Southern Paparoa Range walking tracks
Track category
Walking track
Description
Moonlight Track
Time: 2.5 hrs
Distance: 6.5 km one way
From the clearing at Andersons Flat the well-formed track runs up the valley through regenerating forest at a moderate gradient. The creek is crossed twice on swingbridges before it forks, about 1.5 hrs up the valley. Walkers can see walls of stacked stone tailings from gold claims, a water race, propsecting tunnels and a number of old hut sites near the forks. You may even spot rare whio/blue duck in the creek.
After crossing the forks bridge the track climbs steeply for about an hour, first through podocarp hardwood forest and later through silver beech before the right hand branch is forded. Parts of the Moonlight quartz stamping battery are scattered in the creekbed above the crossing point.
The track then zigzags upward with the benched formation ending 30 minutes later where the forest starts to take on a sub-alpine appearance. A rough, steep track continues for 20 minutes to emerge in the open 'tops' about 10 minutes below the crest of the range. The bushline is a popular campsite for people hoping to hear the night time calls of great spotted kiwi (roroa).
Garden Gully Track
Time: 30 mins return
This track comes off the Croesus Track at the Garden Gully junction. There is a five minute walk on a good track to a grassy flat where an old miners hut dating from the 1930's depression stands. Above it the creek is crossed via a suspension bridge and the track soon forks. To the left a marked route continues up the creek for about 5 minutes to a century-old quartz crushing battery. To the right the track climbs for about 15 minutes to the collapsed mine mouth.
Getting there
9 km north of the Blackball turn-off, where the Atarau Road bends past a picnic area, turn left into the Moonlight Valley Road as it runs off toward the range. It's a good but narrow gravel road.
After 6 km the road crosses the creek at the site of Middletown, then climbs to end 3 km further on at Andersons Flat. The Moonlight Track ends at the historic Meikles Hut and then turns into the Croesus Moonlight route taking you along the tops of the Paparoas.
You are able to access the Garden Gully Track off the Croesus Track.