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Belmont Regional Park

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For other parks, see Belmont Park (disambiguation).

Belmont Regional Park
Walking track in Belmont Regional Park
Map
TypeRegional park
LocationPetone and Cannons Creek, New Zealand
Coordinates41°11′24″S 174°52′30″E / 41.19°S 174.875°E / -41.19; 174.875
Created1986
Operated byWellington Regional Council
StatusOpen

Belmont Regional Park is a regional park located between Lower Hutt and Porirua, in the Wellington Region at the southern end of New Zealand's North Island. It is administered by Wellington Regional Council.[1]

The park is the largest regional park in the Wellington region.[1] It was the first park in New Zealand to include land for recreation, conservation and farming.[2]

Geography

The park covers about 15 kilometres (9 mi) from Wellington Harbour to Haywards and 10 kilometres (6 mi) to Porirua.[1]

It contains farm land, native bush, and peaks up to 456 metres (1,496 ft) (Belmont Trig).[1]

The hills were originally covered in rimu and northern rata, over a canopy of tawa and hinau. Some pockets of native forest have remained, particularly around Korokoro Valley, which has been used for water collection.[2]

History

19th century - 1986

European settlers took private ownership of the area in the late 18th century, clearing the dense bush for farmland.[2]

The New Zealand Government purchased some of the land for water during the early 19th century. The New Zealand Army also purchased land for ammunition magazines during the World War II, to store munitions used in the Pacific Ocean theatre.[2][3]

1986 - 2016

The park was established in 1986,[4] under the name Waitangirua Farm.[2]

It was renamed Belmont Regional Park in 1989, becoming the first park in New Zealand to combine land for recreation, conservation and farming.[2]

Landcorp took ownership of part of the park from June 1986 to June 2016, which it used to run a sheep and beef breeding farm.[4]

Landcorp attempted to sell a third of the park to private farmers in 2005. After a local campaign against the sale, the New Zealand Government, Wellington Regional Council and Porirua City Council intervened to buy the land instead.[4]

2016 - 2020

When Landcorp's lease ended in June 2016, part of the land was allowed to revert to native vegetation. The remainder was opened to commercial farming licenses.[4][5]

The construction of Transmission Gully between 2016 and 2022 further reduced the available grazing area in the park.[4]

A body was discovered next to a burnt car in the park in February 2016.[6]

A helicopter with specialist thermal gear was used to find a missing beagle in the park in April 2018.[7]

In August 2018, children found an explosive shell in the regional park that appeared to be from World War II.[3]

The company in charge of building Transmission Gully was convicted and fined for discharging sentiment into streams in Belmont Regional Park over a month-long early 2019, with sentencing occurring in 2020.[8]

2020 - Present

Wellington Regional Council consulted on the future of the park in 2020,[9] opting reduce stock grazing and increase native bush and wetlands.[10]

In 2021, there were reports of deer turning up in the regional park and nearby suburbs.[11]

Planting was due to take place in western parts of the park in 2022, as part of New Zealand's largest ever plant restoration project.[12]

Recreation

There are several entrances from the Hutt Valley side and two on the Porirua side. Some tracks permit mountain biking and horse riding. The 6-7 hour 'Puke Ariki' traverse, is used by trampers and mountainbikers.[1]

There is also a cheap camping site in the park.[13]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Belmont Regional Park". gw.govt.nz. Wellington Regional Council.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Hutching, Gerard (22 March 2015). "Tough country, tough sheep". stuff.co.nz.
  3. ^ a b Tso, Matthew (15 August 2018). "Explosive shell found by kids was likely missed during WWII pack-up, historian says". stuff.co.nz.
  4. ^ a b c d e Chipp, Jim (21 December 2015). "Landcorp relinquishes Belmont Regional Park grazing licence". stuff.co.nz. Dominion Post.
  5. ^ Fuller, Piers (30 June 2021). "Farmer beats 'Black Dog' to win New Zealand's top producer award". stuff.co.nz. Stuff Lifestyle.
  6. ^ Livingston, Tommy (26 February 2016). "Police close to identifying body found by burnt car in Lower Hutt park". stuff.co.nz. Dominion Post.
  7. ^ Manch, Thomas (12 April 2018). "Owner calls out helicopter to look for missing Lower Hutt beagle". stuff.co.nz. Dominion Post.
  8. ^ "Transmission Gully contractor convicted and fined $70,000". Radio New Zealand. RNZ News. 22 June 2021.
  9. ^ "Greater Wellington invites input on future of regional parks". Australasian Leisure Management. ausleisure.com.au. 21 August 2020.
  10. ^ Green, Kate (17 December 2020). "Stock grazing to be reduced, native bush and wetlands restored in Wellington region's parks". stuff.co.nz.
  11. ^ Boyack, Nicholas (30 July 2021). "Calls for more culling as deer munch their way through Hutt Valley gardens". stuff.co.nz.
  12. ^ Green, Kate (18 August 2021). "From cow pasture to carbon sink: A restoration project is underway in Wellington". stuff.co.nz. Dominion Post.
  13. ^ Boyack, Nicholas (2 February 2016). "Cheap Belmont camping site a big hit with budget travellers". stuff.co.nz. Dominion Post.
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