Remutaka Forest Park (spelled Rimutaka Forest Park prior to 2017) is a

protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural or cultural values. Protected areas are those areas in which human presence or the exploitation of natural resources (e.g. firewood ...

near

Wellington Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

. Popular access points are south of

Wainuiomata Wainuiomata () is a large Commuter town, dormitory suburb of Lower Hutt, in the Wellington#Wellington metropolitan area, Wellington metropolitan area in New Zealand. Its population was estimated as being as of with a density of 1,600 people ...

and in the upper

Hutt Valley The Hutt Valley (or 'The Hutt') is the large area of fairly flat land in the Hutt River valley in the Wellington Region of New Zealand. Like the river that flows through it, it takes its name from Sir William Hutt, a director of the New Zea ...

. The park covers , encompassing the Catchpool Valley and the Ōrongorongo Valley at the southern end of the

Remutaka Range The Remutaka Range (also spelt Rimutaka Range) is the southernmost range of a mountain chain in the lower North Island of New Zealand. The chain continues north into the Tararua Range, Tararua, then Ruahine Range, Ruahine Ranges, running para ...

. Established in 1972, the park contains several short walks and six huts that can be booked and accessed by longer bush tramps. The park is one part of several local conservation areas, as it borders the Pakuratahi Forest and the

Tararua Range The Tararua Range, often referred to as the Tararua Ranges or Tararua, is one of several mountain ranges in the North Island of New Zealand. The Tararua Range runs northeast–southwest for from near Palmerston North to the upper reaches of ...

. The park includes the

Remutaka Rail Trail The Remutaka Rail Trail (spelled ''Rimutaka Rail Trail'' prior to 2017) is a walking and cycling track in the North Island of New Zealand. It runs between Maymorn and Cross Creek, and follows of the original route of the Wairarapa Line over ...

, dis-established rail line that operated from 1878 to 1955 that is now used for mountain biking and walking. In 2017, the name of the park (and range) was changed from "Rimutaka" to "Remutaka" following a treaty settlement with ''

Rangitāne Rangitāne is a Māori iwi (tribe). Their rohe (territory) is in the Manawatū, Horowhenua, Wairarapa and Marlborough areas of New Zealand. The iwi was formed as one of two divisions (aside from Muaūpoko) of the expedition team led by Wh ...

o Wairarapa'' and ''

o Tamaki nui-ā-Rua''. (The former name continues to be used in some online documents.)

Rare and protected species

The Ōrongorongo Valley is one of two known areas that host the endangered fungus '' Boletopsis nothofagi''. A population of

North Island brown kiwi The North Island brown kiwi (''Apteryx mantelli''; ''Apteryx australis'' or ''Apteryx bulleri'' as before 2000, still used in some sources) is a species of kiwi that is widespread in the northern two-thirds of the North Island of New Zealand and ...

has been established in the northern part of the Remutaka Forest Park, called the Turere catchment kiwi zone. To support the population's growth, kiwi eggs are transferred by volunteers to the Pukaha / Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre and other protected areas such as the Wairakei Sanctuary for incubation and early growth. The programme is working. In 2014, an analysis of acoustic recordings indicated that more than 100 birds were living in the park. This is a 10-fold increase from the 10 kiwi that were originally released. The kiwi zone is protected by a dog exclusion area. Dogs may run off lead within a defined exercise area in Catchpool Valley, but restrictions apply in the rest of the park.

Recreation

The park is a popular recreation area for the surrounding

and

Wairarapa The Wairarapa (; ), a geographical region of New Zealand, lies in the south-eastern corner of the North Island, east of metropolitan Wellington and south-west of the Hawke's Bay Region. It is lightly populated, having several rural service t ...

regions. In the north, the

is used extensively by walkers and mountain bikers. The rail trail is generally accessed by road north of Upper Hutt, as the gradient to the summit is gentler on that side. The

Rimutaka Incline The Rimutaka Incline was a , gauge railway line on an average grade of 1-in-15 using the Fell system between Summit and Cross Creek stations on the Wairarapa side of the original Wairarapa Line in the Wairarapa district of New Zealand. The ...

is on the eastern side of the summit and can also be accessed by road, south of Featherston at Cross Creek. The back country hills attract hunting and multi-day hiking expeditions. The Ōrongorongo Valley is home to a number of private huts. At the Catchpool entrance, south of Lower Hutt, there are two camping areas as well as outdoor BBQs and flushing toilets.

Climate

Proposed de-extinction of moa

The park was the subject of a minor political argument surrounding a proposal to revive the extinct

moa Moa are extinct giant flightless birds native to New Zealand. Moa or MOA may also refer to: Arts and media * Metal Open Air, a Brazilian heavy metal festival * MOA Museum of Art in Japan * The Moas, New Zealand film awards People * Moa ...

. Local politician

Trevor Mallard Sir Trevor Colin Mallard (born 17 June 1954) is a New Zealand politician and diplomat. Since 2023, he has served as Ambassador of New Zealand to Ireland. He was a Member of Parliament from 1984 to 1990 and again from 1993 to 2022. He served a ...

, called for support for a de-extinction attempt "50-100 years out".

References

External links