map LANDSCAPE VALUES Landscape Unit No. 73 Description: Tairua Harbour KEY LANDSCAPE FACTORS / VARIABLES LANDSCAPE UNIT 73 Tairua Harbour LEGEND Outstanding Landscape Amenity Landscape 0 1 2 APPROXIMATE SCALE ONLY 4km The Bio-physical Landscape Naturalness / Natural Science Factors Land Forms Land Cover / Activities Vegetation Types(s) Sea / Water Bodies Natural Processes Wild Nature / Cultured Nature Naturalness / Endemicity (Wild Nature) OR Aesthetic Values / 2D Composition THE LANDSCAPE AS A WHOLE Perceived / Relative Naturalness (Cultured Nature) Percei ved Naturalness 2D Definition / Patterns Vividness / Memorability Coherence / Unity Sense of Place Perceptual / Associative Values 3D Articulation 3D Spatial Structure / Layers Expressiveness / Legibility Land marks Key Views Enticement into Landscape Outstanding Natural Landscape / Feature Descriptors Rating: Remarkable / Exceptional Eminent Exemplary Conspicuous AMENITY derived from research into perception of landscapes as a whole using the Q Sort method by Prof. Simon Swaffield and John Fairweather of Lincoln University Key Physical Elements Tairua Harbour runs in a southwesterly direction from its narrow harbour entrance located between Royal Billy Point at the northern end of Pauanui Beach and Paku headland. The large spit extends north from Pauanui hill and encloses the Harbour from the Pacific Ocean. Rolling foothills extending from the Coromandel Range to the north and the south enclose the Harbour, while the Tairua River which runs into the Harbour passes through a broad open valley. Vegetation within the harbour itself consists of a complex array of seagrass on exposed intertidal flats while salt marsh, sea rush, oioi and mangroves are generally confined to protected stream embayments and river mouths, as well as areas of exotic weeds. Adjacent vegetation varies depending on land uses, and includes pastoral farming, exotic forestry and remnant native scrub and forest. The Tairua River is the primary contributor to the Harbour and forms the main channel of the harbour estuary. Other side arms near the Harbour entrance include Pepe Stream and Grahams Stream. A number of smaller tributary streams feed the Harbour draining surrounding landforms, including Oturu Stream, Woody Stream, Swampy Stream and Duck Creek. Built development and human activities are a dominant element of the Harbour environment, particularly near the Harbours entrance. Tairua township is located on the Harbours northern banks, flanking the mouth of Pepe and Grahams Stream. SH25 closely follows the northern bank of the Tairua River and the northern edge of the Harbour, complete with bridges and causeways. Pauanui township and its residential resort styled canal development (Pauanui OUTSTANDING Waters) is located on a large spit that borders the eastern and southeastern edge of the Harbour. Hikuai Settlement Road runs along the southern side of the Tairua River and Harbour, it is set back from the River / Harbours edge, separated by flat terraces dominated by pastoral farming, horticultural blocks, Pauanui Waters and holiday homes. Jetties protrude into the harbour on both the Tairua and Pauanui sides. Boats are also moored in the permanent deepwater channel. The estuarine flats and Harbours tidal influence display the natural processes at work in this coastal environment. Tidal processes are accentuated by the shallow nature of the Harbour and the large expanses of tidal flats visible at low tide. Landscape Characteristics The dynamic, cyclical and ephemeral nature of the Harbour imparts a sense of naturalness despite the presence of roading, residential settlements, pastoral and horticultural land uses and forestry. These elements do however, cumulatively, have a diminishing effect on these natural values. Although the harbour fringes are heavily modified in places, the harbour remains an example of an intertidal estuary environment. The open expanse of water that forms the Tairua Harbour is a landmark. Key views of the Harbour can be gained from more elevated positions, including Paku headland, as well as from the numerous private residences overlooking the harbour and the public roads running down its northern and southern margins. STATUS DRAFT. SCALE as shown @ A3. DATE September 2011. PAGE 158
