Waipoua Kauris (B4)

NOTE: The track to Yakas Kauri has been closed due to Kauri Dieback disease.

 

Waipoua Forest Kauris.  Waipoua Visitor Center, Tane Mahuta, Te Matua Ngahere, and Yakas kauri.

GPS: -35.607734 173.535219

Waipoua Kauris overview

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Kauris along road thru Waipoua forest

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Neat displays at the Waipoua Visitor Centerx

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VisCtr map of Waipoua Kauri areas of interest.

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Historic photos at the Waipoua Visitor Center. These are the Joan and Darby Kauris that you’ll drive past later in the middle of the forest

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Darby and Joan Kauris. Note that there is no actual bridge here, but rather just a one-lane opening between the trees, like one of NZ’s one-lane bridges. The Waipoua road was widened into two lanes, but Darby and Joan wouldn’t budge!

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Darby and Joan kauris

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This is the only signage for the must-see Kauri Walks area.

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At the “Kauri Walks” carpark, this is the walk to see Te Matua Ngahere. The entire short walk is jaw-dropping!

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Four Sisters Kauris on the way to Te Matua Ngahere.

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Four Sisters Kauris on the way to Te Matua Ngahere

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Te Matua Ngahere, pre 2007 when the crown and Rata vine were still intact

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Te Matua Ngahere, pre-2007 close-up of the Rata vine

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2009 photo of Te Matua Ngahere with splintered Rata vine and missing hunk of the crown. Look in the bush next to the viewpoint and you’ll see big hunks of Kauri branch that fell due to a severe wintertime windstorm.

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NOTE: The track to Yakas Kauri has been closed due to Kauri Dieback disease.

The Yakas Kauri walk is also located at the “Kauri Walks” carpark.  The sign that DoC has posted at the start of the track is misleading.  It implies that the track is closed, but really the track is closed PAST the akas Kauri, not TO the Yakas Kauri.  Formerly the track snaked all the wa to the Visitor Center, but now it only goes as far as the fabulous Yakas tree.  The confusing sign puts many people off from heading to Yakas.  All the better for us, eh?!

Yakas Kauri walk sign

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The signed junction for the Yakas track with its misleading signage. The track TO Yakas is open, but BEYOND Yakas it is closed.

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Close-up of Kauri bark

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Cathedral Grove is along the Yakas walk

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More fascinatingly-patterned Kauri bark

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The Yakas Kauri

Yakas Kauri is a short squat beast, seemingly wider than it is tall!

Planked walkway around Yakas Kauri

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akas Kauri is the only giant huggable Kauri…on the planet!!

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Hug Yakes, love Yakas!!