Kauri Walks and Kauri Protection: A Guide for Campervan Travellers

Quick summary: Seeing the giant kauri is one of the highlights of a campervan or motorhome trip through Northland. These ancient trees, some more than a thousand years old, grow nowhere else on Earth. They’re also under threat from kauri dieback, a disease spread in soil, so every visitor has a part to play in protecting them. This guide covers the best places to see kauri from the road, and the simple steps to keep the forests healthy.

At a glance
Best-known tree	Tāne Mahuta, Waipoua Forest, beside State Highway 12
Other kauri sites	Waipoua Forest walks, Trounson Kauri Park, Puketi Forest, Lake Ohia’s ancient stumps
Museum	The kauri museum at Matakohe
Main threat	Kauri dieback disease, spread in soil
What you can do	Clean footwear, stay on tracks, respect closures
Tours	Guided forest walks and night walks

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Why are kauri so special?

Kauri are among the largest and longest-lived trees in the world. Their straight, massive trunks once made them prized for ship masts and building timber, and their resin, kauri gum, was dug from the ground and exported in huge quantities. Most of Northland’s original kauri forest was cleared, so the surviving giants are precious. For Māori, kauri are taonga, and the great trees are revered as chiefs of the forest.

Where are the best kauri walks for campervan travellers?

Site	Location	Walk	Why go
Tāne Mahuta	Waipoua Forest, SH12	A few minutes on a boardwalk	New Zealand’s largest living kauri
Waipoua Forest walks	Waipoua Forest, SH12	Short walks, some may be closed	More giants, such as Te Matua Ngahere
Trounson Kauri Park	Near Dargaville	Loop walk of around 40 minutes	Kauri groves and nocturnal kiwi
Puketi Forest	Inland from Kerikeri	Short boardwalk	A quiet kauri forest near the Bay of Islands
Lake Ohia	Karikari Peninsula	Short walk	Ancient kauri stumps in a former lake bed
The kauri museum	Matakohe, SH12	Indoor	The story of the kauri timber and gum industries

For detail on the main forest, see our Kauri Coast route.

What is kauri dieback?

Kauri dieback is a disease caused by a microscopic, soil-borne organism that infects kauri roots and damages the tissues that carry nutrients through the tree. It kills kauri of all ages, and there is no known cure. It spreads mainly in soil, including the tiny amounts carried on footwear, equipment and tyres. That’s why some tracks have been closed and others have boardwalks and cleaning stations.

How can you help protect the kauri?

• Clean your footwear at the cleaning stations at the start and end of every walk, removing all soil and using the spray provided.
• Stay on the tracks and boardwalks, and keep off kauri roots, which spread far beyond the trunk.
• Respect track closures. Some tracks are closed to protect the trees, and closures change, so check what’s open locally before you go.
• Clean gear and tyres if you’ve been in forest areas or on muddy ground.

How easy are kauri walks to reach in an RV?

Very easy at the main sites. Tāne Mahuta has a roadside car park on State Highway 12, Trounson Kauri Park is a short detour off the highway, and the kauri museum at Matakohe has room for campervans and motorhomes. Waipoua Forest’s road is narrow and winding, so drive it slowly and park only in the marked car parks, not on the verges where trees grow close to the road.

What kauri tours are available?

Local guides lead walks in Waipoua Forest, sharing the stories, songs and traditions associated with the trees, and some offer night walks where you may hear kiwi. From Paihia, day tours to the kauri forests are also available. See kauri forest tours.

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Frequently Asked Questions