Te Waikoropupū Springs are the largest freshwater springs in New Zealand, the largest cold water springs in the Southern Hemisphere and contain some of the clearest water ever measured. They discharge 14,000 litres of water per second, and are important culturally and spiritually for local Maori people. The vegetation consists of pioneering Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) and Kanuka (Kunzea ericoides) scrub which is being succeeded by beech-podocarp forest (with Black Beech (Nothofagus (Fuscospora) solandri var solandri)).