The more time I spent in New Zealand, the more I appreciated just how integrated nature is to the country’s tourism. I actually spent some time in Wanaka at the Edgewater Hotel and I was fortunate enough to have seen its iconic “That Wanaka Tree”. The tree is just walking distance from the hotel and the whole walk to it (as well as to the neighboring Wanaka Sequoia) is honestly quite scenic.
That Wanaka Tree & Wanaka Sequoia: 2 Different Unique-Looking Special Trees in Wanaka
So in my opinion, the best time to go to That Wanaka Tree is either in the early morning or in the late afternoon. The lights during these hours are just really good and this in turn serves to highlight the tree’s beauty. That said, you could also just opt to visit any time you’re free.
Unlike Lake Tekapo, Lake Wanaka’s water doesn’t look as stunning. That said, it’s still very inviting and I’d even venture, it might be the better lake if you’re looking for more outdoor activities. Walking to That Wanaka Tree, the views that I passed had this melancholic vibe to them.
Now even though I said the views were kind of melancholic, the reality is actually quite the opposite. Wanaka is just a lot busier than the other lake town (Lake Tekapo) that I’d been to here in New Zealand’s South Island. This is unsurprising really considering the town here is much larger both in terms of land area and population.
I think the appeal of the walk here is the contrast between these melancholic views and just the busy nature of the town. Personally, I kind of enjoy these kinds of contrasts. Looking back, Japan had plenty of these and if you’ve been reading my writeups for a while you’d know how much fun I had there during my last visit.
Perhaps one reason why the walk here seemed so melancholic was due to the season. My visit to New Zealand coincided with the winter season so trees having no leaves was a fairly common sight. I personally enjoy the scenery of spring and summer more but I also have no idea if the views are going to be better here during those seasons.
Here’s another look at the tree from earlier. Now, I’m not quite sure what this tree is or if it’s endemic to New Zealand. From what I can remember, settlers did introduce deciduous trees here (or at least in the cities and towns). And since I’m no arborist, I really can’t tell if this is a native species or not.
I’ve been talking about the trees and the views but lowkey, the trail here is probably one of the best that I’ve been on. It’s relatively wide and flat making it ideal for hiking and even the occasional bike or two. Perhaps the only thing I didn’t like about the trail is the lack of benches to rest or just to view the lake. Anyway, this was about 2/3rds of the way to That Wanaka Tree and just past Demke Beach (the area that had the driftwood log in the image earlier).
Speaking of That Wanaka Tree, here it is. At first glance, I actually thought it was nothing special. But then you realize that it’s the only tree around here that’s growing on the lake itself.
Here’s a closer look at That Wanaka Tree. From this angle, you can see its roots and how the soil around it is just elevated a little from the water level. Now, would you care to guess how old the tree is? If you said it was relatively new (like less than a decade) then you’d actually be wrong.
Now to be fair, you’d be forgiven if you weren’t able to guess the tree’s age. When I found out that this was a willow tree, my immediate thought was that it can’t be older than a decade as well. If you’ve seen willows, then you’d know how tall those trees can grow. Looking at That Wanaka Tree, it’s a bit short and its branches look really frail.
Curious to know the tree’s age, I tried looking it up online and was left completely in awe at what I learned. The tree is said to be 85 years old and it actually started out as a fence post! Imagine that!
For some reason, that tree really reminds me of the floating torii in Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima Japan. Maybe it has to do with the fact that its background shows some of the peaks from what I think are the Buchanan Peaks and Black Hill. Much like the floating torii, it’s also sort of the only object that seems to be floating on the water’s surface.
I’m not quite sure what the “island” in the background is called. On the map, it has a tombolo that connects to the mainland and forms a bay which has two islands (Stevensons and Franta) that are quite popular for hiking and outdoor adventures.
