Puketoki Reserve consists of 85 acres of bush, donated to the Whakamarama Community by Mr Henry H Sharplin of the Whakamarama Land and Timber Company in 1926. Before that time it was milled, so the only old surviving trees would be those not suitable for timber at that time. Tramways for transporting logs passed through the reserve, and in a few places the location of the tramways can still be seen.There is a parking area and picnic area on Leyland Rd, across from the reserve entrance. The Te Puna stream runs past the picnic area. There are toilet facilities near the reserve entrance. It is one of the oldest reserves in the Western Bay of Plenty, and dogs on a leash are permitted in the reserve.
There have been tremendous efforts in recent years by the Friends of Puketoki to control pests and invasive weeds and this has resulted in a marvellous conservation area with lots of bird life. To find this cache, I would recommend you take the time to walk around the Long Loop track and keep an eye out for the spectacular epiphytes growing on the trees and the abundant birdlife. The North Island Robin or Toutouwai, in particular, seems to be flourishing now the pests have been removed.
Another feature of this great reserve is the beautiful, clear Te Puna Stream. If you're lucky, you can see eels!
(Due to the tree cover, the uncertainty in the co-ordinates is +/-12 m. Because of this, the hint, if you wish to use it, is quite detailed.)