Become a Kiwi Guardian Whanganui and Manawatu 1 This book belongs to: Start your adventure Welcome 1 Info for grown-ups 3 Regional map 4 Whanganui walks Gordon Park Scenic Reserve 4 Ātene Skyline Track 6 Manawatu walks Alice Nash Memorial Heritage Lodge 8 Bruce Park Scenic Reserve 10 Manawatu Estuary 12 Papaitonga Scenic Reserve 14 Manawatu Gorge 16 Build a wētā motel 34 Welcome to Toyota Kiwi Guardians in Whanganui and Manawatu There are plenty of fun family adventures around the Whanganui and Manawatu region. Enjoy a day at a clear lake or river surrounded by rugged mountains. Play on the lake edge or take a stroll through a beech forest and listen for native birds. With Toyota Kiwi Guardians you can go on epic nature adventures at over 100 places around the country! Iwi and hapū have established a special cultural and spiritual relationship with the environment in the Manawatu and Whanganui regions that continues today. For all the info on each adventure, go to kiwiguardians.co.nz! 1 We could fill the space here with an image of children with medals? Or more text? Claim your medal Each Kiwi Guardians adventure has a different medal – see how many you Top: Toyota Kiwi Guardian medals. can collect. Photo: Emma Boyd On your adventure, look out for the Kiwi Guardians post or plaque. On it you’ll find a special code word unique to that site. Write it down, then go to kiwiguardians.co.nz and tell us the code word to receive a free Kiwi Guardians certificate and medal in the mail! 2 Hey grown-ups! Taking a group? We'll send you a double-sided Toyota Kiwi Guardians certificate for each child in adventures can easily be your group, and the group will incorporated into a school receive one wooden medal. or club group adventure. The certificate includes When planning an activity, redemption information for the contact us at guardian of the child, if the child [email protected] wants their own wooden medal and tell us: (as per the individual child/ parent rewards structure). If a • the number of children child applies for a medal from undertaking the activity home, our standard terms and • the name of the activity conditions will apply. • when you are undertaking the activity. Your safety is your Minimise your impact responsibility A Kiwi Guardian looks after Follow the outdoor the environment and our safety code: heritage. You can make a difference in so many ways. • Plan your trip • Tell someone your plans Make sure you: • leave no trace • Be aware of the weather leavenotrace.org.nz • Know your limits • follow the • Take sufficient supplies Water Care Code doc.govt.nz/care-codes doc.govt.nz/safety Check out doc.govt.nz for track alerts in your area. 3 Cape Reinga/Te Rerenga Wairua 1 Kaitaia 10 Kerikeri 1 Kaikohe 12 1 WHANGAREI 14 Dargaville Mangawhai Heads Great Barrier 12 Island (Aotea Island) 1 Warkworth 16 1 Orewa Helensville 25 AUCKLAND Whitianga 1 Thames Pukekohe Waiuku 25 Whangamata Tuakau 2 2 26 25 Paeroa Waihi 27 1 Te Aroha Huntly Katikati Ngaruawahia Morrinsville 2 26 TAURANGA 27 Raglan Te Puke 23 HAMILTON Matamata 29 35 2 Cambridge 1 33 WHAKATANE 35 Te Awamutu Edgecumbe Ohope Opotiki 31 Putaruru 5 3 30 Kawerau Otorohanga 1 ROTORUA 2 TOKOROA 5 Te Kuiti 30 38 Murupara 2 3 30 1 5 35 4 32 TAUPO 43 Lake GISBORNE Taupo Taumarunui 41 1 Kiwi Guardian adventures 5 3 41 38 Waitara Turangi in Whanganui and the Manawatu Frasertown NEW PLYMOUTH Lepperton 4 2 47 Oakura 46 Wairoa 3 43 45 Inglewood 2 Stratford 5 1 Eltham Opunake Raetihi Ohakune 3 49 Waiouru Normanby 45 NAPIER Hawera 1 Taihape HASTINGS 2 4 3 50 2 4 3 1 WHANGANUI 1 Otane Waipawa Adventure sites 3 Waipukurau Marton 2 1 Gordon Park Scenic Reserve 54 2 Atene Skyline Track Bulls Feilding Dannevirke 3 Alice Nash Memorial Heritage Lodge 3 1 7 4 Bruce Park Scenic Reserve Woodville 5 5 Manawatu Estuary 56 PALMERSTON Foxton NORTH 6 Papaitonga Scenic Reserve Beach Foxton Pahiatua 57 2 7 Te Apiti - Manawatu Gorge Shannon 6 LEVIN Eketahuna Otaki 1 2 MASTERTON Carterton 2 Greytown 1 Featherston 53 LOWER HUTT Martinborough WELLINGTON 100 km 4 1. Kiwi Guardians at Gordon Park Scenic Reserve A hidden patch of forest so close to Whanganui! Cool off in the shade of the tall trees, enjoy the short walking track and see how many plants you can name. • This forest smells beautiful! What can you smell? • Shake a branch and call to a fantail/pīwakawaka, it’s lunch time! • Listen for the ‘whistle’ as the tūī flies past. Can you hear the tūī singing in the trees? 