To mark Wellington’s 150 year celebration as our capital city DOC will be celebrating at the largest wooden building in the Southern Hemisphere.
Continue Reading...Archives For 30/11/1999
Ranger, Don Herron, navigates through fantasy-esque forest to check out some of Rimutaka Forest Park’s lesser known tracks.
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A group of volunteers worked with DOC staff to patrol Taputeranga Marine Reserve this summer, enforcing reserve restrictions and promoting conservation awareness.
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By DOC’s Government Support Manager (and keen photographer), Brian Sheppard
New Zealand’s magnificent shorebirds are masters of their elements but they only reach this supreme state of being after rigorous training of mind and body.
Variable oystercatcher
To a casual observer, the birds are just mooching around, or foraging for food, but look closer. You might be surprised to see what they are really up to.
I dropped in on a couple of Wellington’s shorebird chapters: the beach chapter at Petone, and the city branch at Wellington Harbour, to watch their training sessions.
Finishing afternoon tea
A pair of oystercatchers were just finishing their afternoon tea at the beach to fortify themselves for their self-improvement class. The first one led the way, closely followed by an inquisitive red-billed gull.
Oystercatcher closely followed by an inquisitive red-billed gull
The tide was in and pounding against the end of a concrete pier.
No fear!
The pair of oystercatchers took their positions at the end of the pier where the raging sea would drench them. They showed no fear but just stared down the approaching waves.
The gulls arrived shortly afterwards but they were the new entrants to the class, taking a back row – watching and learning from the masters.
Gulls take a back row – watching and learning from the masters
With the skills learned from the beach, the gulls tried to apply them, in the comparative privacy of Wellington Harbour. Their test was to hone their flight skills on a spectacularly windy winter’s day. Their test area was the outfall from the wetland next to Te Papa.
Te Papa testing ground
As they arrived, their first task was to stand their ground in the face of the wind that was blowing the falling water back the way it came.
Beaten up by the wind
Following the example shown by the oystercatchers, the lead gull stepped to the edge to show no fear while being pelted by the spray and then to execute a flawless take-off.
Clearly a bit more practice was needed. He was nearly wiped out by a cross wind. It must have dented his confidence as I saw him later retaking his beginner’s take-off class. By that time, I had to get back to work, so I never witnessed the landing.
Red-billed gull
New Zealand is famous for its land birds like the kiwi and kākāpō. But just as remarkable and unique are our sea and shore birds.
More than a third of the 80 or so species of sea and shore birds that breed in New Zealand are found nowhere else on Earth, including the variable oystercatcher.
Both variable the oystercatcher and red-billed gull are native to New Zealand and are often found around our coast.
Do you have a ‘chapter’ of these shorebirds near you?
Looking for a slightly different day walk in the Wellington region? Then the Makara Walkway could be it. It’s one of my favourite short walks in the area.
Makara Beach
The Makara Walkway starts at Makara—a 16 km drive from Karori, over Makara Hill (watch out for cyclists).
Ohariu Bay is the starting place for the walk.
The best option is to walk around the beach, past Wharehou Bay, into Ohau Bay.
Both of these bays are popular with local fisherman and divers.
This is a fantastic piece of wild coastline, with a number of impressive rock formations and large number of seabirds—especially the loud and bright beaked oystercatchers.
Variable oystercatcher
Another plus with this walk is that it is sheltered from the cold southerly wind. So, even if there’s a strong southerly, the walk is still pleasant.
Having said that, it does get hammered in a Nor’wester, so check the wind direction and speed before you head off—there is very little shelter along the track.
Rock formations
Once you get to Opau Bay the track heads up the hill (a little steeply) to Fort Opau, which was garrisoned by 100 soldiers during World War II. There is also an historic Māori pa site.
The views from the top are breathtaking: 360° views, including Mana Island, Kapiti Island, the Tararua Range, Mount Taranaki, the Marlborough Sounds and the giant wind turbines from Project West Wind, which has its own network of tracks.
This point is also a perfect place to watch the sun go down, or come up, if you’re super keen!
Great views along the track
From here it’s a downhill walk back to Wharehou Bay, and a short walk back to Ohariu Bay and your vehicle.
Wind turbines in Makara
The secret reason I love this loop track is that I proposed to my wife at the top—in a spot where we could see all the places that we had been tramping together.
