While most New Zealanders are familiar with the giant kauri of the Waipoua Forest, not so many know about the remaining giants of the Coromandel. In fact, of the great trees listed in The World of the Kauri (Halkett, J. & Sale, EV, Reed Methuen,1986), Coromandel kauri are ranked 6th (Tanenui), and 9th (Tairua) in the “Top Ten”, with another four listed amongst the next ten.

Kauri on the Peninsula

The State of Kauri on the Coromandel Peninsula

There are approximately 410 mainly overmature trees in an area of 101 hectares. Average bole height 12.2 metres, average girth 4.98 metres, average volume 20.4 cubic metres

In the heyday of kauri logging an estimated 236,000m3 per annum was milled. This equals a volume equivalent to 28 Manaia Sanctuaries annually, over 2,800ha.

Waiau Falls Scenic Reserve

Located on the 309 Road, this has several dozen large mature kauri trees.

Waiomu Valley

More than 200 trees, with an estimated average volume of 10m3. The stand is in excellent condition with very good crowns and some light bleed marks (v pattern) completely healed over.

The girth of the largest tree was 7.518 metres in 1970 and remeasured at 7.696 metres in 1993. So over 23 years the girth increased in diameter terms by 5.3 centimetres.

Third Branch Tairua River

Over 300 dying and decaying over-mature trees with an estimated average tree volume of 14.1m3.

Coromandel Range Flanks & Hinterland

There is a scattering of mature kauri trees on the Range flanks and hinterland outside the above areas guestimated at 500+ in number.

There are also quite substantial areas of seedlings, saplings and poles principally in the Kennedy Bay, Otama and Whenuakite areas, with scatterings elsewhere