RANGIWAHIA SCENIC RESERVE visitor comments
A visitor book is available in a green mailbox at the end of the car park and before the trail begins. Our local MP, Ian McKelvie, suggested a visitor’s book after he himself walked through the reserve. We are so pleased we followed through with his suggestion as we now have a record of people's experiences from all around NZ and the world.
July 2023.
???. NZ - Stunning bush. Amazing work put into maintaining reserve. Appreciate all the signage and safety. Bring a walking stick.
Comment in Google from same couple - The beautiful section of New Zealand forest is one on the most surreal places I've been in the country. I work in a career where I'm often out in forests and I have never seen a place quite like it anywhere else in the manawatu. Absolutely stunning. Excellently sign posted, and with rope to help you through the potentially slippery areas, we went during the rain today and it was great! A very vocal piwakawaka followed us most of the way, practically sitting on our shoes at some points. Incredible care has been taken to maintain the track but keep the integrity of the forest, it truly seems like someone has worked around the trees instead of against them.
June 2023.
Taihape - Coming back along the laneway I saw a mature tabby cat east of the first entrance.
Caretaker comment - Feral cats are an ongoing problem and we are doing our best to control them.
Be reassured we are not referring to the domestic cat.
South of the South Otago - Some of the biggest podocarps we've seen. Well done. Steve and Mary
???. NZ - Lovely walk
May 2023.
??? NZ - waiata.
Feilding - Fantastic
Rangiwahia - caretakers- Pest control around the Three Hour track. Also check ed the traps in the Kaikawaka Reserve near the cemetery. Amazing bird song in both reserves. Heaps of tui and fantail, plus grey warbler, tomtit and wood pigeon. Heard a NZ Falcon in the Rangi Reserve.
Palmerston North & Tauranga - Loved the bird song, the challenging clamber up and the peacefulness.Thank you for the opportunity to view the amazing bush. And for the poles and string. (Rope rails)
France 🇫🇷 - What an amazing walk!! it was so pleasant to learn about all these trees. Thank you so much for all the signs and information provided. We loved it!!
April 2023.
??? NZ - It was very cool.
Wanganui - Fantastic walk. Lovely bush setting and very interesting.
Palmerston North - Very well maintained track. Grateful for the ropes. Lovely to have the fantails following us along.
New Plymouth - Lovely walk. Would loved to have gone all the way round. Next time. Well maintained tracks. Well done!
UK 🇬🇧 - Wonderful walk! Thank you for all the effort to make it wild, but well signed and informative.
??? NZ - Exceptional walk. Just loved it. Thank you.
Palmerston North - Best walk ever. Amazing.
Canada 🇨🇦 - Beautiful hike. Can't wait to come back.
New Plymouth - Lovely. Hard work with 4 and 5 year olds, but they loved it.
Rangiwahia (caretakers) - Throuhgout the whole bush I have never seen so mant fantails. Rebaited the pest-control traps with eggs and apples. Emptied kill. Big day's work.
Feilding - (No comment made)
Feilding - An Easter treat. Beautiful.
???. NZ - Beautiful forest, friendly fantails. Sooooo beautiful and diverse. Something different around every corner.
Wellington - Excellent hike. Beautiful.
March 2023.
Warkworth - A beautiful bush walk. Fantails, black robin and kereru seen. Very cool.
Caretaker comment - Unfortunately there are no robins in the reserve. The black bird seen was probably a male tomtit)
Feilding - Great for tree hugging. Thanks for the rope, Steve and Mary.
Palmerston North- Great walk (Three Hour Track)
Pukerua Bay - Thanks for looking after this. Great Thanks.
Palmerston North - Amazing trees.
Texas, USA 🇺🇸 - I'm back. Saw no Entwifes, but sublime trees.
???, NZ - Nice Saturday bush walk. Love the twin wheki and rimu.
???, NZ - Here's to all the below comments plus the bird life. Thanks to Steve and Mary, your volunteers and DoC.
Gisborne - From floods and cyclones to the most beautiful and densest native bush I have ever walked through.
We enjoyed the challenge and I loved all the native ferns and mosses. Thank you for all your conservation for all to enjoy. MJ.
NZ - Neat walk.
Whangarei - Amazing. Thank you.
Feilding - Love the place
Taihape - Possum control around the reserve.
February 2023.
Auckland - What a fabulous day.
Rangiwahia (caretakers) – Track maintenance, nearly completed the rope rails. Three rats in traps.
Taihape – Sunday strolls can’t get much better than this.
Bungendore, NSW 🇦🇺– Fabulaous walk, very well marked.
??? – Saw a ruru near the twin wheki pongas (on Reserve track). Magical.
Rangiwahia (caretakers) – Track maintenance, continuing with rope rails , checking stoat traps.
Kimbolton – Love it out here. Thank you.
Scotland 🏴– Returning to Bonnie Scotland, but this has been an awesome walk amongst NZ nature plus unique trees.
Palmy and Czech Republic 🇨🇿 – lovely to have a place where I can take my Mum to experience the forest and nature within her abilities. Thank you!
Otaki – One of NZ’s best kept secrets, stunning.
??? – Fun!
Fairhope, Alabama, USA 🇺🇸– So very worthwhile. Thank you.
Rangiwahia (caretakers) – Continued with rope rails. Steve carried in 4 more standards. We trimmed the track in places. There has. Been so much rain and so much growth. The old dead totara at the top of the Reserve track (1st track) has fallen over. It only covered a small section of the track and it was fairly straight-forward to clear it.
Blenheim – Brilliant. So much work done. Thank you.
Nelson – Wonderful walk. Such beautiful trees.
January 2023 - starting beginning of month.
Feilding – No comment entered.
Canterbury – Great variety.
Wellington – Amazed! Will have to come back and do the whole thing. Incredible signage. Absolutely loved it.
Palmerston North – Magical. Great trees.
France 🇫🇷– Beautiful trees!
Palmerston North – Great signs, rope really good, fantastic trees.
USA – 🇱🇷. Wow! Thank you for the trail and the ropes!!
Palmerston North – Great signs. Need reasonable fitness and good footwear. (Caretakers agree).
Australia 🇦🇺- I love ferns.
Kimbolton – Lovely. Great rope improvements.
Wellington – Wonderful experience.
Kairanga – Great walk. Foxgloves flowering. Just need removing.
Rangiwahia/Timaru/Clinton – Caretakers plus 2 granddaughters. – Didn’t see the white fantail that had been spotted a few days ago, but was followed whole way by an ordinary one.
Feilding – Love this place.
Kimbolton – Gorgeous! Lots of piwakawaka (fantails)
Palmerston North/Tauranga – Very wet, but beautiful
Levin – No comment made.
Palmerston North – Amazing! Thanks for all the work. Great resource for the Manawatu.
Feilding – Lovely day. Lovely trees.
Ashhurst - A well-cared for reserve. Loved it. Good signage!
Marton – Did 3 hour round trip – good!!!
Palmerston North - No comment made.
Germany 🇩🇪– Best walk ever. Next time more hours.
Eltham, Taranaki – Lovely. Enjoyed the tree ID. Thanks.
Germany 🇩🇪 – Thanks!
Palmerston North - No comment made.
Mangaweka – Loved it!
Wellington – Lovely way to spend 23rd anniversary!
Kimbolton – No comment made.
Tauranga – Loved all the birds and the fantail that followed us.
Tauranga - A lovely place to be on a hot day.
Paekakariki – Fantastic reserve. Amazing huge trees.
Paekakariki – Wow! What huge trees. Fantail also.
Taihape – One of my favourite places for a walk.
Upper Hutt – I love the signs.
Rangiwahia - Caretakers - Some pest control - one stoat. Minimal possum sign now. Continued rope rails and clearing some of the track of over-grown ferns. More rope rails to complete on the 2nd track. Thanks so much to Give-a-Little fund and an individual donation. It is great to meet people walking the track and
December 2022 –
Palmerston North – Beautiful track. Trees are big and cool!!
Taihape – Really appreciate the excellent trails.
Pohangina – Wonderful.
Israel 🇸🇻– Fabulous bush and tracks. Helping Steve put the steel posts and rope in.
Auckland – Saw a karearea in the forest?
Palmerston North – Beautiful bush.
Wellington – Good track. Thanks for ropes. Saw some sort of fungi. Don’t know what. Black & dripping.
Napier/Palmerston North- Fantastical bush. Wonderful place.
Rangiwahia/South island. – Mary Bielski with sons and grandchildren. Beautiful day. The older boys ran the 2nd track and met up with us with the younger children at the beach ridge on the 1st track!!
Palmerston North – Stunning walk. Rangiwahia is simply the best.
Poland, Warsaw 🇮🇩– Nice walk.
Wellington – Lovely view. Loved the piwakawaka.
Hamilton – Tane pai ngahere – Loved it. Thanks to those who care for this bush.
Palmerston North – Beautiful unspoiled bush. Pink markers great.
November 2022.
Apiti – Nice walk. Lovely to see trees, great views.
Feilding – Awesome again.
Rangiwahia – Caretakers. Checking traps. Lots of tuis in the flowering rewarewa. Have not heard so many.
Palmerston/Wellington – Like the forests of old – beautiful dense bush. Thanks!
??? – Gobsmackingly beautiful. Wonderful old grandma’s of trees. Did the long walk. Huge number of tuis. Mustelid (stoat) in #17. Great signage.
Quebec, Canada 🇨🇦– Beautiful huge trees. Great walk.
??? – You have a deer problem.
