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SAFETY
ISSUES:
Please before attempting any activity report to the park's visitor
centre for further information about weather conditions, times,
experience and equipment required.
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THE NATIVE FOREST
The extensive native forest cover of
the Waitakere Ranges is easily accessible, close to Auckland,
and well endowed with walking tracks. The forest is mostly regenerating
after having been milled extensively during the 19th and early
parts of the 20th century. Kauri was widespread, and nearly
all the large ones have gone. Cascade Kauri Park remains as
a superb example of intact mature kauri forest, mixed with a
rich diversity of other trees, especially fine specimens of
tall rimu, kahikatea and matai. The mixed podocarp and broadleaf
forest is the most common type in the ranges, and can be discovered
in a variety of places. There are also fine areas of coastal
forest, especially rich in pururi, taraire, karaka, and kohekohe.
Kowhai are locally common and during the month of September
their bright yellow blossoms illuminate the surrounding forest.
Tree ferns are widespread, and nikau palms can form thick groves
in shaded valleys.
related information:
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Kowhai in blossoms, coastal walk, Karekare.
Photo NC.
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| NAME & LOCATION
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LENGTH/TIME |
DETAILS |
| Times given
one way unless stated otherwise, estimated for a person
of average ability. |
| Auckland
City Walk, Cascade Kauri Park |
1.5 km (.9 miles),
1 hour |
This
is one of the very best forest walks in Auckland. The walking
is easy, on a well graded and gravelled track. The forest
is superb, with large kauri, kahikatea, rimu, and matai.
The track follows the Waitakere Stream for some of the way,
and a short side-track leads to the Cascade Falls. |
| Upper Kauri Track,
Cascade Kauri Park |
3.1 km (1.9 miles), 1.5 hour |
From Auckland City
Walk, the track ascends sometimes steeply to the dense groves
of young and mature kauri at the top of the bluffs. |
| Lower Kauri Track,
Cascade Kauri Park |
1.9 km (1.2 miles), 45 minutes
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From Upper Kauri
Track, this track crosses kauri groves on sometimes steep
ground. |
| Large Kauri Walk |
2 mn |
An easy short walk
to a large kauri, just by the side of the scenic drive. |
| Walker Kauri Track |
750 m (0.47 miles), 30 minutes
return |
Relatively easy walk
to two large kauri. |
| Waitakere Dam Walk |
1.4 km (0.9 miles), 30 minutes |
The walk follows
the access driveway to the dam. A short side walk leads
to a large kauri. Superb stands of mature kauri across the
reservoir. Also fine regenerating forest along the driveway,
with rimu, kanuka, lancewood. |
Podocarp-Broadleaf
Forest Walks
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| Podocarp-broadleaf, usually regenerating,
is the dominant forest cover in the Waitakere ranges. The
ranges are criss-crossed by numerous tracks that provide
a wide choice of walks of various levels of duration and
difficulty. Most of these walks pass through this type of
forest. Below is a selection, by no means comprehensive,
of fine and significant walks through podocarp and broadleaf
forest. |
| Times given
one way unless stated otherwise, estimated for a person
of average ability. |
| NAME &
LOCATION |
LENGTH/TIME |
DETAILS |
| Auckland
City Walk, Cascade Kauri Park |
1.5 km (.9 miles),
1 hour |
This
is one of the very best forest walks in Auckland. The walking
is easy, on a well graded and gravelled track. The forest
is superb, with large kauri, kahikatea, rimu, and matai.
The track follows the Waitakere Stream for some of the way,
and a short side-track leads to the Cascade Falls. |
| Waitakere Dam Walk |
1.4 km (0.9 miles), 30 minutes |
The walk follows
the access driveway to the dam. A short side walk leads
to a large kauri. Superb stands of mature kauri across the
reservoir. Also fine regenerating forest along the driveway,
with rimu, kanuka, lancewood. |
| Fairy Falls Track |
To falls 3.2 km (2 miles), 2
hours.
Round trip with return via Old Coach Road Track 4.2 km (2.6
miles) 3 hours. |
A fine walk through
attractive regenerating forest, with some large rimu specimens.
It is further enhanced by the spectacular Fairy Falls. The
track is very steep in places. |
| Arataki Nature Trail |
Several loops possible, up to
1.6 km (1 mile) and from 20 minutes to 1 1/4 hour. |
The metalled track
starts on Scenic Drive, oposite the Arataki Visitor Centre. |
| Karamatura Valley
tracks |
The Loop Walk starts from the
Karamatura Picnic Area. Length 2.4 km (1.5 miles), time
1 hour. A longer loop combines the Karamatura Track with
the Fletcher Track. Total length 4.1 km (2.5 miles), time
2.5 hours. There are steep sections on these tracks. |
Kauri was extracted
from the Karamatura Valley from the 1850s to the early 1900s.
Now the valley is covered in lush regenerating forest. Fine
specimens of Northern rata can be seen. Also of interest
are the Karamatura Falls, and the volcanic conglomerate
Wharenga Bluffs. |
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| NAME &
LOCATION |
LENGTH/TIME |
DETAILS |
| Times given
one way unless stated otherwise, estimated for a person
of average ability. |
| Pohutukawa Glade
Walk, Karekare |
500 m (0.3 miles),
10 minutes. |
An easy
walk on level, sandy track that starts across the bridge
next to Karekare parking area. Grassy picnic areas along
the track. |
| Zion Hill Track, Karekare |
3.6 km (2.2 miles), 1 hour 20.
If return via the beach, Tunnel Point and Gap Gallery, total
time 2 hours 30 mn. |
From Pohutukawa Glade
Walk, the track ascends fairly steeply to Zion Hill through
forest that includes pohutukawa, karaka, pururi, taraire,
and kowhai. The track then descends more gently to meet
Buck Taylor Track. Fine groves of nikau palms on the Pararaha
Valley side. |
| Taraire Track, Karekare |
900 m (0.6 miles), 30 mn |
The track starts
100 m (110 yds) across the bridge next to Karekare Picnic
Area. It leads to Karekare Falls and passes through the
largest taraire forest in the Waitakere Ranges. |
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INFORMATION AND VISITOR CENTRES
- Arataki Visitor Centre, Scenic Drive, Waitakere Regional Park.
Open 9-5 daily (closed on Christmas Day). Phone: Parksline ++ 64
9 303 1530.
- Department of Conservation Visitor Centre, Ferry Building, Quay
Street, Downtown Auckland. Phone: Parksline ++ 64 9 303 1530.
BOOKS
 A
Field Guide to Auckland - Exploring the Region's Natural and Historic
Heritage. Godwit, 1997.
 A
Natural History of Auckland. Bateman, 1997.
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