Brian Parkinson's Guide to Unique Wildlife of New Zealand

Introduction | Opotiki | Whakatane| Tauranga | Coromandel

he Bay of Plenty was given its name by Captain Cook in 1769 because of the abundant provisions he obtained from the Maori villages here. This immense crescent of land, backed throughout almost its entire length by the brooding greywacke Kaimai and Raukumara ranges, has long been a generous provider, first for the Maori and later for the Pakeha settlers.

The large areas of flatland, once cleared of their forest cover, were long dominated by dairying but in recent years the Bay's warm climate and regular rainfall have been fully exploited by the horticultural industry. Large areas of land, particularly around Opotiki in the east and Tauranga and Te Puke in the west, are now devoted to horticulture.From Matawai, State Highway 2 turns first west and then north again towards Opotiki. Near Waikato, 40 kilometres south-east of Opotiki, the bush returns.

At this altitude of almost 800 metres the typical rimu-ratatawa bush of the lower altitudes gives way 'to the rimu-beech forests of the mountains.

The birds here are a mixed lot: kereru, tui, bellbirds, tits, robins and falcons can all be found, together with kaka, whiteheads and riflemen - although these last three species are now diminishing in numbers.

Wairata is also a good area for spotting the blue duck or whio. A lover of fast-flowing waters, the whio has a fairly restricted habitat. If you get a chance, see if you can find one in some of the tributary streams that flow into the Waioeka River. This is not easy because its blue-grey plumage blends in well with the background boulders and it has a habit of riding the rapids rather than flying. Be careful as waters here rise rapidly and if crossing private land be sure to get the landowner's permission.

After Wairata the Waioeka Scenic Highway follows the right bank of the Waioeka River virtually all the way to Opotiki through some fine stands of native forest.

The name Waioeka seems to be a corrupted form of Waioweka (water of the weka) and although weka disappeared from here in the 1920s, a few have recently returned to the upper reaches of the river, presumably from Poverty Bay.Ancient pa sites have recently been found in this inland area. From midden remains, archaeologists have determined that they were apparently built by Maori engaged in collecting shearwater (muttonbird) chicks during their annual nesting season. Now, most people associate shearwaters with coastal areas, but presumably several species once flew far inland to nest, navigating among these rugged peaks at night. Some still do in the Inland Kaikouras and on the West Coast of the South Island.

Today extensive possum damage is obvious in this forest and foresters estimate that about a third of the kamahi in the Waioeka and neighbouring areas have died, together with many rata. Although possum trappers help to keep animal numbers down, their complete eradication now seems impossible. A sign of high possum numbers in any area is stainless steel bands on the electricity poles. These are put there to prevent possums climbing the poles and disrupting the local power supply while frying themselves in the process.

Lamprey, koara, banded kokopu, both species of eel and inanga are among the native fish of the Waioeka, together with the introduced brown and rainbow trout. One of the last examples of the now extinct native grayling was taken from the Waioeka in 1904. This fish was considered so unusual it was paraded around the hotels in Opotiki.