Walk #135
This reserve is said to have the largest kauri on Auckland’s North Shore. The walk begins after you pass the playground and it follows a pleasant little stream through the bush.
This wood pigeon (kereru) was in the reserve feasting on Nikau berries.
Walk: Auckland 6
Walk #134 12th September 2024
Hakarimata Reserve is in the hills between Ngaruawahia and Huntly. The range of hills, Haakari-kai-mata (shortened to Hakarimata) was named after an abundance of food from a feast held between the Waikato people and nearby Ngati Maniapoto.
The reserve has one of the largest kauri trees in the Waikato which somehow escaped the axe and a beautiful kauri grove. The trees are on the Kauri Loop track.
According to local lore Ngati Kahupungapunga were said to be the people that populated the area around Ngaruawahia/Karakariki. The original name of the Hakarimata Range is the Whawhapunga Range, or pungapunga whawha – this was one of the many caverns of the Kahupungapunga people. There were remnants of these people who lived in caverns out west towards Te Pahu (near Pirongia) in the Waipa district also.
Walk: Waikato 14
Links
Walk #125, 30th April 2024
The Manginangina Kauri walk is a short walk in a big forest with towering Kauri trees along the boardwalk. The Puketi-Omahuta forest is the second largest in Northland, situated 14 kilometres west of Kerikeri.
The forest is undergoing extensive pest control so they can bring back birds like the kokako.
In early 2000 there were only seven male kokako left. In 2013/2014 kokako were finally brought back to Puketi. Kokako have their own dialect which the female birds had to learn prior to release. It’s not clear whether the population has increased since 2020. I hope so.
2017 Puketi Forest Trust’s battle for kokako leads to breeding success
Walk: Northland 7
Links
Turehu Voices ‘Heard’ in the Puketi Bush, Northern Advocate, 1948
Walk #123, 28th April 2024
We climbed a lot of steps for a view that’s okay but not stunning. The lookout platform is small and the trees are obscuring parts of the vista. The quarry at the bottom is lovely.
The elevation was 702 feet.
Most of the forest was Taraire / broadleaf which produces purple berries the native birds love.
The highlight of the walk was meeting firemen practising for the Sky Tower climb. One of them was wearing his yellow firefighters gear. I know we all appreciate those guys.
The track was busy, it’s a popular walk.
Walk: Auckland 43
Walk #120, 27th March 2024
This small reserve was bequethed by Charles Carter, an early Wairarapa pioneer. The town of Carterton is named after him.
It’s an area of swamp and semi-swamp forest on two old terraces of the Ruamahanga river. The DOC sign noted that some of the swamp loving kahikatea and totara trees have died since the river changed its flow.
We followed a not-very-well signposted track to the Ruamahanga river and leaving the river we followed a track that skirts the bush. The trees are mainly kahikatea, titoki and matai.
It’s all that’s left of the lowland bush that once covered the Wairarapa plain.
Walk: Wairarapa 4
Links
Written in blood. How a chance discovery shook our notions of the past
In 2004, young Wairarapa local Sam Tobin took a wander down to the nearby Ruamahanga River. He found a 300 year old skull that would challenge our most firmly held assertions of human settlement in New Zealand.
The 300 year old skull was of a European female aged about 40-45 years.
The skull was examined by forensic pathologists at Auckland Hospital. Despite being hampered by its damaged and incomplete condition—the jawbone and lower left portion of the cranium were missing—the pathologists determined that the skull was that of an adult female. Furthermore, most probably of Caucasian origin and that the deterioration of the bone placed the time of death “beyond living memory”. They conjectured that the holes in the skull, each the size of a 10 cent piece, might represent old injuries, and that one of the perforations looked to have been caused by “ancient buckshot”.
Carbon dating: the Radiocarbon Calibration Report put the skull at 296 ± 35 years BP” (Before Present.)
DNA testing: When the first batch of Ruamahanga skull sequences came back the results were conclusive. The mitochondrial haplotype, it turned out, was classed as H, a group that originated from Europe. The skull was not Maori.
Source: NZ Geographic, Written in blood: How a chance discovery shook our notions of the past
Walk #113, 1st Jan 2024
This is a beautiful little bush reserve on the outskirts of New Plymouth. Most of the lowland bush has gone except for this small remnant. It was bought from Maori in 1905 and after a period of logging it was turned into a reserve. We could see traces of logging in the past as there was a saw pit alongside the Nikau loop track.
It’s a bit different from the bush on the flanks of Mt Taranaki. This bush has a sub tropical feel. There are some good info boards along the track, like “how to date a nikau.”
How to Date a Nikau
Look for the rings on the trunk of the Nikau Palm. Nikaus shed about two fronds each year leaving behind this leaf scar or “ring.” Count those, then add 40 to 50 years (this is how long it can take for the trunk to appear) to estimate the palm’s age.
Walk: Taranaki 10
Links
Walk #110 Zealandia, 14th November 2023
Zealandia is an urban sanctuary in the Karori suburb of Wellington, our capital. The bush surrounds a former reservoir. The reserve is home to our rarest birds and Tuatara, a native reptile. Zealandia has been so successful that Kaka, one of our native parrot species, has established itself outside of the pest proof fence. They stopped tagging them when the numbers grew to over 1000.
You can see Tuatara in their natural habitat. A guide gave us a talk on them as we sat and had our lunch. They’re most commonly found at the research area behind the fences.
The entry fee is well worth it. There’s also a cafe.
You can get to the sanctuary from the top of the Cable Car, there’s a free electric shuttle van which travels back and forth.
While we were waiting for the shuttle bus we took a walk in the Botanic Gardens.
Walk #109 Wellington Botanic Gardens, 14th November 2023
This walk started at the top of the cable car. We only had time to have a quick look at the Discovery Garden and Treehouse before heading back up the hill for the bus to Zealandia.
Walk: Wellington 25 & 27
Links
Walk #107, Waitangi Day February 2023
This is a lovely bush fringed lake in the Taranaki Hills east of Eltham. Its got a pest proof fence which means the bird life is prolific. We saw Saddlebacks and Robins on the track.
The lake was noisy as it was Waitangi Day and there were people out on boats and jetskis. Their use is seasonally limited so if you want a quiet walk go after May.
Walk: Taranaki 14
Links
Holding the Line: The Grinding Fight for New Zealand’s Wildlife
Walk #106, 22nd January 2023
This walk is between Turangi and National Park on SH47.
This beautiful lake is on the slopes of Mount Pihanga – the smallest of the mountains. It’s really a hill. The lake is named after greenstone, Roto means lake and Pounamu means greenstone.
According to Maori legend the volcanos in the central North Island including Ruapehu, Tongariro, Ngarahoe and Taranaki all fought over Pihanga. Tonagariro blew his top over her and Taranaki left, moving south and west, gouging out the Whanganui River.
Lake Rotoaira, a much larger lake, is at the bottom of Pihanga.
On this walk we were lucky enough to see a NZ Robin, the Maori name is a Toutouwai.
We saw a Huhu beetle on a tree by the style as we were leaving.
Walk: Turangi 41
Links
Rotopounamu Pihanga Restoration
Lake Rotoaira and Lake Otamangakau
Walk #105, 11th January 2023
Marawaiwai Track is a pleasant walk that runs alongside a meandering stream through kahikitea forest near Opotiki. We did the walk travelling home in front of cyclone Hale.
Walk: Bay of Plenty 20
Links
NZShortWalks 