Southland District Council plans to continue improving the popular Monkey Island recreation area.
With stage one of the upgrade nearing completion, we are keen to engage with the community about stage two.
With the aim of creating a family-friendly space for Southlanders and visitors to enjoy, two concept plans have been developed.
Now we want to know what you think. Share your feedback here.
Share your ideas here.
Concept Sketch 1
Click to open full screen
Click here to download the sketches!
Concept Sketch 2
Click to open full screen
Click here to download the plans!
Maintain Access for lower mobility beachgoers
Adequate parking
Keep the pathway…
Maintain Access for lower mobility beachgoers
Adequate parking
Keep the pathway down to the beach near the structure. The stairs are steep but are OK for younger/able bodied beachgoers
Clean up and utilise the current structure beside the lower parking. It stinks of urine, have Running water there to rinse off the legs and feet.
A toilet closer to the structure / parking
The cleaning lady is so lovely
But Omg those toilets ??
Theyre clean but they're putrid
Picinic tables near the structure
Something needs to be done urgently with the smell in…
Something needs to be done urgently with the smell in the new toilets
Lady cleans them but it still smells bad
Really like Concept B. Great to see viewing platform.
Really like Concept B. Great to see viewing platform.
Will be a pleasant coastal attraction once completed.
Would like to consider current coastal growth remaining until New Proposed Plantings are established enough to support the existing land & dune structure to avoid further & acceleration of weather & ocean erosion. Would there be potential to use underplanting or succession planting instead of " kill & replant" approach.
P.s it looks so much nicer now, since work has settled in.
Rachael
Wednesday 31 Mar 2021
Please find a way to ensure those camping are using…
Please find a way to ensure those camping are using the designated area's appropriately - today a line nose to tail of large motorhomes, buses, caravans with tow vehicles attached used the whole area designated for small vehicles/tents. Pretty selfish. Please at least use sleepers or something similar to designate parking space like "angle parking" so people can't be greedy with space like I saw today. :(
Donna H
Wednesday 24 Mar 2021
We go to Monkey Island on every visit we have…
We go to Monkey Island on every visit we have to Riverton. We, like most park on the beach as the car parkng is limited and the camping area is often full. We love it. Concept 1 please. The addition of a viewing platform seems somewhat superfluous. Please also seriously consider working a deal with the farmer and putting the parking away from the beach side of the road completely or even further up the road near the awful smelling toilet. I love the plans shown but not Having the green spaces not bound in by parking would be nice. I would happily park and then walk up to a awesome area and then not have to worry about constant traffic in and out by the “tick a box” visitors who don’t even get out to enjoy it. Waipapa point lighthouse as a example of park and walk.
So happy to see something being done to such a great area for families.
Greg M
Friday 19 Mar 2021
I support the upgrade of Monkey Island camping ground, and…
I support the upgrade of Monkey Island camping ground, and hope the following matters are considered in the design:
1) the need for managed retreat as sea level rises and storm surges increase
2) restoration of dune systems using native species local to Southland. Species suggested so far in the concept designs such as pikao (Ficinia spiralis), waiu-atua (Euhphorbia glauca) and Coprosma acerosa are a good start, especially since they have threat rankings and are much reduced in Southland. In particular, pikao is a great plant for the dunes as it help regulate sand movement much better than marram and will enable some low profile protective dunes to form. I recommend reaching out the Coastal Restoration Network to get advice on how to rehabilitate dunes, in particular Jim Dahm who has been involved in many successful projects around New Zealand.
3) native species should be used in the shelter and amenity planting around the camping ground area too. I note the concept design refers to 'varieties' - please ensure the species chosen are native to Southland and they have been appropriately sourced from local naturally occurring populations. Tough coastal species which can handle wind and salt and will provide low shelter include but are not limited to: harakeke (Phormium tenax) and wharariki (Phormium cookianum subsp. cookianum), Hebe elliptica, Brachyglottis rotundifolia, southern rata (Metrosideros umbellata) and Olearia avicennifolia. Using local native species is beneficial in several ways including ensuring a high survival rate for plants both during establishment and in the longer term as well as giving visitors a sense of place as they can see local plants when they visit.
Note, Monkey Island falls within the Longwood Ecological District which originally contained several coastal ecosystems including: pikao sandfield, brachyglottis-hebe shrubland and coastal rata-rimu forest (these second two ecosystem types are now reduced to 1% of their original extent). A sequence of all three of these ecosystems could be incorporated into the design for the Monkey Island camping ground.
Jesse Bythell
Tuesday 9 Mar 2021