Visit New Zealand

- By Diana Tijoriwalla

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• Indians in NZ
• The Howick Historical Village
• School Levels
• The Treaty of Waitangi.
• Maori Cooking
• Anzac Day 25th April
• Auckland Regional Parks
• Tongariro National Park
• The Buried Village (Rotorua)
• Auckland's Islands
• Paradise Valley Springs (Rotorua)
• MOTAT
• The Polynesian Spa
• Rules for Teachers
• Daffodil Day
• The Waitakere Ranges
• Western Springs Tramway
• Auckland Museum
• New Zealand's Pride
• The Tuatara
• Maungakiekie
• Secondary Schools
• Sir Edmund Hillary
• Halloween
• Auckland Zoo

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The Waitakere Ranges

The Waitakere Ranges are known to the iwi (tribe) Te Kawerau a Maki as ‘Te Wao Nui a Tiriwa’ or ‘the great forest of Tiriwa’. Tiriwa was an early ancestor of Te Kawerau, whose ancestral association with the district goes almost one thousand years. They occupied land from the Manukau Harbour & Whatipu in the south, to Muriwai in the north. They were sustained by rich food resources. The sea supplied fish & shellfish & the nearby forests provided birds, succulent berries & other delicacies. Today, their descendents still hold strong spiritual ties to the land.

Few major cities in the world are fortunate to have what Auckland has right on its western doorsteps: the Waitakere Ranges, a wilderness on the edge of the city. Since the creation of Auckland Centennial Memorial Park in 1940, approximately 18,000 hectares has been protected for the citizens of Auckland & is now managed as one of Auckland’s Regional Parks. The bush clad slopes with its plethora of natural attractions draw millions of visitors each year. There are 250 kms of walking & tramping tracks, delightful waterfalls, untouched native forests, unique wildlife, gentle streams, & on the west coast, black sand beaches with some of the wildest surf to be found anywhere in the world. The Waitakere Ranges Regional Park is within one hour’s drive of downtown Auckland, but a world away from the bustle of city life. Entry to beaches, bush & farmland is free. Park staff maintains the park through a combination of conservation, asset management, recreation & education programmes. Farming is used both for open space management & to allow public access to New Zealand’s rural heritage.

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