Rangiwahia – Caretakers. Deer have always been in the reserve. DOC won’t allow guns, but will allow the deer. Upgraded safety rope rails at first climb down to the first stream. Yellow caps will be placed on top of the standards on Wednesday.
Wellington – We will be back with proper shoes. Lol!!
October 2022.
??? – Primo track. Walked full loop 1 hr 15mins. Will definitely be back.
Kimbolton – Awesome walk with the dogs.
Waipawa – Tour Aotearoa.
Kimbolton – (Comment from Anne, who has moved out of the area and who worked tirelessly with us on the pest-control programme. We are indebted to Anne for all she has done in your reducing the pests within the reserve.
To Steve and Mary Bielski. What an amazing job you have done in the bush. Thanks to your passion and commitment. It is full of life. Thank you so much. You are wonderful people and great caretakers of this treasure. All my love and respect, Anne.
Feilding – Always something new to learn. Thank you.
Palmerston North – Great track. Full of variety, well-marked and views.
September 2022.
BC, Canada 🇨🇦 – Wonderful. Love blue narrow track, markers.
PNTMC – Palmerston North tramping club- Wonderful trees. Thanks for the guided walk.
Rewa – Loved it.
Palmerston North – A bit muddy so didn’t go far. Will be back.
August 2022 -
Palmerston North - Blue track. 3 hrs and 10minutes. So rewarding.
Vinegar Hill (Manawatu) - Beautiful track.
Wellington - Stopped randomly to see what was here. Spent 2 hours! Amazing and unexpected.
Palmerston North - DOC. Track inspection.
Palmerston North - 30 x Manawatu Tramping & Skiing Club - Huge variety of trees and we made use of the table and seats too!
Bastrop, Texas, USA 🇱🇷– Beautiful.
Bastrop, Texas, USA 🇱🇷– My 4th visit. Spectacular and love the notifications. So educational.
Rangiwahia – Caretakers. Pest control.
UK 🇬🇧– Fabulous. One hour watching fantail.
Taihape – Beautiful.
Hunterville – Gorgeous day for a lovely walk.
July 2022 –
Palmerston North – Thank you! Beautiful bush walk! We will be back.
Whakarongo - Even good on a wet day.
Dannevirke – Stunning day in bush
Feilding – Amazing old trees.
Sanson – Huge trees. A rare treasure.
Palmerston North - What an amazing place. Now I know it is here I will come back & explore it more over summer. Great work with markers/planks over muddy area, etc!!! I think this is the most impressive podocarp forest I've walked through.
Shannon & Horowhenua - Amazing! Saw plants/trees Iv'e never seen before.
???? - Absolute treasure of a forest, love the old growth trees. We saw korimako (bell bird), ruru plus kārearea. Thanks for protecting this place.
Marton - Fantastic
Upper Hutt - Lovely place. Lots of ups and down, but great.
Rangiwahia - Caretakers. Track maintenance and pest control.
Palmerston North, Shannon - 7 members of the MTSC Thursday Trampers - Great walk. Wonderful. First time-wonderful. Great. Thank you for all your work
Rangiwahia - Caretakers. Track maintenance. Pleasant day. tracks well-maintained.
June 2022.
Manchester & Invercargill (to Wanganui) – Sad that we lost so much biodiversity. Thanks for your mahi (work)
Hawke’s Bay –
Bulls – Truly magnificent trees. Please kill the magpies, loud & aggressive.
Pohangina – Cool trees.
Palmerston North – Hard work, but big reward. Dogs v. happy.
Palmerston North – A labour of love.
May 2022.
Palmerston North – Up to the lookout.
Bulls - Great walk. A few fallen trees on path.
Rangiwahia – caretakers – some windfall from recent winds. Cleared both tracks. Good to walk.
April 2022.
Mahia. – Such a beautiful reserve. Was fortunate enough to meet the couple looking after it. The wildlife is amazing.
Feilding – Met the same couple who do such a wonderful job. Amazing place.
Rangiwahia – caretakers – All tree labels in except for 2. Will get them done another day. Also some pest control. It was great to meet those walking the track today.
Palmerston North – It was an all-right walk.
Wanganui – Beautiful
Paekakariki – Lovely nice tree signs. The laneway was v muddy and slippery.
Caretaker comment – Yes the laneway around the reserve can be muddy as is used as laneway for stock. It can get very wet in the winter. There are walkways along the fence line in the worse places.
Palmerston North – 10 out of 10. Fantastic.
Kapiti Coast – Bumped into a volunteer. Nice lady.
Wairarapa -Thank you!!
Wellington – Great bush. The dogs loved it.
Wanganui – Tumeke/Awesome
Wellington – Great walk.
Wellington, Auckland, Palmerston North and Feilding – Amazing trees. Great views.
Palmerston North – Great walk through the forest.
Whangarei – Excellent bush walk.
Carterton – Great
Palmerston North – Fun walk and not too challenging.
Napier to Taranaki to Wellington – Enjoyed by all – about 15. (NZMCA)
Wellington, Porirua, Pemberton – Amazing walk
March 2022
Wellington – Wonderfully rich bush
Palmerston Nth – Beautiful bush. The top is really worth it.
Palmerston North - great variety of trees.
Palmerston North – Great native trees and bushes.
Palmerston North – Nice walk
Palmerston North – Beautiful
Kaiwaka – Thanks for looking after this patch.
Palmerston North – Amazing. Signs around were fantastic.
Palmerston North – Ahh. So magical. Thank you so much. Stunning walk. Seriously awe-inspiring. Really appreciate being allowed to bring dog – on lead, don’t worry.
Feilding – Great to visit again. And well done for your work.
Rangiwahia – Pest control
Martinborough – One of the most breath-taking bush we’ve seen.
Waikanae – A treasure. Such a privilege to have available to us
Rangiwahia – Track maintenance
Marton – Great walk. Awesome nature
Taihape – Thanks for markers its awesome
February 2022 -
Rangiwahia – Went for a run
Rangiwahia – Checking traps
New Zealand – Great walk. Well done team
??..................... – Very enjoyable. Beautiful forest. Like stepping back in time
Taihape – Beautiful. Highly recommend.
January 2022.
Feilding – A really good start for the New Year. As usual, wonderful!
Dunedin – What a taonga! (Highly prized NZ Treasure – writer’s comment)
A wonderful unexpected native remnant. Well-marked. Appreciated the ropes.
Pohangina Valley – Beautiful
Auckland – We really enjoyed the wilderness of this track with useful details such as the bridges and steps. What a great hidden gem. What a hidden gem. Really beautiful and a lot to see and do.
Palmerston North – A great scenic walk. Brilliant.
Palmerston North – A beautiful walk & bush. Love it.
Porirua (nee Rangiwahia) Lovely to be home. Beautiful bush.
Eketahuna – Awesome
Eketahuna – Awesome
Palmerson North – Well marked track
Bay of Plenty – Amazing trees and walk. Well done.
Auckland – Awesome to see all the different trees.
Wanganui – Beautiful
Taihape – Nice way to spend an afternoon
Auckland – Thanks for looking after this treasure so beautifully
Palmerston North – Great walk, great signage and planks appreciated.
Carterton – Reserve track
Inglewood – No comment made
Palmerston North – Beautiful
Tokoroa – Loved our walk
Wellington –Beautiful trees and wesome signage
Auckland – Loved your signs, steps and ropes to view this amazing forest. Great work.
Waikanae – Great walk. Hidden gem.
Feilding – Great walk. Amazing trees.
Rangiwahia – Weed & pest control. Track maintenance.
Lyall Bay, Wellington – No comment made
Rangiwahia – Weed & pest control
Wellington – Exploring the NZ forests. We loved the tree tag names made the trip. Loved reading signs.
Rangiwahia & Wellington – Amazing bush.
Wanganui – Wonderful. Thank you.
Rangiwahia – Installing 1st 24 tree labels on the 2nd track.
Rangiwahia – Installing more tree labels on the 2nd track
Rangiwahia – Family walk
Rangiwahia – Great - well marked trees.
Rangiwahia – Installed most of the tree labels on the 2nd track. Only a few left to go.
December 2021.
Rangiwahia – (Caretakers Steve & Mary) Weed and pest control
Feilding – Interesting. Green track
Waipukurau – Ghee
Lower Hutt – We enjoyed the native bush especially the tree markers
Auckland, Cheltenham, Feilding - No comment made
Palmerston North – Lovely walk.
Wellington – Wonderful. Well done.
??? – Lovely
Palmerston North – Lovely
Palmerston North - Lovely walk
Wellington – Nice little walk for all ages
Petone – Very well marked
Richmond, Tasma – Just what we needed to finish the year.
Palmerston North (nee Apiti) – A special secret bush. Happy New Year!
November 2021
Kapiti – Lovely spot, very peaceful
Ohakea – Lovely walk, track. Well signed.
Kimbolton - Beautiful.
Feilding – Has 4 hinau
Feilding – Great as usual
Palmerston North – Loved the signs.
Rangiwahia – Pest control. Renewed all the eggs.
Wanganui – Loved the walk. Superb trees. But wasn’t too keen on the spider in the visitor’s book!!
Paraparaumu Beach – Wonderful.
Tauranga – Beautiful native trees.
Taupo – When will you re-introduce kiwi?
Ashhurst – Amazing forest. Look forward to visiting again.
Rangiwahia – Weed and pest control
October 2021
??? – Excellent. Great walk. Well-marked and labeled.
??? – Beautiful
??? – Loved it.
