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Ancient Kauri swamp raw logs emerge after more than 45,000 years.

Ancient Kauri logs that have been buried in peat swamps in the north of New Zealand for more than 45,000 years. Ancient Kauri Kingdom - The Company carefully extracts the buried raw logs. This recovered wood is milled and then turned into beautiful wood products that can be purchased from our retail outlets.

Ancient Kauri logs found just beneath the surface in northern New Zealand

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The giant Kauri logs are found just below the surface of the ground in Northland New Zealand.
The logs are buried just beneath the surface of the ground. Only the lower trunk section and ball root structure is predominantly found. The trunk tends to taper to a "V" shape as the portion of the log lying above ground has decayed to ground level. Some logs are on a 20 degree angle into the ground suggesting they have fallen over with force, probably under a larger tree that has fallen on to it. For this reason we also occasionally find complete round logs lying deeper in the ground.

High skill, equipment and time

Excavation of the logs is time-consuming, expensive and technically difficult, requiring skilled operators of heavy machinery. Working in wet conditions (the surface maybe dry but the water-table of swamp is high meaning that logs just below the surface are permanently lying in water), logs must be carefully bought to the surface.

Summer best

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We then use diggers to carefully excavate the soil around the log. View more extraction images.
The logs are quite easy to find. During summer when the swamps are drier the logs leave brown scorch marks on the grass indicating its size and the direction it is lying. We then use diggers to carefully excavate the soil around the log and follow its shape slowly exposing it before deciding how best to remove it. Once removed from the ground, each log is assessed before transport back to our factory complex for milling. [More information]

Giant Ancient Kauri Staircase

A giant Ancient Kauri staircase is the centre piece for the Ancient Kauri Kingdom showroom and retail outlet at our shop and factory at Awanui in north New Zealand. Carved from a 50 tonne section of one giant swamp kauri log estimated to weigh 140 tonnes. This is the largest swamp kauri log ever known to have been extracted, and because of this it was never milled. [Read more]