The Tuia Mātauranga Pōkai Whenua GeoTour follows the footsteps of early explorers of Aotearoa New Zealand taking you to places where leaders of the past searched for food, resources and ways to adapt and survive in this new land.
Use the Pōkai Whenua GeoTour as your classroom to explore the stories of the past, in the present, to preserve what is unique in Aotearoa New Zealand for the future.
Collect the codewords to get the Geocoin puzzle pieces.
To be able to complete this GeoTour and receive your special Geocoin collectable, remember to take a note of the codeword placed in the cache. This will need to be recorded in your passport which can be downloaded here.
63 of the 150 Pōkai Whenua GeoTour caches will contain a randomly placed special FTF token (a replica of the Tuia Mātauranga GeoTour commemorative coin). This is yours to keep! If you find more than one, you might consider leaving it for the next person who finds the cache.
Here is a study of the scientific reserves of Central Otago. The Department of Conservation (DOC) describe these types of reserves as areas possessing ecological associations, plant or animal communities, types of soil, remarkable rock formations and/or other special interest matters that are preserved for scientific study, research and/or education.
This is a 3 stage multi of which the posted coordinates will take you to the first:
1.MAHAKA KATIA SCIENTIFIC RESERVE
The Mahaka Katia Scientific Reserve is a 27 hectare reserve managed by the Department of Conservation.The reserve contains more rare and threatened plant species than any other similar sized area in New Zealand.
Some examples: Open scabweed (Raoulia spp.) One of the few remaining examples of dominated vegetation left in New Zealand, and a habitat for Xanthoparmelia semiviridis formerly common lichen of the intermontane basins and now rated as Declining due to the conversion of its key habitat to dairy farms, vineyards and by the ongoing deterioration of its remaining indigenous habitat from the spread of such weeds as hawkweeds (Pilosella spp.) Nationally Critical Lepidium solandri, also known as Maniototo peppercress. Found only in the South Island, it grows on open ground and is threatened by weed competition, animal browsing and changes to the landscape. Weeding is carried out around the plants to increase their potential to grow and spread.
The reserve is signposted on Hwy6, park at the parking coordinates then a short stroll to the sign with two photos to gather the information needed for the final.
A= Count the letters in the 1st word under the left photo
C= Count the letters in the 2nd word on the top line
G= How many negative attributes do you see?
2.CROMWELL CHAFER BEETLE RESERVE
The Cromwell chafer beetle Prodontria lewisii occurs only in this reserve. The reserve was established in 1979 and is the only insect reserve in New Zealand.
The habitat of this beetle is an area of low sand dunes on the Cromwell river terrace, known as the “Cromwell shallow sand”. The dunes are formed by loess originally deposited by the Clutha River, the dunes themselves are the finest inland example in New Zealand.
You are unlikely to see a chafer beetle here as they only surface from the top sand layer at night in late spring/early summer when the temperature/humidity is just right. The come to the surface to eat and mate. As adults they eat mostly speedwell (Veronica arvensis), sheep's sorrel (Rumex acetosella), and cushion plant (Raoulia australis) They spend at least one year as larvae, living buried in the sand and feeding on plant roots.The chunky brown Cromwell chafer beetle itself is about 15mm in length. There are estimated to be about 3000 beetles in the reserve.There is an annual survey of Cromwell chafer numbers – on "Cromwell chafer beetle day" – by DOC and Agresearch, conducted by taking 670 core samples of sand in the reserve and checking them for beetle larvae. They usually find only a few larvae. Agresearch have in a laboratory in Mosgiel eggs and larvae, should anything happen to these beetles.
The main threats to the Cromwell chafer were formerly habitat destruction, but now are introduced predators. Animal and plant pests are controlled to help maintain the habitat. Old rabbit holes have been filled in as they are believed to make fabulous homes for the introduced redback spider along with other predators earwigs, centipedes and carabid beetles. Little owls and rats and hedgehogs may also pose a threat.
At the coordinates you will see a sign attached to the fence to gather the information for the final.
D= Count the letters of !st word on the top line
E= How many times does the word 'be' occur? minus 1
F= 8th digit on the phone number
3.CHAPMAN ROAD SCIENTIFIC RESERVE
The soils of this reserve are highly saline (salt-rich), commonly known as salt pans. Salt pans used to cover more than 40,000 ha within the Central Otago region. Today there are fewer than 100 ha remaining. This habitat destruction is caused by a combination of factors including irrigation, mining and erosion. Evidence of gold mining in the 1860s can still be seen at this site today.
Chapman Road Scientific Reserve is home to small and beautiful rare plants, and two rare and threatened species of native moths. Due to the loss of habitat and competition from exotic weed species, most of the plants and moths in the reserve are endangered. DOC monitors these species and completes annual weed and rabbit control to protect them.
Two rare species of native moths are active on the hottest days of summer from October to March. Look carefully over the barest salty areas on sunny days to see them flying low over the salty crust where their larval host plant Atriplex buchananii grows. One is a small geometrid moth about 12 mm in wingspan and conspicuous with its orange hindwings. Paranotoreas fulva delights to sunbathe on the barest salty soils and the females lay their eggs on the host plant.The other moth is a crambid which was first discovered on these salt pans in the 1980s and is still undescribed in the genus Loxostege. It is also a day flying species over the barest saline patches where again its larvae feed on mats of Atriplex. Both are only found on Central Otago's saltpans, this once extensive habitat that has dwindled in both extent and quality.
Above L-R Isolepis basilaris (Pigmy clubrush) Lepidium kirkii (Kirk’s scurvy grass) and Atriplex buchananii (Buchanan's orache)(host plant to the rare native moth) are three of the many plants needing human intervention for survival.
Discover rare native plants and moths in this reserve – visit in the summer months to best appreciate them.
At the coordinates find the tag to gather the information for the final.
B= 2nd digit
H= 4th digit
S45 1A.BCD E169 2E.FGH
NOTE: There is around 50km/40mins drive involved for this multi. Best to do in sequence.