Denniston walking tracks

Interpretation panels alongside the tracks bring the history of the Denniston township to life.

Brakehead Walk

Time: 40 min loop
Distance: 1.1 km

Starting from the car park above the Brakehead, this walk leads to a viewpoint at the top of the famous Denniston incline, past Denniston’s first settlement ‘The Camp’ and on to the Banbury Arch (a drystone arch) viewpoint. It returns via the historic mine workshop site. You can see many relics from Denniston’s past on this walk.

Coalbrookdale Walk

Time: 1 hr return
Distance: 2 km

A good gravel road behind Denniston (still used by coal trucks) leads to the start of the walkway that follows part of the cable-car rope road that carried coal from the mines to the top of the Denniston Incline. Relics include tunnels, foundations, a haulage winch and the country's best remaining example of a mine fanhouse.

Britannia Track

Time: 4 hr return
Distance: 12 km

In an area rich in history, this walk follows an old pack track climbing steadily through varied forest of rātā, rimu and kahikatea to the abandoned Britannia gold mine. Here you’ll find a complete five-head quartz crushing battery with most of its ancillary equipment intact. 

To get to the track, travel 3 km north of Waimangaroa, turn off State Highway 67 on to O’Connor Road, and follow this road for 5 km to the car park and start of the track.

Denniston is 18 km northeast of Westport. From Westport, follow SH67 north for 15 km. Turn right at Waimangaroa onto the road to Denniston.