On the main street, a quality shop.
We purchased some fush n' chupps and watched the hilarious spectacle of a big group of ducks traipsing between the two picnic tables, between us and a Japanese couple, all hoping to be fed. I bet they really wished the picnic tables were closer together! Eventually the Japanese couple fed them, causing a stampede, then we fed them too causing them to speed waddle all the way back over again. Aaaah, the fun we have...
We just couldn't bring ourselves to photograph the 7m concrete statue of the 'big shearer', but instead caught sight of this beauty, a metal model of the Weta beetle.
The only place in the world where the Mahoenui giant weta are found is in a 180 hectare patch of gorse in King Country, 30km south west of Te Kuiti. This gorse reserve is the only legally protected gorse in New Zealand. Everywhere else gorse is an agricultural plant pest. Giant weta are closely related to grasshoppers and crickets. They are one of the largest insects in the world weighing up to 70 grams and can be up to 8cm long. Giant weta are nocturnal creatures, generally eating plant material and occasional insects. To defend itself the weta raises its hind legs against its abdomen and makes a rasping sound. They are one of the worlds most endangered species.
After feeding the ducks we left Te Kuiti and made our way the short distance to Waitomo. We based ourselves at the Top 10 holiday park, Waitomo being even smaller than Te Kuiti, there wasn't a whole heap going on, but we had only come here for one thing and that was to see the glow-worm caves...
We booked ourselves onto a morning trip with Spellbound tours the next day, and set off in a minibus with Norm, our guide and six other people into the Waitomo countryside. Norm pointed out the limestone features in the landscape and explained that Waitomo was once underwater. Over millions of years organic matter was first compressed and then eventually pushed above ground as limestone. The limestone rocks that we could see in the landscape had distinctive layers or 'pancaking', as it is know. The rainwater mixed with organic matter created a weak acid that ate away at the limestone and created erosion to the extent of creating cave systems.
Here is Wiji walking down the short hillside trail to the cave, passing some of the limestone 'pancake' formations.
Limestone.
Norm told us that the Waitomo landscape was full of caves because of the limestone composition. Potential caves could be spotted by looking for a 'sink hole', an extreme drop in the hillside. This would usually indicate that that the rock had eroded and the ground had sunk. We could see that the landscape was full of large peaks and troughs, and that the land was used predominantly by sheep farmers.
Waitomo, the Maori name for the area means water cave.
At the end of the short trail we reached the entrance to the cave and put on some safety helmets and just had time for a quick piccie, lol before following Norm into the first cave.
It was immediately very dark and Norm used his torch to point out features in the cave.
Our first sighting of the glow-worms. You can see a few tiny turquoise lights here.
Norm explained that glow-worms are the larvae of the fungus gnat. The larvae have luminescent organs that produce a soft greenish light to attract insects. When insects see the light they fly towards it and get caught in the sticky threads hanging down from the gnat. The larvae reel the insect in on the threads and feed.
A closer look at the larvae reveals that they have a thin body that is suspended from the roof of the cave in a sticky hammock. The larvae can move the length of the hammock but no further.
The larvae stage can last for up to 9 months, at which point the larvae has grown to the size of a matchstick. It then goes into the pupa stage, much like a cocoon, then the adult fungus gnat emerges 2 weeks later to mate, lay eggs and die all within the space of 2 or 3 days.
Fungus Gnats live in moist, dark caves and and there are many caves across NZ in which to see them, but who wants to see a fungus gnat? Its far more appealing to see a glow-worm!
The limestone rock and water erosion from above.
After a bit of chat we all got into the boat for our floating tour down the cave in darkness. It took a while for our eyes to become used to the dark...
We could hear the sound of fast running water, but Norm assured us that we would not be sailing down the waterfall at the end of the cave!
As our eyes grew accustomed to the darkness in the cave we could see masses of glow-worms covering the whole of the roof of the cave. After a while of silently staring, the cave seemed to light up with millions of turquoise stars. It was really incredible! And we could see them reflected in the darkness of the water.
David Attenborough filmed in the Spellbound cave for the series Planet Earth, which we had watched before coming away.
Here are some images provided by Spellbound of the glow-worms.
We made our way back out of the cave in darkness, we were all squinting.
We walked a short distance up the hillside to have a coffee in a little make shift building in the field. We all agreed that the whole experience was very, very relaxing and time seemed to drift away. We could see why they came up with the name for the tour, it fitted perfectly!
An impression left in the limestone of a shell, from when Waitomo was underwater.
After our coffee we visited the second cave. Norm and the team had spent four months putting in a walk way and lights.
This cave was very different and had a few glow worms, but the focus here was on the structure of the cave.
At one time in the life of the cave, the water level had risen to the roof and washed with it a deposit of red mud that had covered the inside of the cave, giving the stalagmites and stalactites a cafe au lait colouring. Since that time they had continued to form in a white colour.
There were some nice reflections in the water running through the cave.
Further into the cave a shaft of light from above, and also the place were a cow had fallen into the cave. Its bones still remained in the sediment rich floor of the cave.
The cow skull.
In another part of the cave Norm pointed out the skeleton of a Moa, the bones of its toes visible in the foreground. Like other animals it may have come into the cave for shelter and then become disorientated in the dark.
Pools of water creating formations in the cave floor.
Back at the entrance to the cave, Norm was keen for us to have our photo taken in silhouette in an energetic John and Erin stylee...we were happy to oblige, and dedicate this shot to you Erin and John, for recommending the trip to us, it was perfect, thanks!
Norm highly recommended the bush walk, that was just down the road, so after a bit of lunch at cafe Huhu, we went to the Ruakuri Scenic Reserve to do the walk.
Limestone formations a plenty.
Wiji checking out one of the caves from the walkway.
The walk was rated as one of the top 10 short walks in NZ and we could see why.
Plenty of limestone tunnels and caves to explore...
Set in a beautiful forest walk.
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