The Dome Forest is a forested area of Rodney in the

Auckland Region Auckland () is one of the sixteen regions of New Zealand, which takes its name from the eponymous urban area. The region encompasses the Auckland Metropolitan Area, smaller towns, rural areas, and the islands of the Hauraki Gulf. Containing ...

of New Zealand.

Geography

The forest is an area seven kilometres north-west of the township of Warkworth. A forested area above the

Dome Valley Dome Valley is a rural area in the northern Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is situated between the towns of Warkworth and Wellsford. and the Left Branch of the Mahurangi River run through the valley. Demographics Dome Valley is covered b ...

, the Dome Forest is dominated by a ridge, the highest point being the 336-metre tall peak known as the Dome. The Te Araroa Trail follows the ridgeline of the forest. The land is formed from erosion-resistant Waitemata sandstone. Along the track is the Waiwhiu Kauri Grove, an area featuring 20 large kauri trees.

History

The traditional name for the Dome (the peak in the forest) was Tohitohi o Rei, a name referencing the ancestress Reipae of the '' Tainui'' migratory waka. Tohitohi o Rei is a location mentioned in a traditional story of

Reitū and Reipae Reitū and Reipae (or Reipare) were twin sisters from the Tainui confederation of Māori people, Māori tribes in Waikato, New Zealand, who lived before European settlement. Tainui tradition remembers them for the story of Reitū's courtship by Ue- ...

. Reipae travelled around the North Island with her sister Reitū on the back of a large bird, rested at the peak. The forest is primarily owned by the Crown and managed by the

Department of Conservation An environmental ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for the environment and/or natural resources. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of the Environment ...

, and includes areas of regenerating native forest.

References

{{Rodney Local Board Area Forestry in New Zealand Forests of New Zealand Landforms of the Auckland Region Outdoor recreation in New Zealand Rodney District