Cape Reinga/Te Rerenga Wairau

The famous landmark Cape Reinga/Te Rerenga Wairua sits at the tip of the Te Paki Recreation Reserve. This highly significant area to Māori marks the point where wairua (spirit) return to their traditional homeland.

Te Rerenga Wairua with its solitary pōhutukawa (Te Aroha) is a site of significance to Māori—from here spirits of the dead travel on to Hawaiki. Māori habitation strongly influenced the culture and history of this Place.

There are over 1000 recorded archaeological sites here, many of which contain evidence from the earliest periods of human occupation in New Zealand. Wahi tapu and Pā span many stages of fortification (pre- and post-musket), and feature camps, terraces, gardening systems, urupā (burial grounds), wāhi tapu, and middens containing the bones of whales, dogs, birds and fish.

Te Paki sand dunes

Te Paki sand dunes are a series of giant dunes. This is a popular stop for people visiting Cape Reinga/Te Rerenga Wairua and 90 Mile Beach. You can walk on the dunes – it is a lovely place to enjoy the scenery.

Mokaikai Scenic Reserve

Together with the adjoining Ohao Blocks, this area has an outstanding natural landscape and high concentration of historic and archaeological sites. The money tree is one historic site within the Mokaikai Scenic Reserve. It was here that gum diggers would leave coins for good luck.

The main entrance is at Waitiki Landing but to get to Mokaikai or North Cape, permission is necessary to cross Muriwhenua land. Permission must be obtained from Muriwhenua Incorporation, phone +64 9 409 7831.

Otangawhiti (Sandy Bay)

This bay is known for the frequent visits of whales. They have been known to enter the bay and scratch themselves against the rock that protrude from the far point, probably to rub off animals like barnacles that attach themselves to the whales’ skin.

Ngatongawhiti, the prominent point at the bay’s south end, is the name of a very old Maori settlement.

Archaeological sites

Within the boundaries of Te Paki Recreation Reserves are close to 1,000 recorded archaeological sites in the form of agriculture sites, fortified pa, storage sites, and shell midden. Sub fossil remains of snails, and many kinds of birds, some extinct, are also located within the Te Paki area.

These sites assist in telling the story of a long and complex pattern of land use in the Far North.

Care is taken to keep the sites intact and to preserve and respect the spiritual and cultural heritage of Maori.

If you come upon these sites, help to protect and preserve them by not disturbing them.

Note that all archaeological sites are protected by the Historic Places Act 1993 and it is an offence to damage or interfere with them in any way.

East and west coasts

The east coast is generally more sheltered with sandy bays, the west coast is more wild and exposed with spectacular golden sand dunes. Climb to the top these giant dunes and surf down. Toboggans can be hired from local tourist operators – see the local Kaitaia isite for details.

Straddling the northernmost tip of the North Island, Te Paki is one of the most intact and diverse ecosystems in New Zealand.

The northernmost section of the North Island comprises a diverse area of hill country, steep coastal cliffs, continually changing dunelands and expansive wetlands, with many endemic and threatened plants and animals and unique vegetation associations.

Its features include the extensive estuary, eelgrass, saltmarsh and mangroves of Parengarenga Harbour, and the gleaming white sands of Kokota Spit.

Birds

Large numbers of migrant wading birds congregate on the harbour together with variable oystercatchers, New Zealand dotterels and caspian terns.

Wetland and duneland birds include New Zealand dabchicks, New Zealand fernbirds, scaup, bittern and spotless crake.

Oi

At Cape Reinga/Te Rerenga Wairua, a small population of oi (Grey-faced petrel) are being safe-guarded thanks to the establishment of a trapping network funded by United Civil Construction Limited and coordinated by the Ngati Kuri Trust Board, with support from the Department. The trap network installed covers 60 hectares in order to protect a five-hectare Oi breeding colony.

Oi (Pterodroma macroptera gouldi) are a native ground nesting seabird whose populations have been disappearing from the northern coast of New Zealand.

