Blowhard Bush Reserve
Hawke's Bay
Join the Flock. Artist Sophie Lankovsky
In Robin's Hood
Writer: Scott Moyes
In robin’s hood, we do not take
though riches do surround us.
Instead, we steal a moment
with the treasures that have found us.
We bow our humble heads
to the Matai on the throne.
The 800-year dynasty.
The kingdom that they’ve grown.
The limestone is the wordsmith.
The history engraver.
The mushrooms-the artist.
The colour that we savour.
Yes, there are the scoundrels.
The clever midnight thieves.
We also have our servants
soaring high amongst the trees.
Our kererū. Our tūī.
The bellbirds of the wood.
And those who perch beside us
insisting, we’re in robin’s hood.
Writer: Scott Moyes
Sophie and I had the privilege of being guided through Blowhard Bush, about 50km northwest of Hastings. We were generously looked after by Christine Lawrence and Erin Pointon, who shared their immense knowledge of the reserve (and filled our bellies with banana muffins!).
As someone who lives out of town, my expectations were measured. This region had felt the full force of Cyclone Gabrielle just weeks earlier. I was prepared to be a humble observer. What I saw was a community rebuilding with unwavering spirit, and that shone through with our visit to Blowhard Bush.
The reserve has four walking routes – the Tūī Track, the Troglodyte Track, the Rewi Track, and the Rakanui Track. Each will take you on a journey of discovery. Through limestone caves with peculiar windows to peep through. Past tiny mushroom villages that illuminate the trail. And, at the heart of it all, a guard of mataī trees, thought to be over 800 years old.
However, the true character of the reserve lies in its habitants. Many feathered friends harmoniously announce their presence. Korimako bellbird, pīwakawaka New Zealand fantail, kererū, riroriro grey warbler, to name but a few. At one stage, we even thought we had stumbled upon precious moa bones.
But the most daring of them all was the toutouwai–our North Island robin. They were a constant presence on our adventure, perching just out of reach, eager to accompany us. When the robin is thriving, it’s a sure sign that the other creatures of the forest are too. And for that reason, I walk away feeling this is robin’s hood.
Join the Flock
Artist: Sophie Lankovsky
Artist: Sophie Lankovsky
We, the birds above, all live at Blowhard Bush: Titipounamu rifleman, toutouwai North Island robin, mirimiro tomtit, pokokatea whitehead, pīpīwharauroa shining cuckoo, green gecko. My artwork shows how precious these endangered species are and how the native tree is crucial in their survival. Now it is down to us to ensure they will survive into the future. Spending time in Blowhard Bush with Scott and our Forest & Bird guides was a wonderfully inspiring and healing experience. One feels that there is hope for nature and its ability to nurture us as humans.
Medium: Ceramic sculpture of mataī tree with life-size native birds, hand-formed in clay, glazed, and fired in an electric kiln.