The area provides a range of spectacular mountain scenery, wide valleys, rivers and streams, lakes and tarns, beech forest, and waterfalls. Visitors are able to see and hear a range of native birds including bellbirds and tui. It is also the location of some of DOC's important work with endangered wildlife such as mohua and kakariki and native plants such as mistletoe.
Conservation history
Marble Hill, between Springs Junction and Maruia Springs, holds a special place in the history of conservation in New Zealand. In 1997 the then Minister of Conservation announced the protection of a large area of beech and podocarp forest containing ecological, wildlife and scenic reserves.