Walks and Trails in Thames Coromandel
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
YOUR COROMANDEL Tracks & Trails Guide Welcome to Your Coromandel Local Tracks and Trails Guide Unlike the back-country tracks in the mountainous terrain managed by the Department of Conservation, the walks outlined in this book are largely on TCDC land, with a few exceptions for relatively short walks on public conservation land Keep Kauri near our town centres or walks that lead to DOC tracks. There are plenty of treasures to discover among these walks, taking you from harbour Standing and river margins, heritage town centres, playgrounds, busy working wharves and, of What is Kauri Dieback? course, the sandy beaches the Coromandel is Kauri dieback is a disease caused by the microscopic pathogen famous for. We’ve got walks for people of all Phytophthora agathidicida (PA). There is currently no known cure for PA, fitness levels, and we’ve included cycle paths which kills most if not all of the kauri it infects. It can be spread by just and mountain biking trails as well. a pinhead of soil, and is most commonly transferred by people on their Developing walking and biking paths on footwear and equipment. our Council’s own reserves, and helping But everyone can play their part to stop the disease from spreading by community groups and businesspeople develop tracks of their own, is a major strand practising good hygiene when entering or leaving kauri forests, and of our economic development programme. sticking to marked tracks. We welcome feedback on the paths included in this book and we’d like to hear from you What can I do to stop it spreading? if you’ve got plans to develop a walking or 1. SCRUB cycling track in your area of the district. When you are around kauri: • Make sure foot wear and equipment are scrubbed As with any path that is shared among multiple users, be considerate of others, use a clean to remove all visible soil and plant material bell or your voice to warn people you’re about before AND after visiting a kauri forest. to pass on a bike, clean up after yourself, and 2. SPRAY • Please use cleaning stations where provided, most of all, get out there and enjoy yourself. and follow the hygiene steps. This includes first WELCOME FRONT COVER Main photo: location Lonely Bay scrubbing off all visible soil and then spraying DIEBACK KAURI Inset photos L-R: Rings Loop Walk, Whitianga with disinfectant. 2 Bike Park, Lonely Bay, Matarangi 3 Felicity Jean Photography • Stay on the track and off kauri roots. 3. STAY This page: Rings Loop Walk, p20 • Keep your dog on a leash at all times. Felicity Jean Photography Email: [email protected] By following these steps we can all help protect X kauri and ensure they remain standing into X the future. Follow us on: @ThamesCoromandelDistrictCouncil @OurCoromandel www.kauridieback.co.nz coromandel_tcdc YOUR COROMANDEL TRACKS & TRAILS TRACKS COROMANDEL YOUR & TRAILS TRACKS COROMANDEL YOUR Contents THE COROMANDEL Northern Coromandel 20 Jacob’s Ladder PENINSULA and Historic Parawai .......................... 34 1 Waikawau Bay..................................... 10 Miners’ Cottages 2 Tuateawa Nikau Grove Walk .............. 11 21 and Shortland Cemetery .................... 35 3 New Chum Beach ............................... 12 22 Thames Coastal Pathway .............. 36-37 1 4 Whangapoua Beach to Opera Point .. 13 23 Hauraki Rail Trail ................................ 38 5 Long Bay to Tucks Bay ........................ 14 24 Kauaeranga Valley .............................. 39 6 Kauri Block .......................................... 15 2 7 Wyuna Bay .......................................... 16 South Eastern Coromandel Te Karo Bay to Otara Bay .................... 42 8 Te Kouma to Sugarloaf Wharf 25 Pumpkin Hill Summit ......................... 43 and Hannafords Wharf ....................... 17 26 3 Eastern Coromandel Walks 27 Tairua History Trail ............................. 44 4 28 Paku Hill Summit ................................ 45 10 9 Rings Loop and Bluff Rd 5 9 to Matarangi ........................................ 20 29 Pepe Loop Track ................................. 46 6 7 10 Opito Bay to Crayfish Bay................... 21 30 Red Bridge Track ................................. 46 11 Whitianga Waterfront 31 Pauanui-Tairua Trail ........................... 47 and Town Heritage ............................. 22 32 Mt Pauanui Summit ............................ 48 8 12 Whitianga Bike Park ........................... 23 Broken Hills Recreation Area ............. 49 33 12 13 Maramaratotara/Ferry Landing ......... 24 34 Wentworth Valley Falls ....................... 50 11 13 14 14 Shakespeare Cliff to Lonely Bay ........ 25 35 Te Ara O Te Wairoa 15 15 Cathedral Cove and Hahei Beach ..... 26 (Moana Anu Anu Harbour) ................. 51 Thames & Thames Coast 36 Opoutere Forest to Beach .................. 52 Peninsula Lookout .............................. 53 16 Waiomu Kauri Grove .......................... 30 37 Pokohino Bay ...................................... 