VIEWPOINT 73a. Pasture and forestry abut the inland Harbour margins LANDSCAPE UNIT 73 Tairua Harbour VIEWPOINT 73b. View looking south west from Paku showing the Harbour entrance flanked by Pauanui Beach VIEWPOINT 73c. Clusters of cabbage trees at the Harbours south western end VIEWPOINT 73d. Panoramic view looking across the Harbour channel to Tairua township STATUS DRAFT. SCALE as shown @ A3. DATE September 2011. PAGE 159
Location Map LANDSCAPE VALUES Landscape Unit No. 74 Description: Pauanui Beach KEY LANDSCAPE FACTORS / VARIABLES LANDSCAPE UNIT 74 Pauanui Beach The Bio-physical Landscape Naturalness / Natural Science Factors Land Forms Land Cover / Activities Vegetation Types(s) Sea / Water Bodies Natural Processes Wild Nature / Cultured Nature Naturalness / Endemicity (Wild Nature) OR Aesthetic Values / 2D Composition THE LANDSCAPE AS A WHOLE Perceived / Relative Naturalness (Cultured Nature) Percei ved Naturalness 2D Definition / Patterns Vividness / Memorability Coherence / Unity Sense of Place Perceptual / Associative Values 3D Articulation 3D Spatial Str ucture / Layers Expressiveness / Legibility Land marks Key Views Enticement into Landscape Outstanding Natural Landscape / Feature Descriptors Rating: Remarkable / Exceptional Eminent Exemplary Conspicuous AMENITY derived from research into perception of landscapes as a whole using the Q Sort method by Prof. Simon Swaffield and John Fairweather of Lincoln University Key Physical Elements Landscape Characteristics OUTSTANDING Pauanui Beach is a long, linear east facing, white sandy beach that runs from the entrance to the Tairua Harbour to the north to a forested headland enclosing the beach in the south. A relatively narrow, steep sloping fore dune backs the entire length of the beach. Rolling dune landforms occupy a continuous strip of grassed reserve land separating the fore dune from residential development. The Beach maintains a sense of naturalness due to its orientation towards the Pacific, the presence of dune planting and the vegetated southern headland, despite the close proximity and scale of housing and infrastructure that back its entire length. The dominant presence of this development does however erode the sense of remoteness, wildness or isolation. LEGEND Outstanding Landscape 0 1 2 APPROXIMATE SCALE ONLY 4km The dunes are planted in dune grasses including spinifex and pingao. Stands of pines and pohutukawa trees are present on the grassed reserve backing the beach, and the forested headland to the south creates a green backdrop framing the end of the beach The Pacific Ocean defines the eastern edge of the Beach, connecting with the Tairua Harbour to the north and a small stream at the southern end of the beach. The beach is backed along its entire length by established residential development. These properties are set back from the beach, separated from the dune and beach environment by a grassed reserve running the length of the beach. Pauanui Beach is a cohesive, continuous stretch of dune backed beach running between and connecting the headland to the south and the harbour entrance to the north. Key views can be gained up and down the beach from within the beach itself, from adjacent residential properties and from local boat users. These are focused out to the Pacific Ocean and towards the offshore islands (especially Shoe Island). Amenity Landscape This beach landscape is highly dynamic and expressive of the interplay between the coastline and the Pacific Ocean. Variations resulting from atmospheric conditions, time of day/year, tides and wildlife also express the natural processes at play. STATUS DRAFT. SCALE as shown @ A3. DATE September 2011. PAGE 160
