100km northeast of Wellington, on the fairly steep eastern slopes of the Tararua Range, is the town of Masterton (pop. 20,000), an important communications hub and supply center. It is named after Joseph Masters (1802-74), leader of the Small Farm Association, which opposed the settlement plans of Edward Wakefield and the New Zealand Land Company and demanded that poor immigrants should also be able to acquire and work small areas of land. Masters won the support of Governor Grey, whose name is commemorated in the little township of Greytown, 23km further south. In 1853 the association bought land from the Maoris, divided it up and sold it on to small farmers.
West of Masterton are the rugged hills of the densely wooded Tararua Range, which lies between the Wairarapa area and the west coast. There are a number of peaks, such as the Mitre (1571m).
Castlepoint (70km northeast) and Riversdale (c 60km east) are the only bathing resorts on the long stretch of inaccessible cliff coast in the southeast of the North Island.
30km north on Highway 2 is the Mount Bruce Wildlife Centre, run by the Department of Conservation. It is famed for its bird breeding station, which is particularly concerned with the survival of the endangered takahe.
Address: Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre, RD1 State Highway 2, Masterton, Wellington , New Zealand
Hours:
April 3 to December 24: 9am-4pm
December 26 to April 2: 9am-4:30pm
Always closed on: Christmas - Christian (December 25)
22km west of Masterton, on the eastern fringes of Tararua Forest Park, is Mount Holdsworth (1474m), the central feature of an important nature reserve.
Some 100,000ha of the range constitute Tararua Forest Park, within which are a number of walking trails, with overnight accommodation in mountain huts.
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