Northern Abel Tasman National Park

General information

The northern Abel Tasman National Park area encompasses the northern coastal regions of Abel Tasman National Park extending from Separation Point in the north to areas surrounding Awaroa Inlet.

The vegetation ranges from regenerating forest scrubland and rata/broadleaved forest at coastal areas towards mixed beech/podocarp forest up to 550 m altitude at inland parts.

The Abel Tasman Coast Track skirts the area with high public use. A DOC campground and enclaves of private land blocks lie within the area.

Red deer and feral pigs are found throughout with small numbers of goats towards the southern interior.

Access

Car access is provided by an unsealed road from the boundary of the park 20 km from Takaka, leading to the DOC Totaranui campground and the carpark at Awaroa Inlet.

The Abel Tasman Coast Track extends around the entire northern and eastern perimeter with access points from the Wainui Bay carpark in the north and from Onetahuti Bay in the south.

The Inland Track provides access to the higher altitude interior where this track intercepts the Takaka-Awaroa road at Pigeon Saddle.

Several smaller interior tracks offer access to coastal areas from the Takaka-Awaroa road and the Inland Track.

Sea access is possible to all coastal regions with regular commercial transport operators servicing Totaranui campground and Awaroa.

Landholders

There are numerous private landholdings at the mouth of the Awaroa Inlet with both permanently occupied and holiday homes. While access to the national park is provided by the Coast Track (including beach and low tide routes), consideration of these landowners is required.

There are also several small private blocks at the headwaters of the Awaroa Inlet which are designated as hunting exclusion zones.

The Inland Track north from Pigeon Saddle on the Takaka-Awaroa road north towards Gibbs Hill crosses sections of stocked farmland. Hunters intending to take dogs via this route must contact the landowner: Mike Robertson phone +64 3 525 9655.

Map information

NZTopo 50NZ BN25, BP25

Dogs

All areas are prohibited to dogs except where written authorisation has been granted by DOC.

People wishing to take a dog into this area must obtain a permit from the Takaka Office. A dog access permit may be issued for hunting purposes but all permitted dogs must be fitted with tracking collars.

Dogs are not permitted to overnight in the park.

Hut information

• Whariwharangi Hut
• Awaroa Hut
• Awapoto Hut
• Mutton Cove campground
• Anapai campground
• Totaranui Great Walk campsite
• Waiharakeke campground

Additional information

A permit is required to hunt on public conservation land. This hunting area is governed by a block booking systrem and is not covered by an 'open area permit' .

The area is divided into 15 blocks in which one hunter (or party) obtains a permit to hunt for a maximum 7 day period. Bookings are made on a “first come” basis. All bookings must be made through the Takaka Office.

Maps showing local hunting exclusion zones (enclosed private land blocks) are provided with permits.

All of the Abel Tasman National Park is closed to all hunting from sunset of 22 December to sunrise of 9 February each year. As the track is a Great Walk it is closed to hunting all year round within 500 m of the track.

For information on hunting in Abel Tasman National Park outside the northern hunting block area refer also to Southern Abel Tasman National Park.

The Takaka Office administers the western part of this hunting area from Awaroa Head to Canaan.