Kura Täwhiti – a treasured place
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Canterbury Conservancy Published by Department of Conservation Christchurch 2006 RS0059 Canterbury Kura Täwhiti – a treasured Kura Täwhiti – a treasured Kura Täwhiti – a treasured Kura Täwhiti – a treasured Kura Täwhiti – a treasured place place place place place Sculptures in stone Sculptures in stone Sculptures in stone Sculptures in stone Sculptures in stone These spectacular rocks are natural outcrops of soft limestone. Limestone is formed from layers of organic sediment, deposited in deep oceans far from land. The layers are compressed into soft, soluble rock. This whole area was once under a large, shallow inland sea that began to infill some 30 million years ago. Pressure over time caused extensive uplift and folding and faulting of the surrounding Torlesse and Craigieburn ranges. These ranges are made up of greywacke, an ancient and hard rock. The layers of younger, softer, limestone rock were slowly eroded by water. As it fell, rain picked up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere making it ever so slightly acid (carbonic acid). It worked its way into joints in the soft rock, gradually enlarging them. Small differences in rock structure and solubility caused a wide range of fluting, pits and grooves, creating the sculptured landforms you see, known as karst landscape. In a high tussock basin, bounded by the high mountains of the Torlesse Range to the east and the Craigieburn Range to the west, the limestone tors of Kura Täwhiti Conservation Area dominate the landscape. These grand rock battlements led early European travellers to name the area Castle Hill. Early Mäori, explorers, scientists and travellers were drawn to this spectacular place. Climbers, families and passers-by today are still attracted in to explore its natural, cultural, historic and recreation values. These distinctive karst outcrops dominate the area between the Torlesse and Craigieburn ranges. Nearby Cave Stream has worked away at cracks in the limestone to create a 594 metre-long cave. Karst areas usually also have distinctive soils, micro-climates, plant- life, wildlife and patterns of hydrology. Hidden treasures of Hidden treasures of Hidden treasures of Hidden treasures of Hidden treasures of Kura Täwhiti Kura Täwhiti Kura Täwhiti Kura Täwhiti Kura Täwhiti Kura Täwhiti is a refuge for hidden treasures – some of the rarest and most endangered plants in Canterbury. Once covered in tötara and tall shrubs, the area was cleared 600 years ago by fire and has been grazed for almost 150 years. Tussock and pasture are now the norm, with one lone, surviving tötara nearby. John Enys, one of two brothers who farmed here in the 1860s, was the first to find fossils and rare plants amongst the limestone outcrops. A. Mckenzie
Transcript of Kura Täwhiti – a treasured place
Canterbury ConservancyPublished byDepartment of ConservationChristchurch2006RS0059
Canterbury
Kura Täwhiti – a treasuredKura Täwhiti – a treasuredKura Täwhiti – a treasuredKura Täwhiti – a treasuredKura Täwhiti – a treasuredplaceplaceplaceplaceplace
Sculptures in stoneSculptures in stoneSculptures in stoneSculptures in stoneSculptures in stone
These spectacular rocks are natural outcrops of softlimestone. Limestone is formed from layers of organicsediment, deposited in deep oceans far from land. Thelayers are compressed into soft, soluble rock.
This whole area was once under a large, shallow inlandsea that began to infill some 30 million years ago.Pressure over time caused extensive uplift and foldingand faulting of the surrounding Torlesse andCraigieburn ranges. These ranges are made up ofgreywacke, an ancient and hard rock.
The layers of younger, softer, limestone rock wereslowly eroded by water. As it fell, rain picked up carbondioxide from the atmosphere making it ever so slightlyacid (carbonic acid). It worked its way into joints in thesoft rock, gradually enlarging them. Small differences inrock structure and solubility caused a wide range offluting, pits and grooves, creating the sculpturedlandforms you see, known as karst landscape.
In a high tussock basin, bounded by the high mountains of the Torlesse Range to the east and the CraigieburnRange to the west, the limestone tors of Kura Täwhiti Conservation Area dominate the landscape.These grand rock battlements led early European travellers to name the area Castle Hill. Early Mäori, explorers,scientists and travellers were drawn to this spectacular place. Climbers, families and passers-by today are stillattracted in to explore its natural, cultural, historic and recreation values.
These distinctive karst outcrops dominate the areabetween the Torlesse and Craigieburn ranges. NearbyCave Stream has worked away at cracks in thelimestone to create a 594 metre-long cave. Karst areasusually also have distinctive soils, micro-climates, plant-life, wildlife and patterns of hydrology.
Hidden treasures ofHidden treasures ofHidden treasures ofHidden treasures ofHidden treasures of
Kura TäwhitiKura TäwhitiKura TäwhitiKura TäwhitiKura Täwhiti
Kura Täwhiti is a refuge for hidden treasures – some ofthe rarest and most endangered plants in Canterbury.Once covered in tötara and tall shrubs, the area wascleared 600 years ago by fire and has been grazed foralmost 150 years. Tussock and pasture are now thenorm, with one lone, surviving tötara nearby. JohnEnys, one of two brothers who farmed here in the1860s, was the first to find fossils and rare plantsamongst the limestone outcrops.
