Harbour

Whakaraupō is home to native species like Hector’s dolphins, kororā/penguins, whairepo/stingrays, seaweed, and karoro/black-billed gulls. It includes the operational area of Lyttelton Port.

The harbour is in a state of change. The upper harbour continues to be affected by sediment – and while some of this is natural and part of its lifecycle, human activities have sped-up this process over the years. Rocky reefs, mainly in the upper harbour, are not as full of life as they used to be.

The Whaka-Ora Healthy Harbour plan focuses on water pollution, sedimentation and marine biodiversity. We’re developing and implementing an integrated freshwater and marine water quality monitoring programme and identifying and managing key pollutants and contaminants.