5 Whanganui Claim your Kiwi Guardians medal On your adventure, look out for the Guardian Post. On it you’ll find a special code word – write it down below (but don’t share it!), then go to kiwiguardians.co.nz and claim your medal. Write your code word here Difficulty: Easy (wheelchair accessible) Time: 15 min Distance: 550 m loop track Getting there: The reserve is close to Whanganui city on the corner of Visit Whanganui Photo: Kaimatira Road and No.3 Line to the east of SH4. Hop over the stile on Kaimatira Road or drive into the car park further down. Right: Park. Gordon Photo: Nir Ketraru Photo: Left: Fantail. Left: Fantail. 6 Gordon Park Kingdom of plants 1. Take a look at the wall of greenery on the outside of the reserve. The leaves act like solar panels and are tilted to catch the most light! 2. Near the main entrance is a large mataī. Can you see the marks on the bark? Any idea how they got there? 3. What bird calls can you hear? Can you hear the distinctive call of the shining cuckoo? 4. Kahikatea are the tallest trees you can see here. They can live up to 1,000 years! 5. Look up! Can you see plants growing way up high in the branches of the trees? These plants are epiphytes and live up high where there is plenty of sunlight. 6. As you walk around the path you will see thick vines like ropes. This is our native climbing rātā – birds go mad for the flowers! 7. Can you guess why the fragrant fern got its name? 7 Whanganui tea tree. P ika ho h to a : Check out the kahikatea*, K D O the tallest trees here. They can C live for 1,000 years! *No. 4 on the map 8 2. Kiwi Guardians on the Atene Skyline Track Hundreds of years ago, Puketapu Hill stood at the end of a long narrow-necked peninsula, forcing the river to flow in circle around it. Get your boots on and check it out! • Pack a picnic and head up the track to admire the view. • See the old course of the Whanganui River. • Learn about the wonderful native plants here. 9 Whanganui – Claim your • TENE •• •• A •• •• • • •• • • • • Kiwi Guardians medal • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • On your adventure, look out for the • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Guardian Post. On it you’ll find a special • S • K K C code word – write it down below (but don’t Y A LIN E T R share it!), then go to kiwiguardians.co.nz and claim your medal. Write your code word here Difficulty: Walking track (lookout track) Tramping track (loop track) Time: 2 hr to lookout (return), return via same track; 6–8 hr for loop track Distance: 12.3 km Getting there: Start at the Ātene Viewpoint Walk car park, about 1 km north of the Ātene settlement on the Whanganui River Road. This is the northern entrance of a loop track that has road ends 2 km apart. Photo: DOC Photo: Photo: Andy Maloney Photo: Left: Nīkau palms. Right: Skyline Track. 10 Ātene Skyline Track High in the sky! 1. What prickly leaves! Check out the big tōtara tree at the track entrance – how old do you think it is? Imagine living in that if you were a bird… lucky they’re not scared of heights! 2. Ouch! Kawakawa has been used as a healing plant for hundreds of years. Can you spot the heart-shaped leaves? 3. Look at the thick wall of vines of the supplejack. Wouldn’t it be fun to swing through there like Tarzan!? Can you do a Tarzan call? 4. Pretty in pink! Can you see the glades of native begonia/ parataniwha, that add a splash of colour to the forest floor? It’s like a carpet for the forest! 5. Imagine breathing through your feet...weird huh? Did you know that pukatea trees can? They have breathing roots out from their trunks and lumps in their bark to absorb oxygen. 6. Feeling tropical? The nīkau palm is the only native palm found in New Zealand. Take a photo with your family and friends. Say nikauuuu! 7. Stay on your feet! Papa rock is a soft sandstone that is slippery when wet. Can you feel it? Even the trees slip and slide here. 8. Even weeds can be good! Underneath the gorse is a great place for native seedlings to grow. Can you see any through the prickles? 9. Spot the manuka trees. Close your eyes and listen. Can you hear any bees? Buzzzzzzzz… bees love feeding on the nectar of mānuka flowers. 10. Got energy to burn? Head up the track to the picnic table for lunch or continue on to the lookout for a view of Puketapu Hill. The hill once stood at the end of a long narrow-necked peninsula, forcing the river around it.