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Story: Poisonous plants and fungi

Cattle in the bush, Hutt River

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Cattle in the bush, Hutt River

Poisoning of livestock was common in the early years of European settlement, when this typical scene was drawn. Stock were left to browse in the bush or graze on the regrowth following forest clearance. Many fell victim to the poisons in bracken, tree tutu and ngaio.

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Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: A-187-049

by William Swainson

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Maggy Wassilieff, Poisonous plants and fungi – Animals and poisonous plants, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/9787/cattle-in-the-bush-hutt-river (accessed 5 June 2026).

Story by Maggy Wassilieff, published 1 March 2009.