Bringing the Manukau Harbour to Life Through Illustration

We’ve been working with artist Erin Forsyth to develop a detailed illustrated poster of the Manukau Harbour, bringing together species, habitats, and the people who are part of this place.

Erin Forsyth is a New Zealand illustrator whose work focuses on the natural world, capturing native species with both accuracy and character. Her connection to Te Manukau comes through time spent observing its coastal environments, which informs her approach to this project, illustrating the harbour as a living, interconnected system shaped by both taiao (the environment) and people.

Artist Erin Forsyth in her Studio

The artwork was created as a series of individual studies, including shellfish, birdlife, fish, rays, and sharks. These have then been layered into a wider composition that reflects how the harbour functions as a connected system, from mudflats and estuaries through to coastal edges and open water.

Alongside the ecological elements, the poster also includes human activity, to understand people in place. This reflects daily use of our harbour through planting, gathering kaimoana (seafood), and the use of traditional methods. This ensures we recognise the ongoing relationship between people and the harbour, and a key part of the Manukau story.

The illustrations are hand-painted, with a focus on capturing both form and character. This approach allows the work to balance scientific accuracy with a more accessible, visual storytelling style.

Once complete, the poster will be used as an educational and engagement resource, supporting a wider understanding of the harbour and its significance.

We’ll share further updates as the work progresses.

Erin showing some of the Manukau Harbour illustrations