This video gives a glimpse of the past and highlights the many activities you can enjoy in this area today, including walking, cycling, picnicking and camping. You can also discover some of its natural attributes, including kiwi, a seal colony, and earthquake-raised beaches.
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You can also download shorter video clips by chapter in two formats
What you'll see and hear
Chapter 1
Introduction
Visuals:
- forest gecko
- view of Catchpool Valley
Audio - narration:
“Nestled between the Wairarapa and the Hutt Valley the Rimutaka Forest Park is a wilderness on the doorstep of our capital city.”
Visuals:
- view of valley
- map showing Catchpool Valley location
Audio - narration:
“The main gateway to this park, Catchpool Valley, is just a 30 kilometre drive from Wellington City.”
Visuals:
- campground and interior of Jan’s hut at night
- people in stream, walkers
- brown kiwi
- forest gecko
- view of Catchpool Valley
Audio - narration:
“You can pitch a tent, stay in a hut, or spend a day exploring. Easy walks through lowland forest lead to the Orongorongo Valley, from where you can venture further afield, through bush, along the river bed, or uphill to enjoy spectacular views. If you stay overnight, you might even hear the call of kiwi.”
Visuals:
Audio - narration:
“The Department of Conservation manages the park, maintaining the network of walking tracks and visitor facilities.”
Visuals:
- green gecko, kereru
- family flying kite
- volunteer group
Audio - narration:
“It also runs and supports programmes to regenerate and conserve the area’s native wildlife and enhance recreation opportunities. Each year DOC and the Rimutaka Forest Park Trust work alongside hundreds of dedicated volunteers on conservation projects including the Trust’s kiwi project which has seen the reintroduction of brown kiwi to the park.”
Chapter 2
Turakirae Head Scientific Reserve
Visuals:
- earthquake-raised beaches
- Turakirae views
Audio - narration:
“At the southern end of the Rimutaka range is Turakirae Head Scientific Reserve. This extraordinary landscape consists of five earthquake-raised beaches which are internationally-renowned for the record they provide of geological upheaval over the past 7000 years.”
Visuals:
- New Zealand fur seals
- Turakirae seabirds: banded dotterels; Caspian terns; variable oystercatchers.
ornate skink
- Turakirae plants: Muehlenbeckia astonii/shrubby tororaro; Earina autumnalis/raupeka; Korthalsella clavata
Audio-narration:
“Here you’ll also find the Wellington region’s largest seal colony, where hundreds of young males spend winter building up their condition before heading south to breed in the spring. Seabirds which visit the area include banded dotterels, Caspian terns and variable oystercatchers. Skinks and geckos take refuge among the native vegetation, which include the threatened shrubby tororaro, mistletoes, and wild orchids.”
Chapter 3
A brief history
Visuals:
- Turakirae landslide- circa 1855
- Turakirae coast
- Rimutaka forest
Audio - narration:
“In the 1840s the coastal route at the foot of the range, here at Turakirae, was used to access Wairarapa pastures with the forests to the north offering refuge and food.”
Visuals:
- Rimutaka forest
- The Tory circa 1839
- huia
- European settlers logging
- introduced animal pests: cat; rat in a trap; possum
Audio - narration:
“Bird life was once abundant in these forests. 8 species of moa once roamed the ranges and European explorers arriving in 1839 encountered several huia, now believed to have been extinct since the early 1900s. European settlers felled most of the big totara and huge areas of forest were burnt down. The 1800s also saw the arrival of animals such as cats, possums, and goats.”
Visuals:
- possum
- dead rata
- red mistletoe
Audio - narration:
“Introduced animal pests pose a major threat to the park’s ecosystems. Possums, for example, relish the taste of the northern rata. Research shows that as possum numbers rise there’s a corresponding loss of rata and that a mature 600 year old tree can be killed in 3 years by intensive possum browsing. Along the Orongorongo Valley slopes dead remnants of these once majestic trees can be seen poking through the canopies. Red mistletoe, another possum favourite, hasn’t been seen in the valley for many years.”
Chapter 4
A new era
Visuals:
Audio - narration:
“Today birdsong is getting louder in the park thanks to the Rimutaka Forest Park Trust, local communities and DOC.”
Visuals:
- Catchpool logging area
- Catchpool regenerating bush
- total fire ban symbol
Audio - narration:
“In Catchpool Valley pine trees have been harvested and replaced by regenerating indigenous plants. This regeneration process is slow but helped by volunteers that plant seedlings and help control the spread of pine saplings. During this process the area remains highly vulnerable to fire which could set back restoration efforts by decades and so a strict fire ban is in place in the park.”
Visuals:
- wild goat
- hunters in Orongorongo Valley
- Rimutaka Forest Park Trust
- brown kiwi
- family with dog on a lead
- Rimutaka Forest Park Trust email address
Audio - narration:
“To help control goats, pigs and deer, DOC encourages recreational hunting in specified areas and the Rimutaka Forest Park Trust carries out extensive trapping in Catchpool and Orongorongo valleys. The trust is committed to protecting and restoring native ecosystems and birdlife, including a self-sustaining population of brown kiwi. You can help protect the park’s wildlife recovery by ensuring your dog is on a lead. You can also contact the trust if you would like information on becoming a volunteer.”
