Te Henui Walkway

Walk #187 Te Henui Walkway, 21st Feb 2026

This walkway follows the Te Henui river. It was a serene stroll rich in history. The first thing we learned was the meaning of Te Henui.

To Maori, warfare was both an integral part of their political system and a response to offenses or crimes of any kind. Between the late 1700s and early 1800s the tribes of the Taranaki region were in regular conflict with various tribes from the Waikato region.

According to the story that has been handed down through generations it was during an expected battle with Waikato that the Henui stream was given its name.

The Taranaki iwi travelled along the coast to help defend the local Atiawa tribe from Waikato which was nearing their boundaries. They arrived around nightfall and headed towards Te Henui. Scouts from Te Atiawa saw them and mistook them for the enemy. Intense hand to hand conflict erupted in the dark from one riverbank to the other. It wasn’t until daylight that each party realised they were fighting their own allies. There were significant losses experienced on both sides.

Hence the meaning of Te Henui, “the big mistake.”

There are two pa sites on the walk. The first was Pukewarangi, crowned with some pines, which we explored.

The second was Parihamore, a pa site further along the path.

During the 18th century a beautiful young woman named Urukinaki resided at Parihamore Pa. She attracted attention from men all over Taranaki including Potaka, a chief of the Puketapu hapu from the Bellblock area.

Urukinaki considered Potaka too old and ugly and was not the least bit interested in him. Angry and insulted, Potaka laid siege to Parihamore. The siege dragged on until starvation was imminent and Urukinaki surrendered for the sake of her tribe.

Crossing the path underneath the Cumberland Street Bridge we walked back along the other side of the stream.

The path led past the other side of the Parihamore pa site to the historic Te Henui cemetery and from there it rejoined the path along the stream.

Walk: Taranaki 5

The walk was busy at times with cyclists who I can’t always hear on the path, but I rate it as a solid four.

Links

Te Henui Vicarage
Associated with the earliest period of European settlement in New Plymouth, the vicarage is one of the relatively few buildings in New Plymouth that was not demolished during the Taranaki Wars, signifying the esteem that the building had also with local Maori.

Te Henui Walkway: Explore New Plymouth’s Scenic 2-Hour Riverbank Trail

Soldier’s grave; one of the graves we looked at.

Capt. AR Close 43 Regt. Killed Warea July 1865, circa 1860, maker unknown. Purchased 1916. Te Papa (O.012378)

Taranaki has a complicated past – you can read the history here from an earlier walk:
Pukekura Park / Brooklands Park, New Plymouth

New Plymouth Coastal walkway

Walk #186, 21st February 2026

The 7km long walk goes from the port to the estuary of the Waiwhakaiho River. We started at the other end, next to the Te Rewa Rewa Bridge because I wanted to get that perfect shot of the bridge and Mount Taranaki. It was too cloudy for that in the early afternoon, so we walked as far as the Fitzroy Beach reserve. We didn’t have time to go any further.

We’ve done the walk from the other end on a blustery day with friends in 2017.

We returned at 6pm for the sunset shot and this time it was perfect.

Mount Taranaki can be seen on a clear day, usually in the evening, from the hill where I live in Wanganui, see below.

The walk was busy at times with cyclists who I can’t always hear on the path, but because of that awesome bridge I rate it as a solid four. The bridge was opened in 2010 and is part of the northern extension to the Coastal Walkway, connecting New Plymouth with Bell Block.

Walk: Taranaki 6

Related walk with the history of the area:
Pukekura Park / Brooklands Park, New Plymouth

Mount Taranaki taken at sunset from Wanganui, Oct 2023

Awatetaki Pa, Taranaki

Walk #185, Waitangi Day 6th Feb 2026

This pa is ringed on three sides by a high defensive ditch and the Waitara River on the fourth. There’s a second ditch inside the first. The ditches are so well constructed that even now, centuries later it’s still impressive. Food pits called ‘rua’ are still visible, despite being covered by centuries of leaf litter.

The way in is not very welcoming as there’s a screen of kawakawa bushes, but once you’re through it’s easy to walk around. There are karaka trees throughout the site and a big totara tree that would have been growing there when the site was still occupied.

The track begins at a farm on the end of Ngatimaru road. You can park near the farm shed. The track is over farmland marked by an orange trail marker.

Walk: Taranaki 3

History

Archaeological mapping of Awa-te-Take Pa and Ngangana Pa, Taranaki

I don’t know who built the pa – there are no info boards. The only clue is the name of Ngatimaru road.

Ngati Maru.

