Omahuta Kauri Sanctuary, Mangamuka
Kauri (Agathis australis)
The Omahuta Kauri Sanctuary was built in 1952 to enable visitors easy access to view giant Kauris and enjoy a true Kauri forest encounter, with many huge trees.
The walk takes about 45 minutes. The track has been carefully chosen to protect the trees and many boardwalks ensure that the roots of the trees will not be damaged by onlookers and that visitors can keep dry feet in the wet and swampy surrounding.
Kauri (Agathis australis) is one of the world's largest trees. Native to Northern New Zealand, it produces an excellent quality of timber and also gum that can be used by industry.
A person just disappears alongside these giants.
The Kauri logging period of Northland started in the 1860s and reached it's zenith at the turn of the last century. The demand for building timber increased with the level of immigration and the gum trade was encouraged by a rise in prices from 1865.
The Kauri trade was instrumental in the development of Auckland but more so for the upper Northern provinces. Gum stores, sawmills, and logging ports became centres of settlement.
The sanctuary can be accessed turning off from State Highway 1 (SH 1) into Omahuta Road a few kilometers South of Mangamuka Bridge.
The "Hundertwasser" Toilet Sanctuary, Mangamuka
If you drive North, look out for them at Mangamuka Bridge
These are no Hundertwasser toilets like the ones in Kawakawa. But they are still stylish and no big fuss is made about them. They quietly serve their purpose and these toilets are a hundred percent biological, non polluting and clean.
The Mangamuka Bridge toilets are a healthy environmentally friendly technology and well recommended for all outdoor toilets with low maintenance schedules. So if you drive North, look out for them at Mangamuka Bridge.