Days 85-87 Waipoura Kauri Forest - Orewa

Trip Start Nov 29, 2007
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Trip End Mar 27, 2008


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Saturday, February 16, 2008

We both awoke early and we were absolutely shattered after last night. We quickly dismantled our back awning and found hundreds of dead mozzie's in the bottom (the bug spray obviously had an effect on some). The mozzie's were still active, even in the morning and this is the first time we have known this anywhere. We couldn't wait to get away from this retched campsite. We hadn't yet posted our fee into the little box which was $10 per person, per night. Dean wanted to just go without putting anything in there but I can't do that, so I put $10  in and posted it without writing any details on the envelope. Dean remarked that they should have paid us for our blood donation to the forest and I agree, but I have to be semi-honest - it's in my nature. We have both vowed never to camp in a forest again. It sounds all lovely and romantic, but trust me when I say it isn't.
We have come all this way to see the big tree and have gone through a night of hell, what with bitey things and growly things so we are still determined to find it. I have figured out from our Lonely Planet map that we passed it on the way in yesterday so we had to go all the way back up that helter-skelter road again for about 10km. We found it's brother easily enough (we passed the main one again) and this one was only one minute from the roadside. There is car parking, a picnic area and a snack van here. Since it's only by the road we went to see Tane Mahuta (Lord of the forest) which is named for the Maori god of the forests. This is the largest kauri tree in New Zealand and is estimated to be between 1,200 and 2,000 years old. At 51 metres, it is taller than Te Matua Ngahere but doesn't have the same impressive girth. Well, this is what the book says. It was easy to find, just a few footsteps into the forest. This tree has to be seen to be believed, it is absolutely huge and definitely has the wow factor. Dean and I have never seen anything like it (and probably never will again) and we just couldn't stop staring at it. How on earth can a tree trunk get to be that big- it absolutely beggars belief.
We took some photo's although it is fenced off and you can't actually stand beside it. Kauri tree roots are shallow and are easily damaged by walkers, it would be a shame to kill this tree after all this time. We both wandered back to our van, suitably impressed. We decided to have something to eat and a cup of tea from the snack van there before moving on the see the 'big daddy' which is an hour's round trip (walk) into the forest further down.
To be continued
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