Know your streams – Jenkins Creek

Jenkins Creek is named after Alfred George Jenkins, who established a coal mine in 1858, which he named Enner Glynn, at the base of what is now Jenkins Hill.

The stream drains the Enner Glynn Valley, running more or less parallel to Whakatu Drive as it passes through Annesbrook, meeting the Arapiki Stream at Quarantine Road, then discharging into the tidal reaches of Waimea Inlet. 

Today, the stream passes through the Annesbrook and Tahunanui industrial area and the lower reaches of the stream have been associated with industry since early European settlement.

Flax milling and rope making were initially popular, but the industry in Nelson met with limited success. Although it was enthusiastically restarted successive times, it failed to meet the expectations of either the millers or those to which the dressed flax was exported.

An example of this is Ryder’s Flax Mill in Annesbrook. In 1842, Jonas Ryder established a flax mill, powered by a water wheel in Jenkins Creek. The flax mill had some difficulties in production and changed hands several years later, however, the new owner was also unable to sustain the business and eventually it was closed. 

Jenkins Creek has a history of flooding and the lower and mid reaches of the Creek are heavily modified with culverts and channels. Several stormwater pipes enter the stream, so remembering that only rain goes down the drain will help keep the stream healthy. Inanga spawning occurs in the lower reaches of the stream, and there are several native fish species found here, including bullies, inanga and eels.