Te Raekaihau Point

Te Raekaihau Point is a rugged coastal landform in Wellington New Zealand. It is located adjacent to Princess Bay, between Houghton Bay to the west and Lyall Bay to the east on the south coast of Wellington. One meaning of the name is "the headland that eats the wind". While still within the Wellington City urban limits, Te Raekaihau Point proceeds from the Southern Headlands Reserve and remains an undeveloped interface with the Cook Strait.

The site was the centre of recent controversy as a non-profit developer had been fighting to build a tourist complex and major aquarium building on the site, which remains otherwise undeveloped by the area's tourism infrastructure.

A regular [http://www.astronomy.net.nz environmental event] is held at Te Rae Kai Hau Point every Full Moon, usually the day before, to allow seeing the moon with the sun in the sky together, if clear.

Official LINZ Specification

Te Raekaihau

* District: Wellington
* Description: MARINE ROCK FORMATION
* Lat: -41.3497
* Long: 174.7926
* NZMG Easting: 2660010
* NZMG Northing: 5982778.2
* NZMS 260 sheet: R27
* [http://www.linz.govt.nz/apps/placenames/index.html?p=53271 LINZ Geographic Place Names Database Record]

Background

The point is geologically new, having being modified during the 1855 (Wairarapa) earthquake, in which land was uplifted by two to three metres. It can be reached through Island Bay, Houghton Bay via Melrose, or Lyall Bay. The point is used for diving, walking, scenic photography, relaxation, picnics, eco-tourism, nature study, and astronomy. The point is relatively free of light pollution, with little nearby population, no immediate street lighting, and low adjacent population causing sky glow in the southern direction of Cook Strait. The lessened light pollution means that Aurora Australis displays are sometimes visible from the locality. It is one of the few undeveloped coastal places within easy reach of Wellington City. Artists such as Bruce Stewart and Nick Dryden are inspired by this location.

Marine centre dispute

The Wellington Marine Conservation Trust planned a three-storey tourist complex and aquarium sited at Te Raekaihau Point [http://www.wellington.govt.nz/news/publicnotices/details/marine.html] , to be known as the "Aquarium of New Zealand," unrelated to the National Aquarium of New Zealand in Napier, Hawkes Bay. The Trust claimed that its development would greatly increase tourism to the remote location, and that a surplus of buses and other vehicles are desired along the quiet and undeveloped coast. To showcase the "unique marine environment of the Wellington region and New Zealand," the trust endeavoured to develop the point and surrounding coastal area to service thousands of aquarium customers each week. It aimed to also provide education programmes about conserving the unique coastal features of New Zealand, partner with organisations for marine research and tourism purposes, and provide a base for "long term protection and enjoyment" of Wellington's marine resources and parking for over 100 vehicles [http://www.aquariumnz.org.nz/wmec_aquarium.shtml] . Wellington City Council provided backing for the concept in the form of substantial interest-free loans and grants for resource consent applications.

Widespread opposition from throughout Wellington sprung up. Some believed that the centre would be better sited in a place with an established tourism, parking, and convenience infrastructure. Many Wellington rate-paying residents believed that the $26 million price tag of the Marine Centre would be an excessive amount of spending, that the potential benefits were not worth the risk, and that the Council-supported Centre would not be economically self-sustainable and thus increase Wellington City Council's public debt load. Local amateur astronomers in the Wellington region, who find the Point favourable for watching for aurorae, were also concerned that the existence of the centre, including a proposed late-night cafe, fast food restaurant, and lighted parking lot, might compromise the relatively unpolluted night skies of the area. Residents were also concerned about loss of access to the Point.

The groups [http://www.savethepoint.org.nz Save The Point Inc] and [http://www.gadot.org.nz GADOT] (Group Against Development on Te Rae Kai Hau Point Incorporated) formed to fight the Marine Center development,

The initial hearing of resource consents for the centre failed to reach a conclusion, after a strongly fought opposition by community members, and consequently the process was re-started with new submissions being sought. In the second round of submissions, approximately 10,000 submissions were received, with about half being in favour of the plan, and half against [http://www.wellington.govt.nz/news/publicnotices/details/pdfs/marine-hearingschedule.pdf] . This time, organisers of the Marine Education Centre project were actively engaged in the collection of thousands of submissions, using push poll techniques and a large number of paid campaign workersFact|date=December 2007.

