Trounson Kauri Park — Attraction in Northland

Trounson Kauri Park is known for a magnificent stand of kauri trees - one of the best examples in the country. It takes around 40 minutes to walk the track through Trounson Kauri Park; interpretation panels and audio points make the experience highly educational.

Trounson Kauri Park is also a mainland island. This is essentially an intensive ecosystem restoration project with a focus on learning. The goal is to restore the kauri forest ecosystem, including the reintroduction of regionally extinct or threatened fauna/flora. Animal pest control is used for possums, ferrets, cats and rats. The restoration project includes a 586-hectare forest reserve and farmland. The project aims to restore the former richness of native biodiversity this forest once boasted, and to let visitors enjoy a glimpse of what pristine kauri forests...

Great place to spot kiwis in the wild. The loop walk takes you through the historic kauri forest. Easy walk. Campsite has both powered and non powered sites. There's a map of where you should put your tent. Better to book online but if you're lucky you can get a spot on the day(need cash to pay). Campsite is located adjacent to the park and you can hear the birds distinctly- kiwis, morepoks (owls). The kitchen has electric hot tops (inductive), no gas. Kitchen was also equipped with a refrigerator, toaster and a kettle. Some red paper could be found in the kitchen for the normal torches (make sure you have your own red light source). There's a very high chance of spotting a kiwi be patient and enter when its dark.. please stick to the path. Enjoy spotting a kiwi...

This was one of our favorite places to bring overseas visitors as it had an atmosphere of calm serene immensity.

Unfortunately, because dieback has become well established here now, there are dozens of trees dying or dead.

There is now an atmosphere of a near mortally wounded forest struggling to survive.

I don't understand why the forest hasn't been closed to visitors to minimize both the spread within the forest and to lessen the chance of visitors unintentionally taking it to other kauri groves.

We've rarely if ever been so saddened on a nature excursion. There are still some magnificent trees, but for how long?

It will probably take generations to recover...