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northland
Visit the ‘Kauri Coast’
in the ‘Winterless North’ of the North Island and you
will be entering the cradle of European civilization in New
Zealand. Hokianga and the Bay of Islands are where the first
mission stations and colonial settlements were established in the
1830’s.
The Northland Forest Park comprises 17 forests containing 85% of
all the Kauri trees remaining in this country. The magnificent,
tall, straight, knot-free kauri was one of the great inducements
for settlement of these far-flung islands in the Pacific. Kauri
was used by Maori to fashion war canoes, and by the British Navy
for masts and spars. It was pit-sawn for settler’s homes and
provided valuable kauri gum. The trees are comparable in age and
volume to the tallest trees in the world, the giant sequoias of
California.
The ‘Kauri Coast’ is reached by turning off S.H.1,
north of Wellsford, travelling to Dargaville and then towards
Hokianga Harbour. Be sure to visit Matakohe Kauri Museum on the
way to gain an appreciation of the fascinating history of the
kauri industry.
The park is widely spread along the coast from Tangihua forest
east of Dargaville to Herekino forest, south of Kaitaia. The main
focus of attention is on the superb Waipoua Kauri Forest. Here
untouched kauri groves are accessible from S.H.12. The first
group comprises ‘Te Matua Ngahere’ (The Father of the
Forest), which has a 5 metre girth and is possibly 4,000 years
old, and also the ‘Four Sisters" and ‘Yakas
Tree’. Further up the road is ‘Tane Mahuta’, named
for the Maori god of the forests, and the largest tree in New
Zealand. Two other important forest sanctuaries are the Trounson
Kauri Park, north of Dargaville and Puketi Forest near Kerikeri.
Enjoy these magnificent forests and the cultural heritage of the
Kauri Coast. The giant kauris inspire a sense of awe and respect
for their size and antiquity. Their massive trunks and towering
canopies are an unforgettable sight.
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