Wild About New Zealand

In this episode Gus ventures into the extraordinary wilderness of Fiordland a world heritage site the biggest national park in New Zealand and one of the largest conservation estates in the world Ancient glaciers carved up this massive landscape and in doing so created hundreds of canyons making the area a haven for canyoners

Gus takes a journey through memory lane Having grown up in Nelson he thinks hes seen all Abel Tasman has to offer but this National Park has a few secrets it still holds close The park is known for its golden beaches and high sunshine hours but there is a dark and dramatic side to it ndash the incredible carved granite terrain of its inaccessible interior

Gus explores New Zealands unofficial National Park of the sea the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Covering 12 million hectares of open ocean hundreds of kilometers of coastline and more than 50 islands the park was preserved by its own Act of Parliament more than a decade ago Today passionate people fight to restore the gulf to its former glory

In this episode Gus travels to the national parks on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand a rugged remote landscape wedged between the Tasman Sea to its west and the great Southern Alps to the east Thrust upward by the collision of tectonic plates the parks have been gouged by rain and ice for over 23 million years

In this episode Gus finds himself in Aoraki Mt Cook National Park where 140 peaks above 2000 meters tower over the landscape There is virtually no flat land in the entire park and a third of it is permanently covered in ice and snow To get a really good look at this Park Gus starts his exploration by air

In this episode Gus visits New Zealands first conservation park the worlds fourth Tongariro National Park The history of the parks creation is controversial and Gus starts his exploration by delving into the lore and myths of the park created 125 years ago