Ngati Maru descend from an ancient Taranaki people known as the Kāhui-Maru, whose genealogy predates the arrival of the explorer Toi. Kahui means a flock, a name which is only applied to the tangata-whenua people. (Source: Tangata Whenua – The ancient inhabitants of Taranaki)

Ngāti Maru were not involved in the land dealings which led to war in Taranaki in 1860, and were not directly involved in the subsequent fighting. Source: Ngāti Maru (Taranaki) Claims Settlement Act 2022

The Musket Wars

Taranaki was a fertile land that was home to 8 Māori tribes before it was devastated by the Waikato invasions that began in 1817. It would be left almost uninhabited for the next seven years before European colonisation began in 1841.

Video: The Devastation of Taranaki

And here’s another video about Taranaki by Kiwi Codger.
In this podcast Kiwi Codger critiques the New Zealand Herald article on the destruction of Parihaka in South Taranaki. Like much of our news today, it presents good information out of context, and reinforces negative impressions of the colonization of New Zealand. He also outlines the importance of accessing all the factual information available, and describe where you can find many of the early books, diaries, and official records in order to form your own informed opinions. Be sure to check out Kiwi Codger’s YouTube videos on the Musket Wars. I’ve just summarized what happened; Kiwi Codger brings it to life!

The Modern Legacy of Parihaka – How to Deceive by Telling the Truth

Mount Holdsworth,Wairarapa

Walk #184, 20th January 2026

This walk is tucked into the foothills of the Tararua Ranges.

The video actually covered two walks; the Donnelly’s Flat Loop track which was split on either side of the track to Rocky Lookout.

There has been a bit of storm damage but the track is well maintained. The bush here is beautiful but we didn’t hear many birds.

The Rocky Lookout was excellent, with extensive views of Mount Holdsworth and Atiwhakatu valley.

Right now NZ is experiencing a very dismal summer. We would have stopped for a snack at the viewpoint but it was too cold and exposed to linger.

The highlight of the Donnelly’s loop track were the abundant kidney ferns, some were even growing in trees.

The Mt Holdsworth lookout is further up the Gentle Annie track, we stopped at Rocky Lookout.

Walk: Wairarapa 3

Notes

Further up the Gentle Annie Track is the remains of a pa punanga, a refuge pa. This ridge was a temporary refuge for Maori from the Rangitane tribe to hide from raiding war parties. All that remains are small terraces and basic earthworks

Links

Rocky Lookout

Sledge Track, Kahuterawa Valley

Walk #183, 5th January 2026

The Kahuterawa Valley is located near Palmerston North in the foot of the Tararua Ranges.

We walked the Sledge track in the Kahuterawa Valley with our friend who knows the area. He was very keen to go as far as we could.

Having now walked the track, if you’ve only got a couple of hours I recommend only going as far as the Arapuke Swing Bridge.

From the swing bridge it’s all uphill on a ridge with no views. That part of the track is called “the Elevation.” There are no helpful signs on this section, just a hand-painted sign in red saying “2.8.kms to B.B.”

We had no idea what that stood for, it could have been “Black Bridge,” but that was back the way we came! Further up we came to a fork, which could have been the Toe Toe Junction, leading to some platinum ore mines from the late 1800s and early 1900s. With no signage we didn’t know where or how far it was. We carried on uphill for another 15 minutes and met some people coming back from the platinum mines – which we didn’t have the time budget for, so we went back the way we came.

The track is semi-maintained. I give it three stars because of the lack of signage and bush bashing.

Walk: Manawatu 25

Links

Palmy: Sledge Track and Harding’s Park loops

The area has important biodiversity values including regionally important remnant kāmahi forest, and a nationally endangered carnivorous land snail.
Kahuterawa Outdoor Recreation Plan

History

One of the earliest European owners of the land was the Wellington – Manawatu Railway Company, which named the area the Fitzherbert Block.

The valley was also known for platinum prospecting starting around 1875, although commercial mining was never established.

There are places on the track named after the first european settlers.
Bush Section in the Kahuterawa Valley
Montage of Kahuterawa Valley Life

Omanawa Falls, Tauranga

Walk #182, 20th December 2025

This is the prettiest waterfall I have ever seen. A weir above the falls diverts some of the river through a power station so the falls are greatly diminished from their original power. Even so the area has still maintained its natural beauty.

Omanawa Falls was the first underground hydro-generating power station in the country and entire southern hemisphere. It was constructed in 1913-1915 for the city of Tauranga, which at that time had a population of around 1500 people .

Ngati Hangarau, the tribe who are kaitieke (guardians) of the area hold the river and falls as a sacred place.

There are three different viewpoints. We saw the falls from two of the lookouts but didn’t do the third, the Te Harikoa Lookout at the base of the falls. It would have taken an extra 662 stairs and 40 minutes; time we didn’t have.

What we did see was wonderful, a single drop waterfall in front of a cave, surrounded by native bush with the water splashing into a sapphire coloured pool.

