Hanmer Forest

Hanmer Forest covers an area of 17,000 ha, much of it of natural southern beech. Various exotic species were planted by convict labor in 1902. Nowadays the new plantings are mainly of Californian pine and Douglas fir, timber from which is sold mainly in Christchurch. There are trails of varying length through the forest, and the scenery can also be seen from the 16km Forest Drive road; permission to drive on it must be obtained from the local visitor center.