Mountains, lakes, endangered birds, vast and diverse landscapes, rainforest, waterfalls, braided rivers, rock formations, air flows all make up the unique experience that you can endure on your journey through the Great Alpine Highway Region. Whether you pick up a professionally guided tour or explore the region for yourself there is something for everyone in the way of eco tourism.
For more information or to pick up maps, brochures or bookings on the following Conservation areas visit local DOC Offices or Information Centres enroute. KOROWAI/TORLESSE TUSSOCKLAND PARK is centred on the Torlesse and Big Ben Ranges covering approx 21,000 hectares in Canterbury's High Country. This is a key site for the promotion and protection of the east South Island high country ecosystems and landscape and its majestic view is the focal point as you drive on the Great Alpine Highway SH73 from Christchurch towards the West Coast. History - the Korowai (cloak) in the name symbolises concepts of embracement, collectiveness, togetherness and prestige. The first occupants, the Waitaha and generations through to today of Ngai Tahu used the basins and ranges and its network of trails to ensure safe journeys and the access to food gathering places for their travels through to the West Coast. A Europena surveyor, Charles Torlesse led by local Maori guides in 1849 was the firs European to climb the ranges with the first track over Porters Pass beng made in 1858-9. The Cobb and Co Coaches road is still visible on the boundaries of the conservation park. Recreation - Tramping, winter climbing, cross country skiing, boating, botanising, scientific research and naturaol history studies are all popular activities enjoyed in the park. The main access points into the park are the Kowai River (private), Porters Pass, Lake Lyndon Road, Porter Heights Skifield - some of these accesses require permission from the neighbouring landholders. Natural - with the high dry mountain ranges you are likely to find the slim-leaved snow tussock and the high altitude mid-ribbed snow tussock; other flora and fauna in the park are mountain beech, species-rich shrublands, scree plants suchs a vegetable sheep, penwiper, hasst's scree buttercup, scree lobelia, scree pea; native grasshoppers, weta, cockroaches, lizards and butterflies; kea, falcon, pipit found in the grasslands, tomtit, riflemen, brown creeper found in the beech forests.
CASTLE HILL/KURA TAWHITI sits between the Torlesse and the Craigieburn Ranges at an altitude of around 700m and is famous for its limestone rock formations which are the water eroded remnants of limstone formed over 30-40 million years ago when New Zealand was covered by the sea. History - Castle Hill is an area of special cultural, spiritual and historical significance to Ngai Tahu who named it Kura Tawhiti meaning "treasure from afar". Amongst the rock outcrops are some traces of charcoal drawings believed to be done by the Waitaha who were the first people to travel through this region 500 years ago. In 1998, the Conservation Area was designated as Topuni to ensure the values that the Ngai Tahu place on this area, are recognised, acknowledged and respected. Recreation - the Castle Hill Rocks have become world famous for rock climbing and bouldering however climbers are urged to respect and abide by the ethics implicated. A great area to wonder around even if you are not a climber! Natural - this area has some fairly rare plants which include Hebe cipressoides- Cypress-like hebe, Myosotis colensoi- Colenco's forget-me-not, Wahlenbergia brockiei- Brockie's bluebell, Carex inopinata - very rare and only found in Castle Hill.
CAVE STREAM RESERVE is further along SH73, on the Great Alpine Highway in the Castle Hill basin and is bounded by fault lines along the Craigiburn and Torlesse Mountain ranges. The landforms or karst topography is the name given to a limestone landscape which is made from rain water combing with soil elements - mainly carbon dioxide, to produce a weak acid which over time trickles into joints anc cracks - dissolving the limestone. The cave was formed by the limestone dissolving over time and diverting Cave Stream from its original channel. History - There has been evidence of the Maori occupying this area with rock art, artefacts and signs of seasonal camping. The first European to explore this area was Joseph Pearson in 1857 and hes was commissioned to select land for Joseph Hawdon who took up the original Craigiburn, including Flock Hill and Grasmere runs. The Castle Hill run was taken up by the Porter brothers in 1858 and their homestead was near the quarry on the Porter Heights skified road. In the coaching days the Castle Hill Hotel was a popular tourist destination, it was burnt down in 1904. The Castle Hill name comes from the castle like formations of the limestone outcrops. Recreation - the cave is a 594 metre long passage meandering through in darkness before heading up a 3 metre waterfall at the inlet end. It takes approximately one hour to go through and cavers should have at least two reliable torch lights per person with warm clothing and strong walking shoes. The river is cold with the water level varying in the cave with the deepest section being at the first corner of the cave - outlet end. WARNING: Do not enter the cave if the stream is high with the water discoloured or foaming. The reserve offers a couple of tracks, one to the entrance - or outflow of the cave - and the other to the exit or inlet. it is also a great area to picnic. Natural - Original plant life would have been low forest of totara, broadleaf, kowhai and other small leafed shrubs however with the burning and oversowing of introduced grasses and grazing has left the area with introduced vegetation. The only remaining areas of original vegetation would be found in the limestone bluffs and crannies and include shrubs matagouri, mountain wineberry, hebe, coprosma propinqua, helichrysum intermedium, a few ferns including the characteristic limeston fern Asplenium lyallii, the fern cystopteris tasmanica and a threatened native forget me not myosotis colensoi.
