We will drive through forestry roads to the edge of the Kaimai-Mamaku Forest Park. We will then retrace the old DOC track to Lake Hiwiroa last visited by Rotorua Botanical Society in 1985. The old track follows through virgin rimu/tawa forest with a well developed understorey as there are few browsing ungulates in this area which should provide interesting botanising. Our destination is Lake Hiwiroa a small ephemeral lake surrounded by indigenous tawa dominated forest. If the lake levels are sufficiently low we should be able to botanise the lake turf margins looking for wetland turf species including the threatened Lobelia carens which has been previously recorded there. If lake levels are high we may go to Woods Mill track off SH 5 in Kaimai-Mamaku Forest Park as a backup.

Grade:  Medium

Bring: gumboots for the wetland

Meet: the carpark between the Convention Centre and the Police Station, Fenton Street, Rotorua at 9.00am or at the corner of SH5 and Galaxy Road North at 9.30am. Please let the trip leader know by Mon 28 Nov if you are coming as vehicle permits maybe required for forestry roads. 4WD or vehicle with high clearance preferred.