Paihia to Warkworth (Tane Mahuta)

I was lucky enough to arrive when nearly nobody else was here and had the chance to sit with this magnificent Kauri tree for a while and enjoy its presence. It was quite humbling and I left feeling emotional. There are not many of these gigantic trees left in the world.

According to the Maori creation myth, Tāne is the son of Ranginui the sky father andPapatuanuku the earth mother. Tāne separates his parents from their marital embrace until his father the sky is high above mother earth. Tāne then sets about clothing his mother with vegetation. The birds and the trees of the forest are regarded as Tāne’s children.

Tane stands over 4 metres in diameter and has a girth of 13.77 metres, a trunk height of 17.69 metres, a total heigh of 51.5 metres with an estimated volume of 244.5 cubic metres.Read more