Brooklands Lagoon facts for kids
Brooklands Lagoon is a long, narrow body of water near Brooklands, Christchurch, in New Zealand. It's actually an estuary, which is where a river meets the sea. The Styx River flows into the lagoon. The lagoon is also near the mouth of the Waimakariri River.
Long ago, the Waimakariri River used to flow out through Brooklands Lagoon. But in 1930, engineers dug a new path through the sand dunes. This made a more direct way for the Waimakariri River to reach the sea. They did this to help stop floods from the river.
The lagoon is protected from the open ocean of Pegasus Bay by a strip of land called Brooklands Spit. To the south, you'll find Bottle Lake Forest and Spencer Park. Brooklands Lagoon is quite large, about 270 hectares. It stretches for about 4.5 kilometers and is 800 meters wide at its widest point. When spring tides happen, about 1.6 million cubic meters of water flow into the lagoon!
Before the big earthquakes in 2010 and 2011, many local people enjoyed visiting the lagoon. After the earthquakes, much of the Brooklands area was marked as a "red zone." This meant many homes had to be moved or removed.
Contents
What Lives in the Lagoon?
Brooklands Lagoon is home to many different creatures.
Shellfish and Fish
- You can find shellfish like cockles and pipis in the sand near the lagoon's mouth.
- Eels, brown trout, and yellow-eyed mullet also live here.
- Whitebait, which are small fish, are often seen in the lagoon. People who fish for whitebait, called "whitebaiters," are often there too.
Plants Around the Water
The muddy areas around the lagoon are full of native plants. These include:
- Sedges
- Rushes
- Grasses
- Saltmarsh ribbonwood
- You might also spot bachelor's button, yellow lotus, and swamp flax.
Amazing Birdlife
Brooklands Lagoon is a tidal estuary, which means the water level changes with the tides. It's a very natural and healthy place for birds. Over 100 different types of birds have been seen here!
Local Birds
Many birds live in the lagoon all the time. Some common ones you might see are:
- Pied Stilt
- Banded Dotterel
- White-faced Heron
- Pukeko
- Pied Shag
Migratory Birds
Some birds only visit Brooklands Lagoon at certain times of the year. They travel long distances! These include:
- South Island Pied Oystercatcher
- Caspian Tern
- White-fronted Tern
- New Zealand Shoveler
Rare Sightings
Sometimes, very special and rare birds are spotted at the lagoon. These include:
- White Heron
- Grey Duck
- Black-fronted Tern
- Wrybill
Walking and Exploring
You can explore Brooklands Lagoon on foot!
Walking Tracks
The Christchurch City Council takes care of walking tracks around most of Brooklands Lagoon. These paths are great for a stroll or a run. Part of these tracks is even part of the longer Christchurch 360 Trail.
Public Facilities
There's a public toilet at Brooklands Lagoon that's pretty special. It even won an award for its design!
- It's a small building, only six square meters.
- It was designed to be easy to look after and to stop vandalism.
- The design also respects the history of the area and the local Māori people (iwi).
- It was finished in 2011 and cost about $80,000 to build.
Protecting the Lagoon: Rahui
In late 2020, a special rule called a Rahui was put in place for Brooklands Lagoon.
- A Rahui is a traditional Māori restriction or ban.
- This Rahui means people cannot collect shellfish like cockles, pipis, cat's eyes, or clams from the lagoon.
- It was put in place by the Ngāi Tūāhuriri and Ngāi Tahu iwi.
- The main reason for the Rahui is to help protect and allow the shellfish populations to grow stronger. This ensures there will be plenty of shellfish for the future.
