Photo: Lucys Gully Redwood Trees Egmont National Park NZ

Redwood trees scattered amongst the wilderness of Lucy's Gully in Egmont National Park in Taranaki on the North Island of NZ.

A forest full of Redwood trees known as Lucy's Gully where a woman named Lucy Stevens was born next to the Waimoku stream in 1820. She spent many days along the ridges gardening and watching out for any unwanted visitors that might come to the Taranaki, NZ area.Lucy remained in the gully until she met her husband and they then ventured off to Okorotua Pa where she raised her family. Two of her sons and her husband died and she returned to the wilderness of the gully amongst the Redwood trees where she buried them at a gravesite, making the journey yearly to honour their memories.War broke out around Lucy's Gully in 1864 and many lives were taken. Soon after in 1868 not far from the gully, a man found a lump of quartz and prospecting began, soon dwindling out due to the lack of gold. In the 1920's, Sir Victor Davies cleared the land and planted hundreds of exotics which tried very hard to flourish and return to their original state when Lucy was growing up here. ... continue below the picture...

... A road to Lucy's Gully in Taranaki, NZ was created in 1963 and is controlled by the Department of Conversation. All the exotics that were planted in the 1920's which was a decision made by the Egmont National Park committee, no longer exist except for a handful around Lucy's Gully. Today, tourists can wander through Lucy's Gully and the Redwood trees in Egmont National Park in NZ and enjoy the beauty of the trees while enjoying lunch at the picnic area.Stand of Redwood Trees at Lucy's Gully, Egmont National Park, Taranaki, North Island, New Zealand.