The Motueka River Lodge

Special Features

The Motueka River is earning a reputation as a brown trout fishery of international importance. The fishing on the river and its major tributaries are all within a short distance of the lodge. These numerous clear water fishing streams and rivers provide dry fly and nymph anglers with some challenging fishing in magnificent surroundings. The main and upper Motueka, the Wangapeka, Takaka and mighty Buller rivers can be fished amidst spectacular scenery.

A 15 minute helicopter ride will transport guests over virgin forest and rugged mountains to world-renowned Karamea and Crow Rivers, and a chance to catch a trophy fish close to six pounds. Here, the rivers run pure and clean through lush rain forest and the fish, brown and rainbow trout, are healthy and of good size.

Outdoor features

The gardens, courtyards and walkways are a feature of the lodge and a constant delight. Wander over pebble paths to a luscious lawn area with a view to the majestic mountain range, surrounded by petunias and massed pots of hydrangeas. A leaning, pink-flowering Silk tree lends shade and beauty. The path, bordered by a neat picket fence, leads through a trellis archway, down a few steps, to a meandering little track with a view of the foothills and mountains. It extends as far as the tennis court. Stroll in the other direction past gardens brimming with old favourites, aquilegia, pansies, daisies, impatiens, dahlias, lilies and heritage roses towards the sunlit veranda and outdoor dining area.

The lodge sits proudly upon a natural rise, with a decent size hill behind it which has all been recently cleared and a lovely road has been formed to gently wind up to the back of the property. There are some lovely mature gum tree?s that provide good shelter from the sun. The views are just fabulous from every aspect up the hill that looks out over the lodge and has sweeping views of the river and valley below.

Native Forest

Our forest is largely of one community comprising a steep hill-slope dominated by kanuka and black beech, with rimu scattered throughout. Lowland totara are occasional and the few canopy hard beech are largely confined to the top edge. Broadleaved regeneration in the understorey is well advanced with many to 4-5 metres tall. These include heketara, mahoe, mapou, lancewood and fivefinger with occasional putputaweta and kohutu.

Small leaved shrubs include young yellow-wood, rohutu, thin leaved coprosma, lanceolatum, raukawa, prickly mingimingi, mingimingi and scrub coprosma. Young kanuka are also occasional, and very locally there is young black beech regeneration. Ground cover varies lowland shield fern, hen and chicken fern, houndsstongue fern and Pellaea rotundifolia. Inkberry (a native lily) is scattered throughout.

A very small of the valley terrace flats occurs at the north-west of the site. It is a mix of occasional kahikatea, silver beech, kohuhu, matai, mahoe, kanuka, lemonwood and hawthorn. One mature titoki is present.

49 native plant species have been noted in our native forest. Rare trees and scrubs include titoki, shining coprosma, beech coprosma, forest cabbage tree, kahikatea, toto, silver beech, hard beech, Hall's totara, matai, hanging spleenwort, and shining spleenwort.

The native forest birds tui, fantail, bellbird, waxeye, grey warbler, and the kereru (native pigeon) are present. Other birds include robins and kingfisher.

We have 65 fruit trees, including quince, nashi, plums, apricots, nectarines.
Various nut trees including chestnuts, and six olive trees.