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Urban-Rural |
 Kawerau Town Walks
Kawerau, a town of 7000 people on the Tarawera River, was established in the 1950s. Various walks provide a variety of landscapes, including views of the river and the town.
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Te Waihou Walkway
Scenic beauty and history are features of the walkway, beside the upper reaches of the Waihou River. The river water is clear and pure, with an intense blue colour. Many springs and tributaries feed the river. The Blue Spring is internationally acclaimed. Its clear, blue-green water flows from the spring at 42 cubic metres (9240 gallons) per minute. The water is sold in bottled form around New Zealand and supplies the town of Putaruru without treatment.
Discover it... Love it... Live it...
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Kaimai-Mamaku |
Mokaihaha Ecological Area
Mokaihaha is rich in Maori history and has high conservation and scientific values. The area
contains trails once used by Maori travelling between the Waikato and Rotorua. It has the
largest remaining block of the extensive native forest that once covered the Mamaku Plateau.
Rimu, miro and matai are plentiful and the bird life includes tui, kereru, bellbird and fantail.
Flocks of kaka (native parrots) entertain walkers,and the endangered kokako can be heard in
the dawn chorus. Short-tailed bats are also present.
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Te Aroha Walks
Te Aroha township, developed in the 1880s as a spa town, has 22 springs, 15 of which are hot.
The Domain retains the look of Edwardian times with formal gardens and many of the old
bathhouse buildings. Mt Te Aroha is the highest point in the Kaimai Mamaku Forest Park at
952m.
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Wairongomai Valley
A prospector, Hone Werahiko found gold in the Waiorongomai Valley in 1881. Expensive
engineering projects failed due to low yields from the unexpectedly hard rock of the
enormous gold bearing reef. One of these projects is the Piako County Tramway, New
Zealand oldest tramway still on site and is a showcase historic site for the Department of
Conservation.
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Aongatete Lodge Track
Walks around the Aongatete Outdoor Education Lodge, in the Kaimai Mamaku Forest Park, take in lovely lowland podocarp-broadleaf forest with a variety of native species. The walks vary from a short nature trail to a more demanding three-and-a-half hour tramp.
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Kaimai Mamaku Forest Park
The 37,000ha forest park is a living museum of natural and human history.The park marks the northern limit of kamahi, red and silver beech,and the southern limit of the huge kauri. Birdlife includes the fantail, North Island Robin, kereru (native pigeon), waxeye or silver-eye, tui and tomtit. Kiwi and morepork (ruru) can sometimes be heard at night, the North Island kaka is a rare sight, and the shining cuckoo and bellbird are more often heard than seen. Maori established routes across the Kaimai Ranges for trading and raiding. Later,these trails were used by Europeans. The introduction of logging and mining had a substantial impact on areas of the park which are clearly visible in the form of caves, tramlines and remnants of kauri.
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Mount Otanewainuku
Mount Otanewainuku (640m) is covered in virgin forest. Emergent podocarps, especially
rimu, are common. Tawa, kamahi and rewarewa form the canopy and bird life is prolific.
Geologically, Otanewainuku is a rhyolitic dome rising above the ignimbrite Mamaku plateau.
The summit gives panoramic views from East Cape to Mt Tarawera, across the Mamaku Plateau
Maori legend says Tutanekai, lover of Hinemoa,leapt off Otanewainuku to escape his Rotorua
enemies.Walks in the area range from a 30-minute stroll to demanding and lengthy tramping.
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Otawa Scenic Reserve
Otawa Scenic Reserve in the Papamoa Hills contains attractive lowland forest dominated
by tawa and rewarewa. Wharetetarakeho Trig offers excellent views over the Bay of
Plenty coast. At the Manoeka Road entrance is a pleasant bushwalk and picnic area.
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Whirinaki Forest |
H Tree Track
Whirinaki Forest Park offers a variety of short
walks that visit some of the parkís special
features and show off the magnificent ëdinosaurí
forest, dominated by towering examples of
kahikatea, totara, matai, rimu, miro and much
tawa. Birdlife includes rare species, especially
the whio (blue duck), North Island kaka, red
and yellow crowned kakariki, kiwi and kereru.
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Whirinaki Waterfall Track
This easy loop track follows the Whirinaki River through superb podocarp forest
with many excellent vantage points. The waterfall can be heard from some distance.
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Te Urewera
Te Urewera is an area of varied scenery - rivers,grass flats, steep sided hillsides cut
by streams and native vegetation. The vegetation ranges from lush kohekohe forest in river
and stream valleys to beech forests on the more elevated dividing ranges, with some scrub
and grassed clearings.
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Arohaki Lagoon
Whirinaki Forest Park offers a variety of short
walks that visit some of the parkís special
features and show off the magnificent ëdinosaurí
forest, dominated by towering examples of
kahikatea, totara, matai, rimu, miro and much
tawa. Birdlife includes rare species, especially
the whio (blue duck), North Island kaka, red
and yellow crowned kakariki, kiwi and kereru.
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Whirinaki Forest Park
Whirinaki Forest Park has something for everyone, with terrain ranging from flats to
steep uplands. The park, known as a ‘dinosaur forest, has many tall trees that are centuries
old. Sights include giant podocarps, views of the river cutting through an ancient lava flow,
and caves with pumice deposits and remnants of the Taupo eruption nearly 2000 years ago.
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Waiatiu Falls
Whirinaki Forest Park offers a variety of short
walks that visit some of the parkís special
features and show off the magnificent ëdinosaurí
forest, dominated by towering examples of
kahikatea, totara, matai, rimu, miro and much
tawa. Birdlife includes rare species, especially
the whio (blue duck), North Island kaka, red
and yellow crowned kakariki, kiwi and kereru.
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Sanctuary
Whirinaki Forest Park offers a variety of short
walks that visit some of the parkís special
features and show off the magnificent ëdinosaurí
forest, dominated by towering examples of
kahikatea, totara, matai, rimu, miro and much
tawa. Birdlife includes rare species, especially
the whio (blue duck), North Island kaka, red
and yellow crowned kakariki, kiwi and kereru.
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Lakes And Geothermal |
Lake Okataina Scenic Reserve
The Lake Okataina area was an important link in pre-European routes, when canoes were carried from Lake Tarawera to Lake Okataina.Okataina Road follows one of these ancient portage routes.
The Lake Okataina Scenic Reserve is a pristine natural area with native bush down to the waters edge. The reserve is rich in birdlife and contains fine examples of rimu, totara, rata and kahikatea.
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Lake Tarawera Scenic Reserve
The 1886 eruption, which killed 153 people and raised the lake surface by 12m, shaped the
Tarawera landscape. The lake drains eastward through the Tarawera River, over spectacular
falls. The reserve contains walking tracks and many recreational and cultural sites,
including those at Tarawera Landing, The Orchard, Humphries Bay and Hot Water Beach.
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