Should we uncover the taniwha buried beneath Auckland CBD?

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 Ta¯ 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 Waitemata¯ 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 Waitemata¯ Harbour, the Waihorotiu Stream was a prominent feature in the lives of mana whenua.

Near its banks – on what is now Albert, Kingston and Federal streets – lay a settlement named Nga¯ Wharau a Tako, which used the area around the awa for agriculture alongside hunting, fishing and gathering.

The waterway is the domain of Horotiu – a mighty taniwha, whom the stream is named after. In Ma¯ oridom, taniwha are often considered kaitiaki, or guardians of te taiao, or the natural world and its people. They are also seen as supernatural and dangerous.

Horotiu protects the stream, while mana whenua lived with reverence to him.

As European settlers began to colonise the area in the 19th century, the stream became polluted as pubs and hotels along the river bank would dump raw sewage and waste directly into it.

Attempts to encase the river led to the creation of the Ligar Canal, which proved to be incredibly unpopular. It was eventually bricked over in 1860 in order to create a sewer down Queen St, where it remains underground today.

For an example of how the restoration of the Waihorotiu Stream might work, you need only look to Seoul. In 2005 the capital of South Korea dug up a busy elevated motorway to expose the hidden stream underneath. The Cheonggyecheon Restoration Project cost more than 386 billion won (NZ$464m) and created a public space, with fish and birds returning to the waterway.

Pedestrians can walk alongside it on footpaths at street level, or descend stairs or ramps to the water. There are steps for sitting next to the water and stepping stones for traversing it across 22 bridges.

So could we see Waihorotiu Stream daylighted to create something similar to the Cheonggyecheon Stream?

An Auckland Council spokesperson said there were no plans to daylight the stream anytime soon, however that didn’t mean it would just be ignored.

‘‘The scope of the current Queen St upgrade does not include daylighting the Waihorotiu stream, but focuses on creating a more spacious, green and people-focused street.

‘‘As part of this current upgrade we are acknowledging the stream through a new Waihorotiu path, giving more space to people walking or using active modes.’’

The mahi will involve painting symbolic wayfinding patterns down Queen St. Jenny Larking, head of city centre programmes at Auckland Council, said the patterns will serve two purposes.

‘‘The approach is twofold: the system of ground markings along our new Waihorotiu path carries cultural expression of the Waihorotiu valley narrative, developed by the project’s mana whenua partners, and also safety measures for effective operation of the path,’’ Larking said.

‘‘Supporting the other wayfinding measures we have built into the design, the markings help define the area of the multi-use path and provide visual delineation, guiding user behaviour at key locations such as pedestrian crossings and bus boarding areas.’’

Kaunuku designer Tahua Pihema said the patterns elevate mana whenua aspirations to see themselves reflected in their taiao (natural environment) of Ta¯maki Makaurau.

Auckland councillor Chris Darby said the move would be significant for Aucklanders.

‘‘They will enable our celebrated main street to become a place where people want to shop and spend time, while telling our stories and expressing our cultural heritage in this built canvas.’’