A rare collection recognised at Percy Scenic Reserve
By Jamie Melbourne-Hayward
This week a reserve management plan was adopted for Percy Scenic Reserve, a move that will rejuvenate an area many residents consider neglected. Spearheaded by the Petone Community Board, the plan will back the development of a visitor centre and place greater emphasis on heritage and botany aspects. Petone Community Board Chairperson Gerald Davidson says areas up for restoration are the ornamental pond, the mill site, and the water race. ?There will be an archaeological investigation around the mill site to find the original mill stone, which is still in the ground,? he says. The mill was burnt down in 1945 by arson, and Mr Davidson would like a new visitor centre built as a faithful replica of the 1847 mill. Recognising the areas botanical significance is a mainstay of the plan, as the Percy clan had a close association with local iwi in their plant collecting. ?The place is very special; the Percy brothers collected native species from all around New Zealand and had a nursery for them. ?The Percy?s settled the area around 1840, and propagated many rare species ? there are many endangered species in the park,? says Mr Davidson. The proposal for a visitor centre will be considered in next year?s round of council funding. The plan will provide the framework for a host of developments in the reserve. The first changes locals should expect to see are signage around plants and other areas of significance. ?The border of the old mill house will be marked, and there will be a greater emphasis on the heritage and botany aspect of the park. ?We want an emphasis on the rare and endangered plant collection, promotion and education. ?The botanical aspect of the reserve is greatly over looked,? he says. The Petone Community Board wants the reserve expanded to include Ratanui to the south and the bush lands above the reserve in the catchment of the Percy Stream, but this was rejected by the Council.
