About 30 members of the public joined Hukutaia Domain Care Group volunteers for a guided night walk through the 5-kilometre bush remnant on Tuesday.

The chilly walk conducted by torchlight over an easy track was led by Russell Ingram-Seal, from the Whakatāne Kiwi Trust.  

Mr Ingram-Seal is an expert on spiders, weta, peripatus and other small creatures which can be seen in the bush after dark.

The domain is owned by the Ōpōtiki District Council and the Hukutaia Domain Care Group looks after the bush, doing regular maintenance, pest control and development work with help from the council and Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

It is only a short drive from town and has several easy walking tracks popular with tourists.  

Hukutaia Domain Care Group leader Kay McLeod said several invertebrates were seen on Tuesday night, and the visitors seemed delighted with their adventure.