Rangiwahia - Checking traps plus got got of two patches of Darwin’s Barberry in full flower. The falcon is back.
Palmerston North – Bird atlas sing
Palmerston North - Love this magical sanctuary. Love the maps. Thank you!
Ashhurst – Awesome walks and views.
Rangiwahia – Checking pest traps. Cutting out Darwin’s Barberry and Buttercup shrub around the perimeter of the reserve.
Palmerston North – Lovely walk
Palmerston North & Auckland – Fantastic someone had the fore-thought to clear this.
September 2021
??? – Ka pai walk. Beautiful land. Kia ora.
Otaki – Great forest.
Waikato – Some of the best Podocarp forest we have seen. Thanks for looking after it.
Rangiwahia community – Planted 3 trees along the walkway to our beautiful place.
Raumati Beach – Beaurtiful. Thank you for preserving it. X
August 2021
Feilding – Some more trapping would make it awesome. Best bush around Manawatu
Comment from writer – There is plenty of trapping going on - at least weekly.
Rangiwahia – No comment
Kimbolton - No comment
Wellington – An amazing place.
Palmerston North – Counting the birds for NZ bird Atlas
Rangiwahia (the caretakers of the bush) – Managing traps & counting the birds. Flocks of wax eyes, plenty of famtails, grey warblers, kererus, few tomtits, beelbirds & tuis. Some eastern rosellas, blackbirds, spur-winged plovers, a few chaffinches. The bird numbers are definitely increasing.
Rangiwhia – Checking traps. Lots of birds.
Rangiwahia – Checking traps.
July 2021
Feilding – Peaceful walk. Well marked
Palmerston North – Very quiet & comfy walk. Have enjoyed it all the way. Was hoping to find some mushroom/fungi, but no luck. Already looking forward to coming back & do the longer one. Great job.
Wanganui – Nice walk. Awesome trees.
Feilding – Awesome.
Pohangina – Loved it. Thank you!
Gisborne – Thanks for a great experience. Did the loop. Loved the trees, the signs & lots of wood pigeons.
Manapouri – Fantastic trees
Ashhurst – The food at the Bush Café was delicious!!
Wellington – Beautiful bush.
June 2021
Wellington – Will too.
Hamilton, Wellington, Mt Manganui – Such a nice track. Great nature and birds
Palmerston North – No comment
Palmerston North – Lovely spot for a picnic
Auckland – Wonderful unique bush experience
Palmerston North – Nice track
May 2021
Marton – Forest & Bird. Thank you. This is New Zealand
Marton – Thanks to the Bielskis for showing us the best reserve in the southern North Island.
Oroua Downs – Great walk
Strathmore Park - Wellington – Cow poos, fantails, mud, cows!
Mt Victoria - Wellington – An ab solute gem. Thank you.
Mt Eden - Auckland – Well signposted. Great walk. Grateful for the boots and walking pole.
Feilding – Will be back.
Feilding – Really enjoyed second trip. Will be here again.
Opito Bay - Coromandel – Majestic native bush. Awesome.
Palmerston North – Well marked. Beautiful native bush walk
Papakowhai – Calm and awesome
Taihape – No comment
Palmerston North – Well worth visit.
Feilding - Camera battery working today. Reserve just as wonderful
Feilding – Thanks to Anne. A brilliant piece of bush
(From the writer - Anne is part of pest control team)
Pohangina– Thanks, Anne, a great Forest & Bird outing.
Feilding – Thanks to all who made this place accessible
Pohangina – Thanks Anne, Steve & Mary. Excellent Forest & Bird trip
Feilding – A wonderful assesst for our region. Congratulations
Feilding – Awesome walk.
Levin – Wow.
Feilding – Amazing
Feilding – Outstanding. Thanks to our enthusiastic & passionate guides Steve & Mary. Great experience. Best walk. Well signed. Thanks.
Kiwitea – First time doing new bit – nice.
Feilding – Back again!
Palmerston North – Very good
Feilding – My 4th trip – so much to see. Great.
Travelling NZ – Excellent. We will come again.
April 2021
Takanini, Auckland – Thanks so much for all the work on this track.
Beautiful & challenging.
Waikawa Beach, Havelock North and Palmy – Thanks for taking care of nature.
Loved the “step back in time” feeling. Raw, natural, untouched.
March 2021
Marton (Forest & Bird member) – Thanks to the Bielski’s for sharing the best southern North Island reserve
Marton – Thank you, Steve and Mary. This is New Zealand.
Marton (Forest & Bird members). Wonderful. A local treasure.
Marton – Fab walk. Well maintained. Wonderful. A local treasure.
Marton – Nice walk.
Feilding – Awesome. Great to see so many old trees.
Feilding - Great! Will be coming back.
Apiti – Great walk. Lots to look at
Christchurch – Lovely natural walk
Levin - Fantastic place just to be. Appreciated the pink markers – can’t get lost
Taihape – Enjoyable after work walk
?? – Beautiful forest.
Taihape – Enjoyable after-work walk
Levin – Fantastic place just to be – can’t get lost
Christchurch – Lovely natural walk
Apiti – Great walk. Lots to look at.
Feilding – Great. Will be back again.
Feilding – Awesome. Great to see so many old trees.
Marton – Nice walk
Marton – Fab walk. Well maintained.
February 2021
Feilding – Keeps getting better! Keep up the good work! Saw the falcon too near the track exit. ??? – Lovely walk with stunning bush
Feilding – Just amazing. Thank you to all your work who made this walk so great. Lovely walk with stunning bush Waikane – Wow!
Kapiti Coast – Great spot. Good job done,
Feilding – (no comment made)
Wellington – A lovely walk. Thanks for the markers.
Wellington – Saw a ruru (morepork). Many thanks.
Palmerston North – Found the geocache. Beautiful. Well maintained.
Palmerston North – Beautiful!
Palmerston & Northland – Fine spot.
Palmerston North - Great.
Bulls – Felt like going back in time. Amazing track.
Mangaweka – Lovely.
Lower Hutt – Awesome.
Feilding – So great.
Feilding – Amazing. Well done.
Feilding – Great track, peaceful & magical.
Palmerston North – Awesome. Thank you.
Wellington – So helpful having the tree fern names. Makes walk more interesting. Thank you to all who maintain this wonderful area.
Ruahine Road, Rangiwahia - (no comment made)
Palmerston North – Always a great walk. Even better 2nd or 3rd time round.
Christchurch – Need to come back with more time.
Manawatu – Stunning.
Palmerston north/Foxton Beach – Stunning.
Palmerston North – Fab
Feilding – Wonderful
Ashhurst – Super hot!
Sri Lanka🇱🇰 – Great. Love it.
January 2021.
Woodend – (no comment made)
Feilding – (no comment made)
Feilding – Thank you. Beautiful.
Palmerston North – (no comment made)
Auckland – What a wonderful work the Bielski family and others have given our community.
Palmerston North – what a magical tour of the new track.
Kinlock, Taupo – Nice. Saw eastern rosellas.
Lower Hutt – Very impressive and a gem of what we have lost.
Canterbury. – Awesome track (2nd). Loved all the track markers, signs of trees, especially signs telling to look up, and quirky signs eg The Red Beech Café.
Rangiwahia – Good track (2nd track)
Kiwitea and Palmy – So nice in the rain.The long track is beautiful. Lovely big tree ferns. Truly breathtaking.
Palmerston North – Thanks, Anne, (pest-control volunteer) for sharing this slice of paradise with us.
Taihape – The loop trap is a stunning addition to an already superb walk.
Turakina Valley – Love the trees!
December 2020
Feilding – ex-Apiti – (no comment made)
Paraparaumu – Great natural bush.
Grey Lynn, Auckland – Wonderful to see native bush still going.
Wellington – Lovely native bush. Lots of birdies. Well done and all the trapping.
Wanganui – wet, but stunning.
Ahuriri (Hawke’s Bay)- Mauri ora.
Napier – Beautiful
Taihape – Amazing walk. Thank you very much
Kimbolton – Loved the walk. Good day with boy-friend.
Timaru, Craigmore Station – Amazing bush walk
Palmerston North - !!!
November 2020
Bulls - (no comment made)
Vinegar Hill (no comment made)
Feilding – Loved looking for puriri moth holes.
Auckland – Show case of NZ trees.
Apiti - (no comment made)
Waipawa – Jewel in the crown! Thanks to volunteers for maintaining track and pest control
Feilding – Hidden gem
Auckland – Wonderful showcase of native trees.
Palmerston North – great walk (2nd track). Plants identified.
Many thanks to Suzanne & Allan, Botanists, who identified trees/plants on the 2nd track for the labelling project.
????? – First timers. He ataahua ngahere. Love, love, love.
October 2020.
Palmerston North – My legs hurt!
Taihape – Great walk.
Kiwitea – Great walk
Feilding – Nice walk.
Poirua – Well marked.
Napier – What a treasure. We will be back.
Palmerston North – Beautiful.
Wanganui – Great bush
Ashburton – Great to see lots of silver ferns.
Palmerston North – Amazing variety of large trees and tree ferns.
September 2020 -
Palmerston North - Thank you
Wanganui - No comment made
Palmy - No comment made
Kiwitea - Congrats! Amazing bush. Excellent track. Great signs.
Feilding - All good.
Palmerston North - Great walk.
Pohangina - No comment made
Omaha - No comment name
Feilding - No comment made
Waituna West – Absolutely fantastic on the extended walk.
Feilding – Great walk. Thank you.
