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New Zealand: What to see and do (4)
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New Zealand's first settlers, the Maori, named the kiwi bird for the sound of its chirp - kiwi, kiwi, kiwi! This flightless bird, about the size of a domestic hen, has an extremely long beak and plumage that is more like hair than feathers. New Zealanders have adopted this nocturnal, flightless and endearing creature as their national emblem. Referring to New Zealanders as Kiwis probably dates back to the First World War, when New Zealand soldiers first acquired this nickname.
New Zealand is a land of unique birds. The best known is the flightless kiwi. Also flightless are the weka and the endangered kakapo, the world's largest parrot which can just scramble up into shrubs and small trees.
Another unique bird, one capable of flight, is the inquisitive kea (native alpine parrot), which is renowned for its fearlessness of humans and cheeky personality.
Perhaps the best-known kiwi is the delicious kiwifruit. Originating in China, kiwifruit were grown in New Zealand domestic gardens for decades as ‘Chinese gooseberries’. However, when enterprising New Zealand farmers began propagating the fruit intensively for export, it was given the name kiwifruit and has since achieved worldwide fame.
Te Wahipounamu: Mountains, forests, fiords and glaciers
Te Wahipounamu encom passes several national parks in southwest New Zealand - Aoraki/Mt. Cook, Fiordland, Mt. Aspiring, and Westland National Park. The site covers 26,000 square kilometres of remote forests, snow-topped mountains, steep glaciated valleys and coastal fiords. In 1990 it was recognised as a world heritage site because it contains some of the best representations of flora and fauna originating from the prehistoric continent of Gondwanaland.
Scenic flights offer big-picture perspectives of this magnificent part of the world. River jet boat safaris are an exciting and informative way to quickly reach some very remote areas.
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An extensive network of short walks and overnight hiking trails is managed by the Department of Conservation. Famous multi-day hikes - such as the Routeburn, Hollyford and Milford tracks - will lead you deep into forested valleys and over lofty mountain passes. You can overnight in communal huts or take guided tours which include gourmet meals and relatively luxurious accommodation.
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At Aoraki Mount Cook, New Zealand’s tallest peak, there are several walking tracks originating near the village, including a one hour trail to view the spectacular Tasman Glacier. This ancient valley of ice is 26 kilometres long and up to three kilometres wide. In summer the beautiful Mount Cook Lily, a large buttercup, brings a touch of softness to the harsh alpine environment.
From the west coast, short walks lead to the terminal faces of the Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers. Longer guided walks onto the glaciers are available, or you can take a scenic flight and land on the snow and ice at the top.
Milford Sound was carved from the rock by prehistoric glaciers. The immense, near-vertical sides of this fiord make large cruise boats look like tiny toys. Waterfalls tumble more than 150 metres to the crystal clear waters below. Dolphins, fur seals and penguins are regularly sighted in the 16 kilometre long sound. Options for exploring Milford Sound include sea kayaks and day cruises.
Subantarctic Islands: Arks in the Southern Ocean
Content with near anonymity, five pristine island groups lie in the Southern Ocean, southeast of New Zealand. Windswept and fragile, these beautiful islands are home to significant populations of many rare species, such as the southern royal albatross, the yellow-eyed penguin and the New Zealand (Hooker’s) sea lion.
Together, the Bounty Islands, Antipodes Islands, Snares Islands, Auckland Islands and Campbell Island support 126 bird species including five seabirds that breed nowhere else in the world. All five island groups received World Heritage status in 1998.
Visiting these islands is a rare privilege and carries considerable responsibility to ensure their unique ecosystems remain unchanged. Guided expeditions are available on purpose-built vessels, and visitor numbers are carefully controlled. |
Cape Reinga - Three Kings Island Area
Cape Reinga - Three Kings Island Area is also submitted on the tentative list of World Heritage.
Around the most northern tip of New Zealand, the Tasman Sea collides with the waters of the Pacific Ocean. From the cliff-top lighthouse at Cape Reinga, the battle between two powerful currents is clearly visible in the heaving ocean, 290 metres below.
The spirituality of this place is almost tangible, and for good reason. At Spirits Bay, a gnarled 800-year-old Pohutukawa tree faces seaward. It is a traditional belief that when Maori people die, their spirits travel to this tree and slide down its roots to the underworld beneath the ocean. From here they continue northward emerging 55 kilometres offshore at Manawatawhi, Three Kings Islands. Then the spirits bid a final farewell to Aotearoa New Zealand, before travelling to Hawaiki, the legendary ancestral home of Maori.
Walkways in the area lead to sweeping ocean views, spectacular beaches, and coastal wetlands. Rare native species of trees and land snails, as well as ancient Maori pa (fortress) sites, add to the natural and cultural importance of this recreational reserve.
In 1643, Dutch explorer Abel Tasman named the Three Kings Islands after the biblical three wise men. The waters either side of this remote nature reserve are extremely deep and crystal clear. They are influenced by both temperate and sub-tropical currents. The resulting abundance and variety of marine life make this is a top location for serious diving and recreational fishing. In 1902, the steamship Elingamite struck rocks here in fog and sank with the loss of 45 lives. Lying in 38 metres, the wreck offers a fascinating dive.
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information about New Zealand (1) - click here
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