At Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve, Banks Peninsula

A short walk in the Kaituna Valley...

I was in the Kaituna Valley on Banks Peninsula over the weekend enjoying the lovely golden weather we are still experiencing. While I was there I went for a walk in the remnant native bush in the Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve. The reserve is about half way up Kaituna Valley off the Christchurch-Akaroa Highway and is well sign posted. 

Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve from the Kaituna Valley Road

 

Kaituna Scenic Reserve is a 6 hectare patch of native lowland bush with some large examples of Matai, Kahikatea, Rata, Cabbage Trees and Miro. It is also one of the last places to see native Ash/Titoki in Canterbury. The undergrowth features many of the most common ferns, grasses and shrubs found on Banks Peninsula including serval large patches of Ongaonga. 

Entrance to Kaituna Scenic Reserve is on the northern side of the road

Further up Kaituna Valley Road are tracks to Mt Herbert and Packhorse Hut

There is a large picnic area with a non flushing toilet at the entrance...this area also has picnic tables and shade trees but no potable water. I was there by myself at first but several car loads of people arrived shortly after myself and enjoyed the area. It was a beautiful winter day at the reserve so it was warm and sunny. 

The picnic area at Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve: the non flush toilets

The Silver Surfer parked at Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

Lots of shady space at the Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

There is a 600 meter long (10-15 minute) walk through the forest on a earthen track...this basically follows the outer perimeter of the bush reserve back to the start point at the picnic area. The track is earth but it is well drained, wide and well maintained. Easy walking for the majority of people...young, old and in between.

Entrance to Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve track

Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve: the track is well maintained...

Titoki/Ash trees at Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

Well marked track at Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

The predominate tree type in this forest is native Ash or Titoke...it easy makes up 60 % of the total number of trees in the reserve. The other trees include Manuka, Kahikatea, Miro, Matai and a single large Rata tree. The understory is dense around the edges of the reserve but quite thin in the center. there isn't a lot of sunlight there to encourage growth. 

At the base of a large Matai Tree, Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

There are some large Kahikatea trees in the reserve

A Kahikatea or White Pine tree, Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

The northern boundary of Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

Two large Matai trees...Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

The average thickness of foliage in Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

Someone went crazy with the DOC orange triangles in this reserve...there is one every 10 meters and the bush is not that thick. By contrast I saw just the one on the Cameron Creek Track down in more remote Mt Aspiring National Park. I think they are trying to encourage people to stay on the track and not freely roam as it is damaging the understory. 

A large Rata Tree along the Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve track

Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve..there are a lot of orange triangles here...

I followed the track from the picnic area towards the north western end of the reserve...there is a short track near here which takes you down to the Kaituna River. The river runs along the northern end of the reserve...it isn't much to look at as it is usually only a trickle of water with a few deeper pools at places along its course. Care is needed though as there are patches of stinging Ongaonga near the track. 

The eastern edge of Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

Ongaonga is bad news...it has a neurotoxin in the stingers which inflicts excruciating pain. Too much exposure can hospitalise you and there is at least one recorded death from a guy who fell into a large patch of it. Keep your children and pets well clear of the stuff. Ongaonga is endemic to Banks Peninsula so while DOC will cut it back from the track they will not remove it as it actually belongs here.

Ongaonga along the Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve track

The Kaituna River flows past Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

The northern end of the reserve is the sunniest...the sun was streaming into the bush through the trees making interesting and attractive patterns of dark and light. 

More open forest at the northern edge of Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

A Titoki tree in Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

The western edge of Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve: combination of tree types...

Distinctive bark of a Matai tree in Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

There are several groves of Titoki here a Kaituna Reserve

There is a larger river pool on the southern edge of Kaituna Reserve where the river has been cleared and deepened. I wouldn't swim in this water even though it is deep enough...too many stock up this valley so the quality would not be good. 

Pool in the Kaituna River...Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

Another large Kahikatea tree...Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve: in places the track is indistinct

A sideways growing Matai Tree, Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

DOC have a trapping program in play at Kaituna Reserve and I saw a number of DOC 200 traps and some of those new compressed gas traps in the bush. There were a few birds in the forest and I spotted Fantails, Wood Pigeon, Bellbirds and some Doves. If they erected a big predator proof fence here you would probably get some decent density of birds. 

Pest control trap in Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

Looking back through central part of Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

Native Ivy growing around track...Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

...leads to a dark interior corridor...

There is a grove of nearly mature Cabbage Trees near the picnic area...these were just small when I first came here over 20 years ago. There is a trust which maintain and enhance the reserve..they remove exotic plants and weeds and plant natives. Most of this restoration work on the greater Banks Peninsula is undertaken by volunteers and they are doing valuable and important work. 

Well done to you all...

Cabbage Trees on the southern corner of Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve: the track is generally good...

Pt. 360 from the Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

Near the exit of the track you will encounter a very large patch of Ongaonga which is encroaching close to the track. Watch exposed legs and arms when passing through this area...

Mass of Ongaonga at Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

A large Ongaonga bush...beware!!!

The exit back into the picnic area is through an arch of trees...the kids will love this kind of feature...at least I would have when I was young. 

The end of the Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve Track

Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve picnic area from the bush

There is a short side track next to the exit which leads to a large grass clearing in the center of Kaituna Reserve. It was shaded and a bit dark when I was there but during the summer it is a lovely spot to sit and enjoy old Sol. 

