Waikato River Walk, Hamilton

Walk #197, 30th September 2026

This is a walk we did with a my sister and her dog after stopping at Hamilton to eat lunch and catch up with family. We walked both sides of the swifly flowing Waikato River, crossing over at Victoria Bridge.

We walked through Memorial Park where there is a statue of an Anzac soldier’s horse and a replica WW2 Spitfire. The warhorses numbered more than 18,000 and never came home. Lots of lovely old trees line the banks of the river, planted in memory of the fallen soldiers from WW1.

At 425 kms long the Waikato River is New Zealand’s longest river. It flows from Lake Taupo through Huka Falls to Hamilton and empties out at Port Waikato.

The site of Hamilton was originally known as Kirikiriroa. It was a large pa located on the western side of the Waikato River. The first inhabitants of the area were the Mokohape, a sub-tribe of an extensive tribal group known as Nga Iwi (the people). There are pou (poles) commemorating them and Maui above the Waikato River. The Mokohape people were replaced by Tainui people from Mokau and Kawhia. In the 1800s battles were fought against Te Rauparaha from the west, Ngapuhe from the north and then the British in the Waikato land wars of the 1860s. It was estimated that Kirikiriroa had a population of about 78 before the Invasion of Waikato via the Waikato Wars of 1863-64.

At the water’s edge there is a memorial about Teresa Vowless, an Irish immigrant woman who, when the boat neared the bank, handed her baby to a friend and jumped in the river to be the first white woman ashore in Hamilton – an honour normally accorded to the captain’s wife! Her husband died in 1876 leaving her to raise 8 children alone. Through her hard work she managed to keep her family’s 50 acres of land until shortly before her death in 1922.

Walk: Waikato #18

Links

Pou above the Waikato River

Mangaokewa Gorge Scenic Reserve

Walk #175, 17th November 2025

Mangaokewa means “the stones of Kewa.” This walk is about 3kms from the town of Te Kuiti. It follows the Mangaokewa River.

There’s a small waterfall about 20 minutes along the track. Beyond that is an old road going in the direction of Te Kuiti. The area has a ghost townish feel which I remarked about on the video. I later learned it was the original site of Te Kuiti before the town moved north.

Walk: King Country Walk 31

Links

Mangaokewa Gorge Walk

Papers Past: Old Te Kuiti (By J.W.E)

Te Kooti

Te Kooti was invited to Te Kūiti, the residence of the Māori King – but only if he came in peace. He responded defiantly that he was coming to ‘assume himself the supreme authority which he coming direct from God was entitled to’. Accompanied by Horonuku and Ngāti Tūwharetoa, and his core group of around 60 whakarau, Te Kooti arrived at Te Kūiti on 10 July 1869. Rewi Maniapoto greeted Te Kooti as a kinsman (they were related through Te Kooti’s father) and Te Kooti, for his part, appeared more conciliatory. He had come not to depose Tāwhiao but ‘to rouse up the Waikato to take up arms’. A feast had been prepared, but at this point Te Kooti declared that ‘he should consider himself the host (tangata whenua) and that the Waikato were his visitors’. His men loaded their weapons and fired over the heads of the bewildered Ngāti Maniapoto.

Te Kooti goes to Te Kūiti

From 1873 to 1883 Te Kooti lived at Te Kūiti. Here he evolved the rituals of his church. In 1883 Te Kooti was formally pardoned, at Rewi Maniapoto’s insistence. Te Kooti left Te Kūiti and in April moved to Ōtewā in the Waikato, where he founded his religious community.

Te Kooti established the Ringatu faith.

Te Ara: Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Tūruki

Waikanae River Estuary and Beach

Walk #168, 19th May 2025

This is a small estuary, prolific with birds despite the close proximity of housing. The walk goes over a swing bridge and along the banks of the Waikanae River to the Waimanu Lagoons. There we were treated to a special sight, a white heron (kotuku) who lives at the lagoon. The bird is so rare that the Maori have a saying, “He Kotuku rerenga tahi,” “a Kotuku’s flight is seen but once.”

The beach is only a short walk from the lagoon, where we watched the sun set over Kapiti Island, 5 kms offshore.

Walk: Kapiti 33

History

Te Uruhi, a former pa site at Waikanae, was one of three ancient pa sites mentioned in the book ‘THE ART WORKMANSHIP OF THE MAORI RACE IN NEW ZEALAND,’ published in 1896. Elsdon Best wrote, “I have seen the remains of an old pa at Waikanae, called Te Uruhi, the fence of which has been a mile in circumference.”

