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Wetlands you can visit in the Northland Region
Download a brochure on wetlands you can visit in the Northland Region (277 kb), and see our top picks below.You can also find Northland wetlands to visit on Google Maps or take our Google Earth tour.
Find out more about wetlands in the Northland Region and how to restore them (1 mb file), or read these factsheets on different wetland types in Northland (files are 1-2 mb each):
Lakes
Swamps
Bogs
Fens
Gumlands
Know of a New Zealand wetland with public access? Tell us
This page is sponsored by the Northland Regional Council.
Kai Iwi Lakes
Dune lakes
Three clear, blue rain-fed dune lakes with white sand beaches,
surrounded by gumland, wetland and pines. Among the deepest dune lakes
in the country, they support rare dwarf inanga and water plant Trithuria inconspicua,
as well as freshwater crayfish, crabs and mussels, eels, and rainbow
trout, dabchick, grey ducks, grey teal, and other waterfowl.
Several walkways, boating, fishing, swimming.
Contact Kaipara District Council for more information and to book campgrounds (09) 439 7059
More information
Lake Ohia
Photo: Bev Clarkson
Ephemeral gumland lake
Other-worldly
scene of charred stumps and gumland scrub in a former lake bed which is
dry over summer, wet in winter. The site of a drowned forest, with a
maze of 30,000 year old kauri tree stumps exposed when the lake was
drained earlier this century for gum-digging. Important habitat for
rare ferns, mosses and orchids. The surrounding swamps and shrubland
contain threatened fish and bird species.
The
Gumhole Reserve Walk is a 10 min loop track through manuka passing a
series of holes excavated by gum diggers (watch out for holes as you
walk). Not suitable for swimming, this is a dry lake bed.
More information
Limeburners Creek
Photo: Lisa Forester
Estuary
Extensive estuary in Whangarei Harbour with mangroves, saltmarsh, and mud flats with lush eelgrass beds.
Two flat, all-weather walks, Limeburners Creek (1.3 km) with
interpretation panels and boardwalk), and Waimahanga walkway (3.5 km)
along a disused railway line and through mangroves swamps, shorter
sections from 10-45 minutes can be walked.
Te Werahi
Coastal raupo swamp and dunes
One
of the largest raupo swamps in Te Paki near the tip of New Zealand. The
landscape is remote and highly natural and scenic on the rugged west
coast. Very important site for waterfowl and a regionally important
moulting site.
The
wetland can be accessed via boardwalks 1.5 km down the Twilight–Te
Werahi Loop Track. The full 16 km loop track takes 4-5 hours – take
water and food - and passes through farmland, swamp, dunes, shrubland
and coastal wetlands. Links to 3 day Cape Reinga Coastal Walkway. Note the beach is not safe for swimming.
More information
Dune lakes
Three clear, blue rain-fed dune lakes with white sand beaches,
surrounded by gumland, wetland and pines. Among the deepest dune lakes
in the country, they support rare dwarf inanga and water plant Trithuria inconspicua,
as well as freshwater crayfish, crabs and mussels, eels, and rainbow
trout, dabchick, grey ducks, grey teal, and other waterfowl.
Several walkways, boating, fishing, swimming.
Contact Kaipara District Council for more information and to book campgrounds (09) 439 7059
More information
Three clear, blue rain-fed dune lakes with white sand beaches, surrounded by gumland, wetland and pines. Among the deepest dune lakes in the country, they support rare dwarf inanga and water plant Trithuria inconspicua, as well as freshwater crayfish, crabs and mussels, eels, and rainbow trout, dabchick, grey ducks, grey teal, and other waterfowl.
Several walkways, boating, fishing, swimming.
Contact Kaipara District Council for more information and to book campgrounds (09) 439 7059
More information
Lake Ohia
Photo: Bev Clarkson
Ephemeral gumland lake
Other-worldly
scene of charred stumps and gumland scrub in a former lake bed which is
dry over summer, wet in winter. The site of a drowned forest, with a
maze of 30,000 year old kauri tree stumps exposed when the lake was
drained earlier this century for gum-digging. Important habitat for
rare ferns, mosses and orchids. The surrounding swamps and shrubland
contain threatened fish and bird species.
The
Gumhole Reserve Walk is a 10 min loop track through manuka passing a
series of holes excavated by gum diggers (watch out for holes as you
walk). Not suitable for swimming, this is a dry lake bed.
More information
Ephemeral gumland lake
Other-worldly
scene of charred stumps and gumland scrub in a former lake bed which is
dry over summer, wet in winter. The site of a drowned forest, with a
maze of 30,000 year old kauri tree stumps exposed when the lake was
drained earlier this century for gum-digging. Important habitat for
rare ferns, mosses and orchids. The surrounding swamps and shrubland
contain threatened fish and bird species. More information
Limeburners Creek
Photo: Lisa Forester
Estuary
Extensive estuary in Whangarei Harbour with mangroves, saltmarsh, and mud flats with lush eelgrass beds. Estuary
Estuary
Two flat, all-weather walks, Limeburners Creek (1.3 km) with interpretation panels and boardwalk), and Waimahanga walkway (3.5 km) along a disused railway line and through mangroves swamps, shorter sections from 10-45 minutes can be walked.
Te Werahi
Coastal raupo swamp and dunes
One
of the largest raupo swamps in Te Paki near the tip of New Zealand. The
landscape is remote and highly natural and scenic on the rugged west
coast. Very important site for waterfowl and a regionally important
moulting site.
The
wetland can be accessed via boardwalks 1.5 km down the Twilight–Te
Werahi Loop Track. The full 16 km loop track takes 4-5 hours – take
water and food - and passes through farmland, swamp, dunes, shrubland
and coastal wetlands. Links to 3 day Cape Reinga Coastal Walkway. Note the beach is not safe for swimming.
More information
Coastal raupo swamp and dunes
One of the largest raupo swamps in Te Paki near the tip of New Zealand. The landscape is remote and highly natural and scenic on the rugged west coast. Very important site for waterfowl and a regionally important moulting site.
The
wetland can be accessed via boardwalks 1.5 km down the Twilight–Te
Werahi Loop Track. The full 16 km loop track takes 4-5 hours – take
water and food - and passes through farmland, swamp, dunes, shrubland
and coastal wetlands. Links to 3 day Cape Reinga Coastal Walkway. Note the beach is not safe for swimming.
More information
Google Earth Tour
Click here to take our Google Earth tour of wetlands in this region. Follow these simple steps.For best results select the Terrain box in the Layers folder on the right hand menu.
You will need to have access to Google Earth 5 to run this programme. You can download it for free.
Click on the Northland folder under 'Places' in the legend. You can either view individual sites and associated information by clicking on them, or select the Play Tour button
that appears when you click on the Northland folder.
Last updated
24 June 2011
Address: PO
Box 177, Pukekohe 2403, New Zealand; Email
Become a member of The
National Wetland Trust
© 2002-2011 All material
copyright of
the national wetland trust unless otherwise noted.
Last updated 24 June 2011
Address: PO
Box 177, Pukekohe 2403, New Zealand; Email
Become a member of The
National Wetland Trust
© 2002-2011 All material
copyright of
the national wetland trust unless otherwise noted.