Mangarakau Swamp and Wetland is special in that it has resisted 150 years of attempts by man to drain it! Now recognised as a national treasure, at one time it was the site of coal mining, logging, gold mining and flax extraction.

When you consider that only 10% of wetlands have survived in New Zealand, and their importance in the ecology of the area, it is fortunate indeed that people had the foresight to preserve this area.