Gray's Bush (Gisborne) Traditional Cache

Gray's Bush Scenic Reserve is a small but highly significant remnant of the tall, kahikatea (podocarp) forest which once covered much of the Gisborne Plains. Forested areas are rare on the plains which have been extensively cleared and drained for pastoral farming and agriculture.

Gray's Bush is semi-coastal in character and has a dominant canopy of kahikatea, with significant presence of puriri. This kahikatea/puriri association is a nationally rare forest type and is the only surviving example on the Gisborne Plains.

The bush grows at the base of an alluvial fan that descends from the hills to the north-east and is on the edge of the flood plain of the Waipaoa River. The trees are supported by a slow-draining, clay loam soil that is typical of the Plains, and the area is less than 30 m above sea level.

The bush stands out as a dense and tall canopy of kahikatea that can be identified from some distance. The reserve is surrounded by agricultural land, primarily used for growing citrus, grapes and cereal crops.

The forest is well-preserved with some individual trees reaching heights of up to 40 metres. There are broadleaved trees such as pukatea, mahoe and tawa with occasional kohekohe and rare matai, growing alongside the more dominant kahikatea and puriri.

The undergrowth is relatively dense, with predominant species such as kawakawa, nikau and occasional small broadleaved shrubs, ferns and herbs. There are some areas with native grass (Oplismenus imbecillus) and also kiekie. This is found in the damper parts of the reserve.

The majority of the taller kahikatea in Gray's Bush are from 400-500 years old.

The recreational and botanical significance of Gray's Bush was recognised as early as 1914 when the Commissioner of Crown Lands approached the then owner, Mr Charles Gray proposing a land exchange for the bush. As this stage the bush was part of Gray's Farm, Waiohika, which he had brought in 1877.

The proposal was eventually dropped and it was not until 1926, 8 years after Gray's death, that the bush was formally reserved (as Gray's Bush Domain), having been offered to the Crown for a reserve by the trustees of the Gray Estate.

The reserve was managed by various domain boards until 1979 when it was vested in the Department of Lands and Survey and reclassified as a scenic reserve. The reserve is currently managed by the Department of Conservation.

The cache is black camo taped 235ml screw top plastic container, containing logbook, stash note, gel pen, and silica gel. Cache has been placed approximately half way around the loop track.

GPSr reception at the cache site is poor (EPE ±8m) due to heavy bush canopy, so please read the following hints carefully.

Cache is hidden in a hollowed out fallen trunk suspended at knee height with camo door. The trunk is located between two tall cabbage trees spaced 2.5m apart, the only ones in the general area, approximately 40m off the well formed track and 10m in from the fenceline. The area around the cache has little or no undergrowth, so there is no need to harm any vegetation. See hint for new clues.

Please re-hide well and replace camo door carefully, and we hope you enjoy your visit.