Going back to That Wanaka Tree’s origin, it started out as a fence post that was said to have been hammered down on the lakebed around 85 years ago. The thing is, the lakebed back then was said to have been really sandy. Despite this type of environment (sandy lakebed plus the water), the tree seemingly beat the odds and just kept on growing.
Now while it has kept on growing and is actually older than the typical crack willow tree, That Wanaka Tree is by no means perfect. As I said earlier, it’s relatively small when compared to other trees of its kind. In my mind, I think this might be the drawback for its longevity.
That said, I’m guessing everyone in this town (and maybe even the whole of New Zealand) would rather the tree continue living even if it stays small. I’ve read that for some, the tree is a symbol of strength and resilience. Considering its history, I actually kind of agree.
I will say though, it’s actually quite ironic that this tree has grown to become somewhat of a symbol of resilience and strength here. The reason why I say this is because crack willows are actually an invasive species here in New Zealand! They were initially introduced in the country to control erosion but they’ve since become a pest due to how easy it is for their branches to take root.
Coincidentally, that’s exactly how this tree took root here. Whoever placed the crack willow branch as a fence post likely had no idea it would end up growing and thriving close to century later. Another way of looking at the tree is that it also perfectly mirrors the European immigrants and settlers who took root here and have also contributed to the country’s diversity.
Anyway, regardless of whether the tree is a pest or not, it does without a doubt strike a beautiful contrast in the scenery here. I couldn’t help but be mesmerized by the tree’s branches and how they so subtly move around after a small gust of wind. While it’s been argued if this is the most famous tree in New Zealand, there’s no doubt in mind that this is the most photogenic.
Now I’m not quite sure how it looks in summer but the tree’s silhouette in winter is just something else. Aside from evoking a melancholic feeling, it’s also quite effective in sparking introspection and reflection. Well, at least that’s how I felt looking at it.
One thing that you’ll also notice when observing That Wanaka Tree is Lake Wanaka’s stillness. Now this is characteristic of most lakes but with Lake Wanaka it seems like it’s been dialed up a notch. Then again, it might just be that there really weren’t that many people in and around the lake when I visited.
As you can see, the surroundings here looked so serene. There were people taking pictures (not shown) but you could hardly call them a crowd. Typically, the lake itself would have fishermen angling for trout (and other fish) but that’s mostly during the warmer months.
Here’s another picture of That Wanaka Tree with the town in the background. From this angle, the tree’s melancholic vibe is complemented (contrasted) by the town’s busy lights.
Speaking of the town, here’s how it looked during my visit. It was definitely not a large time by any means but it was definitely much larger and brighter than Lake Tekapo. Moreover, the brightness of the lights here mean that astrophotography is a no-go.
Here’s another invasive plant that was introduced by early settlers here in New Zealand. Called Pampas Grass, this originally was from South America and was introduced here for animal feed as well as for shelter. Much like the crack willow though, it managed to outcompete the native plants on top of being a fire risk.
Opposite the That Wanaka tree, there is a “Giant Beautiful Tree”
That Wanaka Tree isn’t the only popular attraction here in Wanaka. If you’re on the trail looking at it, look behind you and you might notice a set of stairs going. This actually leads to the second popular tree in this town.
From the bottom of the stairs you can actually already see the tree. Called the Wanaka Sequoia, it’s very much like That Wanaka Tree in that it’s not endemic to New Zealand. As for the condition of the stairs, they seem to not be as well maintained with some soil already accumulating on the steps.
Thankfully, the soil doesn’t really have any adverse effects on the stairs. Really, the stairs are more than serviceable and even the elderly shouldn’t have any issues going up or down them. And really, climbing up these steps are more than worth it thanks to the view that awaits them once they reach the top.
Upon reaching the top, this is the kind of view that awaits you. The Sequoia is probably the most massive tree here and it also looks like it’s the only one thriving. After the drab gray leading up to this place, the tree’s verdant leaves can be a sight for sore eyes.
