2. Mangatawa catchment consents for earthworks, storm water ...

ARCHAEOLOGY B.O.P.
HERITAGE CONSULTANTS
2 March 2009
Michael Seabourne
Senior Planner
Beca
P O Box 903
TAURANGA
Re: Archaeologist issues – Mangatawa Flood Bypass Area
Dear Sir
I provide the following information regarding archaeological issues within the Mangatawa
Flood Bypass Area located between Mangatawa Lane and Tip Lane.
There are no previously recorded archaeological sites and no unrecorded archaeological sites
were within land affected by the Mangatawa Flood Bypass Area. However prehistoric
occupation on the eastern edge of the wetland and on raised ground on the eastern side of
Mangatawa Lane was likely to have been extensive. The area was a poorly drained wetland
in prehistory and would have been a source of construction materials such as raupo and food
such as birds and eels. The collection of such resources rarely leaves an archaeological
record, however, swamp and wetland environments often contain artifacts made form
organic materials such as wood and flax as the anaerobic conditions of wetlands provide an
environment that can preserve buried organic materials that rarely survive elsewhere. Many
wooden and organic artifact assemblages have been recovered from wetland sites throughout
the Bay of Plenty. Wetland areas within the construction corridor and the Mangatawa Flood
Bypass Area have the potential to contain such artefacts especially given the high
concentration of archaeological sites on the surrounding hill country and dune plain.
I have amended my report on the proposed Tauranga Eastern Motorway construction
corridor between Te Maunga and Domain Road (April 2008) to include this area.
Yours faithfully
Ken Phillips
ARCHAEOLOGY B.O.P. HERITAGE CONSULTANTS P O BOX 855, WHAKATANE
MOBILE: 027 276 9919 EMAIL: KJS.PHILLIPS@XTRA.CO.NZ