KAI IWI LAKES
Lakes Kai Iwi, Taharoa and Waikere
For All Campsite Bookings:
Andrew & Leanne Howells, Manager(s)
Ph/Fax: (09) 439 4757
E-Mail: lakes@kaipara.govt.nz
Introduction
The Taharoa domain is a 538 ha recreation reserve containing three freshwater lakes known as the Kai Iwi Lakes. It is situated 35km northwest of Dargaville. The domain can be reached by travelling along State Highway 12 to the junction of Omamari Road which is well signposted. It is a further 11km along Omamari Road and then Kai Iwi Lakes Road to the domain. The Kai Iwi Lakes which cover an area of 305ha are suitable for a range of water based recreational activities. These include boating, diving, fishing, sailboarding, swimming, yachting and water skiing. Pine plantations covering some 60ha have been established around the north eastern margins of the lakes. An extensive walking track system has been developed within the reserve. Sheltered camping and picnic facilities are also available for visitors to the area. The Taharoa Domain is 2.5 km from the Tasman Sea. Walkway access to the coast is available though an adjoining farm property west of the domain. The nearest road access to the coast is at Omamari 8km to the south.
Dogs are not permitted in the domain.
Lake Features
The Kai Iwi Lakes are basin type dune lakes formed in consolidated sand of late Pleistocene geological origin. They were formed by the accumulation of rainwater in depressions of sand underlain by relatively impermeable ironstone pans. Dune lakes are one of nine major lake types found in New Zealand and are the predominant type found along the west coast of the North Island. Lake Taharoa which covers 237ha is the third largest dune lake in New Zealand. Lake Waikere cover 35ha and Lake Kai Iwi 33ha. Together the three lakes occupy well over half the total area of the domain.
Lake Kai Iwi and Taharoa are connected by a narrow channel and are about 70 metres above sea level. Lake Waikere is more elevated and about 79 metres above sea level. Lakes Taharoa and Waikere are the deepest known dune lakes in the country. The NZ Oceanographic Institute bathymetric chart of lakes record the maximum depth of Lake Taharoa to the 37 metres, and Lake Waikere 30 metres. Lake Kai Iwi is considerably shallower than the other two lakes and has a maximum recorded depth of 16 metres. The Kai Iwi Lakes have no known natural inlets or outlets. Their principal source of water is likely to be rain which falls directly onto the lake surface. As a result their levels fluctuate considerably with climatic conditions. Seasonal lake level movements of 400-600 mm have been recorded on Lake Taharoa. Lake water temperatures also vary considerably during the year. Temperatures of 12.8°c to 21.0°c have been recorded. Thermal stratification sometimes occurs during the summer with the formation of distinct water layers of different temperatures.
History
The Kai Iwi Lakes and surrounding Omamari district have important associations with early Maori history. In the coming of the Maori, Sir Peter Buck recalls the traditions of the Mamari Canoe which brought people to the Hokianga and Kaipara districts:- The Mamari Canoe under Nukutawhiti finally landed at Hokianga Heads where Nukutawhiti, Runanui his brother-in-law and others settled. The canoe however sailed south and was wrecked on the Ripiro beach about 10 miles south of Maunganui Bluff. The unfortunate spot was commemorated by the name of Omamari. Few records are available on Maori settlement patterns around the Kai Iwi Lakes. Early maps of the area record the remains of a pa on the main ridge south of Lake Kai Iwi and former burial grounds at Promenade Point and Pine Beach. During the early part of this century lakes Kai Iwi, Taharoa and Waikere along with Shag Lake and an unnamed lake north west of Lake Waikere were known as the Rotorima lakes (five lakes). The lakes district was at the time a major gum digging area. Five gum diggers huts were observed on the western shores of Lake Kai Iwi in the late 1870?s. In 1892 there was a small gum digging camp including a general store on the eastern shores of Lake Taharoa. In 1908 a camp was established on the eastern shores of Shag Lake. The largest gumdiggers camp (Jacksons) was established near Johnsons Swamp south of lake Kai Iwi. In the early 1900?s an attempt was made by the Hall Brothers to drain lake Kai Iwi for gum recovery operations. A drain was dug from the present lake Kai Iwi outlet to Johnsons swamp and the lake lowered by about 2 metres. At about the same time gum was being recovered from Lake Waikere with the aid of a diving bell. In 1921 the Crown set aside a large area of land between Lake Taharoa and the west coast for gum recovery operations. The swamps in the area were bored with hand augers in the hope of recovering gum chips. The operations met with little success and by the late 1920?s most gumdiggers had left the area. Few signs remain of the gum digging operations around the lakes. A gumdiggers hut from the shores of Lake Kai Iwi is now situated at the Dargaville Maritime Museum. The Crown in 1928 set aside 8.5 hectares on the eastern shores of Lake Taharoa as a scenic reserve. Lake Taharoa and the surrounding land was added to the scenic reserve in 1952. In 1962 Lake Kai Iwi and Lake Taharoa and the surrounding land were declared a recreations reserve to be known as the Taharoa domain. Administration and control of the reserve was vested in the Hobson Country Council in its capacity as the Taharoa Domain Board under the Reserves and Domains Act, 1953. Lake Waikere and the surrounding land were incorporated into the domain in 1968.
