Saturday morning we headed west to the Waipoua Forest on Northland’s west coast, home to the ancient kauri trees. We took the brief hike from SH 12 to see Tane Mahuta (“Lord of the Forest” in Maori), the tallest living kauri tree. At 168 feet tall and 45 feet around, its name fits. Ironically, kauris don’t create a dense, dark forest. The canopy, which supports more than 30 plant species, is high and sparse, letting plenty of light reach the forest floor.
Kauris once dominated Northland, but logging and fires drastically reduced the forest to a vestige of its original size. Another environmental tragedy, the wood from the trees, which took thousands of years to grow, was consumed on the cheap—logs went for as little as 2 pounds a piece—and quickly forgotten about. The ships it built are sunk and the bridges it built have been replaced with steel and concrete. An estimated 4 percent of the kauri trees that existed prior to European colonization remain.
After a snack at the Waipoua Forest Visitor’s Centre, we began the long drive back to Wellington. Lambing season was in full swing. We kept our eyes peeled for new lambs. These hot pink ones outside SheepWorld were a giveaway. We don’t usually approve of spray painting animals, but these seemed none the worse for wear. I suppose white and black gets boring.