Unfortunately the site would have been obliterated by developer’s bulldozers.

The Waitaha, first inhabitants

“Archaeological and ethnographical research suggests that Waikanae may have been first inhabited by the Waitaha moa-hunters as early as a thousand years ago.” The Waitaha people were replaced by successive waves of settlement of the Ngāti Apa, Rangitāne and Muaūpoko iwi (tribal groups).

Source: Wikipedia:

Te Rauparaha

In the 1820s the infamous Maori leader of Ngāti Toa, Te Rauparaha, moved into the area and based himself at Kapiti Island.

In this 1840s image of Te Rauparaha, he wears a feather in his hair and a pōhoi (feather-ball earring). Te Rauparaha is famous for the role he played during the musket wars.

Source: Te Ara

In 1824, Waikanae Beach was the embarkation point for a force of 2,000 to 3,000 fighters from coastal iwi, who assembled with the intention of taking Kapiti Island from the Ngāti Toa led by Te Rauparaha. Crossing the strait in a fleet of waka canoes under shelter of darkness, the attackers were met and destroyed as they disembarked at the northern end of Kapiti Island.

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Te Āti Awa of Wellington

In the 1820s the Taranaki tribes iwi Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Mutunga and Ngāti Maru Wharanui began moving to the Kapiti area after being driven south by Waikato tribes in the Maori Musket Wars. The tribes moved back to Taranaki in 1848 but some Atiawa iwi remained in the Kapiti area. Source: Te Āti Awa of Wellington

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The Waikanae Estuary Scientific Reserve

The Waikanae Estuary Scientific Reserve is a nationally–significant reserve located at the mouth of the Waikanae River. The reserve was established in 1987 to protect the large number of bird species that use the area.

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Thomas the goose

Here’s something funny and sweet – a local story about a goose called Thomas who lived at the Waimanu Lagoons from 1970 to 2018.

“Thomas had a relationship with a male black-feathered swan, Henry, for approximately 18 to 24 years until a female swan, Henrietta, joined them. Thomas initially attacked the pair, which included breaking two of the five eggs that Henrietta had laid. But once the remaining eggs had hatched, he became friendly and helped raise them. Henry could not fly because he had an injured wing, so Thomas helped teach the cygnets to fly.

Thomas was left alone when Henry died in 2009 and Henrietta flew away with another swan. Thomas later met a female goose and had his own offspring, for the first time, in 2011. The offspring were then taken by another goose. After going blind and getting attacked by swans, he was moved in 2013 to the Wellington Bird Rehabilitation Trust in Ohariu, and stayed there until his death in 2018. A plaque was placed at the lagoon to remember him.” Source: Wikipedia

Links

We stopped at the Southward Car Museum on the road to the Waikanae Estuary walk. It’s well worth a visit.

Waikanae Link Track

Kotuku, White heron

White heron making most of Waikanae Beach before departure

Thomas (goose)

Te Ātiawa ki Kāpiti History : The earliest accounts of Te Ātiawa ki Kāpiti go back to the Kāhui Mounga Collective that had spread itself from Taranaki and the Central Plateau region through to Te Ūpoko o te Ika. During this time, further waves of migrations occurred.

Two of these migrations began with the arrival of the following waka to Taranaki; Te Kahutara, Taikōria and Okoki.

The names of these iwi were Te Tini-a-Taitāwaro, Te Tini-a-Pananehu, Tamaki, and Te Tini-o-Pohokura, names after four brothers who led their people to Aotearoa.

Pelorus Bridge, Marlborough

Walk #5, 23rd April 2025

Pelorus Bridge, at the junction of the Rai and Pelorous Rivers, is a small island of native bush which escaped the axe because a town was planned for the site. It was soon recognised as a beauty spot and in 1912 it became a scenic reserve.

The site was used as a film location for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

Sceenit: Pelorus River
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

The juction of the Pelorus and Rai rivers was an old Maori trail. There had been a small kainga (village) in the area which was abandoned during the bitter fighting of the Maori Musket Wars. By the time Europeans arrived the area was largely uninhabited.

Walk: Havelock 17

Maraetotara Falls, Hawkes Bay

Walk #163, 21st Feb 2025

The falls are actually a concrete weir built in 1922 by the Havelock Borough Council on top of the existing falls, to provide water for a small power station that was downstream.

