“This cache has been placed by the Department of Conservation as part of Conservation Week (1-8 November) 2015”
Description
Motueka sandspit is part of the Motueka River delta, which consists of the sandspit, the rivermouth, and the 'Kumaras' estuary.
The Motueka River delta is formed of sediments from the Motueka and Riwaka Rivers, swept into continually changing shapes by the sea.
The whole area is ecologically important. It has extensive areas of rushland and saltmarsh where whitebait spawn; it is rich in shellfish and therefore a major feeding ground for wading birds, up to 10,000 of which feed or roost on the sandspit in summer.
Birds
This site is considered internationally important (under the Ramsar convention for wetlands) because of the numbers of bar-tailed godwit, variable oystercatcher, and South Island pied oystercatcher that use the site. Other birds using the site are banded dotterel, ruddy turnstone, terns and gulls.
The sandspit has an all-round view, from D'Urville Island to the Richmond and Arthur ranges and Abel Tasman National Park.
The cache is located about half way down the sandspit at the point where dogs are excluded.