Should we

QUEEN St is one of New Zealand’s most iconic roadways. Over more than 150 years, businesses have set themselves up in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Tā maki Makaurau’s city life.

What people may be unaware of however, is that an ancient awa (river) rests beneath the asphalt that has carried everything from horse and carriage to the public bus and Tesla car.

It’s called Waihorotiu Stream, and is one of the many streams around Auckland that have been covered over. It runs from a marsh now called Aotea Square out to the Waitematā Harbour.

It is an awa with a long and detailed history with mana whenua and early colonial settlers, and could play a part in the future design of Auckland’s CBD.

First, a little history lesson. Before the first colonial ships arrived in the Waitematā Harbour, the Waihorotiu Stream was a prominent feature in the lives of mana whenua.