Walter Scott Reserve

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4. Walter Scott Reserve

Walking tracks: There are several tracks that vary in length from 40 – 10 minutes.

Getting there: The reserve is situated on the southern foothills of Mount Pirongia at the intersection of Scott and Pekanui Rds off Pirongia-Kawhia Rd. It is 2kms west of Ngutunui and 27kms west of Te Awamutu

The locals: Common native birds found in the reserve are kereru, tui, North Island fantail, grey warbler, pied tit and silvereye.

Fossilised bird remains of 19 species including pio pio and huia and 12 species of moa makes this one of the most significant avian hotspots within New Zealand. Although Maori were responsible for many of these extinctions, their occupation had little impact on the forestland, and Maori resistance in the King country meant that this was one of the last places in New Zealand to be colonised by Europeans.

After the main trunk railway was extended into the King Country, reaching Te Kuiti in 1887 Europeans slowly began to occupy the area. Soon after, much of the region was cleared for the milling of native timber which reached a peak in the mid-1950’s.

The vegetation in the reserve consists of tawa-kamahi forest with pukatea, miro, king ferns and the occasional hinau. There is a large kahikatea in the streambed of the Pekanui Stream is estimated to be around 600 years old and some impressive pukatea on Valder walk. Birdlife in the area has flourished due to ongoing pest control & planting projects undertaken by the branch.