There’s hope for Aotearoa’s largest known living kauri tree, Tāne Mahuta, in Northland’s Waipoua Forest. 

DOC’s Kauri Coast operations manager Stephen Soole says proactive and sustainable measures are essential to protect Tāne Mahuta and the other rākau rangatira (chiefly trees) of Waipoua from the irreversible spread of kauri dieback disease, a soil-borne pathogen that attacks a tree’s root system.

The Tāne Mahuta Walk has been temporarily closed as DOC and Te Iwi o Te Roroa collaborate to rebuild a bridge, a boardwalk and a viewing platform surrounding the ‘god of the forest’. 

The new structures will provide greater protection for Waipoua Forest while also allowing more people – up to 200,000 visitors a year – to see the magnificent kauri safely. The walk is expected to reopen in October in time for the busy summer season.

According to Māori mythology, Tāne is the son of Ranginui, the sky father, and Papatūānuku, the earth mother. Tane is said to have separated his parents’ embrace and then clothed his mother in the forest we see today. All living creatures of the forest are Tāne’s children.