A spectacular showcase of pristine native forest
Explore rarely-seen pristine native forest and learn more about where our top-grade water supply comes from by booking your place on a free guided Wainuiomata Water Walk.
Led by Greater Wellington Regional Council rangers, the 2010-11 season of eight Wainuiomata Water Walks begins with the first walk on Sunday 10 October. The area is only open to the public for these walks – throughout the rest of the year it’s closed to protect water quality.
Greater Wellington’s Wainuiomata/Orongorongo Park Ranger Grant Timlin says that Greater Wellington Rangers, along with community environmental volunteers, will share their knowledge of the forest’s fascinating ecology, the pest control work that’s necessary to keep the forest in such pristine condition, and the role that the area plays in the history of our water supply.
“Participants can expect to see the most spectacular display of native bush in some of the best remnant podocarp forests in the lower North Island… there’s kahikatea, rimu, matai, beech, rata, ferns, and dawsonia superba – the world’s biggest moss.”
Grant says that the walk gets fantastic feedback from participants – and quite a few come back for repeat visits. “We get comments like ‘absolutely beautiful’ and ‘a wonderful environment right on our doorstep’… people really appreciate having the opportunity to walk though this protected area and see what a special place we have here in Wainuiomata.”
The Water Walks can be enjoyed by people of most fitness levels as the terrain is “easy-grade” and taken at a leisurely pace over 12km. To apply for a place on the walk, email joanne.hunwick@gw.govt.nz, phone 04 830 4432 or download an application form at www.gw.govt.nz/events.
The Water Walks take place on the following Sundays: 10 October 2010, 7 November 2010, 12 December 2010, 16 January 2011, 13 February 2011, 13 March 2011, 22 May 2011 and 19 June 2011.
For more information, contact our media team