Tane Mahuta is the name given to the Maori god of forests. Legend says he split his mother Papatuanuku, the earth, from his father, Rangiui, the sky, using the force of his legs-as powerful as kauri trunks. New Zealand kauris are among the world?s largest trees. One Northland tree, Tane Mahuta is at least 1500 years old and 160 feet tall.

The Araucaria trees grew alongside dinosaurs. Their cones and flat, scaly needles appear in fossils dating back 245 million years, long before flowering plants developed. The Wellington Botanical Gardens showed off its Araucaria trees with a forest of blossoming flowers. Finding the gardens by way of the cable car made the trip from the ship truly worthwhile.