Nga Manu Nature Reserve

About 50km north of Wellington near Waikanae, and about 5km west of State Highway 1. Gently-graded walkways give wheelchair access to 15 hectares of lowland swamp forest with mature specimens of kahikatea, pukatea, rimu, tawa, swamp maire and many native shrubs and ferns. Native birds that may be seen include kaka, kea, kakariki, blue duck, paradise shelduck, shoveller, scaup, grey teal, grey duck, tui, kereru, kingfisher and many more. There is a nocturnal house for kiwi and owls together with special enclosures for tuatara, skinks and geckos (lizards). www.ngamanu.co.nz