Story: Dune lands

Waikanae, 1909

Waikanae, 1909

This image appeared in botanist Leonard Cockayne’s 1909 report on sand dunes for the New Zealand government. It shows what is called a blow-out. Wind funnelling through this gully has caused excessive sand movement, killing the marram grass that had been planted to stabilise the dunes. In situations such as this, Cockayne suggested building brushwood fences to shelter the grass and trap drifting sand.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Lands and Survey Department Collection
Reference: 1/2-018363

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Carl Walrond, 'Dune lands - The ‘problem’ of drifting sands', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/14039/waikanae-1909 (accessed 26 April 2024)

Story by Carl Walrond, published 24 Sep 2007