WAIKAWAU: KAWETOTO REEF BY WAY OF WAIMANU RD.

Local kauri conservation activity started " way back when" on the Coromandel. It is hard to be more precise as the Govt. Dept. involved is no longer in existence. What it did was to plant quite a few areas in young kauri as a token replacement for the many removed in the past. Just where the plantings happened is a bit of a mystery as the records seem to have been lost or misplaced. However, should you see a hillside of young kauri rickers, all of about the same size, this could be a clue. Climbing out of Kennedy Bay there is an area that could fit the bill. If they are all planted in rows then I guess it would be an absolute certainty!

In this millennium we have a non Govt. group continuing the good work. Kauri 2000 continue to plant young kauri on public land. This sign on Whangapoua Hill tells of their work.

Should you have some guests visiting who are interested in the environment, a trip to Kawetoto Reef from Tuateawa will take you past, and through, a whole group of areas of real interest. You can see the activities of Kauri 2000 on the slopes just beyond Pump Paddock, Waikawau farm park. The kauri are small and struggling a little against the paspalum and kikuyu grass, but, given time and attention they will become magnificent.

A couple or so km. along, the road crosses the Waikawau Stream. It is worth a pause by the bridge. You could be lucky as this is one of the few places in the world that you might see Brown Teal. The activities of The Moehau Environment Group have played a big part in boosting the numbers of this endangered species.
They are also active in conserving the Matamataharakeke wetland and the estuary region that you pass through on the way to Waimanu Rd. The wetland, like much of the Coromandel, has had it's period of exploitation. Flax was harvested for fibre and shipped to Europe for the manufacture of rope but, over time, proved to be prone to decay which was a lucky break for the wetlands of NZ. These wetlands are home to a number of unique and mostly secretive birds, the fernbird and the bittern  amongst them. If you move down Waimanu Rd there is a chance of seeing a bittern, particularly in the winter months. Invisible in the reeds This improbable appearing bird becomes very obvious when it strays into the paddock near the bridge. The Waikawau River is tidal at the bridge, good kids fishing for Yellow Eyed Mullet and you might just see an White Heron if you are very lucky!

Waimanu Rd continues, over the bridge, passing through paddocks and shortly reaches the carpark alongside the estuary. You start your trip to the beach by climbing over the gate to the left.

The track takes you over the hill, through regenerating farmland and some magnificent forest remnants and coastal vistas.

At one point the track has been cut through an old Maori midden.

After a short walk you emerge onto the beach at the back of a dune system. The going here can be a little soggy!

The Kawetoto Reef is full of life. It is home to a very ancient shellfish the Lampshell and to many other creatures including octopus.

On the beach there are often Spirula shells, common in NZ. They could have travelled a long way to end up on Waikawau as they are thought to be tropical. Live ones are very seldom found. If you pick one of these up you are holding the remains of a creature that can live 1000m. below the surface. The shell is the flotation device of a small (3-4cm.) squid which feeds on ocean plankton.
At most states of the tide you can walk back to the carpark via the estuary and maybe pick up a feed of shellfish on the way!