Porirua Harbour
Encyclopedia
Porirua Harbour is a natural inlet in the south-western coast of the North Island
of New Zealand
. The city of Porirua
, one of the four cities in the Wellington
conurbation, surrounds it. The city centre is to the south of the harbour.
The harbour has an entrance only a few hundred metres in width, close to the suburb of Plimmerton
. It opens up into two arms, Porirua Inlet to the south and Pauatahanui Inlet to the north-east. Each arm is around three kilometres in length.
The wetland at Pauatahanui
, where Pauatahanui Stream enters the Pauatahanui Inlet, is the largest remaining estuarine wetland
in the lower North Island, and the Pauatahanui Wildlife Reserve has been established to protect the Inlet's environment and to restore damaged areas.
Part of the Porirua Inlet was reclaimed for a causeway for the North Island Main Trunk Railway. The construction of this causeway created three shallow lagoons from the Harbour. When State Highway 1
was re-aligned in the 1970s alongside the railway, these lagoons were partially filled in. Aotea Lagoon
was developed into a recreational area.
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The city of Porirua
Porirua
Porirua is a city in the Wellington Region of New Zealand, immediately north of the city of Wellington, with their central business districts 20 km apart. A large proportion of the population commutes to Wellington, so it may be considered a satellite city. It almost completely surrounds...
, one of the four cities in the Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
conurbation, surrounds it. The city centre is to the south of the harbour.
The harbour has an entrance only a few hundred metres in width, close to the suburb of Plimmerton
Plimmerton
The township of Plimmerton is adjacent to one of the more congenial beaches in the northwest part of the Wellington urban area of Porirua in New Zealand...
. It opens up into two arms, Porirua Inlet to the south and Pauatahanui Inlet to the north-east. Each arm is around three kilometres in length.
The wetland at Pauatahanui
Pauatahanui
Pauatahanui is a village in New Zealand's North Island. It is at the far eastern end of the Pauatahanui Inlet, an arm of the Porirua Harbour, northeast of Wellington....
, where Pauatahanui Stream enters the Pauatahanui Inlet, is the largest remaining estuarine wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
in the lower North Island, and the Pauatahanui Wildlife Reserve has been established to protect the Inlet's environment and to restore damaged areas.
Part of the Porirua Inlet was reclaimed for a causeway for the North Island Main Trunk Railway. The construction of this causeway created three shallow lagoons from the Harbour. When State Highway 1
State Highway 1 (New Zealand)
State Highway 1 is the longest and most significant road in the New Zealand roading network, running the length of both main islands. It appears on road maps as SH 1 and on road signs as a white number 1 on a red shield, but it has the official designations SH 1N in the North Island, SH 1S in the...
was re-aligned in the 1970s alongside the railway, these lagoons were partially filled in. Aotea Lagoon
Aotea Lagoon
Aotea Lagoon is an artificial lagoon surrounded by a 7 ha public parkin the Papakowhai suburb of Porirua, North Island, New Zealand. Aotea and two nearby lagoons were created as transport links were realigned...
was developed into a recreational area.