A large central clearing in Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

The edge of the clearing is full of Karaka with its large attractive fruit and long dark green leaves. The berries of Karaka are one of the favored foods of Kereru or Wood Pigeon and I have seen numbers of birds here when the fruit is ripe. Maori used Karaka but it is actually toxic so it needs to be prepared in a particular way to be edible. Keep kids and dogs away from the berries as they are poisonous to both...

Karaka bush at Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

This Karaka has unripe berries...Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

You can get a bit of an idea of the three tier nature of the reserve in the clearing as it is one of the few places you can see the larger Matai and Kahikatea Trees. The whole of Kaituna Valley and in fact most of Banks Peninsula was once covered in similar bush. Some of the bush died naturally ( ancient fires mostly...climate change..) but most was burnt by early European Settlers to clear the land. 

Good illustration of the three tier canopy...

Local landowners, the Canterbury Regional Council and DOC are slowly replanting natives in suitable gullies and ridges but it will be long after my time when these start to show real fruit. Hopefully my kids will be able to bring their children to places like this in the future to enjoy the sights and sounds of nature up close and personal.

Another side track through Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

Late afternoon shade at Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

Closer view of the picnic tables at Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

Entrance to the picnic area, Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

Kitoki trees along edge of the picnic area, Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve: plenty of parking space...

Flaxes and grasses at Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve

Here is a view of the Kaituna Reserve from further down Kaituna Valley Road..there is a whole lot of interesting things to experience packed into that small space. You can just see Mt Bradley to the rear of the Kaituna Reserve and Packhorse Hut sits on the saddle at the left or southern end of the escarpment. 

Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve with Mt Bradley to the rear...

The Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve is a nice reminder of what once existed here and it is well worth your effort to stop by and have a look for yourself. It is a nice spot for a cool shady picnic in summer...think about visiting the next time you have a weekend free...

Kaituna Valley Anglican Church:

On the way back down Kaituna Valley road I stopped at the old Anglican church about 500 meters from the Reserve. It is a lovely stone building with an interesting entrance portal and every time I travel up this valley I think to stop for a look. It was closed but you could still walk around the outside and have a look at the beautiful stonework and stained glass windows. 

Kaituna Valley Anglican Church, Kaituna Valley

The church was built in the early 1930's primarily for the family who owned the land in the valley. It is made from local volcanic stone and reminds me of those other stone buildings on Banks Peninsula...Packhorse Hut and the Harry Ell shelters...Bellbird, Kiwi, Takahe etc. Volcanic stone is a great medium for construction as it has so many colors, hues and shapes. It makes for striking and attractive buildings...

Entrance portal at Kaituna Valley Anglican Church

The Kaituna Valley Anglican Church was built in the 1930's

I went around to the rear to have a look at the cemetery attached to the church...not very old but the first grave her is from only a few months after they started building the church itself. There are a couple of names on most of the gravestones...these country churches tend to feature the same surnames repeatedly. Generation after generation of family members resting in the same ground. 

The church cemetery at Teddington is a good example...most of the people there are either Price, Field, Deans, Gebbie or Manson. 

Cemetery at Kaituna Valley Anglican Church

There used to be an old vicarage here in times past and one reminder is an old vineyard planted at the back of the cemetery. Unlike some religions the C of E has no rules about imbibing alcohol so the Vicars often made homemade wine. No demon drink for the Southern Baptists out there (like my Dad's parents...)...it leads to the Devils mischief. 

The vines were old and knurled so they must have been here for many, many decades. 

Vicarage vineyard at Kaituna Valley Anglican Church

At the side of the church is a commemorative stone with a plaque marking the 100th anniversary of the Field family association with this valley. They owned most of the land here from the 1890's right up to the early 2000's. 

Commemorative stone at Kaituna Valley Anglican Church

It is a lovely wee church and worth stopping to have a look at especially on a lovely warm sunny day. I'm not a big church guy myself but this would have been right up my mothers alley. She loved visiting old churches and looking at the grounds. Her family were related to the Price, Manson's and Gebbies families who settled in this area in the 1860-1870's. 

Kaituna Valley Anglican Church, Kaituna Valley

One last look up the Kaituna Valley before you head off...note the tall trees reaching above the canopy of the Kaituna Scenic Reserve. It is fantastic that someone had the forethought to save this patch of native forest...imagine what it would have looked like when the whole valley was clothed in the same forest!

Last view of Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve, Kaituna Valley

The Kaituna Valley is more of a transit route than a destination in and of itself...most people are passing through enroute to Mt Bradley, Mt Herbert or the farms at the head of the valley. If you happen to be passing you should take the time to stop in to the Scenic Reserve to see what the forest was once like on the bottom of this valley. It is a short but tranquil track and the picnic area would be a great spot to stop for a sit in the sun and a spot of lunch.

Access: From SH 75 the Christchurch-Akaroa Road turn onto Kaituna Valley road and travel for four kilometers. The Scenic Reserve is just past the Kaituna Valley Anglican Church on the left hand side of the road. 
Track Times: Kaituna Valley Scenic Reserve Track is 600 meters or 10-15 in total. 
Miscellaneous: There is a picnic area at the Reserve with tables, shade trees and a set of toilets. No potable water at the site. Please take care as there is Ongaonga in this Reserve which is a native stinging nettle with an extremely painful toxin. Keep children and pets well clear. No camping is allowed at this location.