The existing road that winds through Te Uruwera Forest is hard on vehicles. There are fears Government funding to upgrade the road to scenic Lake Waikaremoana will expire before any work can be done. Recently Ngāi Tūhoe, which manages the lake in the Te Urewera region west of Gisborne, came under fire from Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones after it voiced opposition to upgrade State Highway 38, which runs alongside the...
Rugged, remote and astonishingly beautiful, Te Urewera is the largest wilderness region in the North Island, a primeval forest prized for its ecological systems, biodiversity and cultural heritage. The kaitiaki (guardians) of Te Urewera are Tūhoe, said to be descended from Te Mauna (the Mountain) and Hine-pūkohu-rani (the Mist Maiden). Tūhoe – the Children of the Mist – are renowned for their fierce protection of...
Tūhoe say they do support roading improvements around Tuai but oppose the limited approach proposed by Wairoa District Council. The iwi has made a stand against finishing sealing State Highway 38 with Government funding, and representatives have responded further to reaction over this stance. Tūhoe chairman Tamati Kruger says, "we doubly oppose the rape and pillage mentality the council is facilitating, together with its supporters, of...
Tūhoe support roading improvements around Tūai but oppose the limited approach proposed by the Wairoa District Council. Tūhoe Chair Tamati Kruger says "we doubly oppose the rape and pillage mentality the Council is facilitating, together with its supporters, of unchecked tourism at the Lake with no care or responsibility for the tourism cost on the wellbeing of the lake." READ MORE...
Waikaremoana Great Walk repairs finished
Lake Waikaremoana's Great Walk is now fully open following a series of repairs. In September last year, the region experienced extreme weather patterns. Heavy rainfall caused rivers to swell to capacity, flash flooding, road closures due to slips and blowouts, and trees were left piled underneath rock and rubble. The Waikaremoana Great Walk also took a lashing, a Tuhoe spokesperson said. "After a review of the Great Walk serious safety...
Great Walk track repaired, reopened
Repairs on the Great Walk at Te Urewera, Waikaremoana, have been completed and the walk is open again. In September of last year, the region experienced extreme weather patterns. Heavy rainfall caused rivers to swell to capacity, flash flooding, road closures due to slips and blowouts, and trees were left piled underneath rock and rubble. The Waikaremoana Great Walk also took a lashing, said a Tuhoe spokesperson. “After a review...