In September 2007, the Environmental Court of New Zealand ruled against the developers, with the conclusion that Te Raekaihau Point was most important as a wild and undeveloped aspect of the landscape. The ruling, which declared that a tourist aquarium development "would compromise the area's open space values and result in significant adverse effects on the landscape," may prove extremely important in that it will help protect other natural spaces along New Zealand's coast and interior.

Developers of the $20-30 million marine education centre have reportedly depleted their funds, including those donated by pro-development businessmen such as Infratil chairman Lloyd Morrison and former mayor Mark Blumsky. Rongotai MP Annette King, who backed the proposal, said another site would have to be considered.

The not-for-profit organisations opposing the development also ran up considerable costs, and continue to run fundraising events.Te Rae Kai Hau Point Fundraising events involving family fun and entertainment have been highly successful, with thousands of people participating this year alone. Summer Lovin music festival was one such event, as part of the Island Bay festival.

Many kiwi musicians have donated performances and music, many have written and performed songs about the South Coast at various events around Wellington. [http://www.myspace.com/olmechasupreme Olmecha Supreme] have led the way, headlining many of the events, the next being the Sonic Arts Block Party at Aro basketball courts on May 5th. Hannah Howes, DJ Melodic, Illmofigga, [http://www.myspace.com/psychedelicjellyfishandtheboombox Psychedelic Jelly fish and the Boombox] , Los Incas, and the poet Michael Dunningham also performed on 18th February, at Shorland Park. [http://was.org.nz/sky/poetrypage.htm Poetry by Michael Dunningham] .

Media Coverage

Recent events at Te Rae Kai Hau Point received considerable attention from the mainstream media, including the Dominion Post, [http://www.scoop.co.nz Scoop] , and [http://www.stuff.co.nz Stuff]
* [http://www.tv3.co.nz TV3 New Zealand] Environment Court scraps Wellington marine centre plans [http://www.tv3.co.nz/VideoBrowseAll/ScienceTechnologyVideo/tabid/311/articleID/35230/Default.aspx?ArticleID=35230?articleID=35230 TV3 video]
* Marine centre backers 'broke' KERI WELHAM - The Dominion Post | Monday, 24 September 2007 [http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominionpost/4212131a23918.html Stuff]
*$20m Wellington aquarium scuttled By KERI WELHAM and KERRY WILLIAMSON - The Dominion Post | Saturday, 22 September 2007 [http://theindependent.co.nz/4210355a11.html Stuff]
* Wgtn aquarium given green light Oct 26, 2006 6:14 PM [http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411749/870636 TVNZ]
* Trust won’t budge on site 24 May 2006 [http://www.captimes.co.nz/news/32/n/710/Trustwontbudgeonsite.boss Capital Times]

Gallery

External links

* [http://www.savethepoint.org.nz Save The Point] is the primary organisation that opposes any building on the South Coast that contravenes the current 'Open Space' classification.
* [http://www.gadot.org.nz GADOT] Group Against Development on Te Rae Kai Hau Point Incorporated, is a secondary organisation that opposes any development of the area.
* [http://www.music.gen.nz Rakiura Music] is a third organisation that is active in fundraising and awareness campaigning , especially opposed to any light pollution at Te Rae Kai Hau Point.
* [http://www.was.org.nz WAS] Wellington Astronomical Society. An organisation that opposes light pollution anywhere, and whose submission was instrumental in gaining an 'advisory' attached to the consent.
* [http://www.aquariumnz.org.nz/ The Wellington Marine Conservation Trust] , backed by the Wellington City Council, is proposing to build a Marine Centre at Te Raekaihau Point.
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Paul_Moss/Te_Raekaihau_Gallery Te Raekaihau Gallery]