Natural Wonders
Untouched for an eternity
More than 30 percent of New Zealand's land area has been set aside in National Parks, reserves and special heritage sites to help preserve the country's ecological heritage. New Zealand has 14 National Parks featuring relatively untouched landscape, that are home to ancient forests and landforms, rare birds, and creatures that have survived since prehistoric times. The tuatara is the oldest living genus of reptile in the world. It has a life expectancy of up to 100 years and can be traced back 190 million years to the Mesozoic era. The parks cover an area of 3,069,243 hectares and range from the snow-covered peaks of Mount Tongariro in the central North Island to the rugged mountains, glaciers and beech forests of Fiordland and Westland in the South Island.
New Zealand was one of the last places on earth to be settled by humans. In just over 1000 years, land clearance, industrialisation and the introduction of pests and predators have caused inevitable damage to wildlife and their habitats. However, New Zealand has managed to preserve much of its natural environment. Around 90 percent of insects and marine molluscs, 80 percent of trees, ferns and flowering plants and 25 percent of bird species are unique to New Zealand. Visitors walking in the National Parks can expect to see many species found nowhere else in the world.
Captivating Catlins
The Catlins area sits at the bottom of the South Island on the east coast, running from Kaka Point in the north to Fortrose in the south. This area is part of the Southern Scenic Route which runs from Dunedin, down through the Catlins to Invercargill and north-west to Te Anau. The main service area of the Catlins is the tiny town of Owaka (population 450) which is located 115km south of Dunedin and 130 km north of Invercargill.
The Catlins region offers visitors spectacular coastal views and untouched flora and fauna. Hooker's sea lions, yellow-eyed penguins and many sea birds frequent the area. The scenery in the Catlins features rivers, waterfalls, lakes, caves, forests and beaches. The Cathedral Caves are a 30-minute forest and beach walk that leads to 30-metre high caves, accessible at low tide only, being at beach level. Nugget Point is a wildlife sanctuary for yellow-eyed Penguins, fur and elephant seals and many sea birds. The 20-minute walk from the car park to an historic lighthouse, built in 1869, is spectacular.
What's cooking
Frying Pan Lake, near Rotorua, is the world’s largest hot water spring. It reaches a temperature of 200°C at its deepest point.
Sand, surf, sea life
One of the most popular West Coast beaches in the Auckland area is Muriwai, a surf beach of around 60km that extends into a Regional Park of around 8km. The Muriwai Regional Park is an area of protected native bush, sand dunes and walking tracks. It features unique formations of pillow lava in the cliffs behind Maori Bay in the south, revealing the violent geological history of the area. Muriwai Regional Park is part of the area known as Motutara or 'island of sea birds'. The Takapu Refuge, New Zealand's northernmost mainland gannet colony, is located on Otakamiro point, the headland between Maori Bay and Muriwai Beach. Gannets return to Takapu between July and October when they re-establish contact with their lifelong mates. During this time the colony is full of noise and activity as the elaborate and graceful courting ritual takes place. December is a busy time at the colony, with gannet chicks clamouring for food and busy parents diving for fish from heights of up to 30m - entering the water at up to 145km. Seals can often be seen in summer sunbathing on the rocks below the gannet colony. The park area also has a golf course.
Pristine waters
Waikoropupu Springs, near Nelson at the top of the South Island, are reputedly the clearest fresh water springs in the world, with an outflow of approximately 2160 million litres of water every 24 hours.
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