Huatoki Stream — Field Trip Guide
New Plymouth's urban awa from Pukekura Park to the coast — 5 stations, all 10 BMS survey methods.
LAWA Water Quality Baseline — HTK000700 — Huatoki upstream of Pukekura Park lake outflow
MCI Score
107.5
Band C — Fair
EPT Taxa
48%
Sensitive invertebrates
Trend
Likely Degrading
ASPM assessment
Monitored
Since 1996
Last updated 2024
Trip Logistics
Total Duration
3–4 hours (full programme)
Start Point
Pukekura Park — Lake Road entrance
End Point
Coastal walkway car park, Belt Road
Group Size
Up to 30 (split into 5 groups of 6)
Distance
~3 km one-way along the walkway
Weather
Check MetService — postpone if heavy rain forecast
Pre-Visit Checklist
Field Stations — Huatoki Walkway
Field Steps
Stand at the lake outflow where the stream enters the bush valley. Set up your 5-minute bird count station here.
Record GPS on the Photo Point Compass — take N/E/S/W photos from the same spot for future comparison.
Note water clarity, any algal growth on rocks, and the condition of the riparian vegetation on both banks.
Tūī and Kererū are regularly recorded here. Listen for Korimako (Bellbird) in the canopy.
App Tools for this Station
Hazards
- • Slippery path edges near water
- • Low branches on bush track
☁️ Bad Weather Alternative
If raining: complete the Bird Count Tally Sheet indoors using the eBird Pukekura Park dataset as your data source.
Back in the Classroom
Complete the Score
Use the Score Calculator to enter all 5 component scores and calculate the Huatoki composite health rating.
Build the Field Report
Enter all data collected today into the Field Report Builder and send it to the Dashboard for visualisation.
Compare to LAWA
How does your MCI estimate compare to the official LAWA score of 107.5? What explains any differences?
The Huatoki Walkway is maintained by NPDC and is free to access. The daylighting project at Metro Plaza is an active construction site — check NPDC's website for current access conditions before your visit. NPDC Huatoki Restoration →