Inventory of coastal areas of local or regional significance in the ...

Mimi Estuary
Number: 12 GPS: 2634693E
6248022N
General description
The Mimi Estuary has tidal mudflats, saltmarsh and sand dune habitat that are uncommon in
North Taranaki 1, 2, 4 .Planting of marram grass has been undertaken to stabilise the dunes 4 .
Adjacent is the wide, sandy Waitoetoe Beach.
Location
5 km north of Urenui.
Land tenure
Site: - Crown Land: Mimi Estuary (administered by the Department of
Conservation)
Site access: - Crown Land: Recreation reserve and marginal strip from Waiiti to the
Mimi River (administered by the Department of
Conservation)
- District Land: Waitoetoe Road, unformed Carrs Road and unformed
Johnson Road (administered and vested in the New
Plymouth District Council)
Values
Amenity High - area of outstanding coastal value 1 , significant coastal area,
and a regionally significant landscape 3
Recreational Moderate - wide sandy beach adjacent to the estuary, used for various
activities such as fishing, surfing, walking, floundering, and
picnics
Cultural/ High
3, 4
- many w hi tapu and pa sites
Historical
- Maori artifacts have been found 4
Ecological/ High - dunes/sand spit south side of estuary
Scientific
4
- habitat of migratory and wading birds, and periodically a
2, 1
blue penguin breeding site
- whitebait spawning area in upper estuary, feeding ground
for snapper and trevally and a nursery area for juvenile
1, 2, .4
marine species and flounder
- priority waterbody 3
Public access
Good - Waitoetoe Road provides direct access to Waitoetoe Beach via the recreation
reserve. The estuary is approximately 1 km north along the beach from
Waitoetoe Road and can be reached at low tide. Access to the right bank of the
Mimi Estuary is via Johnson Road. Johnson Road is formed to approximately
500 metres from the coast with the unformed portion across farmland to the
estuary.
38