Oi, known also as the Northern Muttonbird breed in burrows on offshore islands, coastal headlands, and cliffs of northern North Island of New Zealand.

Thanks to the trapping efforts of local iwi and DOC, the oi population at Te Rerenga Wairua has increased for the first time in many years.

Lizards and snails

Nine species of lizard and numerous species and subspecies of land snails inhabit the typically windswept vegetation.

There are three species of pupuharakeke/flax snail. One species is found only on Three Kings Islands (Placostylus bollonsi), another in Te Paki Placostylus bollonsi, and Placostylus hongii is found in eastern areas of Northland.

These giants were once widespread in Northland before human settlement. Many of them are now endangered or threatened, and inhabit a more restricted area of Northland and the islands offshore.

Pupuharakeke usually live in broadleaf forest and scrub. They reside in pockets of broadleaf litter, or under ground cover vegetation.

The causes of decline for flax snails include habitat destruction - caused by humans, habitat modification - caused by domestic and feral grazers, and predation - by introduced animals and birds.

Plants

Bartlett’s rata is a unique plant found only within the Te Paki Reserves. It is the most recently discovered tree in New Zealand and is one of the rarest.

Bartlett's rata (Metrosideros bartletii), also known as Rata Moehau, is a white flowering tall forest tree, with pale, papery bark, which makes it unique among New Zealand rata. This species was discovered in a forest remnant near Cape Reinga in 1975 and is listed as endangered.

DOC carries out intensive possum control to protect the remaining naturally occurring Rata Moehau, which are highly palatable to posums. Over 300 trees have been planted into sites where possum numbers are kept very low.

Rata Moehau start life as an epiphyte where seeds land on other trees, grow, and eventually send roots to the ground. In winter 2010, around 50 trees were planted on other trees as epiphytes to mimic this natural process. So far the programme is showing promising results and the future is looking good for Rata Moehau being around for many generations to come.

North Cape Scientific Reserve

This reserve is an exceptionally important home to many plants and animals within the Te Paki area. A high number of these animals and plants are found only in this reserve and nowhere else in the world. For this reason, access is restricted to permit only.

North Cape is of international ecological significance due to the make-up of the environment. Rocky, serpentine soil combined with a harsh climate has given rise to a unique bonsai dwarf shrub community with many peculiarities. These plants, all from different families, have adapted over time to this unique environment. Of the species found here, 17 plants are known to live only in this area, and nowhere else.

The landscape consists of steep cliffs, loose rock surfaces and steep vertical faces. Small pockets of forest are dominated by pohutukawa, combined with kawakawa, mahoe and karaka.

Open coastal land makes up part of North Cape, with eight species of native plants being characteristically low- growing or stunted in form such as kanuka, Coprosma sp., and Hebe sp.

Lizards and land snails are found throughout the North Cape. Many populations are in gradual decline; Matapia gecko, Ornate skink, North Cape Pacific gecko, while other animal populations are nationally critical such as the pupuharakeke (Giant flax snail).

Simmonds Islands

Simmonds Islands are home to many rare plants, skinks, and a variety of sea and shore birds including breeding Bullers shearwaters. These offshore islands are pest free and strictly 'no landing zones'.

Plant and animal communities here have been shaped by the unusual geology and distinctive climate of the Far North.

There is also a long history of human habitation in the area. In combination, these physical, ecological, social and cultural attributes have moulded Te Paki into a unique and dynamic ecosystem.

Te Paki was once an island separated from the rest of New Zealand long enough for its living things to become different from their mainland relatives.

Many sites in this reserve are very important for their natural life. It’s notable that these are also places of great cultural significance for Maori.

They include major wetlands at Te Ketekete and Kapo Wairua (Spirits Bay) and the Island sanctuaries of Motuopao, near Cape Maria van Diemen, and Manawatawhi (Three Kings Islands).