Before European arrival, Te Hoiere catchment was blanketed almost entirely in mixed beech and podocarp forest. Māori lived mainly in coastal settlements around the Sound and moved inland seasonally to hunt, source stone and clear small areas for cultivation. This changed rapidly from the 1860's onwards when large-scale timber felling, milling and burning occurred. By 1880, lower to mid hillslopes were cleared of bush; dairying was established in the Rai Valley from the early 1900's, with pastoral farming peaking around 1910. Erosion and declining soil fertility on the cleared, highly erodible soils drove a farming downturn from the 1930s and land was progressively converted to pine plantation or left to regenerate. A brief resurgence in farming from 1980 gave way to further pine conversion and widespread native regeneration.
Today the catchment is a mosaic of remnant and regenerating indigenous forest, production pine forestry and pastoral farming concentrated in the lower valleys. The headwaters are largely clad in native forest, while remnant old-growth forest on the alluvial floodplains host mātai, rimu and tōtara. The forests support birds like kererū, tūī and kārearea, while the rivers and streams provide habitat for native freshwater fish and invertebrates. Many species hold particular significance to tangata whenua for dyeing, weaving, rongoā (healing) and kai (food). Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve protects one of the last remaining stands of river-flat forest in Marlborough and has drawn visitors from around the world since scenes from Peter Jackson's The Hobbit trilogy were filmed there. This area is also home to the critically endangered pekapeka or long-tailed bats.
Kaituna
The Kaituna valley covers approximately 14,000 hectares, linking the Wairau Plain with Havelock. This oversized valley once hosted Te Hoiere River which flowed south to join the Wairau River until between 130,000 and 70,000 years ago when tectonic subsidence and tilting of the Marlborough Sounds altered its course. This resulted in the current day river system with Te Hoiere and Kaituna Rivers flowing into Motuweka/Havelock Estuary and out to Te Hoiere Sound. Land use in this catchment is dominated by plantation forestry and sheep and beef farming. The town of Havelock sits at the base of Te Hoiere Sound with the marina providing boat access to the Sounds.
Linkwater
Linkwater is a low-lying alluvial plain approximately five kilometres in length, it separates the head of Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui from the Mahakipaoa Arm of Pelorus/Te Hoiere Sound. Originally covered in podocarp forest, Linkwater is now dominated by native forest on the higher hill slopes, production forest on mid to lower slopes and dairy farming on the valley floor. The largest river draining the catchment is Cullen Creek, the upper reaches of which were mined for gold from 1888 through to the 1930’s. On the western side of the catchment is Mahakipaoa Arm, a large, shallow intertidal estuary which is home to a wide range of wetland birds including the banded rail.
Pelorus and Whakamarino
Native forest dominates the upper and remote reaches of both Pelorus and Whakamarino (Wakamarina) valleys while the lower hillslopes and valley floor are now a mosaic of farming and forestry. At Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve, one of the last areas of lowland alluvial forest is home to giant tōtara, mataī and kahikatea, it is also a focus area for Te Hoiere Bat Recovery Project protecting one of New Zealand’s only native land mammals, the long tailed bat (pekapeka). Flowing through the catchment is Te Hoiere/Pelorus River and its many tributaries including Rai, Tinline and Whakamarino Rivers.
The Whakamarino Valley has a distinct historical-geological character tied to gold: alluvial and quartz-reef gold was discovered in 1864, triggering a short but intense gold, which led directly to the founding of Canvastown at the Pelorus confluence. Small-scale gold claims and recreational panning still occur in the river today
Rai, Ronga, Opouri and Tunakino Valleys
Land use in Rai Valley is dominated by dairy farms and areas of plantation forestry, interspersed with pockets of native forest. The Rai River forms from the confluence of the Brown, Tunakino, Ronga and Opouri Rivers just north of Rai township, then flows south to join the Pelorus River. Ronga Reserve, near the confluence of Ronga and Opouri Rivers, is one of very few examples of lowland alluvial podocarp forest left in Marlborough. With mature tōtara and mātai, oxbow wetlands and springs on three sides it is also home to a resident population of endangered pekapeka or long-tailed bats. The Rai Valley area has one of the highest annual rainfall rates in Marlborough. In 2022/23, Tunakino Valley recorded 4,055mm of rain for the year.
Te Hoiere Sound
Te Hoiere/Pelorus Sound sits within a network of rias (drowned valleys) where stream erosion has cut into uplifted basement rock and later drowned by subsidence and marine incursion. Ongoing tectonic tilting means the Sounds continue to slowly sink. The land area of the Sound is a mix of pine plantation, farming and regenerating native bush while the marine environment is the primary hub for green lipped mussel aquaculture in New Zealand. Predator-free Te Pākeka/Maud Island scientific reserve is a biodiversity hotspot which is home to many birds, lizards and invertebrates including takahē, Hamilton’s frog, Powelliphanta and the Cook Strait Giant Weta. Bottlenose and dusky dolphins, orca, NZ fur seals and little blue penguins are regularly seen feeding and travelling around the Sound. A small population of New Zealand king shag also inhabit outer areas of the Sound.
Since 2010, Te Hoiere Bat Recovery Project have actively removed mammalian predators to protect roost sites of the critically endangered long tailed bat (pekapeka).
Our farmers are actively protecting habitats and water quality by fencing, planting and replacing culverts to enhance native fish movement in streams and rivers.
Our community are learning how to protect and enhance their special places through our school education programme, workshops and field days.
