Auckland's Waiheke Island seeks Dark Sky sanctuary status
Waiheke Island groups are wishing on a star to keep the Milky Way clearly in their sight.
The Waiheke Local Board is finalising an application for International Dark-Sky Association accreditation to protect the island’s nightscape, which is heaven for stargazers.
The request, expected to be submitted by May, is backed by Dark-sky New Zealand, Piritahi Marae, Ngati Paoa Iwi Trust, the Department of Conservation and several community groups on the island in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf.
Accreditation would highlight the island’s lack of light pollution and help protect dark night skies for future generations, Waiheke resident Nalayini Davies, from Dark-sky New Zealand, told the board.
She said visitors flocked to Waiheke to see the beaches and vineyards but the accreditation could spark a gradual shift towards eco-tourism and sustainability.
“If people come to look at the starry skies, it’s a different kind of people than the 20-somethings that have come here for a hen party.”
Research shows bright lighting at night is harmful to human health and impacts on wildlife, Davies said.
“Turtles come to the shore to lay their eggs and the baby turtles, when they hatch, use moonlight to navigate their way back to the ocean,” she said.
“If there are artificial lights on the shore, they get disoriented, don’t go to the ocean, and they get caught by predators.”
The beauty of the conservation initiative is that light pollution is the easiest type to control, she said.
“If we collectively switch our lights off there’s no light pollution.”
The board is working with the Waiheke Dark Skies Group on the application to establish a Dark Skies Park for eastern Waiheke and, if successful, might develop the concept across the island.
Davies said Auckland Transport had done its bit for conservation by replacing all the street lights in eastern Waiheke to 3000K LEDs at their own cost and had “made sure they were at zero tilt”.
This reduces sky glow and the effect on human melatonin production.
“They [Auckland Transport] are working their way slowly through west Waiheke as step two,” she said.
If successful, Waiheke will follow Great Barrier Island as the next bright star of New Zealand’s dark skies.
In 2017, Aotea/Great Barrier Island was named the world’s third Dark Sky Sanctuary, and the first island sanctuary, an honour it now shares with Rakiura/Stewart Island.
Photographs: Supplied: Mikey Mackinven: Waiheke Island's dark skies.
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Poll: Do you think NZ should ban social media for youth?
The Australian Prime Minister has expressed plans to ban social media use for children.
This would make it illegal for under 16-year-olds to have accounts on platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X.
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Harbour Bridge lane closure - protests
The Treaty Principles Bill was introduced to parliament last week and could have ramifications on the partnership between the Crown and Māori.
Hīkoi mō te Tiriti (March for the Treaty of Waitangi) set off from Cape Rēinga on Monday morning and is expected to reach Wellington next Tuesday. It has now passed through Kaitaia, Kawakawa, Whangārei, Dargaville and is passing through Auckland on Wednesday.
What you need to know today:
- The hīkoi is due to cross the Auckland Harbour Bridge about 9.30am on Wednesday. Two northbound lanes will be closed at some point before the crossing, and remain closed during it.
- NZTA shared at 8:50am Wednesday:
'Curran St northbound on-ramp will be closed shortly, with two northbound lanes on the Harbour Bridge expected to close from approx 9.30am this morning. Allow extra time for likely delays through this area.'
- The hīkoi is expected to go across the Harbour Bridge, in a controlled fashion before marching through parts of the CBD towards Okahu Bay.
- Auckland commuters should expect traffic disruption in vicinity of both sides of the Harbour Bridge.
Stuff reporter Steve Kilgallon was at Stafford Park on the north side of the Harbour Bridge at 8.30am Wednesday and shared:
"I just walked through Stafford Park, where there’s about 400-500 people quietly assembled and more arriving; and about 20 police standing over near the motorway off ramp. Lot of Tino Rangatira flags in evidence, local streets very busy with parked cars."
Police have shared that they will respond accordingly to any issues that may arise along the route.
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