This town is significant for the large aviary which houses kiwis and many other native birds. It is not easy to see kiwis since they are nocturnal birds, but the aviary has devised a night simulation area in which the birds live and move. The kiwi is an interesting bird and is a little like an eagle is in the American psyche. The alternative name for New Zealanders is 'kiwis' named after the bird and not the fruit! In a way this creature is a strange one to have as a national identity for it although it is a bird, it has no wings!

One of the main symbols in New Zealand is the koru, the design which features on the tail of Air New Zealand aircraft. The koru is the name given to the new frond of the ponga. As it grows, it resembles the mature fronds of the ponga which  in this photo, surround the koru.