Rakiura National Park
Rakiura National Park | |
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Department of Conservation | |
Official website |
Rakiura National Park is a nature reserve park located on
History
Park establishment
Rakiura National Park is the 14th of New Zealand's national parks and was officially opened on 9 March 2002 by the Prime Minister, Helen Clark, the Minister of Conservation, Sandra Lee, and the mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary.[1] It is New Zealand's newest national park.[2]
Geography
Rakiura National Park covers close to 1,400 square kilometres (540 sq mi),[3] which is about 85% of Stewart Island / Rakiura, New Zealand's third-largest island. The park area excludes the township area around Halfmoon Bay (Oban) and some roads as well as private or Māori-owned land further inland.[1] It is made up of a network of former nature reserves, scenic reserves, and State Forest areas. A chain sculpture at the entrance to Rakiura National Park symbolises the
Ecology
Fauna
Many native
Certain coastal areas of this park are breeding areas for the
In the 1970s, kākāpō were found in the Tin Range at a time when it was thought that the species was nearly extinct. The kākāpō have been transferred to nearby Codfish Island / Whenua Hou, which is not part of the national park.[11]
Tramping
Rakiura Track
The popular
Northwest Circuit
The Northwest Circuit circumnavigates the northern and western aspects of Stewart Island. The track is 125 kilometres (78 mi) long and takes most people between eight and ten days to complete. Most of the track is along the coastline visiting a series of very isolated sandy beaches. Once it reaches Mason Bay, the track crosses the Freshwater Depression before reaching Paterson Inlet. There are ten huts on the track which are, in general, spaced between five and seven hours walk apart.[12]
Southern Circuit
The Southern Circuit is a challenging nine-day tramping trip. It is 70 kilometres (43 mi) long, and after rain can involve long periods of walking in mud and deep water.[12] The Southern Circuit takes in Doughboy Bay Hut. This eight-bed hut is the southernmost hut in the Department of Conservation's network.[14]
See also
- National parks of New Zealand
- Forest parks of New Zealand
- Tramping in New Zealand
- Protected areas of New Zealand
References
- ^ a b c "Stewart Island national park created". The New Zealand Herald. New Zealand Press Association. 10 March 2002. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
- ^ Walrond, Carl (12 December 2012). "Stewart Island/Rakiura – New Zealand's third main island". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
- Department of Conservation. March 2012. p. 115. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
- ^ "History and naming of Stewart Island". www.stewartisland.co.nz. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
- ^ Smith, Lisa (2 April 2018). "Away to the anchor". Otago Daily Times Online News. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
- ^ "Bluff to replicate anchor chain sculpture". The Southland Times. 30 May 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
- ^ "Southern brown kiwi | Tokoeka | New Zealand Birds Online". nzbirdsonline.org.nz. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
- ^ Hogan, C. Michael (6 April 2009). Stromberg, N. (ed.). "Yellow-eyed Penguin: Megadypes antipodes". GlobalTwitcher.com. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011.
- ^ Walrond, Carl (12 December 2012). "Stewart Island/Rakiura – Plants and animals". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
- ^ "Kākā". www.doc.govt.nz. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
- ^ Walrond, Carl (12 December 2012). "Stewart Island/Rakiura – Plants and animals". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
- ^ a b c Department of Conservation (2005). Rakiura Parkmap 336-10 4th Edition. New Zealand: Department of Conservation.
- NZ Herald.
- ^ a b Dec '16, Neil Silverwood 21 December 201621 (20 December 2016). "A perfect week in Rakiura National Park". Wilderness Magazine. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - stuff.co.nz. Archivedfrom the original on 16 March 2023. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Rakiura Track Guide" (PDF). Wellington, New Zealand: Department of Conservation (New Zealand). December 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2024.