CRAIGIEBURN FOREST PARK which extends from the Waimakariri River through to the Wilberforce River includes braided rivers, beech valleys, tussock grasslands, alpine screes and rugged mountain peak reaching over 2300 metres high. This area is a place of extremes with sheltered valleys and lower slopes being clothed mostly in mountain beech and with the mountain tops of characteristic rock screes being formed through the forces of erosion. Access into the Forest Park can be reached on the Broken River and Craigieburn Skifield roads from the Great Alpine Highway, SH73. Recreation - Short nature trails to alpine day tramps can be taken in the Craigieburn Forest Park with some tracks being open to mountain bikes - these are signposted 'open to cycling'. Great picnic spots and cosy camping areas can be found on the Broken River Skifield road - just off SH73, both skifield roads are great for driving or mountain biking in the summer time. Both Skifields are popular for all levels of skiers and boarders in the winter. Being in the alpine environment the weather is changeable at any time of the year. Special care is advised on the routes, tell someone of your intentions and carry suitable clothing. Natural - Mountain Beech is prominent in the forest park with alpine scrub and tussock grasslands above the bush line and scree plants being sparse but well suited to the harsh environment of bright light, temperature extremes,moving shingle and drying winds. In the summer you may find skinks (a type of 'snake like lizard') on the mountainside, occasional spiders, scree weta, butterfly, kea and the scarce NZ falcon. WARNING: Please do not feed the kea as this attracts them to areas of human use. These cheeky mountain parrots may damage tents, cars and personal gear. Kea are fully protected, let them look for their natural foods. No fires are permitted in the park.
ARTHUR'S PASS NATIONAL PARK offers a wonderful range of walks from short to easy strolls to demanding climbs. The many tracks lead you through rich forests, past waterfalls, alpine gardens and to mountain tops. History - Arthur's Pass National park was established in 1929 originally 48,600 hectares and is now 114,357 hectares. The highest peak in the park Mt Murchison (2,400m) is at the headwaters of the Waimakariri River with the prominent peak just west of the pass is Mt Rolleston (2,270m). The first climbers made many attempts from the 1890's to reach the summits of Mt Rolleston and High Peak and it was not until 1912 when High Peak was reached and 1923 when the summit of Mt Rolleston was reached. Recreation - short walks (1 hour), half day walks, full day walks, overnight tramps, guided walks, climbing, mountaineering, picnic spots, skiing, boating are all activities which can be enjoyed by all ages, levels of fitness in the Arthur's Pass National Park area. Be sure to pick up your maps, brochures and check up on the Safety and weather Information for the region before heading out into the bush. Just above the pass is the popular Temple Basin Skifield. Natural - On the eastern side of the park the vegetation is mainly mountain beech with silver beech appearing in some areas like the Upper Poulter and red beech in mid-slope pockets. As you get closer to the pass the mountain beech becomes more complex with small trees such as broadleaf, koromiko, tree daisies and ribbonwoods appearing. The forests have good numbers of native birds Tomtits, Fantails, Rifleman will play around as you walk, Grey Warblers, Silvereyes and Brown Creepers will be the chatty birds. You will also hear the Bellbird during the day and the endangered Great Spotted Kiwi by night. Another endangered bird is the Whio or Blue Duck. Alpine birds include the Kea, NZ Falcon, Rock Wren and NZ Pipit and listen out for the 'hoot' of the Kaka. Fauna includes cave spiders, sandfly and gloworms.
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