Hūnua Falls

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| name = Hūnua Falls

| photo = File:Hunua Falls.jpg

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| location = Hūnua

| type =Horsetail

| elevation = {{convert|60|m|ft}}

| height = {{convert|30|m|ft}}

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The Hūnua Falls are on the Wairoa River in the Auckland Region of New Zealand, near Hūnua. The land around was bought by Auckland for water supplies between 1940 and 1960.{{Cite web |last=Auckland City Council |title=Hunua Ranges Regional Park |url=https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/parkmaps/map-hunua-ranges-regional-park.pdf}} The mean flow of water downstream at Clevedon is {{convert|2.6|m3/s|impgal/s|abbr=on}},{{Cite web |title=Wairoa Water Quantity |url=https://www.lawa.org.nz/explore-data/auckland-region/water-quantity/surface-water-zones/wairoa,-taitaia,-aroaro-surface-water/wairoa |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=Land, Air, Water Aotearoa (LAWA)}} but can vary greatly, as illustrated in [http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=AS19280202.2.97.2&e photographs showing the falls in winter and summer].

Natural features

The Wairoa River falls over a basalt lava plug which has intruded up a fault line. Volcanic tuff rings and lava bombs are visible in the east wall of the waterfall.{{Cite web |last=Auckland City Council |title=The Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan (notified 30 September 2013) |url=https://unitaryplan.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Images/Printable%20PDFs%20-%20September/Part%205%20-%20Appendices/Appendix%203.pdf}}

Several herbs have been identified near the falls - water starwort (Callitriche petriei), Crassula hunua, water pennywort (Hydrocotyle microphylla and Hydrocotyle hydrophila), wood-sorrel (Oxalis magellanica).{{Cite web |title=Waterfall Floras of the North |url=https://bts.nzpcn.org.nz/articles/waterfall-floras-of-the-north/ |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=New Zealand Regional Botanical Society Journals |language=en}}

The Wairoa has smaller falls. Lily Falls (Unofficially known as Wairoa Falls){{Cite web |title=Wairoa Falls |url=https://waterfalls.co.nz/waterfalls-by-region/80-new-zealand-waterfalls/north-island/auckland/73-wairoa-falls |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=waterfalls.co.nz}} were described as {{convert|70|ft|m|abbr = on}} high{{Cite web |title=THE HUNUA AND ITS ATTRACTIONS. |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH18880317.2.42 |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} and {{convert|3|mi|abbr=on}} downstream from Hūnua, in the Wairoa Gorge.{{Cite web |title=A SUMMER AND WINTER CONTRAST AT HUNUA AUCKLAND GOODS SHEDS NEARING COMPLETION |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/auckland-star/1928/02/02/9 |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} A [http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=NZI19011001.1.75&e photograph] appeared in 1901.

Access and recreational activities

As well as tracks to the Hunua Ranges, there are two 30 minute walks; [http://regionalparks.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/hunuafalls/track/Hunua%20Falls%20Lookout%20Walk The Lookout Walk] and the [http://regionalparks.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/hunuafalls/track/Hunua%20Falls%20Upper%20Lookout%20Walk Upper Lookout Walk]. The cliffs are used for abseiling.{{Cite web |last=New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu Taonga |first= |title=Europeans and waterfalls |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/waterfalls/page-4 |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=teara.govt.nz |language=en}}

References

External links

[http://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap/nz7767/Hunua-Falls/Auckland 1:50,000 map]
[http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll?BU=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aucklandcity.govt.nz%2Fdbtw-wpd%2FHeritageImages%2Findex.htm&AC=QBE_QUERY&TN=heritageimages&QF0=ID&NP=2&MR=5&RF=HIORecordSearch&QI0=%3D%22AWNS-19041020-13-1%22 Auckland Weekly News photo 1904]

Category:Waterfalls of the Auckland Region

Category:Parks in the Auckland Region

Category:Wairoa River (Auckland) catchment

Category:Franklin Local Board Area