Karangahake Windows Walk
Alert/Important notice
Occasional closures due to heavy rain.
The lower part of the Crown Track between the Karangahake Historic Walkway and the Underground Pumphouse will regularly be closed when heavy rainfall events are forecast.
Please note that the Underground Pumphouse and Dickeys Flat campsite will still be accessible via the Windows Walk when the lower Crown Track is closed.
Please check with the Tauranga Area Office +64 7 578 7677 in the first instance for the current status, or the DOC HOTline 0800 362 468 at weekends and public holidays.
These closures are so to ensure public safety which could otherwise be compromised by weather induced slips and rock fall which are regular occurrences on this track.
Track category
Short walk
Time:
1 hour round trip
Distance:
2.5 km
Description
This spectacular walk passes through the relics of the Talisman and Crown mining operations.
From the Karangahake Reserve car park begin by crossing both the suspension bridge over the Ohinemuri River, and then the Lower Waitawheta Gorge bridge. Go up the stairs and through the abandoned buildings and machinery of the Talisman battery.
Visitors pose for a photo in one of the
Karangahake windows
Then follow the rail track along the gorge and into the old gold mining tunnels. The tunnel has four openings (windows) which look down on the spectacular river gorge far below. The track emerges from the cliff and descends a staircase before crossing the river on a suspension bridge and returning on the opposite side of the gorge along the Crown Tramway Track to the car park.
Alternative route:
You can take a recommended side-trip to the remains of the underground Woodstock Pumphouse. After the windows section and the crossing over the Waitawheta River, walk upstream for a short distance (through another tunnel) to where a set of wooden stairs on the right hand side mark the entrance to the pumphouse tunnel.
Remains of the beam engine and other machinery can be seen inside, aswell as the rafters supporting th ceiling. Glow worms are also visible. A good torch is essential for viewing this unique piece of mining heritage.
Getting there
The Karangahake Gorge is on State Highway 2 between Waihi and Paeroa, at the southern limits of the Coromandel Peninsula.
Activities
Child/family friendly activities
Historic sites
Child/family friendly activities
The mining tunnels and building ruins on the Windows Walk are great for kids to explore, with historic information boards providing educational background information and pictures of the past. Young children need to be supervised as there are steep areas and fast-flowing rivers.
The lower Crown Tramway Track is suitable for prams/strollers; but steps and staircases prevent access to the mining tunnels.
Historic sites
Significant remains of the gold mining extraction and processing industries at Karangahake are now on show as spectacular walks in easy reach of the carpark. For more information on the history accessible here check out our pages about historic Karangahake.
About the area
The Karangahake Gorge region combines gold mining history and natural beauty, much of it accessible through a variety of walks.
Plan and prepare
A torch is recommended for the gold mining tunnels, and is essential for viewing the underground pumphouse side trip.
Guides and commercial tourism providers