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The Waihora lagoon in the Pureora forest is lined by Kahikatea, Rimu and other large Podocarp trees.
The water is very clear, but dark, stained by tannin from the forest leaves.
This improves its reflection qualities, and adds to its mystery.

 

 

Reflections in the lagoon (15740 bytes)

 

 

 

The forest was nearly destroyed by logging, but protesters sitting in the trees finally brought the destruction to a halt.

Driving on the main road through the forest's big trees is spectacular (Highway 30, Barryville-Mangakino section). However, it is like a false fronted building in a movie.
If you get out and take a walk, behind a couple of rows of trees the native forest has been destroyed and replaced by commercial pine forest.
A shingle, narrow road leads to better forest remnants, but is only found on large scale maps (Link road),

Pureora forest lies to the west of Lake Taupo, in the middle of New Zealand's North Island.
It was flattened during the Taupo eruption.

The geographic centre of North Island is in this forest.
It can be reached by a branch road from Link Road and a short walk. An obelisk marks the site. The "centre of gravity" was found by cutting out a map of North Island and balancing it on a pin.

Kahikatea trees, manuka bushes. (12529 bytes)

 

 

Pureora Forest: Waihora Lagoon.

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pureora4.jpg (15740 bytes)

Photography by John Wattie

    

 Go To MIRKWOOD      "MIRKWOOD"

In this primeval, podocarp forest are scenes which seem to illustrate the classic book by Tolkien: "The Hobbit".
Press the creature to enter "Mirkwood".

 

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