What's different in Henderson
Two streams meet the tide
Project Twin Streams says Te Wai o Pareira (Henderson Creek) is tidal, mixing harbour water with fresh water from the Opanuku and Oratia Streams. Its mangroves are home to the banded rail.
Bush upstream
Auckland Council groups its Opanuku Stream monitoring site, running since 1986 with a 1,566 hectare catchment, with its native forest streams. That's the Waitākere Ranges reaching down towards town.
An urban estuary
Henderson Creek has been an Auckland Council estuary water quality site since 1991, with urban land alongside it.
Fewer trees, but tall ones
The Henderson-Massey Local Board had 15 per cent tree canopy in 2016/18. Along with Upper Harbour, it has the highest share of canopy over 30 m tall.
A wasp nest near people
Stay back from the nest and keep pets in. Swelling of the face or throat, or trouble breathing, after a sting is a 111 call. National Poisons Centre first aid line: 0800 764 766.
Rat control in Henderson
Stream banks are on Auckland Council's list of rat habitat, and Henderson has a lot of them. Sections backing on to the creek or the stream paths can get ship rats climbing fences and trees into the roof, and Norway rats round the shed and drains.
Scratching overhead at night, droppings along the hot water cupboard shelves and chewed fruit on the trees are the usual signs. Tell us which, and when.
Wasp nest removal in Henderson
Grey papery nests point to German wasps and brown ones to common wasps, DOC says, but the job is the same either way: a pest business deals with it. Nests in creek banks, retaining walls and ceiling spaces need the most care to reach. Our Auckland wasp page has what to have ready.
Which Henderson?
This page is for Henderson in West Auckland, in the Henderson-Massey Local Board area. For the wider west, see pest control in West Auckland.
What we'd do about pests in Henderson
If we lived near the creek, we'd walk the back boundary in late afternoon looking for rat runs, burrows and droppings, and check what's leaning on the roof. Then tell us Rats or mice or A wasp nest, with a photo if you've got one.
Want someone to look at it?
Tell us what you've seen and your postcode, and a local pest business that handles exactly that calls you to talk it through.