VIEWPOINT 74a. Pauanui Beach fronts the eastern edge of a spit extending north from the mainland, enclosing Tairua Harbour LANDSCAPE UNIT 74 Pauanui Beach VIEWPOINT 74b. A steep exposed promontory flanks the southern end of the Beach VIEWPOINT 74c. A estuarine tributary breaks the dune cover at the southern end of the Beach VIEWPOINT 74d. Spinifex and Pinago grasses hold the fore dune intact STATUS DRAFT. SCALE as shown @ A3. DATE September 2011. PAGE 161
Location Map LANDSCAPE VALUES Landscape Unit No. 75 Description: Pauanui Headland KEY LANDSCAPE FACTORS / VARIABLES LANDSCAPE UNIT 75 Pauanui Headland LEGEND Outstanding Landscape Amenity Landscape 0 1 2 APPROXIMATE SCALE ONLY 4km The Bio-physical Landscape Naturalness / Natural Science Factors Land Forms Land Cover / Activities Vegetation Types(s) Sea / Water Bodies Natural Processes Wild Nature / Cultured Nature Naturalness / Endemicity (Wild Nature) OR Aesthetic Values / 2D Composition THE LANDSCAPE AS A WHOLE Perceived / Relative Naturalness (Cultured Nature) Percei ved Naturalness 2D Definition / Patterns Vividness / Memorability Coherence / Unity Sense of Place Perceptual / Associative Values 3D Articulation 3D Spatial Structure / Layers Expressiveness / Legibility Land marks Key Views Enticement into Landscape Outstanding Natural Landscape / Feature Descriptors Rating: Remarkable / Exceptional Eminent Exemplary Conspicuous AMENITY derived from research into perception of landscapes as a whole using the Q Sort method by Prof. Simon Swaffield and John Fairweather of Lincoln University Key Physical Elements The Pauanui headland rises sharply from the southern end of Pauanui Beach, and stretches south to the north end of Opoutere Beach. The headland dramatically juts out from the mainland, rising steeply from the coast to form a distinctive dome shaped hill that overlooks Pauanui township. A steep exposed escarpment wraps around the coastline, lined with rocky shoals and outcrops along its coastal edge. Vegetation consists of a mixture of native vegetation and exotic forestry. Exotic forestry is more dominant behind the coastal ridge, with native scrub and coastal forest dominating the coastal slopes, however numerous wilding pines have encroached onto these seaward slopes. Vegetation along the immediate coastal edge includes mature pohutukawa which cling to the lower slopes and rocky outcrops, and has a battered windswept character reflecting its exposed location and interaction with the Pacific Ocean. This landscape unit is strongly focused and orientated to the east towards the Pacific Ocean and to the north as a backdrop to the Tairua Harbour. Human activities present within this landscape unit include the presence of exotic forestry. A combination of features within this landscape are expressive of the natural process at work, including its exposed coastal outlook marked by the rocky coastal edge, the interaction with the Pacific Ocean, heavily forested OUTSTANDING slopes, exposed rocky shoals and outcrops dominating the coastal edge and the evidence of erosion marked by pillars of bare rock devoid of vegetation on steeper upper slopes and slips along the coastal edge. Landscape Characteristics The jagged rocky coastal edge, scale of the landform and its heavily forested slopes imbue this landscape with a strong sense of naturalness despite the presence of wilding pines and exotic forestry. The landscape maintains it cohesion through its expressive windswept vegetation, exposure and orientation with its broad coastal slopes and steep gullies dropping down to the ocean from the main north south orientated ridgeline running down the coast. This headland is a significant landmark within the Tairua Harbour catchment, forming a strong forested backdrop to Pauanui beach and township when viewed from the north. It also defines the end of Opoutere Beach when viewed from the south. Due to its elevated scale and prominent location in relation to areas of adjacent development, this landscape is visually exposed to a wide range of public and private viewpoints to the north (concentrated around Pauanui) and south (from Opoutere beach) of the landform, as well as the local boating fraternity who would gain views of the coastal edge. STATUS DRAFT. SCALE as shown @ A3. DATE September 2011. PAGE 162