A. Mckenzie
Two very rare plants that prefer to live in limestonelandscapes have hung on at Kura Täwhiti. These arelimestone wheatgrass (Australopyrum calcissubspecies obtatum) and a tiny, 3 cm-high sedge(Carex inopinata). A shrubland restoration project withinthe reserve hopes to recreate the habitat for thesebotanical treasures.
Kura Täwhiti is also the site of the first reserve in NewZealand established specifically to protect a plant.Dr Lance McCaskill led a remarkable conservationeffort in the early 1950s to save the Castle Hillbuttercup, increasing numbers from 32 plants in 1948to more than 300 today. The reserve has importantscientific value as the longest running plant-monitoringproject in New Zealand, and has also protected theCastle Hill forget-me-not (Myosotis colensoi).
Töpuni – a symbolicTöpuni – a symbolicTöpuni – a symbolicTöpuni – a symbolicTöpuni – a symbolic
cloak of protectioncloak of protectioncloak of protectioncloak of protectioncloak of protection
This area has special significance to Ngäi Tahu, with tiesthat stretch unbroken from distant ancestors to presentgenerations.
Kura Täwhiti literally means ‘the treasure from a distantland’, referring to the kumara that was once cultivated inthis region. Kura Täwhiti was claimed by the Ngäi Tahuancestor Tane Tiki, son of celebrated chief Tuahuriri.The nearby mountains were famed for käkäpö, andTane Tiki wanted their soft skins and glowing greenfeathers for clothing to be worn by his daughter HineMihi.
Such stories link Ngäi Tahu to the landscape. Thetraditional knowledge of trails, rock shelters and rockdrawings, and places for gathering kai (food) in thearea known as Kura Täwhiti form an integral part of pastand present tribal identity.
Kura Täwhiti has Töpuni status, which is a legalrecognition of the site’s importance to the Ngäi Tahutribe. The term comes from the traditional custom ofchiefs extending power and authority over areas orpeople by placing a cloak over them. Töpuni statusensures that Ngäi Tahu values are recognised,acknowledged and respected and Ngäi Tahu have anactive role in management.
Mahinga kaiMahinga kaiMahinga kaiMahinga kaiMahinga kai
Rangatiratanga over the lands and waterways of thisarea is still held by Ngäi Tuahuriri, the hapu descendentfrom the Ngäi Tahu ariki Tuahuriri. They are centred atTuahiwi, close to the ancestral pa of Kaiapoi, in NorthCanterbury.
The waterways and the beech forest that was once herewere important mahinga kai or food gathering sites forthe people from Kaiapoi. Kiore (Polynesian rat) werethe main food taken, but also birds (käkäpö, käkä,kererü, wekä and kiwi), fern root/aruhe and freshwaterfish. They visited seasonally, following a network oftrails that designated sites for camping and gatheringkai. Knowledge of these trails is held by whänau andhapü and is regarded as taonga.
ClimbingCl imbingCl imbingCl imbingCl imbing
Bouldering (free-climbing on the boulders) here isgaining a world class reputation. People travel fromaround the globe to climb here. Kura Täwhiti hasaround 250 bolted climbs and well over 1000 boulderproblems, many quite technical.
Ngäi Tahu wish to encourage respect for theirassociation with Kura Täwhiti. A rock-climbing code is inplace, and rock climbers are asked to be aware that toNgäi Tahu, climbing the outcrops denigrates their tapustatus.
Limestone is also fragile. The exposed surface layergradually flakes off as the soft rock expands andcontracts with changing temperature. Climbingtechniques such as using bolts, brushing rock surfacesand cleaning clefts and depressions are prohibited asthey accelerate rock weathering and alter theenvironments available to small plants and animals.Please observe the climber’s code of ethics andremember that climbing in a conservation area is aprivilege not a right.
Further informationFurther informationFurther informationFurther informationFurther information
Contact the Department of Conservation at;Arthur’s Pass Visitor CentrePO Box 8Arthurs PassPh 03 3189 [email protected]
GlossaryGlossaryGlossaryGlossaryGlossary
Mahinga kai – customaryfood-gatheringKai – to consume, eat,drink, foodRangatiratanga – Chiefly,evidence of breeding andgreatnessRangatira – chief, ofnoble birthIwi – tribeNgäi Tahu – ‘People ofTahu’.This iwi holdsmana whenua over 80%of the South IslandWhänau – family, familygroupHapü – section of a largetribe, clan (also meanspregnant)Mana – authority, control,prestige or powerWhenua – land, countryTaonga – property, highlyprizedTöpuni – dogskin cloak ofprotectionTe Wai Pounamu – SouthIslandMauri – life force, lifeprincipleAriki – leaderTipuna – ancestor
A. Mckenzie