53 17 Rockys Walk to Tinkers Gully ............ 31 38 Octopus Bay ........................................ 54 18 Karaka-Waiotahi Circuit ..................... 32 39 40 Whangamata Ridges 19 John William Hall Arboretum............. 33 25 Mountain Bike Park ............................ 55 26 29 27 28 30 CONTENTS 16 PENINSULA MAP THE COROMANDEL 31 32 4 5 24 33 17 36 22 18 19 21 38 20 23 39 40 37 35 34 YOUR COROMANDEL TRACKS & TRAILS TRACKS COROMANDEL YOUR & TRAILS TRACKS COROMANDEL YOUR TIAKI PROMISE WHILE TRAVELLING IN NEW ZEALAND I WILL YOUR DOG Tiaki means to care for people and place. The Tiaki CARE FOR LAND, SEA AND NATURE, Promise is a commitment TREADING LIGHTLY AND LEAVING NO TRACE We are lucky to be able to take our best Dogs on DOC land to care for New Zealand, canine buddies almost anywhere, whether for now and for future Public conservation lands managed by DOC generations. it’s down to the beach or for a stroll into are places where our unique plants, animals New Zealand is precious, town for a bite to eat. However, to make it a and heritage are protected. Help look after and everyone who lives place for everyone to enjoy, we have a few our native wildlife by taking your dog only and travels here has a simple rules for dogs and handlers when responsibility to look TRAVEL SAFELY, SHOWING CARE to approved dog areas if you’re on public sharing our beaches, reserves and public after it. AND CONSIDERATION FOR ALL conservation land. By following the Tiaki spaces including tracks and walkways. Check the DOC website Promise, you are making www.doc.govt.nz a commitment to Dogs must be on a lead in most areas unless for tracks where you can take your dog or New Zealand. To act as specified. Remember, dogs are not allowed visit DOC’s Kauaeranga Visitor Centre. a guardian, protecting in cemeteries, sports fields and within five and preserving our home. metres of playgrounds. Dogs are usually Nau Mai, Haere Mai Ki RESPECT CULTURE, TRAVELLING prohibited from protected bird habitats Aotearoa, Welcome to WITH AN OPEN HEART AND MIND New Zealand. from Labour Weekend to 1 March, which What to do if you come is dotterel breeding season. And from 20 across wildlife TIAKINEWZEALAND.COM December to 31 January and on public If you come across wildlife on a #TIAKIPROMISE holiday weekends, most beaches have time track or reserve, don’t put yourself WELCOME DOG YOUR restrictions for when dogs are allowed on in harm’s way. Leave wildlife where 6 HOW TO CARE FOR NEW ZEALAND the beach, if at all. you find it. Give it space and don’t 7 touch it. If you’re in doubt about when and where you can walk your dog, keep an eye out for If wildlife is posing a threat to signs and maps, pop into one of our Council people, call DOC. offices or head to our website If you witness people harassing www.tcdc.govt.nz/dogrules wildlife, call Police. For any matters involving dogs, call TCDC on 07 868 0200. YOUR COROMANDEL TRACKS & TRAILS TRACKS COROMANDEL YOUR & TRAILS TRACKS COROMANDEL YOUR Northern Coromandel 1 Waikawau Bay 2 Tuateawa Nikau Grove Walk 3 New Chum Beach Walk 4 Whangapoua Beach Walk to Opera Point SAFETY INFORMATION 5 Long Bay to Tucks Bay Walk 6 Kauri Block Walk 7 Wyuna Bay Walk Plan your trip Know your limits 8 Te Kouma to Sugarloaf Wharf Seek local knowledge, plan the route Challenge yourself within your physical and Hannafords Wharf you’ll take and the amount of time you can limits and experience. reasonably expect it to take. Do not follow pink markers that lead to pest bait stations – Take sufficient supplies they do not mark formed tracks. Pack enough food, equipment, appropriate 1 communication and emergency rations for Tell someone the worst-case scenario. Be aware that some Tell someone your plans and leave a date parts of the Coromandel have limited cell for when to raise the alarm if you haven’t phone coverage. 2 returned. If someone is missing, dial 111. Be aware of the weather The Coromandel’s weather can be Local Knowledge unpredictable and is particularly susceptible Contacts 3 to heavy rain and floods. Check the forecast TCDC Area Offices at www.metservice.com and expect 4 Thames, Whitianga, Whangamata, SAFETY INFORMATION SAFETY weather changes. MAP COROMANDEL NORTHERN Coromandel Town 8 +64 7 868 0200 5 9 Bay 6 [email protected] 7 Search & Rescue www.tcdc.govt.nz There are numerous voluntary Visitor Information Centres Search & Rescue groups on See back cover for our local information the Coromandel that can give centres, or visit www.thecoromandel.com advice, including Kuaotunu 8 Search and Rescue. www.facebook.com/KuaotunuSAR www.landsar.org.nz YOUR COROMANDEL TRACKS & TRAILS TRACKS COROMANDEL YOUR & TRAILS TRACKS COROMANDEL YOUR 1 2 Waikawau Bay From opposite the entrance to the DOC camp at Waikawau Bay a short walk of 5-10 min leads uphill to a cluster of kauri that were planted by children who are now adults. The lookout is a good place to catch your breath after the walk up and enjoy the views over the long, sandy strip of Waikawau Bay to the north, and the small community of Little Bay, to the south.