VIEWPOINT 75a. The imposing headland dramatically juts out from Pauanui Beach LANDSCAPE UNIT 75 Pauanui Headland VIEWPOINT 75b. Coastal forest and exotics cover Pauanui hill as it rises sharply from Tairua Harbour STATUS DRAFT. SCALE as shown @ A3. DATE September 2011. PAGE 163
Location Map LANDSCAPE VALUES Landscape Unit No. 76 Description: East Coast Islands KEY LANDSCAPE FACTORS / VARIABLES LANDSCAPE UNIT 76 East Coast Islands The Bio-physical Landscape Naturalness / Natural Science Factors Land Forms Land Cover / Activities Vegetation Types(s) Sea / Water Bodies Natural Processes Wild Nature / Cultured Nature Naturalness / Endemicity (Wild Nature) OR Aesthetic Values / 2D Composition THE LANDSCAPE AS A WHOLE Perceived / Relative Naturalness (Cultured Nature) Percei ved Naturalness 2D Definition / Patterns Vividness / Memorability Coherence / Unity Sense of Place Perceptual / Associative Values 3D Articulation 3D Spatial Structure / Layers Expressiveness / Legibility Land marks Key Views Enticement into Landscape Outstanding Natural Landscape / Feature Descriptors Rating: Remarkable / Exceptional Eminent Exemplary Conspicuous AMENITY derived from research into perception of landscapes as a whole using the Q Sort method by Prof. Simon Swaffield and John Fairweather of Lincoln University Key Physical Elements The east coast island group consists of approximately six islands numerous rocky outcrops located off the coast between Tapuaetahi Bay in the north and Opoutere Beach in the south. These island and rocky features are characteristically craggy and rocky, varying in size and location, the largest being Slipper Island. Slipper Island contains a number of small golden sandy beaches, located in sheltered positions between rocky outcrops and headlands. Landscape Characteristics OUTSTANDING The islands are largely unmodified and have a character that expresses natural processes. Rocky vegetation and weathered vegetation are highly dramatic and expressive of coastal exposure. The distinct rocky island landforms, presence of indigenous vegetation and consistent weathering and patterning from coastal exposure create a cohesive group of islands off this stretch of coastline. Smaller islands (Waipapa Is, Shoe Is, Watchman Rock, and Penguin and Rabbit Islands) are topped in windswept native vegetation. Slipper Island, by contrast, has vegetated coastal fringes but the rolling landforms dominating the majority of the island are covered in pasture. Each island or rocky outcrop/shoal is a landmark in itself including (from north to south) Waipapa Island, unnamed island off Otara Bay, Shoe Island (Motuhoa), Watchman Rock, Slipper Island (Whakahau), Penguin Island and Rabbit Island. LEGEND Outstanding Landscape 0 1 2 APPROXIMATE SCALE ONLY 4km The openness and vast scale of the Pacific Ocean provides a dramatic setting for these island landscapes. No human activities or activities are present the smaller islands, however land use on Slipper Island is dominated by pastoral farming. The Island also contains a boat ramp, a small number if houses and associated roads. The islands are visible from a number of public and private viewpoints down this eastern stretch of coastline as far south as Opoutere. The Islands are particularly exposed to larger settlements along this coastline including Tairua and Pauanui. Amenity Landscape Evidence of erosion is visible on the steeper exposed slopes and rocky cliffs, weathered windswept vegetation, all provide evidence of the natural processes at play on these islands and their interaction with the Pacific Ocean. STATUS DRAFT. SCALE as shown @ A3. DATE September 2011. PAGE 164
VIEWPOINT 76a. Panoramic view of the exposed pastoral form of Slipper Island as seen from Paku with contrasting vegetated Penguin and Rabbit Island to the right VIEWPOINT 76b. Windswept coastal forest covers dome shaped form of Penguin Island LANDSCAPE UNIT 76 East Coast Islands VIEWPOINT 76c. View of Shoe Island form Paku VIEWPOINT 76d. A shag colony occupy an unnamed Island just offshore from Otara Bay STATUS DRAFT. SCALE as shown @ A3. DATE September 2011. PAGE 165