Kaitoke Regional Park, Wellington

Walk # 11th April 2017

The Kaitoke Regional Park lies in the foothills of the Tararua Range near Wellington. It’s a catchment area for nearly half of Wellington’s water supply and the surrounding virgin bush is made up of old rata, beech and rimu trees.

Near the carpark a short side path leads to the site of Rivendell from the Lord of the Rings films.

We visited the park in 2017 but only had time to look at the LOTR location. The bush and river setting is so lovely, I can see why it was chosen for the Rivendell setting. It’s a walk we’ll return to.

Nothing remains of Rivendell except this replica arch.

A map shows the location of Frodo’s bedroom and Elrond’s house. The Pakuratahi river flows near the set before joining the Hutt River.

The tree where Legolas posed for publicity photos.

Besides the LOTR location there are a number of short walks. The main walk, a loop along the Hutt River, begins over a swing bridge from the carpark.

Walk: Wellington 9

Victoria Esplanade

Walk #74, 22nd November 2021

There’s a lot in the Esplanade, a Forest and Bird walk, which leads on to a walk by the Manawatu River, a rose garden and playground and a wildlife recovery centre. It’s a popular place.

I checked out the Central Energy Trust Wildbase Recovery when I returned to Palmerson North for my next hospital appointment. There are four rehabilitation aviaries on public view, two breeding aviaries for whio and pāteke and a walkthrough aviary which is home to a variety of native birds and ancient tuatara. Entry was free.

Unfortunately the police state has now kicked in and you can now only go in to the wildlife centre if you have a vaccine pass 😦

All in all it’s a good place to visit but blighted by the unjust decisions of local and national govenment.

Walk: Manawatu 26

Links

Explore Victoria Esplanade

History: First settled some 400 years ago by Māori, the region is home to three iwi: Rangitāne O Manawatū, Ngati Raukawa and Ngāti Kauwhata.
The Manawatū region takes its name from the river than runs through it. The Manawatū River was named by an explorer named Hau who had travelled down the coast from Taranaki, chasing after his runaway wife and her lover. Manawatū meaning ‘Heart Standing Still. Manawa meaning heart, and tu meaning standing still. Source: manawatunz.co.nz

Victoria Esplanade

Parry Kauri Park, Warkworth

Walk 39, 29th Aug 2020

This is a local walk through a patch of bush next to the Warkworth Museum. Parry Kauri Park has two mature Kauri trees next to the museum car park. The two large kauri trees are named in honour of the former landowners, Harry Parry and Tudor Collins. They were local identities who were largely responsible along with the Kauri Bushmen’s Association for raising the money to purchase the land.

It’s a great place for learning how to identify trees and you might get to see native birds at the bird feeder.

We haven’t seen birds tuck into the fruit on previous visits, but today we saw a pair of Silver-eyes enjoying the apples.

A pair of Silver-eyes at Parry Kauri park, Warkworth

Walk: Warkworth 36

Links

Silvereye or wax-eye/tauhou

Warkworth Museum

Te Puna Quarry Park

Walk 25, Te Puna Quarry, 31 Dec 2019

The last walk for 2019, and the most interesting yet. There’s so much to see.

Local residents banded together and formed a beautiful garden park interspered with sculpture, some of which can be “played” on. What they’ve created out of a disused quarry is amazing.

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Te Puna Quarry panorama 2 -resized Te Puna Quarry panorama 1 -resized

History: In 1864 the land was confiscated from the Maori in the land wars, and in 1911 it was turned into a quarry for the next 60+ years.

We met legendary local volunteer Jo Dawkins at work in the succulent garden. She explained that after hearing the council might reopen the quarry, the community decided they didn’t want the noise and heavy traffic and so they repurposed the land into a park and sculpture garden.

In 1993 the Te Puna Quarry Park Society was formed and in 2000 the park was officially opened.

Walk: Bay of Plenty 4

Links

Boosting butterflies at Te Puna Quarry Park

Te Puna Quarry Park celebrates 20th anniversary

I’m happy to see that they got their 20th celebration in the nick of time, just before the Covid-19 shutdown.

McClaren Falls

Walk 4: McClaren Falls Park, 25 May 2018 and 7th May 2022

Above video 7th May 2022

Video 25th May 2018

Autumn 2018

This spot has got everything. The road to the park is stunning, it’s up the hill from an old power station and the rushing, boulder strewn Wairoa river.

Autumn was a great time to visit this park not far from the city of Tauranga. It’s home to one of the best botanical collections of trees in NZ.

There’s a beautiful lake.

McClaren Falls Park

The track to the waterfall is adjacent to a glow worm walk.

McClaren Falls Park

The waterfall is small but pretty.

Autumn 2022

Walk 8: Bay of Plenty

Related walk:

Omanawa Falls

Links:

McClaren Falls Park

Waikato electrical engineer Lloyd Mandeno gave the falls its name in 1921 when he began building the adjoining power station. He rejected the name Waiora Falls and opted to name to call it McLaren in honour of his neighbour who lost his only son in World War I. Source: Ghosts of a Waterfall’s Past: The stigma of Tauranga’s McLaren Falls