Pirongia Forest Park

The flat grasslands of the Waikato are interrupted only by the volcanic ridges and peaks of the Alexandra Volcanics. The volcanics follow a weakness in the earth's crust from Karioi, southwest to Tokanui, incorporating the Pirongia Forest Park along the way. Pironga Forest Park includes three extinct volcanoes: The Cone (945m), Mt Pirongia (959m) and Mt Karioi (756m). The steep gorges, jagged cliff faces and rocky outcrops are covered with dense forest and differing habitats. The evergreen podocarps, rimu and totara, along with tawa and tree ferns are found lower in the mountains. On the rockier ridges, kamahi and horopito will be found and near the summit, mats of mountain flax, ferns and coprosmas become more predominant.

Bird watchers can find some beautiful species in the forest, flat lands and the towering cliff faces. Common birds are fantails, tomtits and grey warblers. Around the park fringes, harriers, pipits and kingfishers can be seen flitting through the scrub. The NZ falcon resides on the rocky cliffs, and occasionally, kereru (native wood pigeon), tui and bellbirds make an appearance.