Palmerston North – Wonderful beauty and trees.
Taihape – Beautiful stand of native bush
Palmerston North – Thank you to the team of volunteers. Great walk.
Feilding – Great walk really.
Kiwitea – I enjoyed the effort you have gone to.
Manawatu Tramping club. 25 members –
Very enjoyable walk. Guided.
Wonderful bush. Beautifully labeled.
Enjoyable day. Great effort, Rangiwahia
Palmerston North – Great day out.
Linton – Wonderful
Palmerston North – great bush
Palmerston North – Beautiful trees.
Palmerston North – Good to see the recent development.
Feilding (x-Apiti) – Brill.
August 2020 -
Feilding - Great to be back
Feilding - Great track
Whanganui - Truly special track worth preserving.
Bay of Islands - No comment made
Bell Block - No comment made
Feilding – Very improved.
Peep-O-Day - Great walk. Kids loved it. Thanks.
Palmerston North – What a lovely walk. Thanks.
Auckland – Lovely walk. We were followed by an inquisitive fantail. Thanks for all the hard work.
Kiwitea – Thanks to the community who manage the track.
Foxton - No comment made
Feilding – Lovely bit of bush. Great walk.
Feilding – Well marked track. Lovely walk.
Wellington – Great
Napier – Just lovely.
Feilding – Here for the geocache. Got it! What stunning bush. Thank you team volunteers for upgrading the track. Great walk. Excellent bird life. As I’m colour blind pleased you used pink markers. I can see them!
July 2020 -
Whanganui - Loved this walk. Thank you so much!
Rangiwahia - Great walk for family
Pohangina - Beautiful bush. Will be back.
Palmerston North - Thursday trampers 9 of us - Thanks. Lot of good work
Feilding - Nga mihi
Ashhurst - Great track
Palmerston North - Very nice track and beautiful trees.
OSNZ (Ornithological Society of New Zealand) - Did an Ebird Atlas Survey count
26th March 2020 - COVID-19 lockdown Level Four, then Level Three.
During this time there were no visits to the Reserve.
From Level Two - 13 May to June 2020
Kimbolton - Very convenient piece of paradise
Palmerston Nth - Great walk.
Rangiwahia - First visit. Beautiful walk.
Ashhurst - Nice walk
Auckland - A nice work in progress
Dannevirke - Thanks. Very calm and peaceful
Apiti - What an assett to Manawatu. A lot of love has gone into it. Great walk. Thanks.
Hunterville - Great walk. Thanks. Well done, guys. Awesome.
Feilding - First time here, but it won't be the last!
Kimbolton - Lovely
Feilding & Waituna West - Great walk
Rangiwahia - Good walk
Rangiwahia - Good fun walk
Feilding - A well preserved "Little Gem"! Thank you!
Feilding - What a great walk. We'll be back.
Feilding - Magnificent bush. So close to "home". Great work.
Feilding - Magnificent bush. Keep up the good work!
Pohangina - Lovely trees. Thank you. ❤️
2020.
Quebec 🇨🇦 - Amazing trees.
Marton - Great. We’ll be back
Palmerston North - We made it! How fun
Huntly - Beautiful. Thank you.
Taupo - Thanks for your work maintaining this bit of paradise.
London, UK 🇬🇧 I - Please preserve this beauty.
Peep-o-Day, Manawatu - Grrrrrr8. Magnificent trees. Truly giants of the forest. May they live on.
Kimbolton - Track maintenance. Ferns look much happier after that bit of rain.
Tolaga Bay - Wonderful. Great work volunteers.
Titahi Bay, Porirua - Great track, well metered. Quite steep at the start, but worth it.
Cornwall, UK 🇬🇧 - Beautiful sunny day. Lovely in the trees.
Foxton - Saw and heard a karearea (NZ Falcon) at Matai lookout. Steep for me.
Turakina Valley - In my happy place. Cheers for the awesome marks.
Kimbolton - Lovely walk, best bush I’ve seen in ages. The beech clearing is the perfect lunch spot.
Titahi Bay - A wonderful hike. Thanks so for the efforts to construct the track. One suggestion. The stiles are almost impossible for dogs. Had to lift my 30kg GSP up and over the last one. Could you make access easier for dogs?
Wellington - Thought it was great & find a reserve I could take my dog to, but the stile meant we couldn’t access – maybe a spring-gate?
(Writers note - the stile has been altered so that dogs should be able to climb over with ease).
Palmerston North - Immensely grateful for the good medicine and sanctuary of this place.
Thanks to the kaihaki with much aroha.
Woodville - Stunning beautiful gem.
Kimbolton - Gorgeous bush. Well looked after!
Finland 🇫🇮 - So lovely
San Carlos, California 🇺🇸 - A nature paradise
France 🇫🇷 - Awesome walk. Great thank to those you maintain it.
Feilding/New Plymouth - There’s an old Geocache at the top & unfound for 4 years.
It’s still unfound, but the bush is excellent compensation. Thanks volunteers.
Mangaweka - Stunning old growth trees, thank you for making this area accessible. Great!
Lyttleton - A tree huggers delight. Thank you for an informative native beautiful track.
Papamoa -Thank you to those who have made this track walkable – fabulous.
London 🇬🇧 - Loving the bush
2019.
Feilding - Simply stunning. Loved every moment.
Wellington - Enchanted!
Palmerston Nth/Wellington - Had to come back. So magical.
Feilding - Beautiful unspoilt virgin splendour.
UK 🇬🇧 - Simply as it should be. Thank you.
New Plymouth - Well worth the effort.
CAnada 🇨🇦 - Wonderful trail. Thank you.
Netherlands - 🇳🇱 What magnificent trees. Loved it.
Napier - Fantastic – well marked track. Awesome trees. Loved it.
Germany 🇩🇪 - Very nice track.
Palmerston North - Nice!
Putararu - Piece of Paradise. Thanks.
Chicago, USA 🇺🇸 - Thank you. Nice reserve.
Feilding - Nice walk, but a bit tough in places for “oldies”.
Kimbolton - Quite nice.
Feilding - Very nicely maintained. Thanks.
Taumaranui - Beautiful. Thank you for the opportunity.
Christchurch - Thanks.
Wanganui - Beautiful walk
Palmerston North - Brilliant.
Kapiti Coast - Love it. Beautiful to hear the birds.
Feilding - Best reserve to date!!
Palmerston North -. Ditto above. Will be in touch with the committee.
Paris, France 🇫🇷 - Beau travail
California 🇺🇸- Lovely to experience original bush
Foxton - We will be back with better shoes.
Moonshine Valley - Cycled round the fence and walked part way.
Otaki - Walked whole trail. Well marked. Good.
Texas, USA 🇺🇸 - I love this hike. Love the labels on the trees.
Back again almost to the year.
Pretoria, 🇿🇦 - Unspoiled. Well marked. Absolutely awesome.
Palmy/ Feilding - Fantastic.
Wellington - Thank you! Superb track (training for 100 kms ultra run in the Blue Mountains, Australia. Technical trail here was perfect.
Wellington - I had fun jumping the tree roots. And reading the tree name plaques. (a child’s comment)
Feilding - Lovely trail
Palmerston North - Great people. Awesome track. Beaut.
Wanganui - Great NZ bush.
Ahope, NZ - Great. Easy identification of trees. Well done. Keep up the good work.
Canada 🇨🇦 - Wonderful view on top. Thanks.
Waitomo Caves - Great bush walk and trees.
Palmerston North - First time here. Ran 80%. Great trails.
Stratford, Taranaki - Great walk. Well done.
UK - Fabulous track. Thank you.
Hawke’s Bay - Awesome track. Thanx.
New York, USA 🇺🇸, Vancouver 🇨🇦 , Paekakariki, Jarna (Sweden 🇸🇪 ), Utrecht (Netherlands 🇳🇱) and
Wellington - Lovely evening stroll.
Feilding - Good fun. Thanks.
Ysselsteyn, (Netherlands 🇳🇱) and Hunterville -
Beautiful. Very well maintained
Cambridge - Great. Thank you.
Kapiti Coast - Incredible. Great job!
Waikanae - Taonga! (Maori for a natural resource, which is highly prized)
Feilding/Palmerston North - Lovely track
2018.
Palmerston North - Will be back.
Japan 🇯🇵 - Will be back.
Palmerston North - Excellent.
Wellington - Good work, community group.
Auckland - Thank you! Wonderful mature forest.
How much to build a predator proof fence?
Palmerston North - Excellent
2017.
Rangiwahia - Awesome.
Palmerston Nth - Great trees. Congrats.
Australia 🇦🇺 - We had lots of fun, A fabulous walk.
France 🇫🇷 - Very nice. Fine walk.
Australia 🇦🇺 - Beautiful bush. Heaps of birds
Zambia 🇿🇲 - Great track. Thanks. Really good track.
Well thought out and easy to navigate.
Palmerston North - Amazing variety of trees and fauna.
Magnificient walk with amazing trees. Track must stay open.
Feilding - Fabulous.
Palmerston North - Great to have tree signs
Palmerston North - Fantastic forest remnant. Don’t lose it!
Palmerston North - Marvellous variety of mature native trees.
Palmerston North - So many huge natives. Brilliant.
Feilding - Best bush seen in 15 years of tramping.
Palmerston North - Great bush for school children to visit.
Palmerston North - Well worth the trip. Keep it.
Palmerston North - Must conserve this forest remnant.
Excellent for children the original bush.
Palmerston North - Best forest walk ever!