Fishing
Rainbow trout were first released into the Kai Iwi Lakes in 1968. Fingerlings were initially released into lakes Taharoa and Waikere. The lakes offer excellent trout fishing conditions. Trout weighing up to 4kg have been caught. The lake fisheries are managed by the Northland Fish & Game Council. Each year the society release 2000 trout fingerlings into the lakes. All persons fishing at the lakes are required to hold licenses, these can be obtained from licensed agents & sports shops in Dargaville.
No more than 3 trout may be taken by any one person in a day.
All trout taken are to exceed 300mm in length.
Water Sports
The Kai Iwi Lakes are one of the most popular freshwater boating environments in the North Island. They are the major water skiing venue for the Auckland and Northland regions. On several occasions they have been the venue of the N.Z. Water Ski Championships. The Kai Iwi Lakes Water Ski Club and Dargaville Yacht Club are based at the lakes. The Kai Iwi Lakes Ski Club building is situated on the western shores of Lake Waikere. The club has also established a ski jump and slalom course on the lake. The Dargaville Yacht Club bases its activities on the lakes are controlled in terms of the Taharoa Domain Water Control Bylaws 1986.
The main provisions of the bylaws are:
Lake Kai Iwi
No small motorcraft are to exceed 5 knots or be used for waterskiing purposes on the lake. Small motorcraft means any vessel on the water that is propelled or driven other than by oars, paddles or the wind.
Lake Taharoa
No small craft are to exceed 5 knots within 100 metres of the shore except within defined access lanes. Small craft means any vessel less than 30 metres in length on the water and includes any boat, sailboard or yacht. Five access lanes are established around the lake. The entire area of water north west of Promenade Point and the Bluff, including Hauhautoki Bay and the Sin Bin, is reserved for yachting. No small motor craft are to exceed 5 knots or to be used for water skiing purposes in the reserved area. An area of water at Pine Beach is reserved for swimming only. No small craft, i.e. boats, sailboards or yachts are permitted in the reserved area.
Lake Waikere
No small craft are to exceed 5 knots within 10 metres of the sore except within defined access lanes. Two access lanes are established on the lake. All small craft are to be navigated in an anticlockwise direction around the lake No more than 5 small motorcraft are permitted on the lake at any one time. The reserved areas and access lanes on the lakes are identified on public noticeboards and marked by buoys in the water. Wardens have been appointed to administer the bylaws. The wardens are empowered to direct or stop any person using any small craft in contravention of the bylaws.
Flora and Fauna
The Kai Iwi lakes support a variety of plant and animal life. Several species of reeds, rushes and sedges are found around sheltered sandy margins of the lakes including the distinctive spike rush Eleocharis sphacelatea. The lake margins are also the home of a rare aquatic plant Hudatella inconspicua (cheesem). This small grass like herb is reportably confined to a small number of dune lakes in Northland. The deeper sub-littoral areas of the lakes contain soft organic muds of varying depths. They support a variety of rooted submerged plants principally the native stonewarts and pond weeds. Small plankton populations are found in the lakes. The phyto or plant plankton consists mainly of microscopic desmids and dinoflagellates. Most have flotation adaptions which enable them to remain suspended in the water. The zoo or animal plankton comprises a variety of small and generally transparent copepods, cladocera (water fleas) and rotifers. Bloodworms and freshwater snails are most commonly found amongst the weed beds. Freshwater crayfish or koura are found at various depths in the lakes. They generally populate the deeper waters during the daytime and migrate into shallower water at night to feed. Freshwater crabs and freshwater mussel have also been found in Lake Kai Iwi and Lake Taharoa. Native fish present in the lakes include the dwarf inganga and the common bully is a bottom feeder. The dwarf inanga have evolved from populations of inanga which became landlocked in the lakes and were unable to migrate back to saltwater. They are confined to the Kai Iwi and Pouto dune lakes. Long and short finned eels are found in Lakes Kai Iwi and Taharoa. Three species of exotic fish are found in the lakes?rainbow trout, mosquito fish and rudd. The trout populations are regularly stocked with young fingerlings as there is no natural spawning in the lakes. Grey and mallard ducks are commonly found on the lakes. Other bird species often present include the dabchick, paradise shelduck, shoveller duck, grey teal, little shag and white faced heron. Nearby Shag Lake is an important dabchick nesting area and paradise shelduck moulting site.
