Tane Mahuta

Tane Mahuta stands in Waipoua Forest and is the largest kauri alive: about 51 metres tall, a trunk girth over 13 metres, and a clear bole of nearly 18 metres before the first branch, which is what gives it the column-like look. Age estimates range widely - somewhere between 1,250 and 2,500 years - because kauri of this size cannot be cored safely. The walk from the road is five minutes on a boardwalk to a viewing platform; you do not approach the base, because kauri roots are shallow and wide and the pathogen that causes kauri dieback travels in soil on footwear. Cleaning stations at both ends of the boardwalk are compulsory and are the single most useful thing a visitor does here. Further along the same road are Te Matua Ngahere, the second largest and much stouter, and the Four Sisters. Guided night walks with local iwi are the way to hear the forest and are worth the cost.

What you actually see

• Tane Mahuta - 51 metres, from the boardwalk platform.
• The clear bole - nearly 18 metres of trunk before a branch.
• Te Matua Ngahere - the stouter second giant, further down the road.
• The cleaning stations - the dieback protocol, at both ends.

When to go

Any season - it is five minutes from the road. Early morning and evening are quiet; coaches arrive through the middle of the day. Night walks need booking.

Honest expectations

You view from a platform and cannot approach the trunk. Scrub and spray footwear at every station - kauri dieback has no cure and is spread by visitors. The car park is small and roadside parking on SH12 is dangerous.

Nearby

Te Matua Ngahere and the Four Sisters are along the same road; the Hokianga Harbour is north.