Oparara Basin, Kahurangi National Park 7073, West Coast Region, New Zealand
Oparara Basin is one of the finest features of the Kahurangi National Park. The 35 million-year-old complex of limestone caves, arches and channels is popular with walkers, cavers and nature lovers.
The Oparara Basin in one of the finest features of the Kahurangi National Park. For a million years the Oparara River system has been at work sculpting the 35 million-year-old limestone basin into an intriguing complex of caves, arches and channels.
The forest is a mixture of beech and podocarp, thickly carpeted with mosses and ferns growing in shallow moist soil and squeezing root systems through cracks to gain a hold.
Unique ferns and algae live around the arches and cave entrances.
Birds, insects and fish flourish in the environment, which is also home to the rare short tailed bat, the giant land snail, the cave spider and whio/blue duck. The Oparara Basin is a great spotted kiwi sanctuary.
Epic New Zealand Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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