Kimbolton - Local hike in the bush
Kimbolton - Magnificent rimus
- These are virtually all the comments since 2017. If they are not there it is because we were unable to read them or no comment was made.
- We have included places and comments, but have not included names for privacy reasons. Not everyone who walks the Reserve enters a comment in the book
- Latest monthly reviews feature first.
July 2023.
???. NZ - Stunning bush. Amazing work put into maintaining reserve. Appreciate all the signage and safety. Bring a walking stick.
Comment in Google from same couple - The beautiful section of New Zealand forest is one on the most surreal places I've been in the country. I work in a career where I'm often out in forests and I have never seen a place quite like it anywhere else in the manawatu. Absolutely stunning. Excellently sign posted, and with rope to help you through the potentially slippery areas, we went during the rain today and it was great! A very vocal piwakawaka followed us most of the way, practically sitting on our shoes at some points. Incredible care has been taken to maintain the track but keep the integrity of the forest, it truly seems like someone has worked around the trees instead of against them.
June 2023.
Taihape - Coming back along the laneway I saw a mature tabby cat east of the first entrance.
Caretaker comment - Feral cats are an ongoing problem and we are doing our best to control them.
Be reassured we are not referring to the domestic cat.
South of the South Otago - Some of the biggest podocarps we've seen. Well done. Steve and Mary
???. NZ - Lovely walk
May 2023.
??? NZ - waiata.
Feilding - Fantastic
Rangiwahia - caretakers- Pest control around the Three Hour track. Also check ed the traps in the Kaikawaka Reserve near the cemetery. Amazing bird song in both reserves. Heaps of tui and fantail, plus grey warbler, tomtit and wood pigeon. Heard a NZ Falcon in the Rangi Reserve.
Palmerston North & Tauranga - Loved the bird song, the challenging clamber up and the peacefulness.Thank you for the opportunity to view the amazing bush. And for the poles and string. (Rope rails)
France 🇫🇷 - What an amazing walk!! it was so pleasant to learn about all these trees. Thank you so much for all the signs and information provided. We loved it!!
April 2023.
??? NZ - It was very cool.
Wanganui - Fantastic walk. Lovely bush setting and very interesting.
Palmerston North - Very well maintained track. Grateful for the ropes. Lovely to have the fantails following us along.
New Plymouth - Lovely walk. Would loved to have gone all the way round. Next time. Well maintained tracks. Well done!
UK 🇬🇧 - Wonderful walk! Thank you for all the effort to make it wild, but well signed and informative.
??? NZ - Exceptional walk. Just loved it. Thank you.
Palmerston North - Best walk ever. Amazing.
Canada 🇨🇦 - Beautiful hike. Can't wait to come back.
New Plymouth - Lovely. Hard work with 4 and 5 year olds, but they loved it.
Rangiwahia (caretakers) - Throuhgout the whole bush I have never seen so mant fantails. Rebaited the pest-control traps with eggs and apples. Emptied kill. Big day's work.
Feilding - (No comment made)
Feilding - An Easter treat. Beautiful.
???. NZ - Beautiful forest, friendly fantails. Sooooo beautiful and diverse. Something different around every corner.
Wellington - Excellent hike. Beautiful.
March 2023.
Warkworth - A beautiful bush walk. Fantails, black robin and kereru seen. Very cool.
Caretaker comment - Unfortunately there are no robins in the reserve. The black bird seen was probably a male tomtit)
Feilding - Great for tree hugging. Thanks for the rope, Steve and Mary.
Palmerston North- Great walk (Three Hour Track)
Pukerua Bay - Thanks for looking after this. Great Thanks.
Palmerston North - Amazing trees.
Texas, USA 🇺🇸 - I'm back. Saw no Entwifes, but sublime trees.
???, NZ - Nice Saturday bush walk. Love the twin wheki and rimu.
???, NZ - Here's to all the below comments plus the bird life. Thanks to Steve and Mary, your volunteers and DoC.
Gisborne - From floods and cyclones to the most beautiful and densest native bush I have ever walked through.
We enjoyed the challenge and I loved all the native ferns and mosses. Thank you for all your conservation for all to enjoy. MJ.
NZ - Neat walk.
Whangarei - Amazing. Thank you.
Feilding - Love the place
Taihape - Possum control around the reserve.
February 2023.
Auckland - What a fabulous day.
Rangiwahia (caretakers) – Track maintenance, nearly completed the rope rails. Three rats in traps.
Taihape – Sunday strolls can’t get much better than this.
Bungendore, NSW 🇦🇺– Fabulaous walk, very well marked.
??? – Saw a ruru near the twin wheki pongas (on Reserve track). Magical.
Rangiwahia (caretakers) – Track maintenance, continuing with rope rails , checking stoat traps.
Kimbolton – Love it out here. Thank you.
Scotland 🏴– Returning to Bonnie Scotland, but this has been an awesome walk amongst NZ nature plus unique trees.
Palmy and Czech Republic 🇨🇿 – lovely to have a place where I can take my Mum to experience the forest and nature within her abilities. Thank you!
Otaki – One of NZ’s best kept secrets, stunning.
??? – Fun!
Fairhope, Alabama, USA 🇺🇸– So very worthwhile. Thank you.
Rangiwahia (caretakers) – Continued with rope rails. Steve carried in 4 more standards. We trimmed the track in places. There has. Been so much rain and so much growth. The old dead totara at the top of the Reserve track (1st track) has fallen over. It only covered a small section of the track and it was fairly straight-forward to clear it.
Blenheim – Brilliant. So much work done. Thank you.
Nelson – Wonderful walk. Such beautiful trees.
January 2023 - starting beginning of month.
Feilding – No comment entered.
Canterbury – Great variety.
Wellington – Amazed! Will have to come back and do the whole thing. Incredible signage. Absolutely loved it.
Palmerston North – Magical. Great trees.
France 🇫🇷– Beautiful trees!
Palmerston North – Great signs, rope really good, fantastic trees.
USA – 🇱🇷. Wow! Thank you for the trail and the ropes!!
Palmerston North – Great signs. Need reasonable fitness and good footwear. (Caretakers agree).
Australia 🇦🇺- I love ferns.
Kimbolton – Lovely. Great rope improvements.
Wellington – Wonderful experience.
Kairanga – Great walk. Foxgloves flowering. Just need removing.
Rangiwahia/Timaru/Clinton – Caretakers plus 2 granddaughters. – Didn’t see the white fantail that had been spotted a few days ago, but was followed whole way by an ordinary one.
Feilding – Love this place.
Kimbolton – Gorgeous! Lots of piwakawaka (fantails)
Palmerston North/Tauranga – Very wet, but beautiful
Levin – No comment made.
Palmerston North – Amazing! Thanks for all the work. Great resource for the Manawatu.
Feilding – Lovely day. Lovely trees.
Ashhurst - A well-cared for reserve. Loved it. Good signage!
Marton – Did 3 hour round trip – good!!!
Palmerston North - No comment made.
Germany 🇩🇪– Best walk ever. Next time more hours.
Eltham, Taranaki – Lovely. Enjoyed the tree ID. Thanks.
Germany 🇩🇪 – Thanks!
Palmerston North - No comment made.
Mangaweka – Loved it!
Wellington – Lovely way to spend 23rd anniversary!
Kimbolton – No comment made.
Tauranga – Loved all the birds and the fantail that followed us.
Tauranga - A lovely place to be on a hot day.
Paekakariki – Fantastic reserve. Amazing huge trees.
Paekakariki – Wow! What huge trees. Fantail also.
Taihape – One of my favourite places for a walk.
Upper Hutt – I love the signs.
Rangiwahia - Caretakers - Some pest control - one stoat. Minimal possum sign now. Continued rope rails and clearing some of the track of over-grown ferns. More rope rails to complete on the 2nd track. Thanks so much to Give-a-Little fund and an individual donation. It is great to meet people walking the track and
December 2022 –
Palmerston North – Beautiful track. Trees are big and cool!!
Taihape – Really appreciate the excellent trails.
Pohangina – Wonderful.
Israel 🇸🇻– Fabulous bush and tracks. Helping Steve put the steel posts and rope in.
Auckland – Saw a karearea in the forest?
Palmerston North – Beautiful bush.
Wellington – Good track. Thanks for ropes. Saw some sort of fungi. Don’t know what. Black & dripping.
Napier/Palmerston North- Fantastical bush. Wonderful place.
Rangiwahia/South island. – Mary Bielski with sons and grandchildren. Beautiful day. The older boys ran the 2nd track and met up with us with the younger children at the beach ridge on the 1st track!!
Palmerston North – Stunning walk. Rangiwahia is simply the best.
Poland, Warsaw 🇮🇩– Nice walk.
Wellington – Lovely view. Loved the piwakawaka.
Hamilton – Tane pai ngahere – Loved it. Thanks to those who care for this bush.
Palmerston North – Beautiful unspoiled bush. Pink markers great.
November 2022.
Apiti – Nice walk. Lovely to see trees, great views.
Feilding – Awesome again.
Rangiwahia – Caretakers. Checking traps. Lots of tuis in the flowering rewarewa. Have not heard so many.
Palmerston/Wellington – Like the forests of old – beautiful dense bush. Thanks!
??? – Gobsmackingly beautiful. Wonderful old grandma’s of trees. Did the long walk. Huge number of tuis. Mustelid (stoat) in #17. Great signage.
Quebec, Canada 🇨🇦– Beautiful huge trees. Great walk.
??? – You have a deer problem.
