Whāinga Roa
Our Long Term Vision
The AJ Seeley Reserve was once part of a thriving ecosystem which provided tangata whenua with food, fibre and other resources. In settler history, that ecosystem was largely destroyed with the forest cleared and the Putikitikl stream highly modified.
Beginning in 1953, Alwyn Seeley began planting what had become a neglected area of “waste” land. This was gifted to the city in 2003. In 2014, the Seeley family settled a trust to “protect and develop” the reserve in collaboration with the Hamilton City Council, with the long term vision to restore this beautiful and unique gully.
Kaupapa | Our Mission
To engage the community as kaitiaki of the gully, contributing to the restoration and maintenance of its natural ecosystem.
Our Vision
The gully is a thriving natural ecosystem where people enjoy nature and appreciate its importance to the health of people and planet.
Tāhuhu kōrero - the history of the gully
The whenua:
The AJ Seeley Gully Reserve is part of the Putikitiki Stream system that drains much of the present-day suburbs of Claudelands and Hamilton East into the Waikato river. The earliest records suggest that the area was once blanketed in kahikatea-pukatea forest on the lowlands and gully floors, and with totara-matai-kowhai forest on the banks and sides of the gullies. The best-preserved remnant of the forest is Te Papanui, on the eastern side of Claudelands Park.
Tangata whenua:
The wider area of the city has been occupied continuously since the 1400s by various hapu of Tainui descent. The Putikitiki stream became the home of Ngāti Parekirangi, a sub-tribe of Ngāti Wairere, who established the Waipahihi Pā on a headland overlooking the stream. This is the only known pa in the area that was built overlooking a gully rather than the Waikato River. The availability of harakeke (flax), the fertile soil and the presence of kōkōwai (iron oxide sediment traditionally used for dying harakeke) in the stream would have made this site especially attractive.
Following the invasion of the Waikato, most of the region north of Kirikiriroa was confiscated by the Crown. However, Ngāti Parekirangi and related hapū continued to harvest harakeke and gum from this area until the 1890s.
Recent history:
Beginning in the late 19th century, the land around Waipahihi Pā was cleared and subdivided. The gully was largely ignored. In 1960, Dr. Alwyn Seeley purchased the 2 hectares now known as AJ Seeley Gully Reserve. He began to restore the native bush although for a while, he retained a paddock in which he kept a small band of donkeys. These were a favourite among local children who loved to ride them.
In 2004, Alwyn Seeley donated the land to Hamilton City Council. The reserve now carries his name.
Thanks to Alwyn Seeley’s hard work over more than 40 years, we now have the most mature area of restored bush in the city. Under a partnership between the Council and the Seeley Gully Trust, restoration of the gully has continued, with a focus on planting species indigenous to the area, including harakeke, kānuka, mānuka, tōtara, mataī, poroporo, lancewood, rimu, kahikatea, lemonwood, kauri, and nīkau.
Our Mahi | What We Do
The importance of gully restoration:
Like the other the gullies in the city, the restoration of Seeley Gully:
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Improves biodiversity.
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Provides habitats and travel paths for native taonga animals like pekapeka (long-tailed bats), wetā, ngārara (skinks and geckos), kōkopu, tuuĩ, and kererū (wood pigeons).
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Protects soil and prevents erosion.
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Provides a carbon sink to remove greenhouse gases from our atmosphere and regulate heat, rainfall and wind.
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Offers opportunities for recreation and enjoying nature.
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Provides an array of cultural uses including mahinga kai (traditional foods and food gathering), rongoā (medicinal plants) and raaranga (weaving).
Enhances the natural drainage system by acting as a sponge which soaks heavy rainfall, mitigates flooding and improves water quality.
Partnering for success
We partner with the Hamilton City Council, the owner of this public reserve, to ensure that the vision of Alwyn Seeley continues to inform the restoration of the gully that carries his name.
We currently:
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Participate in Council-organised working bees. These are held on Monday mornings and focus on removing invasive weeds, “releasing” plants, maintaining tracks and, in winter, planting to fill in gaps.
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Hold our own weekend working bees (usually two a year)
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Carry out predator control inside the gully and support neighbours to trap in their backyards.
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Fund raise for seats and other infrastructure that are beyond the Council’s budget.
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Participate in the Kirikiriroa Restoration Forum with similar groups around the city to lobby for support for gully restoration and contribute to the Council’s Nature in the City programme.
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Host workplace and other groups who are looking for a community service project as part of their corporate responsibility programme and/or teambuilding among their staff.
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Host school and other educational groups who want to learn about the bush and gully restoration.