a suspension bridge; slightly swinging but not too scary
heritage area near the entrance: an old valve tower
a pontoon on one of the lakes
One of two dams within the Karori Sanctuary on the Kaiwharawhara Stream for drinking water supply for Wellington; built 1906-08
lake behind the dam
dam and lake from above
Heute waren Brian und ich im Karori Wildlife Sanctuary (aka Zealandia). It was free entry this weekend which is why it was so crowded. The Sanctuary are 225ha of regenerating lowland forest and wetlands. It is located within the urban area of Wellington where they are trying to restore the pre-human environment of an untouched NZ. Rodents and other non-native mammals are being kept out by a 8.6km long fence and mice are the only rodents that manage to get through it. Non-native birds and the plant seeds that they bring with them can't be kept out but staff are doing their best to manage pests and weeds once introduced into the area.
We saw quite a few native birds and reptiles. Most of them in the live form and some of them on pictures and as exhibition pieces only. We didn't see a tuatara but the Wellington green gecko and birds such as saddleback, hihi, bellbird, whitehead, fantail and tui; no kiwis or kakas though.