As well as native birds the pekapeka, long tailed bats, have been recorded flying around the Omanawa Valley.

There’s a cafe at the car parking area near the start of the track.

Walk: Bay of Plenty 9

McClaren Falls is nearby.

Related walk

McClaren Falls

Links

The earliest people known to have lived in the Tauranga area are the Purukupenga, whose name alone survives, and the Ngamarama, who inhabited all the land from the Waimapu Stream to the Kaimai ranges. So numerous were these people that when the Tainui canoe passed through the Tauranga harbour, she made only a brief stay.
Source: Tauranga Local History

Ngati Hangarau, the guardians of the area, are a sub-tribe of Ngati Ranginui of the Takitimu canoe.

Omanawa Falls

Ngāti Hangarau Hapū Trust Chair Koro Nicholas
explains Te Toka Mauri stone at Te Rere o Ōmanawa –
Ōmanawa Falls site blessing.

Source: Tauranga City, Reopening of Te Rere o Ōmanawa, or, Ōmanawa Falls, 2023 (Event)

Waikareao Estuary Walkway, Tauranga, Bay of Plenty

Walk #181, 20th December 2025

Walk: Bay of Plenty 7

We did part of the 9km long estuary walkway, from McCardle Reserve to the Esplanade Reserve. It’s a flat, easy walk but stick to the left and watch out for cyclists.

History

The area forms part of my childhood memories from when I stayed with my mother’s family in Tauranga in the 1960s and early to mid 1970s. The area has changed quite a lot since then.

They lived in a large house on the hill at 31 Chapel Street which overlooked the estuary. It was situated next to the Mission House, which in those days ran a farm and had milking cows and animals which were kept on what is now the Domain.

My grandfather owned two boats, which I don’t remember because it was before my time. He built a small jetty just below the Domain where the boat was moored.

My mother is in black togs seated next to my grandfather who is standing in the water. My great-Grandfather is the one wearing a hat at the other end of the boat.

Pre-european history

The earliest people known to have lived in the Tauranga area are the Purukupenga, whose name alone survives, and the Ngamarama, who inhabited all the land from the sea to the Kaimai ranges.

So numerous were these people that when the Tainui canoe passed through the Tauranga harbour, she made only a brief stay.

An anchor stone was found on the foreshore directly below the old Otumoetai Pa. The pa originally belonged to the Ngamarama people. They were replaced by Ngati Ranginui and then later by Ngaiterangi. The latter were in control of the Tauranga district when the missionaries and traders arrived in the early 19th century. As the largest pa in the district it was referred to by missionaries as “the capital of Tauranga.”
Source: Tauranga Heritage Collection

A second carved mahe (Māori anchor/sinker stone) found in the Tauranga Harbour by a fisherman in 2005. Image: Tauranga Heritage Collection.

Related walk:

Mount Maunganui,Bay of Plenty

Links

Waikareao Estuary Walkway

Otumoetai Pa

Twin Craters / Ngahopua Track, Lake Okataina, Rotorua Lakes

Walk #180, 17th Dec 2025

This walk is near Lake Okataina in the Rotorua Lakes area. The track follows a crater rim and leads to views over two lakes, Lakes Rotongata and Rotoatua. The views are better away from the viewing area.

I give it 3 stars because the views in most part are blocked by trees.

Walk: Rotorua 30

Related walk:

Lake Okataina

Links

Ngahopua Track (Twin Lakes Track)

I recommend the Te Auheke Track (Cascades Track) instead.

The NZ Motor Caravan site provides this helpful info:

Time: 40 min loop
Distance: 1.5 km

The track passes a sheer cliff face which is covered with moss and ferns. At night, thousands of glow worms can be seen. The picturesque Cascade Falls (around 10 m high) pour water over and around many rock protrusions and inspired the track’s name: Te Auheke means ‘tumbling water’.

Getting there: Start at the back of the field behind the Outdoor Education Centre.

Mangapohue Natural Arch, Waitomo Area

Walk #179, 19th November 2025

This walk is through an impressive limestone gorge that passes underneath a 17 m high natural arch. There are two arches, one on top of the other.

There are supposed to be giant oyster shell fossils beyond the bridges but we couldn’t find them.

The walk is on the scenic Te Henga road, and further up the road going west is Piripiri Cave and Marokopa Falls.

Walk: Waikato / King Country 29

Links

Mangapohue Natural Bridge Walk

Marokopa Falls

Walk #178, 19th November 2025

This beautiful 35 m high waterfall is on the Te Anga Road in the Waitomo region. Also on the same scenic road, going toward Waitomo, is the Piripiri cave and the Mangapohe Natural Bridge.

Walk: Waikato / King Country 30

Links

Marokopa Falls Walk