Lake Wombat Rainforest Walk
A peaceful loop through dense West Coast rainforest to the tranquil Lake Wombat, a glacially formed kettle lake rich in birdlife and native plant life.
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Lake Wombat Trailhead
The trailhead is north of the village, where the rainforest immediately envelops the path in a green world of dripping ferns, mosses, and towering rimu.
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Rimu Grove
Ancient rimu trees, some 800 years old, form a cathedral canopy above the track — their distinctive drooping foliage creates a unique light quality in the forest.
- 3
Tōtara Stand
A stand of massive tōtara trees, valued by Māori for canoe building, shows the West Coast's extraordinary capacity to grow enormous native timber trees.
- 4
Lake Wombat Shore
The small glacial lake sits in a forest hollow — its still surface perfectly reflects the surrounding rimu canopy, and native ducks patrol the weedy shallows.
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Wetland Boardwalk
A boardwalk crosses the boggy lake margins, home to native orchids, sundews, and the carnivorous bladderwort plants that trap tiny aquatic creatures.
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Native Bird Listening Point
Pause on the return for birdsong — the West Coast rainforest hosts tūī, bellbird, rifleman, and the rare kākāpō in predator-free areas nearby.