As you can see it is a popular swimming spot. I would have liked to have known about this as a child. We always swam in the Ngaruroro River. This is much better.

Walk: Hawkes Bay 30

Howarth Memorial Wetland, Te Aroha

Walk #144, 25th January 2025

This is a walk along the banks of the Waihou river in the delightful town of Te Aroha. The tree planting in the reserve is a bit chaotic with kahikatea, oaks, willows and other trees all scrambled in together but it’s a pleasant place. It was green and shady, all that is wanted on a hot summer’s day.

Don’t leave without going to the town domain.

Walk: Waikato 4

Te Aroha, Jan 2006

Te Aroha is an Edwardian spa town. The domain where the hot springs are was decked out in the fashion of the European Spas in the 1880’s, and it hasn’t changed. It is a unique place, the only complete Edwardian Domain in New Zealand, and the site of the Mokena Geyser, a geyser of hot soda water … the only one of its kind in the world.

The geyser comes up from a depth of 70 meters and plays every 40 minutes. It was named after the Maori chief, Mokena Te Hau, an early Christian convert who gifted the land to the town. His memorial Cairn is next to the No.8 Drinking Fountain, where you can drink the soda water for free.

The water is nice to drink, naturally carbonated without the sugar or preservatives. Coke’s not the real thing, THIS is the real thing. The pools are nice too.

The word ‘Spa’ is an acronym for Salus per Aquam or healing through waters.

In order for this unique fountain to be found at the Spa, it needed two things – a gift to the people from a chief, and for the people who discovered the healing power of the water to have enough faith in it to dig a bore 70 meters down to find the well.

The geyser plays every 30 minutes. These are photos from a visit in 2006. This is our third visit to the area.

The meaning of the Te Aroha mountain peaks

The mountain has two names, one for each of its two peaks, ‘Te Aroha-ki uta’, and ‘Te
Aroha-a tai’, respectively meaning ‘love for the land’ and ‘love for the sea’. The names
originated in Hawaiki, the memory of which is fostered by Tainui, Arawa, and Mataatua
waka which all incorporate Te Aroha as part of their respective traditions.

Chief Mokena Te Hau, benefactor and peacemaker was of the Ngāti Rāhiri Tumutumu tribe.

The original inhabitants of the Aroha lands are believed to be the Tino-o-Toi. Various
tribes subsequently settled the area. According to Ngāti Rāhiri Tumutumu tradition, Te
Aroha is a dwelling place of the ‘patupaiarehe’ or ‘fairy people’. The mountain is
important in many stories, karakia (prayers), and waiata (songs).

Source: NGĀTI RĀHIRI TUMUTUMU Deed of Settlement

Kaitoke Regional Park, Wellington

Walk # 11th April 2017

The Kaitoke Regional Park lies in the foothills of the Tararua Range near Wellington. It’s a catchment area for nearly half of Wellington’s water supply and the surrounding virgin bush is made up of old rata, beech and rimu trees.

Near the carpark a short side path leads to the site of Rivendell from the Lord of the Rings films.

We visited the park in 2017 but only had time to look at the LOTR location. The bush and river setting is so lovely, I can see why it was chosen for the Rivendell setting. It’s a walk we’ll return to.

Nothing remains of Rivendell except this replica arch.

A map shows the location of Frodo’s bedroom and Elrond’s house. The Pakuratahi river flows near the set before joining the Hutt River.

The tree where Legolas posed for publicity photos.

Besides the LOTR location there are a number of short walks. The main walk, a loop along the Hutt River, begins over a swing bridge from the carpark.

Walk: Wellington 9

Kerikeri Basin

Walk #124, 30th April 2024

This has everything – history, a river walk and waterfalls. Also a cafe in the historic beekeepers house which is right next door to the oldest house in NZ, the Kemp House. The Kemp house was built in 1822 and the Stone Store was built in 1835. There’s a heritage orchard and cottage garden flowerbeds which the cafe uses. The garden has been in operation for over 200 years.

The Mission (Kemp House) was deliberately established next to Kororipo pa (see below), the home of Hongi Hika. Without his patronage and protection, the mission had little chance of survival. No doubt the people in the pa kept a good eye on the coming and goings of the Pakeha living there and reported back to Hongi.

The heritage park is enchanting, even down to the friendly goose who greeted me waggling his tail feathers. The river walk has a historic power station, rock formations and two waterfalls.

