Eastwoodhill Arboretum

Stroll on foot and drive through New Zealand’s extraordinary National Arboretum, a diverse collection of mature trees, some of which were planted nearly 100 years ago. After departing from the pier, you will settle in for drive through the hills of Poverty Bay until reaching Eastwoodhill, the National Arboretum of New Zealand. Along the way, a guide from the Friends of the Eastwoodhill Arboretum Trust will explain the distinctive qualities of the flora that awaits you.

Enjoy a 30-minute guided walking tour through the Homestead Garden and a guided tour in a four-wheel-drive vehicle.

Eastwoodhill is distinguished for having the largest and most comprehensive collection of Northern Hemisphere trees south of the equator. The first plantings were put into the fertile ground here in 1918, and today the collection numbers in the thousands. Highlights include a scarlet oak that was one of the very first plantings, a towering redwood from California, and a mountain ash that is the arboretum’s tallest specimen.

The collection is especially significant considering that it could never be replicated due to stringent international regulations with regard to importing plants. Many the trees should be in bloom and their delightful scents will waft through the air. After approximately two hours in the arboretum, you will rejoin your coach and return to the pier.