Karamea’s walking rātā tree struts ahead in competition
A northern rātā in Karamea that appears to be walking across a paddock in high heels has run ahead of all other finalists in the New Zealand Tree of the Year competition.
The New Zealand Arboricultural Association’s competition has six finalists vying for the coveted title. With 25 voting days to go, the West Coast walking tree has snagged more than half of the 1258 votes cast so far.
The finalists include New Zealand’s most-photographed tree, which has drawn thousands to the shores of Lake Wānaka and is popular enough to have its own hashtag #thatwanakatree.
The competition invites New Zealanders to select their favourite from a shortlist of six much-loved trees spread across the country.
With an appearance like one of Tolkien’s sentient, tree-like Ents, the Karamea walking tree has twin trunks stretched as if they are mid-stride, near the Karamea Cemetery. The northern rātā (Metrosideros robusta) is one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s tallest flowering trees, and can live for up to 1000 years.
Pete Curry's family cleared the land after arriving in Karamea in 1875 but left the walking tree. “They must have thought the tree was unique, because they didn't leave anything else.”
Karamea man Ray Douglas said the tree had become an icon and tourist attraction.
“It’s been there as long as anybody can remember. I have friends who remember playing there in the ’40s, and it was a fully grown mature tree then.”
Trees of its type were disappearing in Karamea, including when the regional council cut down four 300-year-old rātā trees to make way for a stopbank upgrade in 2019, he said.
Another specimen was knocked over by high winds, and he suspected that the walking tree could be toppled next.
“The roots of those trees are not terribly strong, and the way its trunk is split is pretty rare.”
The tree was not on the district’s register of protected trees. “My fear is someone could cut it down for firewood,” Douglas said.
Tree of the Year chairperson Brad Cadwallader said the competition was about the stories and heritage that connected New Zealanders and trees.
“Community participation is the key to growing the understanding of the important role that trees have in our lives. This competition is a celebration of our living legends,” he said.
Other finalists are the Fred Naden Tree or “Freddie’s Pōhutukawa” in Tokomaru Bay, Te Tairāwhiti Gisborne; the Pitau Rd Pōhutukawa in Mount Maunganui, Bay of Plenty; Moko in Te Whanganui-aTara Wellington; and Hewlings Tōtara in Heratini/Geraldine, South Canterbury.
Voting is open until May 31 at treeoftheyear.co.nz, with the winning tree to be announced on June 5, which is New Zealand’s Arbor Day.