Cheetwood Road Wetlands

Description:

Three discrete areas of rush, sedge and flax swamp, beside the Puerua deviation channel, near the mouth of the Clutha River/Mata-Au. 1

Type/Class:

Swamp and Fen. 2

Size:

29.5 ha.

Altitude:

0 - 20 m above sea level.

Approximate location:

2 km South of the intersection of Kaka Point Road and Owaka Highway, Balclutha.
NZTM (centre point): E1347720 N4865540.

Regional Plan:

Water for Otago
Schedule 9 Regionally Significant Wetland, no.24, Map F38.

Territorial Authority:

Clutha District Council.

Cheetwood Road Wetlands

Recorded Values:

Value

Description

A1

Habitat for nationally or internationally rare or threatened species or communities. Presence of threatened Australasian Bittern. 1

A4

High degree of wetland naturalness.

A5

Scarce in Otago in terms of its ecological or physical character. Less than 15% of swamps remain in Otago. 2

A8

Regionally significant wetland habitat for waterfowl. Regionally significant waterfowl habitat. Wading birds and swamp birds. South Island Fernbird, Marsh Crake and Pukeko present. 1

A2, A3, A6, A7, A9

No relevant information is currently held by the ORC.

 

Other Information:

  • Part of the area to the west of the road (11 ha) is protected by a QEII National Trust open space covenant. Part of it is managed as a Wildlife Management Reserve by the Department of Conservation. 1

  • Part of the area includes QEII covenants 5/12/041, 5/12/072, and 5/12/073.

  • Listed in the Clutha District Plan as a Significant Wetland, where it is described as flax swamp, rush and sedge swamp. Also contains Puerua Channel Wetland, which is also listed as a Significant Wetland in the plan. Described as a rush and sedge swamp. 37

 

Aerial View of Cheetwood Road Wetlands  (March 2006)

Aerial View of Cheetwood Road Wetlands (March 2006)

Cheetwood Road Wetlands (2000)

Cheetwood Road Wetlands (2000) 51

References:

1 Otago Regional Council (2004) Regional Plan: Water for Otago. Published by the Otago Regional Council, Dunedin.

2 Ausseil, A.G., Newsome, P., Johnson, P. (2008) Wetland Mapping in the Otago Region. Landcare Research Contract Report prepared for the Otago Regional Council.

37 Clutha District Council (1998) Clutha District Plan. Published by the Clutha District Council, Balclutha.

51 Otago Regional Council – Photo Archive.