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All New Zealand Waipoua Forest Tāne Mahuta

Tāne Mahuta

Largest Kauri tree in New Zealand.

Waipoua Forest, New Zealand

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Bananaface
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Tāne Mahuta and the surrounding forest.   TravelNZ/CC BY 2.0
  Pseudopanax/Public Domain
  Tatters/CC BY 2.0
  W. Bulloch/CC BY-SA 4.0
  David Broad/CC BY 3.0
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Standing more than 51 meters tall and with a trunk girth in excess of 13 meters, the Tāne Mahuta (Lord of the Forest) is New Zealand's largest known living kauri tree. Identified in the 1920s when surveyors were working on State Highway 12, which runs through the forest, the Tāne Mahuta is believed to be somewhere between 1,250 and 2,500 years old.

A remnant of the ancient subtropical rainforest that once covered this section of the North Auckland Peninsula, Tāne Mahuta is named with Maori mythology in mind. In Maori, Tāne is the son of the sky father, and Papatuanuku the earth mother. All of the living creatures in the forest are considered to be Tāne's children.

Tāne Mahuta is easily the most famous tree in all of New Zealand even though other massive kauri trees are located nearby.

Related Tags

Animals Trees Natural Wonders World's Largest Trees Nature Plants

Know Before You Go

The Tāne Mahuta Track is sign posted from State Highway 12, which runs through the Waipoua Forest. The southern township of Dargaville is 65 km away and the northern township of Omapere is 18km.

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Added By

Bananaface

Edited By

MrCarl, Michelle Cassidy

  • MrCarl
  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

February 24, 2011

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Sources
  • Wikipedia: Tane Mahuta: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C4%81ne_Mahuta
  • Department of Conservation: Tane Mahuta Track: http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-walks/northland/kauri-coast/tane-mahuta-track/
  • Tai Tokerau Tourism: http://www.taitokerau.co.nz/brand.htm
  • https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/northland/places/waipoua-forest/things-to-do/tane-mahuta-walk/
Tāne Mahuta
State Highway 12
Waipoua Forest, 0376
New Zealand
-35.600877, 173.52722
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