Waipoua Forest

2015-01-06
This day, we were once again lulled onto a "metalled" (Kiwi for gravel) road by google maps.  We were making our way from Taipa to the Waipoua forest to the south.  We spent about 40km and an hour of driving twisting and turning through farm country.  I was worried we would hit a spot that would require off-road performance (tough in a Camary), but we never did.  I hereby make a call to the New Zealand highway department to install signage to identify these roads to unsuspecting tourists.

At any rate, we made it in one piece to the forest and saw a number of giant Kauri trees left over from pre-European days.  The diameter of mature Kauri is about the same as their height, so they look short and stout.  A blight is killing these trees and efforts are underway to understand the disease organism.  We had to wash our shoes with disinfectant before heading into the bush to see the trees.

Waipoua Forest Visitor Center

Kilroy

On the forest path

A couple from Germany snapped this photo

Kauri dying from dieback

After our forest adventure, we continued the drive to Dargaville for the night and to visit a friend Laura met while teaching ALSO in Wellington.  Her friend recommended we drive up the hill to the local museum (most towns have a museum) for a view of the city at sunset.  It was a lovely view indeed.  The museum has the masts of the Rainbow Warrior, the Greenpeace ship sunk by the French in Auckland Harbor.

Dargaville at sunset