The Waipoua Forest is a nature reserve in the region Northland on the North island New Zealand. The 25 km² forest area is home to around three quarters of New Zealand's kauri trees and large populations of the striped kiwi. The forest area borders directly on the Waima and Mataraua Forest.
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background
This nature reserve on the west coast of Northland is home to the largest contiguous population of kauri trees. Since the wood of these straight, tall trees was easy to work with, the Maori used it for their large war canoes. The English settlers needed the wood for building houses and ships, and more and more forests were cleared in favor of agriculturally usable areas. As a result, kauri are now almost extinct. Today the felling of these giants is strictly forbidden and exceptions are only permitted in exceptional cases, e.g. for building a traditional Maori canoe.
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getting there
State road (SH) 12 runs through the Waipua Forest, winding its way from the southeast - Dargaville - to the northwest - Omapere.
mobility
The easiest way to get to the forest is by car. The public transport does not serve the forest.
Tourist Attractions
This area is home to some of New Zealand's most powerful kauris. Hiking trails lead to the largest ones, which are laid on planks, especially in the area of the roots of the trees, since Kauri, being shallow-rooted, are very sensitive in the root areas.
After driving eight kilometers north of the visitor center through the impressive Kauri forest, you will reach the one with the sign Kauri walks signposted parking lot, from which you can hike to three cowries. After a few meters you will reach a central crossroads from which the three trees of interest are signposted.
If you follow the path to the left, you will reach the after 1.7 km Yakas Kauri, the seventh largest tree in New Zealand.
If you follow the path to the right, you will reach the after 350 m Four Sisters, four large, unusually close together kauris.
If you go straight ahead you will reach the after 750 m Te Matua Ngahere, the Father of the forest, the second largest Kauri in New Zealand. Its circumference is 16.5 m and it is 30 m high. Its age is estimated to be more than 2000 years and is the oldest of all New Zealand kauris.
There is a picnic area and toilet at the parking lot. The parking fee is $ 2.00.
After a further 1.5 km drive you will reach a small parking lot, from which a wheelchair-accessible path is 160 m Tane Mahuta ("God of the forest") called Kauri. It is the largest living Kauri in New Zealand, measuring 51 m in height and nearly 14 m in circumference, its volume is 244 m³ and it is more than 1200 years old.
If you are not satisfied with the information in the well-equipped visitor center, you should visit the museum on the way south or before you reach the forest Dargaville visit that deal with the Kauri Gum Digging busy and / or the Kauri Museum in Matakohe where you can learn all about the history of the kauri industry.
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trips
A few kilometers south of the nature reserve there is the only 5.7 km² Trounson Kauri Park, which contains a very beautiful Kauri forest. On hiking trails you hike through the dense forest past fallen cowries and to the Four Sisters named two double-stemmed cowries. There are private and DOC accommodation options at Trounson Kauri Park. It is particularly worth taking part in a guided night hike, during which you can hear, maybe even see, kiwis and see long-nose snails, fireflies and fox cusus.
