Opepe Reserve
Historic graves and podocarp forest
On State Highway 5 from Napier to Taupo is the Opepe Historic and Scenic Reserve. The reserve is on gentle rolling yellow and brown pumice soils with mixed remnants of the podocarp forest representative of pre-Taupo eruption vegetation. The podocarp forest of giants i.e. rimu, totara, kahikatea, matai, miro and tanekaha, combines fivefinger-kohuhu, brackenland, and kanuka. This scenic reserve is home to the most common native NZ birds, including the NZ robin, and the seasonal berry eating NZ Woodpigeon (kereru), and the migratory birds such as the long-tailed cuckoo (koekoea) and the shining cuckoo (pipiwharauroa). There is some possibility the forest may also be home to the long tailed bat, an endangered species.
Historically, there was a Maori settlement and a timber and armed constabulary settlement, featuring a battle and grave site, with restored historic features as pits and water trough. This is a rural location with walking tracks for those interested in the history of the area. Easy to find at the top of 'snake straight' with a large area to park on SH1. A very busy highway, caution needed.