Rangiwahia – Caretakers. Deer have always been in the reserve. DOC won’t allow guns, but will allow the deer. Upgraded safety rope rails at first climb down to the first stream. Yellow caps will be placed on top of the standards on Wednesday.
Wellington – We will be back with proper shoes. Lol!!
October 2022.
??? – Primo track. Walked full loop 1 hr 15mins. Will definitely be back.
Kimbolton – Awesome walk with the dogs.
Waipawa – Tour Aotearoa.
Kimbolton – (Comment from Anne, who has moved out of the area and who worked tirelessly with us on the pest-control programme. We are indebted to Anne for all she has done in your reducing the pests within the reserve.
To Steve and Mary Bielski. What an amazing job you have done in the bush. Thanks to your passion and commitment. It is full of life. Thank you so much. You are wonderful people and great caretakers of this treasure. All my love and respect, Anne.
Feilding – Always something new to learn. Thank you.
Palmerston North – Great track. Full of variety, well-marked and views.
September 2022.
BC, Canada 🇨🇦 – Wonderful. Love blue narrow track, markers.
PNTMC – Palmerston North tramping club- Wonderful trees. Thanks for the guided walk.
Rewa – Loved it.
Palmerston North – A bit muddy so didn’t go far. Will be back.
August 2022 -
Palmerston North - Blue track. 3 hrs and 10minutes. So rewarding.
Vinegar Hill (Manawatu) - Beautiful track.
Wellington - Stopped randomly to see what was here. Spent 2 hours! Amazing and unexpected.
Palmerston North - DOC. Track inspection.
Palmerston North - 30 x Manawatu Tramping & Skiing Club - Huge variety of trees and we made use of the table and seats too!
Bastrop, Texas, USA 🇱🇷– Beautiful.
Bastrop, Texas, USA 🇱🇷– My 4th visit. Spectacular and love the notifications. So educational.
Rangiwahia – Caretakers. Pest control.
UK 🇬🇧– Fabulous. One hour watching fantail.
Taihape – Beautiful.
Hunterville – Gorgeous day for a lovely walk.
July 2022 –
Palmerston North – Thank you! Beautiful bush walk! We will be back.
Whakarongo - Even good on a wet day.
Dannevirke – Stunning day in bush
Feilding – Amazing old trees.
Sanson – Huge trees. A rare treasure.
Palmerston North - What an amazing place. Now I know it is here I will come back & explore it more over summer. Great work with markers/planks over muddy area, etc!!! I think this is the most impressive podocarp forest I've walked through.
Shannon & Horowhenua - Amazing! Saw plants/trees Iv'e never seen before.
???? - Absolute treasure of a forest, love the old growth trees. We saw korimako (bell bird), ruru plus kārearea. Thanks for protecting this place.
Marton - Fantastic
Upper Hutt - Lovely place. Lots of ups and down, but great.
Rangiwahia - Caretakers. Track maintenance and pest control.
Palmerston North, Shannon - 7 members of the MTSC Thursday Trampers - Great walk. Wonderful. First time-wonderful. Great. Thank you for all your work
Rangiwahia - Caretakers. Track maintenance. Pleasant day. tracks well-maintained.
June 2022.
Manchester & Invercargill (to Wanganui) – Sad that we lost so much biodiversity. Thanks for your mahi (work)
Hawke’s Bay –
Bulls – Truly magnificent trees. Please kill the magpies, loud & aggressive.
Pohangina – Cool trees.
Palmerston North – Hard work, but big reward. Dogs v. happy.
Palmerston North – A labour of love.
May 2022.
Palmerston North – Up to the lookout.
Bulls - Great walk. A few fallen trees on path.
Rangiwahia – caretakers – some windfall from recent winds. Cleared both tracks. Good to walk.
April 2022.
Mahia. – Such a beautiful reserve. Was fortunate enough to meet the couple looking after it. The wildlife is amazing.
Feilding – Met the same couple who do such a wonderful job. Amazing place.
Rangiwahia – caretakers – All tree labels in except for 2. Will get them done another day. Also some pest control. It was great to meet those walking the track today.
Palmerston North – It was an all-right walk.
Wanganui – Beautiful
Paekakariki – Lovely nice tree signs. The laneway was v muddy and slippery.
Caretaker comment – Yes the laneway around the reserve can be muddy as is used as laneway for stock. It can get very wet in the winter. There are walkways along the fence line in the worse places.
Palmerston North – 10 out of 10. Fantastic.
Kapiti Coast – Bumped into a volunteer. Nice lady.
Wairarapa -Thank you!!
Wellington – Great bush. The dogs loved it.
Wanganui – Tumeke/Awesome
Wellington – Great walk.
Wellington, Auckland, Palmerston North and Feilding – Amazing trees. Great views.
Palmerston North – Great walk through the forest.
Whangarei – Excellent bush walk.
Carterton – Great
Palmerston North – Fun walk and not too challenging.
Napier to Taranaki to Wellington – Enjoyed by all – about 15. (NZMCA)
Wellington, Porirua, Pemberton – Amazing walk
March 2022
Wellington – Wonderfully rich bush
Palmerston Nth – Beautiful bush. The top is really worth it.
Palmerston North - great variety of trees.
Palmerston North – Great native trees and bushes.
Palmerston North – Nice walk
Palmerston North – Beautiful
Kaiwaka – Thanks for looking after this patch.
Palmerston North – Amazing. Signs around were fantastic.
Palmerston North – Ahh. So magical. Thank you so much. Stunning walk. Seriously awe-inspiring. Really appreciate being allowed to bring dog – on lead, don’t worry.
Feilding – Great to visit again. And well done for your work.
Rangiwahia – Pest control
Martinborough – One of the most breath-taking bush we’ve seen.
Waikanae – A treasure. Such a privilege to have available to us
Rangiwahia – Track maintenance
Marton – Great walk. Awesome nature
Taihape – Thanks for markers its awesome
February 2022 -
Rangiwahia – Went for a run
Rangiwahia – Checking traps
New Zealand – Great walk. Well done team
??..................... – Very enjoyable. Beautiful forest. Like stepping back in time
Taihape – Beautiful. Highly recommend.
January 2022.
Feilding – A really good start for the New Year. As usual, wonderful!
Dunedin – What a taonga! (Highly prized NZ Treasure – writer’s comment)
A wonderful unexpected native remnant. Well-marked. Appreciated the ropes.
Pohangina Valley – Beautiful
Auckland – We really enjoyed the wilderness of this track with useful details such as the bridges and steps. What a great hidden gem. What a hidden gem. Really beautiful and a lot to see and do.
Palmerston North – A great scenic walk. Brilliant.
Palmerston North – A beautiful walk & bush. Love it.
Porirua (nee Rangiwahia) Lovely to be home. Beautiful bush.
Eketahuna – Awesome
Eketahuna – Awesome
Palmerson North – Well marked track
Bay of Plenty – Amazing trees and walk. Well done.
Auckland – Awesome to see all the different trees.
Wanganui – Beautiful
Taihape – Nice way to spend an afternoon
Auckland – Thanks for looking after this treasure so beautifully
Palmerston North – Great walk, great signage and planks appreciated.
Carterton – Reserve track
Inglewood – No comment made
Palmerston North – Beautiful
Tokoroa – Loved our walk
Wellington –Beautiful trees and wesome signage
Auckland – Loved your signs, steps and ropes to view this amazing forest. Great work.
Waikanae – Great walk. Hidden gem.
Feilding – Great walk. Amazing trees.
Rangiwahia – Weed & pest control. Track maintenance.
Lyall Bay, Wellington – No comment made
Rangiwahia – Weed & pest control
Wellington – Exploring the NZ forests. We loved the tree tag names made the trip. Loved reading signs.
Rangiwahia & Wellington – Amazing bush.
Wanganui – Wonderful. Thank you.
Rangiwahia – Installing 1st 24 tree labels on the 2nd track.
Rangiwahia – Installing more tree labels on the 2nd track
Rangiwahia – Family walk
Rangiwahia – Great - well marked trees.
Rangiwahia – Installed most of the tree labels on the 2nd track. Only a few left to go.
December 2021.
Rangiwahia – (Caretakers Steve & Mary) Weed and pest control
Feilding – Interesting. Green track
Waipukurau – Ghee
Lower Hutt – We enjoyed the native bush especially the tree markers
Auckland, Cheltenham, Feilding - No comment made
Palmerston North – Lovely walk.
Wellington – Wonderful. Well done.
??? – Lovely
Palmerston North – Lovely
Palmerston North - Lovely walk
Wellington – Nice little walk for all ages
Petone – Very well marked
Richmond, Tasma – Just what we needed to finish the year.
Palmerston North (nee Apiti) – A special secret bush. Happy New Year!
November 2021
Kapiti – Lovely spot, very peaceful
Ohakea – Lovely walk, track. Well signed.
Kimbolton - Beautiful.
Feilding – Has 4 hinau
Feilding – Great as usual
Palmerston North – Loved the signs.
Rangiwahia – Pest control. Renewed all the eggs.
Wanganui – Loved the walk. Superb trees. But wasn’t too keen on the spider in the visitor’s book!!
Paraparaumu Beach – Wonderful.
Tauranga – Beautiful native trees.
Taupo – When will you re-introduce kiwi?
Ashhurst – Amazing forest. Look forward to visiting again.
Rangiwahia – Weed and pest control
October 2021
??? – Excellent. Great walk. Well-marked and labeled.
??? – Beautiful
??? – Loved it.
