A wide range of flora and fauna can be found in the park, spread throughout the mosaic of habitat types.

Native plants

The pre-human vegetation was likely to have been mountain tōtara and mountain beech forest/tawhairauriki at the lower altitudes, with tall tussock grasslands and boulder field species at the higher altitudes. Burning has reduced most of the forest cover and the park is now largely covered in spectacular tall snow-tussock grasslands, which create its distinctive golden landscape.

Forest remnants of mountain beech and occasionally red and yellow mistletoe/pikirangi occur in the steeper valleys on the eastern side of Sinclair Range. Other remnants, particularly in the upper catchments of the Rangitata, seem more typical of West Coast forest, with mountain tōtara, celery pine/mountain toatoa and cedar/pāhautea.

The park provides habitat for the locally endemic Dobson’s speargrass/taramea (Aciphylla dobsonii) and is close to the distributional limit of Hebe buchananii.

Native animals

Numerous native birds once lived in this area including Haast’s eagle/pouakai, moa, takahē, South Island goose, kākāpō and adzebill. Many are now extinct. A mix of exotic and native birds remains, spread throughout the mosaic of habitat types ranging from alpine peaks, to the braided rivers bordering the park.

Notable birds include black stilt/kakī, blue duck/whio (in the tributaries of the upper Rangitata River), New Zealand falcon/kārearea, rock wren/pīwauwau, wrybill/ngutu pare and kea.

Three species of lizard/ngārara known in the park are the common skink, McCann’s skink and the Southern Alps gecko. There are eight species of grasshoppers/kauwhitiwhiti in Two Thumb Range, including the rare Sigaus villosus. Two species of wētā occur, the large mountain stone wētā (Hemideina maori) and the alpine scree wētā (Deinacrida sp.).

North Opuha

This area covers the lower slopes of the Ben McLeod Range and contains a landscape of valleys and mountain lands. It covers around 2,000 hectares and has come from Clayton Station completing the tenure review process in September 2003.

Vegetation

The lower, steeper slopes and gullies contain mixed shrublands, while higher slopes are broad sweeps of red and narrow-leaved snow tussock grasslands.

Significant wetlands dominated by red tussocks are found on the valley floor.

Wildlife

Both native and introduced birds are found here. Kea can be found high up in the alpine zone and New Zealand falcon/kārearea has also been seen. Other bird species likely to be encountered include the pipit/pīhoihoi and Australasian harrier. Gulls, ducks and geese are seasonal visitors.

The area is home to a wide range of invertebrates, as well as the more common species of skinks and geckos.

Rivers and wetlands contain upland bully (Gobiomorphus breviceps), Canterbury Galaxias (Galaxias vulgaris) and longfin eels/tuna. Salmon and brown trout are also found in some places where conditions are suitable, but are normally only small in size.

Tangata Whenua – first people of the land

Rākaihautū migrated with his people from Hawaiki, landing waka in Whakatū/Nelson. From here the Waitaha people explored, inhabited and named the land.

Te Kahui Kaupeka takes its name from the ‘gathering place of the waters’ - from the mountain the rivers flow in all directions. Two of the rivers, the Rangitata and Waitaki, form the boundary of Aoraki. The lakes, mountains and rivers are under the guardianship of Kāti Huirapa.

On Takapo/Lake Tekapo the island Motuariki is important for Kāti Huirapa as the site of a kaika/village built in the times of Rākaihautū.

European history

Pastoral farming dominates the more recent land history and a number of ‘retired’ high country runs have helped form the park.

One of the runs, ‘Mesopotamia’, was first occupied by Samuel Butler, author of Erewhon. Spending the winter of 1860 in the upper Rangitata before stocking his run he wrote, “We fear it may be snowy . . . but shall have to see it though next winter before we can safely put sheep upon it.” Butler built his original hut at the confluence of Forest and Butler creeks before moving to the site of the present Mesopotamia Station.

Drowning was so common in early colonial times it was known as ‘the New Zealand death’. One victim was Dr. Andrew Sinclair who was exploring with Dr Julius von Haast. Sinclair drowned crossing the Rangitata and is buried on the Rangitata Flats.

Mesopotamia Station cemetery

A historic cemetery on Mesopotamia Station in the headwaters of the Rangitata River holds the last resting place of Dr Andrew Sinclair, Colonial Secretary to the New Zealand Government. Read about the historic Mesopotamia Station cemetery.