History

The area adjacent to the Ngaio Gorge in Wellington which is now Trelissick Park has a long history, predating its park status. For a short history of the area, taken mostly from the Trelissick Park Management Plan June 1995, see:

• Trelissick Park short history

Early logging and farming, road, rail and sewer developments, slips, weed escapes, rubbish from adjacent areas, and pollution from the huge catchment have all impacted the area. Weed species of all types once carpeted forest floors smothering re-growth. Possums, rats, stoats, hedgehogs and mice badly damaged the ecology. Flooding, stormwater, pollution and sedimentation affected the streams, fish and invertebrate life. Waterfalls at culvert outlets in the streams blocked the migration of native fish.

History of the Trelissick Park Group

The history of the Trelissick Park Group (TPG) officially commences with the first meeting of the group on 17 June 1991. The Trelissick Park Group (TPG) is a group of volunteers working on restoration and conservation of the park.

For a summary history of the TPG which is updated yearly as the group continues its work in the park, see:

• A group history

Peter Reimann has documented the group's history in detail in the Onslow Historian volumes 39 and 40, both published in 2013. Volume 39 covers the years 1991 to 2000, Volume 40 the years 2000 to 2013. Many thanks to the Onslow Historical Society for help documenting the history of the area, scanning these volumes and making them available online to everyone.

Further information

Frances Lee took photographs of the park from 1990 to 2009. These photos have been scanned and can be viewed through the link below.

• Frances Lee photo archive

More information on TPG activities is available from these pages of the website:

• Gorge Gazettes
• Meetings