White Pine Bush Reserve Napier NZ

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Here I am again ….fed up of watching repeats of Judge Judy, but supposed to be resting up to allow my herniated disc to reduce & ease the pressure on my sciatic nerve. Time to do another blog, I think. So here is a blog on a wonderful native bush reserve a half hour drive up into the hills from the city of Napier where I grew up. I have very fond memories of walking through this bush reserve with my parents & a pesky older brother several times as a child. I always imagined I was walking through the jungle just waiting to be rescued by Tarzan swinging through the trees on the many thick twisted vine ropes hanging down from what seemed immensely tall trees. It was a very magical place, with bubbling brooks & gurgling streams weaving in & out of stately fern trees & graceful palms, before suddenly disappearing into the tangled undergrowth of fallen trees, vicious stinging nettles & deep natural mulch. The sun filtered in through the intertwining branches which formed a canopy over our heads, & gave a touch of warmth to the coolness. And then just as I thought my little legs would give out, the sound of rushing water would fill me with renewed vigour & my brother & I would dash madly off, ignoring our poor mother’s warning cries to take care …..& we would suddenly come to a breathless stop, rubbing at our bare legs because our mother’s fears had been realised & we had been stung by the nettles. But the sight of the magnificent waterfall snaking down from the high cliff above us, always made the pain diminish …for that solitary moment at least. Seconds later I would be slumped on the ground bewailing my fate as my brother called me a ‘sook’, my mother ran around looking for dock leaves, & my father rose above the commotion as he snapped photos of nature’s beauty. Then it was on to the tranquility of Lake Tutira & a picnic. Ah the memories …… I took my own children there whenever we were back in NZ & sounded just like my mother as I shouted out warnings & searched for dock leaves. My last visit was with my OH in 2004, & I found it just as magical, yet a little less adventurous perhaps, with the construction of wooden bridges traversing shallow ravines instead of thick tree trunks ….. & steps instead of the excitement of scrambling up & down fern-clad dirt tracks.

Entrance to the White Pine Bush Reserve ….there are several different walks one can venture upon, from a reasonably short circular walk for less active folk or families with small children, right up to a long walk up to the Tangoio Fals & beyond to Lake Tutira. One can start their walk from the lake side, in order to be able to view the lake & Falls without a long hike.

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Where oh where has the huge tree trunk gone …oh where oh where can it be? It was such fun crossing that shallow ravine via that giant trunk ….not nearly so exciting now, but perhaps a bit safer.

NZ native bush bird ….cheeky, curious & friendly little Fantail. It will come into private gardens to feast on insects on our native bottlebrush. Maori legend has it that it is very bad luck for a fantail to fly into your house, & usually means someone in the whanau (family) will die.

Elusive & rare ….NZ Native Bush Owl ….the Morepork …see it peering out at you from the branches. Named for its distinctive call ….more pork more pork. Does not venture out of quiet native bush, & seldom seen by anyone but dedicated bird watchers.

The Tangoio Falls

The beautifully tranquil Lake Tutira.

• 7 Nov, 2012
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