WELCOME TO JAMES AND KELLY BLOG: March 2013

White Pine Bush Track and Opepe Bush Historic Reserve, etc.

這次我們趁來回Auckland及空檔時間造訪三處小步道(within one hour for each track) White Pine Bush Track和Opepe Bush Historic Reserve還真精彩但Northern Enclosure花了不少勁到那裡卻發現只是很平常的森林步道沒什特色小步道有時也相當不錯只是預先無法知道

White Pine Bush Track

This walk is situated on State Highway 2 between Napier and Wairoa, on the left hand side 2 kms north of Tangoio Falls track. There is 19 hectares of native Kahikatea (White Pine) forest and beautiful nikau palm groves.

crossing over bridge, attracted by giant trees

elegant walkway

attractive Nikau palms groves

a picturesque stream and small waterfall

thick fallen leaves

track scenes

Vines, shrubs and ferns hide in the shaded areas along the walk

elegant long boardwalk

giant kahikatea (white pines) - The oldest tree in the reserve is nearly 600 years old, 46 metres tall and up to 2.4 metres in diameter
In past years kahikatea wood was used to make spears. Perhaps the most well known use however was for butter boxes, because the wood did not taint(污染) the butter

Buttress roots help support a tree particularly in soft soils

在這短短的步道大樹一棵接一棵雖然沒有像Blowhard Bush Reserve神木級大樹但也非常可觀

樹種繁多形態各異

an elegant resting place with table and chairs, a perfect spot to sit and listen to the songs of New Zealand native birds.

long boardwald along the stream

old man beard

Opepe Bush Historic Reserve

Located about 17km from Taupo on SH5, the reserve has a selection of bushwalks to choose from. For a short loop walk, Opepe Graves Track (35-45mins) leads through the bush to a small cemetery where 9 members of the Bay of Plenty Calvary are buried (having been killed by Te Kooti’s men in 1869). The longer Opepe loop track (1-1.5hrs) also has a few historic landmarks along the way, including an old saw pit.

walking per the purple marking

pitsaw pit - A sawpit is a pit over which lumber is positioned to be sawed with a long two-handled saw by two men, one standing above the timber and the other below. It was used for producing sawn planks from tree trunks, which could then be cut down into boards, pales, posts, etc.

Opepe graveyard

優雅步道

樹型優美

也像White Pine Bush Track 短短步道大樹一棵接一棵

樹種繁多形態各異

elegant forest scenes

ginat fallen trunk

giant rimu (red pine)

MAUNGATAUTARI ECOLOGICAL ISLAND Northern Enclosure

Northern Enclosure is a very special place:
The first kiwi to walk on the mountain in 100 years was released into the northern enclosure.
The northern enclosure was the first area to be pest proof fenced – to celebrate 3,000 school children joined hands with local iwi and invited guests around the perimeter of the enclosure to give it a group hug.