Families looking for a low-cost way to keep children entertained these school holidays will find plenty to explore at McLaren Falls Park, where a new StoryWalk is bringing an award-finalist New Zealand picture book to life.
Author Kiri Lightfoot said she was “thrilled” to learn her bilingual picture book Te Ngahere i te Pō / The Forest at Night had been chosen for the interactive trail along the park’s popular Waterfall Track.
“A StoryWalk brings my two favourite things together: reading and time in nature,” Lightfoot said. “It feels very special to have our book chosen for this walk and I knew I wanted to experience it.”
The interactive trail will go along the park’s popular Waterfall Track. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
Inspired by a night walk through the Waitākere Ranges with a park ranger, the story explores the hidden world of New Zealand’s nocturnal forest creatures as day turns to night.
“He showed us all the nocturnal animals in the ngahere [forest] and how magical it was as the creatures of the day go to sleep, handing over to the creatures of the night – just as the sun hands over to the moon,” she said.
“The fact the glowworms are there on the Waterfall Track makes it even more special.”
McLaren Falls Park is open daily. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
Illustrated by Pippa Keel Situ, the book was a finalist in the 2026 New Zealand Booklovers Awards. Pages are displayed along the pram and wheelchair-friendly Waterfall Track, with interactive prompts and QR codes linking to an audio version.
Tauranga City Council principal park ranger Beau Bennett said the book was chosen especially to celebrate the native flora and fauna at McLaren Falls Park, and for daytime visitors to learn about the magic of the forest as darkness falls.
“McLaren Falls Park rangers love seeing families out enjoying new and different areas of the park during school holidays, and StoryWalk provides a great way to do that,” Bennett said.
The StoryWalk is one of several activities available as part of McLaren Falls Park’s “Choose Your Own Adventure Day – Winter Magic“programme. Families can also enjoy a seasonal Winter Scavenger Hunt, discover the park’s walking tracks and waterfalls, or return after dark to see the sparkling titiwai (glowworms).
Families can enjoy a seasonal Winter Scavenger Hunt at McLaren Falls Park. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
“I love our forests here in Aotearoa and believe time in nature is so important for us. It’s good for our mental health, good for our bodies, and we also know the importance of reading for our tamariki,” Lightfoot said. “How great to have it all in one place.”
Located about 20 minutes from Tauranga, McLaren Falls Park is open daily.
Go in the draw to win one of three signed copies of Te Ngahere i te Pō. Send an email to parks.projects@tauranga.govt.nz to say what you loved about the StoryWalk, or send a photo of you enjoying the StoryWalk. Winners will be drawn on July 20 at 12pm and notified via email.