Koru landscape design revealed on Kerikeri roundabout

A key entrance way to Kerikeri has been given a facelift with a landscape design that echoes the flow of the natural environment, incorporating the numerous local rivers and waterfalls.

The State Highway 10 and Kerikeri Road roundabout is one of the Bay of Islands’ busiest, providing motorists from the south with access to Kerikeri township via its eastern arm, Waipapa to the north and the Bay of Islands Airport to the west.

The roundabout landscaping project is the result of months of effort by Our Kerikeri Community Charitable Trust, which consulted with Ngāti Rēhia, worked with a local landscape designer on the design concept, gained approval from Waka Kotahi for the plan, and successfully applied for funding from the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board.

Designed to be low maintenance and low in stature to minimise impact on driver visibility, the concept also includes two roadside areas next to the roundabout. All landscaped areas are designed to work in with the neighbouring sculpture ‘Te Haa o Te Ao, The Breath of the World’, commissioned by Ngāti Rēhia.

The roundabout design follows a koru shape to symbolise local rivers converging on the Kerikeri Inlet with each unfurling koru frond representing one of the six awa (rivers) and made from pebbles sourced from the rivers - the Okura Stream, Wairoa Stream, Puketotara River, Waipekakoura River (Kerikeri River), Waipapa Stream and the Rangitāne River.

The design for the area next to the roundabout includes a series of clipped hedges that represent local wairere (waterfalls) including Waianiwaniwa (Rainbow Falls), Wharepuke Falls, Te Wairere Falls, and Charlie’s Rock Waterfall. Pear trees used in this design are a nod to both the local horticulture industry and the oldest pear tree in New Zealand located at the Stone Store basin (Kororipo).  

Planting has taken approximately five days to complete on the roundabout and adjacent roadside area. The area directly under the sculpture will be planted in autumn.

The trust initially sought funding in April this year when the estimated cost of the project was $150,000. Since then, the trust has worked with local plant suppliers to reduce costs and a revised project budget now sits at $96,500 (plus GST).  The community board agreed to cover $48,250 (plus GST), or 50 per cent of the new project cost.

Waka Kotahi has agreed to maintain the gardens at no extra cost once planted. Local plant suppliers contributed plants to the project at wholesale prices. The charitable trust sought feedback from the community on the design before applying for funding.

You can find out more about the landscaping project and the sculpture here.

Images - a bird's eye view of the landscape design.