Te Henga / Bethells Beach

The Te Henga Valley shows evidence of human settlement dating back many centuries. Carbon dating of midden shells at Kauwahaia Island date settlement back to at least the year 1600. The cultural history of the area is of archaeologically significant sites, including food gathering areas, pā (fortifications), walkways, canoe landings and sacred places. with many pā found around the islands, headland and inland areas close to Te Henga. which was later applied to the Waitākere River, Ranges, and West Auckland in general. In the mid-1800s, much of the area () was designated as the Waitakere and Puketotara Native Reserve. These native reserves were to be ‘inalienable’ for Kawerau people to live on in perpetuity. The provision of the native reserves was largely undermined by the Native Land Court, created in 1865, which was based on the settlers' legal system, and converted customary title to land into individual title. Over the following decades much of the land was sold to European immigrants. John Bethell negotiated with the Waitemata County Council to sell the land that is now known as Te Henga Park. The Council considered the beach and park area would provide excellent recreation facilities for residents of Auckland. Te Henga was recognised as a place of regional significance. In early 2023, the Auckland Anniversary floods and Cyclone Gabrielle resulted in the Waitākere River flooding, causing major damage to roads, bridges and houses in the area. Sections of the Te Henga Walkway were destroyed when cliffs collapsed. Part of the walkway was reopened in November 2024. ==Demographics==

Statistics New Zealand describes Bethells Beach as a rural settlement, which covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2. The settlement is part of the larger Muriwai Valley-Bethells Beach statistical area. Bethells Beach had a population of 255 in the 2023 New Zealand census, a decrease of 9 people (−3.4%) since the 2018 census, and unchanged since the 2013 census. There were 123 males, 132 females and 3 people of other genders in 108 dwellings. 5.9% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 47.8 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 36 people (14.1%) aged under 15 years, 39 (15.3%) aged 15 to 29, 135 (52.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 39 (15.3%) aged 65 or older. Muriwai Valley-Bethells Beach statistical area Muriwai Valley-Bethells Beach statistical area, which does not include Muriwai settlement, covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2. Muriwai Valley-Bethells Beach had a population of 1,089 in the 2023 New Zealand census, a decrease of 15 people (−1.4%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 144 people (15.2%) since the 2013 census. There were 528 males, 555 females and 3 people of other genders in 378 dwellings. 3.6% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 42.9 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 225 people (20.7%) aged under 15 years, 150 (13.8%) aged 15 to 29, 552 (50.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 162 (14.9%) aged 65 or older. Marae Te Henga is a tribal meeting ground for the local iwi of Te Kawerau a Maki. Historically there were several marae spread around the Te Henga (Bethells Beach) area, however these sites are now all in private ownership and housing. Currently the iwi are in negotiations with Auckland Council to set up a new marae at Te Henga so they can return to their ancestral heartland. == Geology==

7,000 years ago, when sea-levels rose after the Last Glacial Maximum, Te Henga / Bethells Beach and the surrounding area including Lake Wainamu formed a part of the Waitākere River tidal estuary. Over time, Tasman Sea sand accumulated at Te Henga, forming sand dunes and freshwater lakes. The sand dunes have accumulated in several phases over the last 4,500 years. These sands contain quantities of black titanomagnetite derived from the volcanic rocks of Taranaki and carried north by coastal currents. The dunes continually move in a dynamic coastal process. There are three dune-impounded lakes: Lake Wainamu, Lake Kawaupaku and Lake Waiataru. The Te Henga wetlands originally formed as a freshwater lake during the same time period as the three remaining lakes. The lake was destroyed in 1910 with the construction of the Waitākere Dam and Reservoir, which made water-levels rise and the water to become more silty. The wetlands began forming in the mid-1920s. == Ecology of the Waitakere River catchment ==

The Waitākere River catchment consists of roughly 70 km2 of the bush-clad Waitākere Ranges. Located on the west coast of the Auckland Region approximately 75% of the catchment consists of native vegetation in spite of extensive milling, farming and settlement. The major features of the catchment are: • the abundance of native vegetation • the steep and rugged terrain • the Te Henga wetland • the sand dunes • Lake Wainamu • The Waitākere Reservoir The Waitakere River has two main tributaries, the Mokoroa and Waiti streams. The headwaters of the river are in the vast and steep Waitākere Ranges and drain out at the Bethell's Beach river mouth. In comparison with other North Island beaches, and to some extent even the west coast beaches of Muriwai and Piha, settlement at Bethells has been minor with most development revolving around horticulture and agriculture. With the exception of the Waitākere Reservoir the catchments resources have largely escaped development. In 1990 the Auckland Regional Water Board developed and prepared a Waitakere River Catchment Water and Soil Plan. This pre-Resource Management Act document aimed to deal with the competing water and soil resource demands within the catchment in terms of "conservation, allocation, use and quality of natural water and in terms of soil conservation and preventing damage from flooding." Although this document reached its quarter-century in 2015, many of its principles still apply. == Activity ==

• Surfing is the main pastime. Other pastimes include parasailing and hang gliding, for which the prevailing westerly wind often provides favourable conditions. • Fishing is also popular, although dangerous in many places and many deaths have taken place from this. • Bush walking is encouraged, with boardwalks in place. • Sunbathing, swimming, picnics, running etc. • Skimboarding is also becoming quite popular with young people. ==Filming location==

The beach has been used as a filming location for several projects, one of the earliest being a four-month shoot for award-winning drama series Children of Fire Mountain (1979). Other shoots include the music video for Shania Twain's single "Forever and for Always"(2003), "Out of the Woods" for Taylor Swift, TV series The New Adventures of Black Beauty and The Wilds, Brit/New Zealand TV movie The Man Who Lost His Head, and episodes of Xena: Warrior Princess, Young Hercules, and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Battle scenes for New Disney Channel Original movie Avalon High were also filmed there. In addition, K-pop singer Taeyeon's first solo music video I, and the end scenes of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny were also filmed here. ==References==