Rangiwahia - Checking traps plus got got of two patches of Darwin’s Barberry in full flower. The falcon is back.
Palmerston North – Bird atlas sing
Palmerston North - Love this magical sanctuary. Love the maps. Thank you!
Ashhurst – Awesome walks and views.
Rangiwahia – Checking pest traps. Cutting out Darwin’s Barberry and Buttercup shrub around the perimeter of the reserve.
Palmerston North – Lovely walk
Palmerston North & Auckland – Fantastic someone had the fore-thought to clear this.
September 2021
??? – Ka pai walk. Beautiful land. Kia ora.
Otaki – Great forest.
Waikato – Some of the best Podocarp forest we have seen. Thanks for looking after it.
Rangiwahia community – Planted 3 trees along the walkway to our beautiful place.
Raumati Beach – Beaurtiful. Thank you for preserving it. X
August 2021
Feilding – Some more trapping would make it awesome. Best bush around Manawatu
Comment from writer – There is plenty of trapping going on - at least weekly.
Rangiwahia – No comment
Kimbolton - No comment
Wellington – An amazing place.
Palmerston North – Counting the birds for NZ bird Atlas
Rangiwahia (the caretakers of the bush) – Managing traps & counting the birds. Flocks of wax eyes, plenty of famtails, grey warblers, kererus, few tomtits, beelbirds & tuis. Some eastern rosellas, blackbirds, spur-winged plovers, a few chaffinches. The bird numbers are definitely increasing.
Rangiwhia – Checking traps. Lots of birds.
Rangiwahia – Checking traps.
July 2021
Feilding – Peaceful walk. Well marked
Palmerston North – Very quiet & comfy walk. Have enjoyed it all the way. Was hoping to find some mushroom/fungi, but no luck. Already looking forward to coming back & do the longer one. Great job.
Wanganui – Nice walk. Awesome trees.
Feilding – Awesome.
Pohangina – Loved it. Thank you!
Gisborne – Thanks for a great experience. Did the loop. Loved the trees, the signs & lots of wood pigeons.
Manapouri – Fantastic trees
Ashhurst – The food at the Bush Café was delicious!!
Wellington – Beautiful bush.
June 2021
Wellington – Will too.
Hamilton, Wellington, Mt Manganui – Such a nice track. Great nature and birds
Palmerston North – No comment
Palmerston North – Lovely spot for a picnic
Auckland – Wonderful unique bush experience
Palmerston North – Nice track
May 2021
Marton – Forest & Bird. Thank you. This is New Zealand
Marton – Thanks to the Bielskis for showing us the best reserve in the southern North Island.
Oroua Downs – Great walk
Strathmore Park - Wellington – Cow poos, fantails, mud, cows!
Mt Victoria - Wellington – An ab solute gem. Thank you.
Mt Eden - Auckland – Well signposted. Great walk. Grateful for the boots and walking pole.
Feilding – Will be back.
Feilding – Really enjoyed second trip. Will be here again.
Opito Bay - Coromandel – Majestic native bush. Awesome.
Palmerston North – Well marked. Beautiful native bush walk
Papakowhai – Calm and awesome
Taihape – No comment
Palmerston North – Well worth visit.
Feilding - Camera battery working today. Reserve just as wonderful
Feilding – Thanks to Anne. A brilliant piece of bush
(From the writer - Anne is part of pest control team)
Pohangina– Thanks, Anne, a great Forest & Bird outing.
Feilding – Thanks to all who made this place accessible
Pohangina – Thanks Anne, Steve & Mary. Excellent Forest & Bird trip
Feilding – A wonderful assesst for our region. Congratulations
Feilding – Awesome walk.
Levin – Wow.
Feilding – Amazing
Feilding – Outstanding. Thanks to our enthusiastic & passionate guides Steve & Mary. Great experience. Best walk. Well signed. Thanks.
Kiwitea – First time doing new bit – nice.
Feilding – Back again!
Palmerston North – Very good
Feilding – My 4th trip – so much to see. Great.
Travelling NZ – Excellent. We will come again.
April 2021
Takanini, Auckland – Thanks so much for all the work on this track.
Beautiful & challenging.
Waikawa Beach, Havelock North and Palmy – Thanks for taking care of nature.
Loved the “step back in time” feeling. Raw, natural, untouched.
March 2021
Marton (Forest & Bird member) – Thanks to the Bielski’s for sharing the best southern North Island reserve
Marton – Thank you, Steve and Mary. This is New Zealand.
Marton (Forest & Bird members). Wonderful. A local treasure.
Marton – Fab walk. Well maintained. Wonderful. A local treasure.
Marton – Nice walk.
Feilding – Awesome. Great to see so many old trees.
Feilding - Great! Will be coming back.
Apiti – Great walk. Lots to look at
Christchurch – Lovely natural walk
Levin - Fantastic place just to be. Appreciated the pink markers – can’t get lost
Taihape – Enjoyable after work walk
?? – Beautiful forest.
Taihape – Enjoyable after-work walk
Levin – Fantastic place just to be – can’t get lost
Christchurch – Lovely natural walk
Apiti – Great walk. Lots to look at.
Feilding – Great. Will be back again.
Feilding – Awesome. Great to see so many old trees.
Marton – Nice walk
Marton – Fab walk. Well maintained.
February 2021
Feilding – Keeps getting better! Keep up the good work! Saw the falcon too near the track exit. ??? – Lovely walk with stunning bush
Feilding – Just amazing. Thank you to all your work who made this walk so great. Lovely walk with stunning bush Waikane – Wow!
Kapiti Coast – Great spot. Good job done,
Feilding – (no comment made)
Wellington – A lovely walk. Thanks for the markers.
Wellington – Saw a ruru (morepork). Many thanks.
Palmerston North – Found the geocache. Beautiful. Well maintained.
Palmerston North – Beautiful!
Palmerston & Northland – Fine spot.
Palmerston North - Great.
Bulls – Felt like going back in time. Amazing track.
Mangaweka – Lovely.
Lower Hutt – Awesome.
Feilding – So great.
Feilding – Amazing. Well done.
Feilding – Great track, peaceful & magical.
Palmerston North – Awesome. Thank you.
Wellington – So helpful having the tree fern names. Makes walk more interesting. Thank you to all who maintain this wonderful area.
Ruahine Road, Rangiwahia - (no comment made)
Palmerston North – Always a great walk. Even better 2nd or 3rd time round.
Christchurch – Need to come back with more time.
Manawatu – Stunning.
Palmerston north/Foxton Beach – Stunning.
Palmerston North – Fab
Feilding – Wonderful
Ashhurst – Super hot!
Sri Lanka🇱🇰 – Great. Love it.
January 2021.
Woodend – (no comment made)
Feilding – (no comment made)
Feilding – Thank you. Beautiful.
Palmerston North – (no comment made)
Auckland – What a wonderful work the Bielski family and others have given our community.
Palmerston North – what a magical tour of the new track.
Kinlock, Taupo – Nice. Saw eastern rosellas.
Lower Hutt – Very impressive and a gem of what we have lost.
Canterbury. – Awesome track (2nd). Loved all the track markers, signs of trees, especially signs telling to look up, and quirky signs eg The Red Beech Café.
Rangiwahia – Good track (2nd track)
Kiwitea and Palmy – So nice in the rain.The long track is beautiful. Lovely big tree ferns. Truly breathtaking.
Palmerston North – Thanks, Anne, (pest-control volunteer) for sharing this slice of paradise with us.
Taihape – The loop trap is a stunning addition to an already superb walk.
Turakina Valley – Love the trees!
December 2020
Feilding – ex-Apiti – (no comment made)
Paraparaumu – Great natural bush.
Grey Lynn, Auckland – Wonderful to see native bush still going.
Wellington – Lovely native bush. Lots of birdies. Well done and all the trapping.
Wanganui – wet, but stunning.
Ahuriri (Hawke’s Bay)- Mauri ora.
Napier – Beautiful
Taihape – Amazing walk. Thank you very much
Kimbolton – Loved the walk. Good day with boy-friend.
Timaru, Craigmore Station – Amazing bush walk
Palmerston North - !!!
November 2020
Bulls - (no comment made)
Vinegar Hill (no comment made)
Feilding – Loved looking for puriri moth holes.
Auckland – Show case of NZ trees.
Apiti - (no comment made)
Waipawa – Jewel in the crown! Thanks to volunteers for maintaining track and pest control
Feilding – Hidden gem
Auckland – Wonderful showcase of native trees.
Palmerston North – great walk (2nd track). Plants identified.
Many thanks to Suzanne & Allan, Botanists, who identified trees/plants on the 2nd track for the labelling project.
????? – First timers. He ataahua ngahere. Love, love, love.
October 2020.
Palmerston North – My legs hurt!
Taihape – Great walk.
Kiwitea – Great walk
Feilding – Nice walk.
Poirua – Well marked.
Napier – What a treasure. We will be back.
Palmerston North – Beautiful.
Wanganui – Great bush
Ashburton – Great to see lots of silver ferns.
Palmerston North – Amazing variety of large trees and tree ferns.
September 2020 -
Palmerston North - Thank you
Wanganui - No comment made
Palmy - No comment made
Kiwitea - Congrats! Amazing bush. Excellent track. Great signs.
Feilding - All good.
Palmerston North - Great walk.
Pohangina - No comment made
Omaha - No comment name
Feilding - No comment made
Waituna West – Absolutely fantastic on the extended walk.
Feilding – Great walk. Thank you.
Palmerston North – Wonderful beauty and trees.
