Omaui Southland Coast New Zealand

[t00lie]

The weather has been very mild here just short of the shortest day so I took a trip down to Omaui , only a short distance from home as' the crow flies' , however about 20 mins travel around the eastern edge of the New River Estuary.
A small coastal settlement ,(currently about 30 homes), which was originally occupied as a settlement by Maori and later by Europeans as a whaling base and pilot station ,nearby is the Omaui Scenic Reserve ,(Department of Conservation), which is considered significant as the largest tract of bush in the Invercargill City area.

View looking back towards the estuary on the right .
 
Lower down a thick forest of Manuka.

A better view of the estuary with the city outline obscured by a squally front coming through.The wind shaped vegetation gives an idea of how exposed this side of the reserve is .You can also see small patches of gorse ,lower left ,which I suspect have been left to provide shelter to native seedlings which will eventually shade out the foreigner .

Although a number of the forest trees are similar to the bush which surrounds our property ,Omaui has a different look to the canopy as you climb higher onto sheltered slopes with the addition of Rata and Kamahi.

[t00lie]

Fern 'central' with ground covers ,trees and climbers ......

[Maggi Young]

Quite a  place!

[t00lie]

Quite a  place!

It's going to get better Maggi as I understand the landcare group down there have received funding for further weed and pest control......In the meantime work is continuing on improving parts of the upper track with large sacks full of mineral having been lowered through the canopy by helicopter. It seems most of the work of spreading is by buckets rather then wheelbarrows ?......

Kidney fern and others ...

[t00lie]

The weeping needle like branches and form of young Rimu and close up which I find most attractive .

A climbing Rata which I think has a white flower and close up showing the vine attached to it's host.
 
At the summit at about 200 metres asl are rock formations just about hidden in the vegetation.

[t00lie]

A couple more forest views .....

As you start approaching the open area where there is to be a viewing structure erected you see the affects of the salt laden strong winds and maybe of a fire in previous times.

Another squall this time blocking any sight of Stewart Island across the strait made for unpleasant conditions and as the other alternative view of bovine poop didn't excite me i retraced my steps quickly ......

Cheers Dave.
 

[Gerdk]

What a strange world (at least for me) - but, do I spot Adianthum reniforme, familiar from
Tenerife/Canary Islands?

Gerd

[David Lyttle]

The weeping needle like branches and form of young Rata and close up which I find most attractive .

Right

[t00lie]

do I spot Adianthum reniforme, familiar from Tenerife/Canary Islands?

Gerd

Hello Gerd

I understand the kidney fern here in NZ is Cardiomanes reniforme ,(Syns Trichomanes reniforme / Hymenophyllum nephrophyllum ). Sorry I'm sometimes more comfortable in using vernacular or common Maori names as I don't keep up with scientific name changes .

Cheers Dave.

[Gerdk]

Thank you Dave - seems to be something different although optically quite similar.

Gerd