“There were literally hundreds of dead eels and fish along a good chunk of the stream.
“Most people don’t realise that outside drains go into stormwater drains that lead into the nearest stream and then into the sea.
“This could be miles away and it will still wash down to the river.”
He said in the past three months alone around 1000 hours of volunteer work alongside “lots of money” had been put into the stream’s maintenance.
Volunteer work mainly included planting, weeding and the monitoring of PH levels to detect pollution levels – particularly high alkaline numbers.
Common pollutants included silt, plaster, cement and paint.
Dead fish in Campbells Bay Creek.
Restore Hibiscus and Bays catchment adviser Viv Walker said Campbells Bay Creek was part of a “fragile ecosystem”.
“89% of New Zealand’s native freshwater system is threatened with, or at risk of, extinction.
“There’s a misconception stormwater is treated before going to the streams and ocean.
“All stormwater drains lead to streams. There’s a catchment but it doesn’t catch things like paint and cleaner.”
Volunteer Ash Walsh who has lived at her creek side property for 26 years and helped to restore and upkeep the stream, said it was “devastating” to see.
“We could see such progress, so we’ve been left thinking ‘where do we start now?’”
Walsh worked on keeping the stream habitat healthy “mainly every weekend” by replanting non-toxic plants and clearing rotten debris.
She said her children for years used to play with an eel they named “Sam” who had since gone missing.
Walker said council staff had visited the creek but because the spill likely happened on Sunday they were unable to find the source of the pollutant.
“There’s now a fire in my belly to create further awareness.”
A campaign called “No Paint in Drains” was being launched by Restore Hibiscus and Bays with the aim to work alongside local communities to restore riparian margins and improve stream habitats.
Auckland Council has been approached for comment.