|
Price |
Departure |
Duration |
Lunch |
Walking |
| $123/person |
1:00pm |
Half day
|
Snacks provided
|
Easy |
Highlights
- A short drive through a lovely recreational valley of Nelson.
- Take an easy stroll into a remarkable forest exceedingly generous in its plant
variety.
- Enjoy the peace and serenity where the only noise is from the rich bird life or the stories
unfolding.
Tour overview
If time is short and only a half day journey is suitable, but you would like to explore a mixed
beech/podocarp forest with probable sightings of native birds then book Richmond Forest Park. This
is only a short scenic drive from Nelson before entering this wonderful rainforest to wander just
as far as time permits.
A park of many parts, from lowland beech & podocarp forest to mineral belts & rugged alpine
tops. The park is stacked with history predominantly with a mining theme whether it’s the maori
argillite mines, the copper mines, goldmines or the Dun railway, the very first railway in NZ.
Mount Richmond Forest Park stretches 100 km along the rugged backbone of the Mount Richmond Range,
from St Arnaud in the south to the Marlborough Sounds in the north.
It forms the backdrop to Nelson city and dominates the skyline from Blenheim and the Wairau Valley.
Over 80% of the vast area is covered in dense forest with manuka, kanuka, and bracken common around
the margins of the park.
Geological interest in the park is high as the main South Island alpine fault runs along the
southern boundary. This is the largest active fault line in New Zealand and extends down to South
Westland. The Red Hills and Dun Mountain have high levels of magnesium and iron, which gives them a
distinctive rust colour. Over millions of years they have moved 600 km north, from the identical
rocks in the Red Hills of South Westland.
This excellent example of lowland forest is alive with birds and is an easy walk along stream sides
with excellent examples of ferns, mosses & fungi, beneath the giants of a mosaic beech,
podocarp and broadleaf forest.
Discover this beautiful park for yourself - it’s too good to bypass.
Map of area
Map of tour to follow shortly.