Mount Peel

Mount Peel is a mountain located in South Canterbury, New Zealand. It consists of three peaks, Mount Peel (often referred to as Big Mt Peel), Middle Mt Peel (1583 m) and Little Mt PeelHuatekerekere (1311 m). Mt Peel is 1,743 m (5,720 ft) tall and is owned by the Department of Conservation and Mt Peel Station. It lies just south of the Rangitata river and is 22km north-west of Geraldine.

The reserve is the largest in the Geraldine area, covering 783 hectares around Little Mt Peel/ Huatekerekere.

Mt Peel and the surrounding Peel Forest contain many well maintained and popular walking tracks. There is also a small, less well maintained track, heading from Little Mt Peel to Middle Mt Peel and then to Mt Peel. There are several different tracks catering to different climbing abilities, ranging from short 30 minute walks, to full day/overnight tramps. Just below the summit of Little Mt Peel/Huatekerekere is the small Tristram Harper Memorial hut. Complete with rain water storage, two beds and long drop. A trig station is located on top of Little Mt Peel, while a cell tower and communication hut are found at the top of Mt Peel.

There is lots of unique flora and fauna in Peel Forest. The three largest trees in Peel Forest belong to the family Podocarpaceae, a very ancient family going back in time more than 100 million years. The three large trees are kahikatea (white pine), tōtara, and mataī (black pine).

There are at least ten species of native bird occur in the forest including bellbird, silvereye, tomtit, rifleman, grey warbler, kererū fantail, silvereye, shining cuckoo and longtailed cuckoo. There are also many lizards including the jeweled gecko and McCann's skink.

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