Taihape – Beautiful stand of native bush
Palmerston North – Thank you to the team of volunteers. Great walk.
Feilding – Great walk really.
Kiwitea – I enjoyed the effort you have gone to.
Manawatu Tramping club. 25 members –
Very enjoyable walk. Guided.
Wonderful bush. Beautifully labeled.
Enjoyable day. Great effort, Rangiwahia
Palmerston North – Great day out.
Linton – Wonderful
Palmerston North – great bush
Palmerston North – Beautiful trees.
Palmerston North – Good to see the recent development.
Feilding (x-Apiti) – Brill.
August 2020 -
Feilding - Great to be back
Feilding - Great track
Whanganui - Truly special track worth preserving.
Bay of Islands - No comment made
Bell Block - No comment made
Feilding – Very improved.
Peep-O-Day - Great walk. Kids loved it. Thanks.
Palmerston North – What a lovely walk. Thanks.
Auckland – Lovely walk. We were followed by an inquisitive fantail. Thanks for all the hard work.
Kiwitea – Thanks to the community who manage the track.
Foxton - No comment made
Feilding – Lovely bit of bush. Great walk.
Feilding – Well marked track. Lovely walk.
Wellington – Great
Napier – Just lovely.
Feilding – Here for the geocache. Got it! What stunning bush. Thank you team volunteers for upgrading the track. Great walk. Excellent bird life. As I’m colour blind pleased you used pink markers. I can see them!
July 2020 -
Whanganui - Loved this walk. Thank you so much!
Rangiwahia - Great walk for family
Pohangina - Beautiful bush. Will be back.
Palmerston North - Thursday trampers 9 of us - Thanks. Lot of good work
Feilding - Nga mihi
Ashhurst - Great track
Palmerston North - Very nice track and beautiful trees.
OSNZ (Ornithological Society of New Zealand) - Did an Ebird Atlas Survey count
26th March 2020 - COVID-19 lockdown Level Four, then Level Three.
During this time there were no visits to the Reserve.
From Level Two - 13 May to June 2020
Kimbolton - Very convenient piece of paradise
Palmerston Nth - Great walk.
Rangiwahia - First visit. Beautiful walk.
Ashhurst - Nice walk
Auckland - A nice work in progress
Dannevirke - Thanks. Very calm and peaceful
Apiti - What an assett to Manawatu. A lot of love has gone into it. Great walk. Thanks.
Hunterville - Great walk. Thanks. Well done, guys. Awesome.
Feilding - First time here, but it won't be the last!
Kimbolton - Lovely
Feilding & Waituna West - Great walk
Rangiwahia - Good walk
Rangiwahia - Good fun walk
Feilding - A well preserved "Little Gem"! Thank you!
Feilding - What a great walk. We'll be back.
Feilding - Magnificent bush. So close to "home". Great work.
Feilding - Magnificent bush. Keep up the good work!
Pohangina - Lovely trees. Thank you. ❤️
2020.
Quebec 🇨🇦 - Amazing trees.
Marton - Great. We’ll be back
Palmerston North - We made it! How fun
Huntly - Beautiful. Thank you.
Taupo - Thanks for your work maintaining this bit of paradise.
London, UK 🇬🇧 I - Please preserve this beauty.
Peep-o-Day, Manawatu - Grrrrrr8. Magnificent trees. Truly giants of the forest. May they live on.
Kimbolton - Track maintenance. Ferns look much happier after that bit of rain.
Tolaga Bay - Wonderful. Great work volunteers.
Titahi Bay, Porirua - Great track, well metered. Quite steep at the start, but worth it.
Cornwall, UK 🇬🇧 - Beautiful sunny day. Lovely in the trees.
Foxton - Saw and heard a karearea (NZ Falcon) at Matai lookout. Steep for me.
Turakina Valley - In my happy place. Cheers for the awesome marks.
Kimbolton - Lovely walk, best bush I’ve seen in ages. The beech clearing is the perfect lunch spot.
Titahi Bay - A wonderful hike. Thanks so for the efforts to construct the track. One suggestion. The stiles are almost impossible for dogs. Had to lift my 30kg GSP up and over the last one. Could you make access easier for dogs?
Wellington - Thought it was great & find a reserve I could take my dog to, but the stile meant we couldn’t access – maybe a spring-gate?
(Writers note - the stile has been altered so that dogs should be able to climb over with ease).
Palmerston North - Immensely grateful for the good medicine and sanctuary of this place.
Thanks to the kaihaki with much aroha.
Woodville - Stunning beautiful gem.
Kimbolton - Gorgeous bush. Well looked after!
Finland 🇫🇮 - So lovely
San Carlos, California 🇺🇸 - A nature paradise
France 🇫🇷 - Awesome walk. Great thank to those you maintain it.
Feilding/New Plymouth - There’s an old Geocache at the top & unfound for 4 years.
It’s still unfound, but the bush is excellent compensation. Thanks volunteers.
Mangaweka - Stunning old growth trees, thank you for making this area accessible. Great!
Lyttleton - A tree huggers delight. Thank you for an informative native beautiful track.
Papamoa -Thank you to those who have made this track walkable – fabulous.
London 🇬🇧 - Loving the bush
2019.
Feilding - Simply stunning. Loved every moment.
Wellington - Enchanted!
Palmerston Nth/Wellington - Had to come back. So magical.
Feilding - Beautiful unspoilt virgin splendour.
UK 🇬🇧 - Simply as it should be. Thank you.
New Plymouth - Well worth the effort.
CAnada 🇨🇦 - Wonderful trail. Thank you.
Netherlands - 🇳🇱 What magnificent trees. Loved it.
Napier - Fantastic – well marked track. Awesome trees. Loved it.
Germany 🇩🇪 - Very nice track.
Palmerston North - Nice!
Putararu - Piece of Paradise. Thanks.
Chicago, USA 🇺🇸 - Thank you. Nice reserve.
Feilding - Nice walk, but a bit tough in places for “oldies”.
Kimbolton - Quite nice.
Feilding - Very nicely maintained. Thanks.
Taumaranui - Beautiful. Thank you for the opportunity.
Christchurch - Thanks.
Wanganui - Beautiful walk
Palmerston North - Brilliant.
Kapiti Coast - Love it. Beautiful to hear the birds.
Feilding - Best reserve to date!!
Palmerston North -. Ditto above. Will be in touch with the committee.
Paris, France 🇫🇷 - Beau travail
California 🇺🇸- Lovely to experience original bush
Foxton - We will be back with better shoes.
Moonshine Valley - Cycled round the fence and walked part way.
Otaki - Walked whole trail. Well marked. Good.
Texas, USA 🇺🇸 - I love this hike. Love the labels on the trees.
Back again almost to the year.
Pretoria, 🇿🇦 - Unspoiled. Well marked. Absolutely awesome.
Palmy/ Feilding - Fantastic.
Wellington - Thank you! Superb track (training for 100 kms ultra run in the Blue Mountains, Australia. Technical trail here was perfect.
Wellington - I had fun jumping the tree roots. And reading the tree name plaques. (a child’s comment)
Feilding - Lovely trail
Palmerston North - Great people. Awesome track. Beaut.
Wanganui - Great NZ bush.
Ahope, NZ - Great. Easy identification of trees. Well done. Keep up the good work.
Canada 🇨🇦 - Wonderful view on top. Thanks.
Waitomo Caves - Great bush walk and trees.
Palmerston North - First time here. Ran 80%. Great trails.
Stratford, Taranaki - Great walk. Well done.
UK - Fabulous track. Thank you.
Hawke’s Bay - Awesome track. Thanx.
New York, USA 🇺🇸, Vancouver 🇨🇦 , Paekakariki, Jarna (Sweden 🇸🇪 ), Utrecht (Netherlands 🇳🇱) and
Wellington - Lovely evening stroll.
Feilding - Good fun. Thanks.
Ysselsteyn, (Netherlands 🇳🇱) and Hunterville -
Beautiful. Very well maintained
Cambridge - Great. Thank you.
Kapiti Coast - Incredible. Great job!
Waikanae - Taonga! (Maori for a natural resource, which is highly prized)
Feilding/Palmerston North - Lovely track
2018.
Palmerston North - Will be back.
Japan 🇯🇵 - Will be back.
Palmerston North - Excellent.
Wellington - Good work, community group.
Auckland - Thank you! Wonderful mature forest.
How much to build a predator proof fence?
Palmerston North - Excellent
2017.
Rangiwahia - Awesome.
Palmerston Nth - Great trees. Congrats.
Australia 🇦🇺 - We had lots of fun, A fabulous walk.
France 🇫🇷 - Very nice. Fine walk.
Australia 🇦🇺 - Beautiful bush. Heaps of birds
Zambia 🇿🇲 - Great track. Thanks. Really good track.
Well thought out and easy to navigate.
Palmerston North - Amazing variety of trees and fauna.
Magnificient walk with amazing trees. Track must stay open.
Feilding - Fabulous.
Palmerston North - Great to have tree signs
Palmerston North - Fantastic forest remnant. Don’t lose it!
Palmerston North - Marvellous variety of mature native trees.
Palmerston North - So many huge natives. Brilliant.
Feilding - Best bush seen in 15 years of tramping.
Palmerston North - Great bush for school children to visit.
Palmerston North - Well worth the trip. Keep it.
Palmerston North - Must conserve this forest remnant.
Excellent for children the original bush.
Palmerston North - Best forest walk ever!
Kimbolton - Local hike in the bush
Kimbolton - Magnificent rimus
