English: The Waiwhetū Stream gets off to a bad start somewhere in the hills that line the eastern side of the Hutt Valley, and for much of its early stages, is channeled beneath a suburb developed in the mid-1940s. Upon leaving the culverts, the waterways (and there are at least two) come together on the edge of a major sports field – but now the stream - which looks surprisingly clean - is lined with concrete! (Some years ago, it was believed (wrongly!) that the concrete would help speed the flow of the water and thus ease flooding issues!).

Feeding the stream through culverts and along concrete water courses has badly damaged the stream's ecosystem and heated (albeit slightly but never-the-less significantly) the waters unnaturally - and flooding still occurs from time to time!

So for many years, the Waiwhetu Stream has been rather – well – lifeless!

However, over the last four or five years, a group calling itself the “Friends Of The Waiwhetu Stream” have spent many hours pulling large amounts of noxious weed out of the stream and replacing that weed with natives grasses and trees.

And so slowly but very steadily, the Waiwhetū Stream is starting to look good again as it burbles its way down the side of the Hutt Valley and through Suburbia on its way towards Wellington Harbour...!

PS Note especially the native grasses and trees on either side of the waterway!