Leith Valley

Last updated
Dunedin, New Zealand location map.PNG
Red pog.svg
Leith Valley
Location of Leith Valley within Dunedin's main urban area, between Glenleith (north) and Woodhaugh (south). The Ross Creek Reservoir is visible just to the west.

Leith Valley is a suburb, valley, and general area of the New Zealand city of Dunedin, located to the northwest of the city centre. To differentiate the name of the valley from that of the suburb, the former is usually referred to as the Leith Valley, the latter simply as Leith Valley.

Contents

The valley itself

As its name suggests, it is the valley of the Water of Leith, a 14-kilometre (8.7 mi) long stream which flows from the slopes of Mount Cargill south through the northern suburbs of Dunedin. The valley starts close to a saddle, Pigeon Flat, between it and the valley of the Waitati River, which is crossed by the Dunedin Northern Motorway. The motorway follows the flank of Mount Cargill's spur Pine Hill, which forms the northern boundary of the valley. The southern boundary is formed by Maori Hill, the northernmost part of a long ridge which forms a crescent around central Dunedin, culminating at Lookout Point in the city's southwest.

The valley starts steeply in bush-clad countryside, before widening into a narrow flood plain occupied by the start of Dunedin's suburban area. The valley widens, and is hemmed in by steep slopes and occasional cliff faces before joining the northern end of the wide plain which is the location of Dunedin's CBD some 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from the coast. At its mouth, the valley is some 400 metres (1,300 ft) in width.

Much of Dunedin's water supply comes from reservoirs in the upper reaches of the Leith Valley. These include Ross Creek Reservoir, the oldest reservoir still in active use in New Zealand, and Sullivans Dam. Numerous popular walking tracks traverse the bush-clad reserve land surrounding this reservoir.

The suburbs

The term "Leith Valley" can be used to refer to the semi-rural settlement which lies in the upper reaches of the valley, or - more generally - for both this community and the two suburbs which lie in the lower valley, Glenleith and Woodhaugh.

Leith Valley

Leith Valley is as much a rural settlement as a suburb, though it does lie within the Dunedin city boundaries very close to the edge of the city's main urban area. It is connected by Leith Valley Road, which follows the course of the river, crossing the Dunedin Northern Motorway by bridge towards its northern end. From here it runs roughly parallel with both the river and motorway before connecting with the latter at the Leith Saddle. At its southern end, Leith Valley Road becomes Malvern Street, the main route through Glenleith.

Glenleith

Ross Creek Reservoir. Ross Creek Reservoir.jpg
Ross Creek Reservoir.

The main suburban area within the Leith valley is roughly split into two suburbs - Glenleith in the upper valley and Woodhaugh close to the valley's mouth. The two suburbs, and particularly Glenleith, were both heavily industrialised during the early years of Dunedin, with the power of the Leith being harnessed for sawmills from 1850 and for flour mills shortly thereafter. The first commercial paper mill in New Zealand was located in the valley, the last overgrown remains of which can still be seen close to a walking track.

The main road through Glenleith is Malvern Street, which runs from the Leith Valley Road in the upper valley to meet with Duke Street in Woodhaugh. Most of Glenleith's residences are located either on this street or around Fulton Road, a steep street which rises from Malvern Street, passing through forestry plantations before joining the end of Wakari Road near Helensburgh. A third main road, Rockside Road, runs from Malvern Street close to the boundary between Glenleith and Woodhaugh, winding uphill through the same plantations before becoming Tanner Road and joining with Wakari Road.

These plantations contain numerous walking tracks, and also contain the historically listed Ross Creek Reservoir, constructed in the late 1860s. The walking tracks circumnavigate the dam, as well as following the banks of the Ross Creek and School Creek, two small tributaries of the Leith.

Another major walking track, the Pineapple Track, has its northeastern end close to Fulton Road. This track traverses Flagstaff, a 650-metre (2,130 ft) hill which dominates the city's western skyline.

Woodhaugh

Woodhaugh and the mouth of the Leith Valley, seen from Prospect Park immediately to the south. The Gardens Corner, at the mouth of North East Valley, is visible in the background, top right. Woodhaugh.jpg
Woodhaugh and the mouth of the Leith Valley, seen from Prospect Park immediately to the south. The Gardens Corner, at the mouth of North East Valley, is visible in the background, top right.
The Water of Leith at the northern end of Woodhaugh Gardens. LeithValley, Dunedin, NZ.jpg
The Water of Leith at the northern end of Woodhaugh Gardens.

Woodhaugh is the suburban part of the Leith Valley which lies below the Rockside Road intersection. At its top, it houses numerous older stone buildings, many of them of some historical significance. Lower down, the suburb is dominated by Woodhaugh Gardens, a large area of parkland and trees that forms part of Dunedin's Town Belt. Once a quarry, this is one of the city's oldest parks, dating from 1895.

