Activities

Kapiti Island Nature Reserve

 
Kapiti Island POD

We really are lucky to live in such a naturally beautiful country. I recently visited one of the more pristine natural forests in New Zealand, on Kapiti Island, by Paraparumu.

Kapiti Island is a world famous nature reserve, and it’s home to lots of species of rare and endangered birds, including the brown kiwi, and the largest population of small spotted kiwis. Only 50 people are allowed on the island each day, so I was very lucky to get on the ferry. It really does pay to be the Cowbassador.

With all the rugby that goes on in New Zealand I thought now was appropriate to visit Kapiti Island because it’s where the Ngaiti Toa Chief Te Rauparaha lived for a few years.

What does Chief Te Rauparaha have to do with rugby? Well, in 1820 he was the first person ever to perform the Ka Mate maori haka that’s been made famous by the All Blacks.

My guide told me that recently all the rats, possums and stoats have been eradicated from the island and it’s been restored to pretty much the same state it was in Te Rauparaha’s time, over 100 years ago. There’s also no livestock at all allowed on the island, except for me of cowrse.

I’ve also just been to the Kapiti cheese shop in Paraparaumu, north of Wellington, and these guys sure are crackers about cheese. They make some of New Zealand’s favourite cheeses here, and boy do they have a huge range. There’s nothing greater for your pizzas than their mozzarella, and their fragrant cheeses might look and smell like they’re mouldy, but they’re really tasty and are a perfect pick me up when you’re feeling blue.

They also make cream cheese and ice cream, and I got to taste their farmtastic New Zealand flavours like Golden Kiwi Pavlova, Gingernut, and Spicy Apple Crumble, but my favourite was White Chocolate and Raspberry Coulis. I love ice cream on pancakes, but I always eat too much!

Well there’s stilton’s of places for me to visit so I feta get on my whey. See you soon!

Rosie Whatnext 880X495