Waimate North

View of Waimate church from the bus

Malcolm at the start of the walk in Puketi Forest

Lots of trees...

...big kauri...

...and more big kauri

Anyone fancy the lifestyle?  Here's a doer-upper!

We're spending a few days near the Bay of Islands at Waimate North Show-grounds which is a peaceful, scenic spot.  Yesterday we did a great walk in the Puketi Forest called Waihoanga Gorge Kauri Track.  We were surprised how many kauri were in there though unfortunately some were suffering from the dieback disease.  There was disinfectant (?)and a scrubbing brush to clean shoes as you enter the track so hopefully this is preventing the spread.  There were lots of birds as the area has volunteers who are very proactive in trapping introduced predators - and birds have been re-introduced into the forest and seem to be thriving.  We saw the more common ones - tui, fantail, tomtit, silvereyes, also some rosellas.  We heard other bird calls but don't know what they were as we are not experts - we need the app!