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Forest and Bird, Issue 314, 1 November 2004, Page 35

ou dont have to travel out of town to enjoy a quiet walk in a natural setting: A Y few hours or half a day can be plenty of time to explore one of the many local- stream walks hidden within Auckland s urban areas. NORTH SHORE CITY Chatswood Stream: Following Chatswood Reserve downstream to Duck Creek and the Chelsea Sugar refinery this walk can be accessed from Portesea Place, Homewood Place, Ravenstone Place and David Beattie Place in Chatswood. It can also be reached by walking up through the lovely grounds of the sugar refinery from Duck Creek: Lauderdale Creek: Running through the Birkenhead Domain, Hiwihau Scenic Reserve and Lauderdale Reserve out to the Kaipatiki Estuary; this track offers one of the longer stream walks on the North Shore. There are several access points off Eskdale Road just downhill of the cemetery: Le Roys Stream: Dropping down from Highbury; the track along Le Roys Stream follows the valley down to the raupo wetlands of Little Shoal Bay: Access is from Onewa Road almost opposite Aorangi PL, from Hinemoa Street on the shops side of Le Roy Terrace and the ends of Valley Road and Seaview Ave. It can also be accessed from the bottom through the Dudding Park playing fields. At low tide you can continue around the coast of Northcote Point to Halls Beach and return via Queen Street and Clarence Road. AUCKLAND CITY Purewa Creek: One of the few urban stream walks on the isthmus; the track starts opposite the Glen Innes police station and follows Purewa Creek down through Taniwha Reserve; Eastview Reserve and Apirana Reserve to St Johns Road. This area could be earmarked for development as a future motorway corridor; SO be in quick Alternatively; head upstream from the Glen Innes police station and along the Tom Court Memorial Walkway to Point England Reserve WAITAKERE CITY Manutewhau Stream: The Manutewhau Stream runs between Massey and West Harbour into Lawsons Creek estuary It is accessible from Oreil Avenue on the Hobsonville Road side of Holmes Drive; from Oreil Avenue opposite West Harbour School and from Moire Avenue. Cranwell Park: A short walk circumnavigating Cranwell Park follows Henderson Creek and the lower reaches of Opanuku Stream. Ample carparking is available off Peacock Drive next to either the Falls Cafe or the library and recreation centre Opanuku Stream: Starting at the Opanuku Reserve just under the rail bridge from the Henderson shops, the track follows the Opanuku Stream upstream through Henderson Park and into Shona Reserve to exit at Keeling Street: MANUKAU CITY Botany Creek: Start at Marbeth Cresent off Cascades Road and follow Botany Creek upstream, past the Cascades Christian College and up a tributary into what appears to be an unnamed reserve in Botany Downs The upstream entrance to the walk is in Lexington Drive off Botany Road. Pakuranga Creek: Pakuranga Creek runs through the large Lloyd Elsmore Park, which is situated between Pakuranga Road, Cascades Road and Aviemore Drive. Howick Historic Village; Howick Little Theatre and the Highland Park shops are also within or near Lloyd Elsmore Park