The area around the park is known as Woodhaugh and is a popular area for student accommodation, as it is only 15 minute walk to the university and the centre of the city. Most of Woodhaugh's residential area lies on Malvern Street, on Woodhaugh Street, a crescent in the upper part of the suburb, or on the small number of short streets close to the valley's mouth. At this point, Malvern Street becomes Duke Street, which intersects with the city's main commercial street, George Street at the valley's mouth. The suburb's only retail outlet, a dairy and grocery store, is located at the junction of Duke Street and George Street.

A series of walkways runs through Woodhaugh Gardens and along the banks of the Leith. One of these follows the course of the stream from the northern end of Woodhaugh Gardens to connect with the Ross Creek tracks, passing as it does a major weir (the Boulder Trap) which was put in to prevent a repeat of the major flooding of the Leith in the early 20th century. The walkway also passes the remains of the former Woodhaugh Quarry, which operated until 1949.

The sides of the Leith Valley are notably steep, especially in the area around the start of Rockside Road (also the location of the confluence of the Ross Creek and Leith). At this point, steep cliffs flank the valley, and nearby the Ross Creek passes through a narrow canyon. In the lower reaches of the valley, the valley's walls are still steep, though not vertical. The Dunedin Northern Motorway skirts the northern edge as it passes by the suburb of Dalmore, and along the southern edge of the valley, a walking track rises sharply, connecting Woodhaugh with Prospect Park, New Zealand. This track, the Bullock track, was originally part of a trail used by farmers taking cattle from the farms of North East Valley to abattoirs in Burnside, Otago.

Notable features

Notable buildings in the Leith Valley include the Ross Creek Reservoir pumphouse, the historically significant 'Bishop's See House' at number 1 Malvern, also known as Hawthornden, and a former public house on the corner of Malvern Street and Woodhaugh Street, close to the bridge carrying Malvern Street over the Leith. This building operated as a public house between 1888 and 1892.

Woodhaugh Gardens is home to the Leith Valley Bowling Club, one of the city's main lawn bowls clubs.

A notable natural feature of the valley is the glow worm area off Leith Valley Road, accessible by the Nichols Falls walking track, a 40-minute walk.

Coordinates: 45°50′42″S170°30′23″E / 45.8451°S 170.5065°E / -45.8451; 170.5065

Related Research Articles

Dunedin is a city of 134,100 people in the South Island of New Zealand. The principal suburbs of Dunedin are as follows. Inner and outer suburbs are ordered by location, clockwise from the city centre, starting due north:

Water of Leith (New Zealand)

The Water of Leith, is a small river in the South Island of New Zealand.

Pine Hill, New Zealand

Pine Hill is a suburb, hill, and general area of the New Zealand city of Dunedin. It is sited on the hill of the same name, a spur of Mount Cargill overlooking North East Valley and Glenleith 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) to the north of the city centre. This spur lies in the fork of the confluence of the Water of Leith and its largest tributary, the Lindsay Creek. The term Pine Hill is used generally to refer to a group of suburbs which lie on the hill's slopes: Pine Hill suburb itself, which sits on the upper slopes of the spur, and also two other suburbs which lie on the lower slopes, Dalmore and Liberton. The combined population of these suburbs in 2001 was 2,259.

North East Valley Suburb in Dunedin City, Otago, New Zealand

North East Valley is a suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin.

Dunedin North

Dunedin North, also known as North Dunedin, is a major inner suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin, located 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) northeast of the city centre. It contains many of the city's major institutions, including the city's university, polytechnic, main hospital, and largest museum. Dunedin North's 2001 population was 7,047, including the university area.

Caversham, New Zealand Suburb in Dunedin, New Zealand

Caversham is one of the older suburbs of the city of Dunedin, in New Zealand's South Island. It is sited at the western edge of the city's central plain at the mouth of the steep Caversham Valley, which rises to the saddle of Lookout Point. Major road and rail routes south lie nearby; the South Island Main Trunk railway runs through the suburb, and a bypass skirts its main retail area, connecting Dunedin's one-way street system with the Dunedin Southern Motorway. The suburb is linked by several bus routes to its neighbouring suburbs and central Dunedin.

Wakari

Wakari is a residential suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin. It is located 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) to the northwest of the city centre, immediately to the west of the ridge which runs to the west of the city's centre. Wakari lies to the north of the upper reaches of the Kaikorai Valley, and is also north of the suburb of Kaikorai. The suburbs of Roslyn and Maori Hill are situated on the ridge immediately to the southeast and east of Wakari. The suburb of Halfway Bush lies to the northwest, and the smaller suburb of Helensburgh lies to the north.

Opoho

Opoho is a suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin. It sits on the western flank of Signal Hill, New Zealand, 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) to the northeast of the city centre, overlooking North East Valley and the Dunedin Botanic Gardens.

