Puhinui stream and public space improvements Te Aka Raataa

Te Aka Raataa is the urban regeneration project that will improve the Puhinui stream. As part of the Transform Manukau project, led by the Auckland Urban Development Office (AUDO) there will be new publicly accessible open spaces that support growing local communities and strengthen Wiri's connection to the wider Manukau area. 

Ngāti Tamaoho, Ngaati Te Ata Waiohua, Te Ākitai Waiohua gifted the name ‘Te Aka Raataa’ to the project, referencing the white raataa climbing vine that was once prominent in the area.

Reflecting a vision where people and nature thrive together, the project will restore the health of the awa, support thriving ecosystems, and help shape a greener, healthier and more vibrant Manukau for generations to come.

 The project will:

• improve stormwater infrastructure to help restore the Puhinui stream’s health
• enhance the quality of water flowing into the Manukau Harbour
• create new, wider walking paths, cycleways and boardwalks across the stream, enabling access alongside it, and between the communities on either side
• create new wetlands to re-energise the awa, improve biodiversity and welcome back aquatic and bird life to the area
• incorporate art and design elements created by local iwi.

Stage 2 focuses on the section of the Puhinui stream between Great South Road and Kerrs Road. In 2023, Eke Panuku (now AUDO) purchased a 7.6-hectare site on behalf of Auckland Council to enable the creation of a new public park and public access along this section of the stream for the first time.

This stage will transform previously inaccessible land into a welcoming public destination, extending the shared path from Wai-Akatea Raataa Vine Stream Reserve and completing a key section of the Te Ara Puhinui connection. 

The new park will create opportunities for recreation, connection and enjoyment of the awa and its surrounding environment.

The major regeneration project will help bring the Puhinui stream back to its full splendour by reinstating 300 metres of natural stream meander, creating a large new wetland, enhancing existing wetlands, and planting more than 55,000 native plants. The work will improve water quality, boost biodiversity, and regenerate the health and mauri of this sacred waterway.

Completed in December 2025, Stage 1 transformed Wai-Akatea Raataa Vine Stream Reserve through awa restoration, new public amenities and improved connections for local communities. The project was recognised as a finalist in the 2026 Stormwater Project of the Year and Infrastructure New Zealand Social Impact Award.

Works included removing the entire concrete channel and returning the awa to a more natural form, alongside the creation of wetlands, ecological habitats and extensive native planting throughout the corridor.

Since completion, the project has improved access to the awa, enhanced biodiversity and ecological health, and created a welcoming destination for recreation, learning and connection with nature.

Ongoing ecological and environmental monitoring is underway to track the long-term benefits of the restoration, supported by a five-year planting establishment and maintenance programme.