Murdoch - Master Plan, Pukekawa
Murdoch Newell (client) purchased the property in 2015; it sits within the nationally ecologically significant Opuatia Wetland. The client’s purpose in purchasing the property was to create an environment conducive to duck shooting, while at the same time enhancing the property’s environmental qualities for their families to enjoy the amenity.
- Location: Pukekawa
- Region: Waikato
- Iwi + Hapū: Waikato-Tainui
- Ngā Aho practitioner(s): Josephine Clarke
- Other participants: SFH Consultants Ltd., Kessels Ecology Ltd. Mayfair Management (certified engineer), Forest and Bird. Pre-lodgement meeting with Waikato Regional Council.
- Discipline and Expertise: Landscape Architecture, Cultural & Heritage Landscape, Environmental Planning
Site Area: 48.4050 hectares
Client: Murdoch Newell
Type Resource Consent: Waikato Regional Council Consent.
Date: 2017- 2018
Company: JC Sole Trader
Since acquisition in 2015, ecological restoration of the 48-hectare site within the nationally ecologically significant Opuatia Wetland has been the primary focus, with approximately $125,000 invested over the initial 18 months. The site was previously degraded, featuring stagnant ponds, collapsing access tracks, severe pest and weed infestations, and uncontrolled silt-laden runoff from surrounding agricultural land.
Kaupapa & Client Aspirations
Primary Objective: Restore the property to its natural ecological state, improving wetland quality, habitat, and biodiversity.
Client Aspirations & Amenity: Enhance the property so the client and their family can enjoy recreational amenities on-site, specifically creating an optimal environment for duck shooting, walking, and relaxation while protecting the wider natural ecosystem.
Project Role & Multidisciplinary Collaboration
- Landscape Architect: Josephine Clarke was engaged to develop the staged overall Master Plan and secure Stage 1 Resource Consent (2018), establishing the strategic framework for a 3-to-5-year environmental enhancement program.
- Collaborative Site Meetings: Worked alongside SFH Consultants Ltd, Kessels Ecology Ltd, Mayfair Management (certified engineers), and the client to align ecological, civil engineering, and recreational objectives.
Scope of Works & Enhancement Measures
- Vegetation & Replanting: Removal of pine trees (completed mid-2017) and staged replanting of former pine areas with approximately 21,000 native plants.
- Wetland & Track Restoration: Creation of wetland habitat, reinstatement of existing tracks, and construction of 4m-wide access tracks linking hunting sheds/maimais to lake areas within the northern arrowhead section of the property.
- Sediment & Pest Management: Establishment of silt collection areas and sediment control ponds, alongside targeted weed eradication, enhanced pest control, and strategic deer fencing to protect new native plantings.
Methodology & Regulatory Engagement
- Assessment & Inventory: Conducted baseline habitat research, site visits, and comprehensive inventory mapping of native and exotic vegetation across the terrain.
- Staged Master Planning: Formulated a concept landscape master plan integrating recommendations from ecologists, surveyors, and civil engineers.
- Council & Stakeholder Consultation: Facilitated pre-lodgement review meetings with Waikato Regional Council (WRC) to refine preliminary designs and align with regional policy provisions and RMA requirements.
Cultural Context: The closest marae is Matahuru, located in Ōhinewai.
