Description
Bush's Beach Track
Time: 30 min one way
Beginning at Kaiaraara Hut, this track is part of the old riding track from Port FitzRoy to the Wairahi Valley. The boardwalk was built to protect kauri from kauri dieback disease.
Kiwiriki Track
Time: 4 hr one way
This track continues on from Bush's Beach Track.
It follows the same original riding track to a junction with Line W Track (30 minutes), then descends and crosses Coffin's Creek travelling through lowland forest remnants of pūriri, nīkau, kohekohe and concentrations of kōwhai and pōhutukawa on the coast.
The track climbs steadily and follows the dividing ridge before veering right and dropping steeply to the valley floor and sign-posted junction (1 hour 30 minutes), leading to a 15-minute walk to the head of Kiwiriki Bay.
The main track crosses Kiwiriki Stream and climbs through the valley and central ridge to meet Forest Road at Maungapiko (1 hour 30 minutes).
Line W Track
Time: 1 hr one way
This track branches off Kiwiriki Track to join directly with Forest Road, enabling a much shorter round trip from, and back to, the Kaiaraara Hut, without having to go to Maungapiko.
South Fork Track
Time: 3 hr one way
Beginning 1 km south of Kaiaraara Hut, South Fork Track follows an old bridle track to Mt Heale Hut and Mt Heale. It crosses the stream twice then climbs steadily to a swing bridge on the way to the central ridge. It travels through regenerating forest with excellent examples of tutu.
Warning: There is approx. 500 m at the first stream crossing at the Forest Road end of the track where you need to follow the orange marker posts up to the central ridge, climbing out of the stream.
Kaiaraara Hut
Category: Serviced
Facilities: 28 bunk beds, heating, mattresses
Bookings required
Getting there
From Port FitzRoy, follow Kaiaraara Bay Road to its end. A short walk leads to Kaiaraara Hut and the start of these tracks.