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

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

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

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

Hot Water Beach, Kawhia

Walk #177, 18th November 2025

This was an unusual walk, we made our way over a big sand dune to a hot water beach near Kawhia, which also goes by the name of ‘Te Puia,’ meaning ‘hot springs’.

The hot spots are directly out from the main track down the dune. As you can see this hot water beach is less crowded than the more popular and well-known beach at Hahei, Coromandel.

You have to go two hours either side of low tide. The hot water is found by digging into the sand with your toes. We found a warm spot and my husband Bert dug a hole for us to soak in with his father’s US army issue spade. As he dug I could smell the sulphur. The hole that I’d already claimed had water that was a bit hotter.

Unfortunately it started to rain, but we were already wet anyway and the wind wasn’t cold.

I recommend the walk for its sheer novelty value.

Walk: Waikato 7

Horoure Pa, Aotea, Waikato

Walk #176, 17th November 2025

This old pa site at Aotea Harbour was right at the doorstep of the place where we stayed for two nights. The harbour in front of the pa was named after the Aotea canoe which is said to have arrived around 1300.

The Tainui canoe arrived about 50 years later and the people from that canoe settled at nearby Kawhia, just down the coast. The Tainui and Aotea tribes lived in harmony until the 1600s when battles started because the Kawhia people were expanding.

The two tribes united when their rohe (area) came under attack around 1800 from inland Tainui. The defeated people fled south to take refuge in pa still controlled by Te Rauparaha, trekking to Taranaki and then on to Horowhenua.

For a long time after their defeat this pa site was left empty, until the defeat of Waikato by Ngapuhi at Matakitahi in 1826 when survivors from that conflict settled here.

The book said it was an easy climb to the top – no it wasn’t. The long grass came half way up my body and it was impossible walking through it. Plus there was some dead gorse in the midst of the vegetation. I did not want to disappear into an old kumera pit so I called it a day and came back down.

The pa site is not a “wahi tapu,” a sacred locality like part of the foreshore – but when I gained the ridge I felt I shouldn’t be up there.

Walk: 26 Waikato and King Country

Links

King Country places