Chapter 5
Experience the great outdoors
Visuals:
- tawa grove
- trampers on Turere bridge
- walkers
- broadleaf/podocarp forest
- silver beech
- Rimutaka views
Audio - narration:
“Catchpool Valley and Orongorongo Valley offer a good introduction to the great outdoors with many families having their first taste of tramping here. There’s a range of attractive, well-signposted walks suitable for all ages and fitness levels from the easy 45 minute Catchpool Loop through lowland forest to the hard grinds up to the silver beech-cloaked summits of Mt Matthews and Mt McKerrow, where the experienced tramper will be rewarded by spectacular views.”
Visuals:
- Orongorongo track start
- beech forest.
- large podocarps
- threatened plants: Streblus banksii/large-leaved milk tree; Pterostylus graminea
Audio - narration:
“The easy 2hr Orongorongo track toward the Orongorongo River takes you through different types of bush including beech groves and at lower altitude podocarps such as mighty rimu, matai and kahikatea which will eventually emerge through the canopy and dominate the landscape, some reaching as high as 60m tall. These forests support hundreds of indigenous plant species, including threatened species such as the large-leaved milk tree and orchids.”
Visuals:
- stick insect, crickets
- forest gecko and Wellington green gecko
- common birds: kereru, tui, morepork, bellbird
- birds sometimes seen: falcon; yellow-crowned parakeet; rifleman
Audio - narration:
“They also provide habitat for a range of invertebrates, freshwater fish, birds and reptiles.
The nocturnal hunting forest geckos thrive here and the Wellington green gecko can sometimes be glimpsed basking in the sun. Common birds of the valleys include the kereru, tui, fantail, morepork and bellbird. Riflemen, falcons, and yellow-crowned parakeets are also occasionally seen if you have a keen eye.”
Visuals:
- Orongorongo track trampers
- Orongorongo riverbed
Audio - narration:
“Even on easy walks remember to take warm, waterproof clothing, food and drink. If you’re going into the Orongorongo Valley tell someone where you’re going and always check the weather forecast, especially if you plan to cross the river. The river level can rise rapidly and take several days to drop to a level safe enough to cross.”
Visuals:
- walkers crossing Catchpool stream
- invasive plants: buddleia; old man’s beard; pink ragwort; climbing asparagus
Audio - narration:
“It is also important to inspect your boots and equipment before entering the forest park for traces of exotic and potentially dangerous invasive plants like buddleia. A type of lily which spreads rapidly, buddleia is now prevalent on the river flats and stream edges of the Orongorongo Valley, occupying the habitats of native plants. To help prevent similar invasions, unwanted plants such as old man’s beard, pink ragwort and climbing asparagus are controlled in the area.”
Chapter 6
Overnight options
Visuals:
- family in hut at night
- Catchpool car park
- Catchpool campground
- picnickers, trampers and people at streamside
Audio - narration:
“You don’t need to venture far into the Rimutaka Forest Park for an overnight wilderness experience. Catchpool Valley has a well-maintained campground with toilets, showers and free gas barbecues. Camping puts you within close reach of tracks, open and secluded picnic sites and safe swimming spots in Catchpool and Graces streams.”
Visuals:
- Orongorongo huts
- family in Jan’s hut
- DOC website address.
Audio - narration:
“The Orongorongo Valley has long been a magnet for people wanting to spend a tranquil night or two in a hut. There are around 50 private huts and several tramping and mountaineering club huts along the river. You can also hire your own hut! DOC has several available for exclusive hire. It’s an easy walk in and there’s no need to share. So whether you’re a family, group or couple on a weekend break these huts are great places to relax and have fun while exploring the area. They’re all equipped with gas cookers, utensils, water, heating, toilets and bunks with mattresses. For more details or to book via the online booking system visit the DOC website.”
Chapter 7
Looking to the future
Visuals:
- DOC staff with public, Rimutaka Forest Park Trust.
kereru
- green gecko
- tui on flax
- Wellington Visitor Centre contact details
Audio - narration:
“DOC will continue to work with the community and the Rimutaka Forest Park Trust to make the Catchpool and Orongorongo valleys enjoyable and accessible wild destinations for Wellingtonians, New Zealanders and international visitors. And remember the Rimutaka Forest Park is your park, so if you have any suggestions or need any more information give us a call!”
Visuals:
Download shorter video clips by chapter in two formats
Windows Media Player
Introduction and Turakirae head Scientific Reserve
(WMV, 8547K, 2 minutes 3 seconds)
A brief history and A new era
(WMV, 10,742K, 2 minutes 35 seconds)
Experience the great outdoors
(WMV, 9948K, 2 minutes 23 seconds)
Overnight options and Looking to the future
(WMV, 9434K, 2 minutes 15 seconds)
QuickTime
Introduction and Turakirae head Scientific Reserve
(MOV, 7834K, 2 minutes 3 seconds)
A brief history and A new era
(MOV, 9899K, 2 minutes, 35 seconds)
Experience the great outdoors
(MOV, 9121K, 2 minutes 23 seconds)
Overnight options and Looking to the future
(MOV, 8516K, 2 minutes 15 seconds)