Kerikeri Basin, the old Beekeepers House with Kemp House next door

Link

Kerikeri Mission Station (Kemp House)

Kerikeri stone store

Stone Store

Kerikeri’s Kemp House – the oldest building in NZ – turns 200

Kerikeri’s hidden waterfall trails: The network of tracks linking five spectacular cascades

Kororipo Pa

This site was the pa of Hongi Hika, the paramount chief of the north. From here they could keep an eye on everyone, including the Pakeha at the mission across the inlet.

Walking around Kororipo Pa in the quiet of the Kerikeri Basin, I imagined what it was like in the past. In the early 19th century the Ngapuhi tribe controlled the Bay of Islands, the first point of contact for most Europeans visiting New Zealand.

Looking at the historic Mission (Kemp House) and Stone Store across the inlet, New Zealand’s oldest buildings, I wondered about the two cultures that had existed side by side. How did they do it?

Carter Scenic Reserve

Walk #120, 27th March 2024

This small reserve was bequethed by Charles Carter, an early Wairarapa pioneer. The town of Carterton is named after him.

It’s an area of swamp and semi-swamp forest on two old terraces of the Ruamahanga river. The DOC sign noted that some of the swamp loving kahikatea and totara trees have died since the river changed its flow.

We followed a not-very-well signposted track to the Ruamahanga river and leaving the river we followed a track that skirts the bush. The trees are mainly kahikatea, titoki and matai.

It’s all that’s left of the lowland bush that once covered the Wairarapa plain.

Walk: Wairarapa 4

Links

Carter Scenic Reserve

Carter and his Legacy

Written in blood. How a chance discovery shook our notions of the past

In 2004, young Wairarapa local Sam Tobin took a wander down to the nearby Ruamahanga River. He found a 300 year old skull that would challenge our most firmly held assertions of human settlement in New Zealand.

The 300 year old skull was of a European female aged about 40-45 years.

The skull was examined by forensic pathologists at Auckland Hospital. Despite being hampered by its damaged and incomplete condition—the jawbone and lower left portion of the cranium were missing—the pathologists determined that the skull was that of an adult female. Furthermore, most probably of Caucasian origin and that the deterioration of the bone placed the time of death “beyond living memory”. They conjectured that the holes in the skull, each the size of a 10 cent piece, might represent old injuries, and that one of the perforations looked to have been caused by “ancient buckshot”.

Carbon dating: the Radiocarbon Calibration Report put the skull at 296 ± 35 years BP” (Before Present.)

DNA testing: When the first batch of Ruamahanga skull sequences came back the results were conclusive. The mitochondrial haplotype, it turned out, was classed as H, a group that originated from Europe. The skull was not Maori.

Source: NZ Geographic, Written in blood: How a chance discovery shook our notions of the past

Whanganui River Walk

Walk #84, 19th March 2022

Today’s walk was along the banks of the historic Whanganui River, from the town bridge to the Dublin St bridge along Somme Parade Anzac Parade. The stroll included Kowai Park, a wonderful children’s park, on the Anzac Pde side of the river by the Dublin St bridge, and the James McGregor Memorial park. This park contains an arboretum with a collection of trees dating back to 1917.

Starting off at Durie Hill, the suburb where we now live, we walked down the stairs by the Durie Hill Tower to the river. There’s a historic elevator inside the hill but the tunnel is currently blocked by a slip. The elevator was constructed during World War 1 and the flu pandemic 100 years ago and finished in 1919. It makes our suburb kind of unique in NZ.

Durie Hill Tunnel and Elevator

Durie Hill elevator

Before roads, the river was the main route north. A fleet of paddlesteamers used to ply the river from Wanganui to Pipiriki and back. With a length of 290 kilometres (180 mi), the Whanganui is the country’s third-longest river.

Two riverboats have been restored, the Waimarie and the Wairua.

Here’s three interesting facts about the river:-

Shakespeare Cliff is across the river from where the riverboat is moored. In Maori tradition a taniwha named Tutae-poroporo is said to have lived in the river at Shakespeare Cliff (Taumaha-aute) where he intercepted and swallowed canoes passing up and down the river sending a great wave rolling before him.

In 1867 Senor Vertelli crossed the Whanganui River on a tightrope. He offered to take a passenger across in a wheelbarrow but there were no takers.

We also have mild geothermal activity in the Whanganui area where occasional streams of sulphurous gas bubble up from the riverbed. The last eruption was Westmere Lake; on 12 Feb 1929 there was a sort of eruption from the lake that covered the vegetation in a blueish sulphurous sediment.