Mata Kopae (Canterbury) Traditional Cache
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Size: 
(regular)
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A traditional cache beside a peaceful lake, arboretum and bird sanctuary about 4km north of Cheviot township on state highway one.
St. Annes Lagoon is a beautiful place to stop, stretch your legs, enjoy a picnic or do a spot of bird watching.
The European history begins with an amateur botanist and chairman of the Cheviot domain board, a Mr. J Rentoul, the area was originally named “Rentoul Park” in his honour and by the early twentieth century was a popular picnic spot complete with a row boat for public hire.
Although years of neglect and uncontrolled grazing took their toll (older locals recall the magnificent displays of Rhododendron and other exotics) many of the original plantings are still present and in recent years there has been renewed interest with new native and exotic plantings and ongoing renovation of the wetland areas.
Long before this Mata Kopae was an important food source for pre-European Maori.
“Mata Kopae has strong mahinga kai associations. A place rich in tuna (eel),
other native fish, and waterfowl, the lagoon was valued by Ngai Tahu for breeding stock.
Tangata whenua would remove breeding stock from the wetland area and transfer them to
other places. The banks at the entrance of Mata Kopae were originally made by Ngai Tahu
ancestors, to protect breeding stocks (so that they remained in the lagoon).”
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Lbh arrq gb trg gb gur ebbg bs gur ceboyrz
Treasures
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