The structure itself is mainly of kauri and heart totara, lying on concrete foundations. It also inhabited forests dominated by podocarps (rimu, matai, kahikatea, totara), beeches, tawa, and rata. Bothwell Sawmill was selling totara, rimu, kahikatea and matai in 1912. The forest is thick with trees such as rimu, totara, silver beech, matai and kahikatea. Banks Peninsula totara and matai timber were used for the roof supports. Near the coast are dense forests of rimu, miro, Hall's totara and rata. The overstory includes miro, rimu and mountain totara. Variety of podocarps are found at lower altitudes&colon; rimu, totara, tawa and tree ferns. The roof was thatched with totara bark. An alternative is the 4-bed Bog Inn Hut (normally for walkers), built of totara slabs. There were also minor delays, such as in the delivery of totara sleepers. The piles, originally totara, are now concrete. Podocarpus totara was investigated for unique molecules due to the tree's increased resistance to rotting. The original totara piles were replaced with concrete. Pompallier celebrated his first Traditional Latin Mass at Totara Point on 13 January 1838.