Te Matua Ngahere Walk

A 20-minute walk leads you to 'Te Matua Ngahere' (Father of the Forest) – the second largest living kauri tree in New Zealand.

You can admire the tree on a viewing platform without damaging its sensitive root systems. It is very important that you keep to the walking track at all times. Kauri trees have very sensitive surface roots, and foot traffic around the trees endangers their life span.

Open 9 am to 4 pm

The gate to the track is locked when the track is closed.

Te Matua Ngahere

Te Matua Ngahere is the oldest out of the two largest living kauri trees and is estimated to exceed 2,000 years. He was discovered by Nicholas Yakas in 1928 when he and other men were working to build the road that is now known as SH12.

Measurements:

• trunk girth: 16.41 m
• trunk height: 10.21 m
• total height: 29.9 m
• trunk volume: 208.1 m³.

Te Matua Ngahere Walk is located in Waipoua Forest on SH12. It is accessed from the Kauri walks car park. It is 4 km / 3 min drive from the Tane Mahuta car park. The southern township of Dargaville is 61 km away and the northern township of Omapere is 21 km.

From the car park, you will see a sign for the three walks 'Te Matua Ngahere', 'Four Sisters', and 'Yakas Kauri'. Note: Four Sisters and Yakas Kauri walks are currently closed.

A track meanders through native bush and brings you to a central point from which you can access Te Matua Ngahere Walk. From here is very well sign posted and located directly in the middle of this open space.

• Keep to the track at all times.
• In strong winds, beware of falling branches.

Te Matua Ngahere is situated in the Waipoua Forest reserve. It is the largest remnant of the extensive kauri forests of northern New Zealand.

The forest type varies from almost pure kauri stands to mixed podocarp/hardwood, with kauri grass, kiekie, neinei and ferns in the understorey.