Te Matua Ngahere

Te Matua Ngahere is a giant kauri (Agathis australis) coniferous tree in the Waipoua Forest of Northland Region, New Zealand. The tree's Maori name means "Father of the Forest". Although not as massive or tall as its neighbour Tāne Mahuta, Te Matua Ngahere is stouter, with a girth just over 16 metres (52 ft). It is believed to be the second largest living kauri tree, and to have the biggest girth of any kauri in the country. According to The New Zealand Herald, it has the biggest girth of any tree in New Zealand.

Though there is no proof of the tree’s age, it is estimated to be between 1200 and 2000 years old; or between 2000 and 3000 years old; or even 4000 years old. One resource, published by National Geographic Books, claims that Te Matua Ngahere may be the oldest tree in New Zealand, while another suggests that it's the oldest rainforest tree on earth.

Revered by the Māori, Te Matua Ngahere is under their special protection. The tree, a remnant of the ancient rain forest that once grew on the North Auckland Peninsula, has a relationship with other flora, such as orchids, clubmoss, and a rata tree that grew on it. Unfortunately, the Te Matua Ngahere suffered severe damage in July 2007, due to extreme winter storms in Northland when the rata which was growing on top of Te Matua Ngahere, was felled by strong storm winds, and took with it the central leader of Te Matua Ngahere plus several of its branches, thus shortening its life by hundreds of years.

Ngahere

Ngahere is a locality in the Grey District of the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. The 2006 New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings gave the population of Ngahere and its surrounding area as 345, an increase of 9.5% or 30 people since the 2001 census.

Ngahere is located on the south bank of the Grey River, and State Highway 7 and the Stillwater - Westport Line (SWL) railway pass through the village. The railway reached Ngahere when an extension was built from Brunner on 1 August 1889, and it was the line's terminus until a further section to Ahaura was opened on 14 February 1890. On 1 August 1910, Ngahere became a railway junction when the Blackball Branch was opened, and this branch line operated until a flood in 1966 destroyed its bridge across the Grey River. The branch was formally closed on 21 February 1966. The next year, passenger trains through Ngahere on the SWL were cancelled; since this time, freight trains of coal have been the predominant traffic through Ngahere.