Foraging and Fire - Pureroa National Park

Not bad for a "hunter/gatherer"

 Tonight, New Year's Eve, we get to light the bonfire.

Down Bush - Pureora

 I was awoken by a cacophony of bird song.  Being so close to the bush, it was amazing.  I imagined what the early New Zealand settlers must have heard. Tuis, bell birds, kaka, kakareki, and kokako.

Dawn

One of the urchins tent, with a toitoi fort surround.

The Banquet Hall

One of the highlights for the urchins, is Charlie Brown, who joined us at camp.

 He likes to bite toes and fingers.

Standard attack pose, when he has spied some toes 

Down Bush - Pureroa - Swing bridge

 The birds like the tallest tree.

 More quad bike exploring, off to see more swing bridges.

Not far from the Piropiro campsite, the Timber trial leads to the 141-metre (463 ft) Maramataha Bridge, some 60 metres (200 ft) above the Maramataha Gorge and the largest suspension bridge of its kind along any cycle trail in New Zealand. 

Shower and toilet at camp

Down Bush - Pureroa National Park

 Great day for exploring.  Visited some of the swing bridges on the Timber Trail.

 Yep, the quad bikes do fit across.

Whio (blue duck)

 Roasting marshmallows at the end of the day.

Pureora Forest - Quad Bike exploring

 Pureora Forest provides an opportunity of the cousins to go quad bike exploring.

 Stream near camp, for washing the quad bikes, and boys to toss rocks.

 We have been clearing a trail to the top of the budilea trail.  There are some big trees along the way.