New Zealand, North Island day 6

We decide to stay here for a second night to give us time to explore the surrounding area and visit the Waipoua Kauri Forest which is the largest remnant of the once-extensive kauri forests of northern New Zealand. Highway 12 runs through the forest for 18 km and passes some huge trees – a fully-grown kauri can reach 60m in height and have a trunk 5m in diameter. On the way we take a detour off Highway 12 and take an unsurfaced road through Trounson Kauri Park, a beautiful 450 hectare forest dense with native flora including kauri, enormous fern trees and creepers. The kauri forests are also home to the kiwi and the morepork – a native owl. The endangered kiwi is particularly at risk from dogs and there is a widespread campaign here to encourage dog-owners to keep their pets on a lead. We take a short, self-guide walk into the forest to learn a bit more about the different plant species. The forest is dense, humid and impenetrable and wonderfully untouched.

As lunchtime has long since passed by this time and we are feeling increasingly hungry we decide to drive straight through the Waipoua Forest to Omapere at the south head of Hokianga Harbour to get bread and something for tonight’s meal. Finding food in the remote north is proving quite a challenge. We have discovered too late that there are few shops or restaurants on the west coast stretch between Dargaville and Omapere. Our decision is amply rewarded as the descent towards the coast delivers view of the harbour and the coastline north and south of the heads to die for.

Hokianga Harbour – the fourth biggest in the country – stretches out into the distance – a ruggedly beautiful landscape dominated by the magnificent sand dunes across the water at North Head. As the river waters and sea collide turbulent currents create breakers in the mouth of the harbour. About 1 km out to sea huge rollers are breaking on what must be a sandbar or reef whilst breakers pound the shore shoreline. We stop a while to walk along the cliffs of South Head to the mouth of the harbour and sit on the extremity watching the magnificent surf rolling in from different directions and crashing onto the shores all along the coast. Beyond the mouth the harbour in contrast is perfectly calm and the waters are clear and blue.

As we sit eating our lunch in a picnic spot overlooking the harbour the mercurial weather system changes through sun to rain and back again and hot air rising from the harbour condenses adding to the gathering clouds above.

After lunch we return to Waipoua Forest to see the two largest living kauri trees – the mighty Tane Mahuta named for the Maori forest god. At 51m with a 13.8m girth it is the largest Kauri alive and has been standing here for some 1200 to 2000 years. Even though a walkway leads to a clearing in the forest around this ancient it is still difficult to get a picture that captures its incredible size. Further on through the forest is TeMatua Ngahere (the father of the forest). Although smaller than Tane Mahuta at only 30m, it seems much larger with a girth of 16.4m; impressive indeed and we stand contemplating this awesome tree which overshadows all around. Also in this forest is the Four Sisters, a grouping of four kauri which have fused together at the base.

The kauri forest is alive with the noise of cicadas and another insect which we haven’t identified but which makes a clicking sound by clapping its wings together.