King Country

The King Country forms a rugged transition between volcanic and sedimentary landscapes. Waitomo is defined by its dramatic limestone and karst terrain, with caves, fertile soils and remnant podocarp–hardwood forests rich in rimu, tawa and mataī. It supports rare flora on limestone outcrops, unique “frost flats,” abundant land snails, and species such as kiwi, robin, falcon and dabchick, while subfossil finds reveal the richness of its lost fauna. Taumarunui is steep hill country of the upper Whanganui River, once entirely forested but now mostly farmland with only scattered remnants. It still supports kiwi, falcon, fernbird, robin and kokako in surviving forests, alongside rare skinks in localised habitats.