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
Walk #4, 23rd April 2025
The waterfall is small but pretty. There’s also a stunning four metre moss waterfall halfway down the track where glow worms can be seen at night.
Walk: Havelock 16
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
Walk #161, 20th February 2025
The Waihi River plunges 25 metres over a wide bluff into a large pool. The pretty waterfall would be spectacular after rain. The bush surrounding the waterfall isn’t thick but contains some handsome old kowhai trees.
This was the first scenic reserve to be established in Hawkes Bay In 1899. There’s a well built shelter with tables at the top of the falls where we ate lunch.
Walk: Hawkes Bay 36
Walk #153, 29th January 2025
This is a small grove of tall Kauri that escaped the axe. There’s also an unusual double-trunked Kauri, from two seedlings fused together. And if that isn’t enough beauty, there’s a small waterfall and pool about 500m down the gravel road. You have to drive past it to get to the grove.
Walk: Coromandel 3
Links
Walk #93, 19th November 2022
The waterfall is off the beaten track but worth the visit.
Mt Damper falls plunges 74 metres down a papa cliff. It’s the highest single drop waterfall in the North Island. The base of the waterfall is inaccessible, but there are two viewing platforms.
The weather wasn’t great, but the upside was the rain made the falls even more spectacular.
Walk: Taranaki 2
History
The falls are near the Tihi-Manuka trail, which was used by local Maori as the main route between the Taumaranui area and the north Taranaki coast.
We stayed at Whangamomona. The Whangamomona Hotel would have to be the best hotel I’ve ever stayed at for the food, the hospitality and the historic setting. It’s real New Zealand, NZ at it’s best.
The road trip to Mt Damper Falls is worth the walk just on its own.
Walk #88, 8th May 2022
This is something different, a creek with two hot water waterfalls. I’ve never seen anything like it.
The creek was quite busy when we got there, it might be quieter during the week. It’s definitely worth a return visit, for a swim next time.
Kerosene Creek is down a gravel forestry road, not far from Waiotapu. It’s not far from the walk we did at Rainbow Mountain.
Walk: Rotorua 31
Related post: Rainbow Mountain, Waiotapu
Walk 37, Moirs Hill, 17th August 2020
The next few walks will be in the local area. I can’t go outside of the borders of Auckland because of another mandated lock down. These walks are my solace.
This walk is just south of Warkworth on SH1 near the Pohuehue viaduct. There’s a pretty waterfall that the Pohuehue Stream tumbles over.
At the waterfall there’s a plaque dedicated to Beverley Price, a local woman who originated the idea of this track. She died on the Air NZ flight that crashed into Mt Erebus in 1979.
Walk: Warkworth 37
Links
The Wairere Falls in the Kaimai ranges are the highest falls in the North Island of NZ.
Besides the grandeur of the falls, this site has one of the most important stories in the history of New Zealand. NZ Christian history and culture is built on it.
I tell Torore’s story on the video.
Walk: Waikato 6
Links
Tarore’s story: NZ history and culture is built on it.
Tarore was from the Ngati Haua tribe. Her father was Ngakuku, a nephew of the great Te Waharoa, and himself a chief of the Ngati Haua of Tainui.
When Tarore’s little book came down to Otaki, the warrior chief Te Rauparaha heard the message and built the Rangiatea Church.
If you would like to receive your own personal copy of the Tarore Story it will be posted free of charge to you by those dedicated to her memory.
Walk 2: Omaru Falls, 31 March 2018
Omaru Falls, King Country
We met a local on the track to these falls, walking with her grandchild. She said the falls are not visited much – people don’t know about them. They’re on SH4 between Taumarunui and Te Kuiti. The Mapiu Stream plunges 50m down into a rocky pool at it’s base.
The toadstool we saw on the track is named ‘Fly agaric’ because of its use, when mixed with milk, as a method of warding off flies. It’s also hallucinogenic. They were introduced into NZ with pine trees imported from Europe.
Walk: Waikato and King Country 37
Links:
NZShortWalks 