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Car parking at
S 35° 36.025 E 173°
31.687 |
About the Geocache
Should be an easy find, in humbling presence.
Whilst Tane and the co-ordinates are both wheelchair accessible,
retrieval from the actual hide location may prove somewhat
challenging.
Deep in Waipoua forest, a beautiful clearing by the roadside is
found.
This marks the place to stop in order to see Tane
Mahuta - the largest living Kauri tree in New Zealand.
One of a triad of Waipoua FaberOptimé geocaches.
See also the nearby Look Out Waipoua!
(GC1G3AW) and Te Matua Ngahere - Father of
the Forest
(GC1G3FH) geocaches.
A
small path leads you off the road, and into the forest.
The diversity of species of plant life to be seen is absolutely
staggering.
Looking around presents view after view, typical of that shown
opposite.
New Zealand has many varieties of large ferns and palms living
here.
Kauri grass is another native species to be found growing in
amongst the Kauri groves.
The path leads deeper into the forest towards the big
tree...
About Tane Mahuta
God of the Forest
A plaque at the foot of Tane Mahuta (pron. "ta-nay
ma-hoot-a") reads:
"You are in the prescence of one of the most ancient of
trees.
In Maori cosmology, Tane is the son of Ranginui the Sky
Father, and Papatuanuku the Earth Mother. Tane tore his parents
apart, breaking their primal embrace, to bring light, space and air
and allowing life to flourish.
Tane is the life giver - all living creatures are his
children.
This is the largest living Kauri tree in New Zealand (and the
world). It is difficult to accurately estimate the age of Tane
Mahuta. But, it may be that Tane Mahuta sprang from seed around
2000 years ago, during the lifetime of Christ."
The kauri periodically sheds its bark, giving it its hammered
appearance.
This also frees the trunk of clinging epiphytes. An
epiphyte is a plant that derives its moisture and nutrients
from the air and rain, that usually grows on another plant.
The shedding of old branches and leaves also produces a trunk
that is straight-grained, blemish-free and of high quality timber
that can be used for many purposes.
Despite its immense size, kauri has a comparatively shallow and
exposed rooting system with only a few peg roots to anchor the
tree. This makes them subject to being thrown about in the wind
(windthrow).
A humus accumulates at the tree's base, comprising the bark,
leaves and branches that are shed. A mat of feeding roots grows
through the humus and builds to form a mound (or pukahu).
The feeding roots of Kauri trees are shallow and delicate.
Many thousands of visitors' feet falling around Tane Mahuta were
killing the giant tree, so protective paths and platforms were put
around.
The
limbs of the crown sometimes double the height of the tree. The
leaves grow directly onto the bark clustered at the end of the
branchlets of the upraised branches.
More than 30 other species live in the branches of Tane
Mahuta.
The dimensions of Tane Mahuta are:
| Trunk Height: |
17.7 metres |
| Trunk Girth: |
13.8 metres |
| Total Height: |
51.5 metres |
| Volume: |
244.5 metres³ |
Please ensure that you respect the plants and animals here at
all times.
This area is threatened by kauri dieback, so please:
- Make sure shoes, tyres and equipment are clean of dirt before
and after visiting kauri forest.
- Clean shoes and any other equipment that comes into contact
with soil after every visit, especially if moving between bush
areas.
- Keep to defined tracks at all times. Any movement of soil
around the roots of a tree has the potential to spread the
disease.
- Dogs can inadvertently spread the disease if they disturb the
soil around the trees and are not permitted in Waipoua
Forest.
For more information about kauri dieback, please see this page:
Kauri dieback: how you can help.
About the Cache
A 400ml Sistema container with green camo.
Some stealth may be required at GZ due to spot's public
popularity.
The boardwalk is there to protect the fragile roots of these
awesome trees, whose health is threatened by even the lightest foot
fall. STAY ON THE BOARDWALK/PATH.
Please ensure that you replace carefully so as it remains not
obvious!
Contents at Placement
- Stash note, log book, pencil, sharpener and silica gel
- Cuz 2 Cuz TB
- Whizz Kid's Star GC
- 2x badges
- Rugby ball
- Smiley face
Problems?
Geocaches need
maintenance from time to time (as do we all?!).
If this one looks in need (new log book/container
maintenance/other), please let us know.