Other than its green leaves, another feature of the tree that stands out is its wide trunk. I mean, seriously, just look at how wide that trunk is and compare it with the other trees that you saw earlier. You know what’s interesting though? The tree actually can grow even more!
I admit, it was kind of hard to believe that this tree still had room to grow. But really, it’s still just a juvenile. I was unable to find anything related to the tree specifically so I’m not sure about its exact age. That said, this likely was planted when New Zealand was settled by Europeans so it’s realistic to say the sequoias in the country were planted that time as well. This means that this sequoia is likely to be around 130-140 years at most. Considering sequoias can live for thousands of years, you then kind of realize just how young this tree is.
Going back to the steps and path leading up to the Sequoia, you can kind of see how these perfectly frame the tree. If you’re just starting photography as a hobby then this is honestly one of the best subjects to learn concepts like perspective and horizon lines. I’d even venture to say that this might be a better subject for beginners to shoot compared to That Wanaka Tree.
Speaking of That Wanaka Tree, here’s a look at the steps going down to the trail and the beach where you can see it. Of course, it’s not as visible in this image but it is there. In fact, you just need to get to the beach and you should be able to see it immediately.
Going back to the Wanaka Sequoia, here’s how it looks up close. I thought it was already massive from where I took a picture of it from the stairs earlier. Now that I’m this close, it’s absolutely larger than what I initially thought!
Standing next to the tree, I actually kind of felt really small. I know I’ve been calling it massive but really, that’s understatement. It’s actually quite hard (at least for me) to put into words just how majestic this tree can be from up close.
It’s not just its trunk that will catch your attention. The tree’s branches also have this weird, hypnotizing look to them that made me do a double take while observing them. Whereas That Wanaka Tree earlier had really picturesque branches that looked like they came off a painting, the ones on this sequoia looked more “natural”.
So when I said the branches looked more natural, what I meant is that they looked as if they had a life of their own. It seemed like they were growing near everywhere as evidenced by the image above. Actually, this kind of reminded me of the trees at the Christchurch Botanic Gardens (some of which were also Sequoias).
Again, here’s the Wanaka’s Sequoia’s massive trunk as well as its unique branches. Looking at the tree from this angle, I can’t help but think of those images I saw of sequoias in California that had holes in their trunks large enough for cars to pass through. Hopefully, this specific sequoia doesn’t suffer that fate as most of those trees eventually died out.
Now another thing that’s unique about this tree (and sequoias in general) is that it’s actually NOT considered invasive even though it’s not endemic to New Zealand. A lot of this has to do with the fact that the tree doesn’t spread as aggressively as the pampas grass or crack willows. Its low seed viability practically ensures that it won’t thrive outside of the areas where it’s endemic without the constant care from people.
So unlike crack willows, you should still be able to see sequoias in the near future. If I’m not mistaken, there are even plantations of the trees because of how valuable they are. Additionally, the tree is still actively being planted across the country’s parks and gardens as an ornamental.
Here’s another look at the tree and just how bonkers its branches are. Additionally, you can see that it’s surrounded by other trees that just look like plain dwarves in comparison to it. I’m not going to lie though, the tree’s size relative to its neighbors’ did give me a chuckle.
Understandably, That Wanaka Tree gets plenty of attention thanks to its circumstances. That said, I actually enjoyed being in Wanaka Sequoia more as I was looking back at my footage. This place had a much calmer vibe which probably was thanks to all the greenery from its leaves.
With this, my exploration of That Wanaka Tree and the Wanaka Sequoia is done. While it was admittedly short, the whole walk did end up being informative and still eventful. If you enjoy nature and/or nature photography then I’d bet you’d have plenty of pictures of the views and scenery here. Now do I recommend visiting this place? It actually depends. If you’re in town then definitely drop by. Going out of your way to come here just to visit might not be as practical though.
What was your experience with That Wanaka Tree and the Wanaka Sequoia? Hit the comments section and share your knowledge and experience of these places near Lake Wanaka with our avid viewers.