Maori Hill Suburb of Dunedin, New Zealand

Maori Hill is a residential suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin. It is located at the northern end of the ridge which runs in a crescent around the central city's western edge, 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) to the northwest of the city centre, immediately above and within the Town Belt. It is connected to Dunedin North, which lies to the east, via Drivers Road, the suburbs of Roslyn and Kaikorai to the southwest via Highgate, and the suburb of Wakari to the northwest via Balmacewen Road. Maori Hill's 2001 population was 1,956.

Calton Hill, New Zealand Suburb in Dunedin, New Zealand

Calton Hill is an elevated southern residential suburb of the City of Dunedin in New Zealand's South Island. The suburb is named after Calton Hill in Edinburgh, Scotland, and some of its street names carry similar etymological roots. It covers an area of approximately 80 hectares and has 627 households comprising 1583 residents.

Ross Creek Reservoir

The Ross Creek Reservoir is an artificial lake in Dunedin, New Zealand. One of the oldest artificial lakes in the country, and the oldest water supply reservoir still in use in the country, it was created in the 1860s to provide water for the city of Dunedin, at that time in the middle of rapid expansion due to the Otago goldrush. Designed by engineer Ralph Donkin and supervising builder David Proudfoot, the reservoir was opened in 1867 as the Royal Albert Reservoir, but the name was unpopular and it has been known as the Ross Creek Reservoir for over a century.

Halfway Bush

Halfway Bush is a suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin. It is located 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) to the northwest of the city centre, close to the point at which Taieri Road becomes the winding rural Three Mile Hill Road. It was this road which gave the suburb its name, as this locality was halfway between the Taieri Plains and central Dunedin in the early days of European settlement, when Three Mile Hill was the main route from Dunedin to the Otago hinterland. This route was superseded by the route through the Caversham Valley in the 1860s.

Roslyn, Dunedin

Roslyn is a major residential and retail suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin. It is located 150 metres (490 ft) above the city centre on the ridge which runs in a crescent around the central city's western edge. It is 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) to the northwest of the city centre, immediately above the Town Belt. Roslyn's 2020 population was 3,048.

Brockville, New Zealand

Brockville is a residential suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin. It is located at the edge of the city's main urban area, 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) to the northwest of the city centre, but separated from it by both a ridge of hills and the Kaikorai Valley.

Shiel Hill

Shiel Hill is a residential suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin. It is located at the southeastern edge of the city's urban area, 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi) southeast of the city's centre at the western end of the Otago Peninsula, close to the isthmus joining the peninsula to the mainland. As the name suggests, it is situated on the slopes of a hill at the start of the ridge which runs along the spine of the peninsula. The slopes rise to a series of crests generally known collectively as Highcliff, a name also often applied to the last suburban vestiges which remain as Dunedin's urban area becomes the rural land of the peninsula. More accurately, the name is that of a cliff which lies on the Pacific coast of the peninsula 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) east of Shiel Hill.

Burnside, Dunedin

Burnside is a mainly industrial suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin. It is located at the mouth of a long valley, the Kaikorai Valley, through which flows the Kaikorai Stream. This valley stretches to the northeast for 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi). Burnside is 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) to the southwest of the city centre, close to eastern end of the much larger suburb, Green Island. Other suburbs located nearby include Concord, immediately to the southeast and Kenmure further up Kaikorai Valley.

Kaikorai Valley

Kaikorai Valley is a long broad valley which runs through the west of the New Zealand city of Dunedin, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) to the west of the city centre. It is the valley of a small stream, the Kaikorai Stream, which runs from northeast to southwest down the length of the valley.

Leith Saddle

Leith Saddle is a saddle between the sources of the Water of Leith and the Waitati River, approximately halfway between Dunedin's northern suburb of Pine Hill and the outlying settlement of Waitati. The saddle is a strategic point where the Dunedin Northern Motorway, part of State Highway 1 traverses a fragile alpine forest. Proposed road works to straighten a dangerous corner here conflict with conservation values. Water supply pipelines, and popular tramping and cycling routes also converge at the saddle.

Dunedin-Waitati Highway

Dunedin–Waitati Highway, formerly called Dunedin Northern Motorway, is a two-to-four-lane limited-access road which provides the main route north from the city of Dunedin, New Zealand. Opened on 14 December 1957, it superseded the narrow and winding routes via Port Chalmers and Mount Cargill. The road is occasionally briefly closed by snowfall in winter.

Bethunes Gully

Bethune's Gully is notable geological feature of northern Dunedin, in the South Island of New Zealand. It is located close to the suburb of Normanby towards the northern end of North East Valley. It preserves a number of acres of very old-growth forest and a large stand of exotic Douglas fir, and is an ecosystem directly below the cloud forest on the upper slopes of Mount Cargill. The gully was formed by the upper reaches of Lindsay Creek, a tributary of the Water of Leith which flows along North East Valley.