Explore the Waoku Coach Road, Waima State Forest

Journey 5

For advice on the state of the track contact the Waipoua Visitors Centre, phone (09) 439 3011. Take a day pack with drink and food and weather proof clothing.
Time from the Lodge: 40 minutes to the end of the Wekaweka Road. If you’re not tramping across to Waima, allow approximately 90 minutes for travel time..

Turn right from the Lodge. Turn left onto State Highway 12, heading south toward the Waipoua Forest. Alternatively, you may turn left from the Lodge, left at the junction with State Highway 12 and follow the road through Opononi, Omapere and over Pakia Hill (the South Head or Arai Te Uru). Add 20 minutes to your travel time using this route.

Pass through Waimamaku, past Taita Road, over the bridge and take the next road on your left, Wekaweka Road. Follow this metalled (i.e. dirt/gravel) road to its end, where you will find a small car park on the right and signs leading to the DoC tracks. The track, which is marked, climbs up hill to the ridge and a T-junction.

It is possible to take the track to the left, which would bring you out at Waoku Road, Waima, but this will require the organisation of a pick-up there at the end of your walk.

Otherwise, take the track to the right, and walk along the old coach road as far as the ‘Honeymoon’ clearing and hut, and then return to the car park. The old coach road was built for horses and coaches and is therefore reasonably level and easy walking. There is some re-growth of trees in the road and because of the altitude and climate the track can be muddy but long stretches of the original cobbled road are still visible and in good condition. The major items of interest are the stone culverts and bridge abutments and the stone ‘flushings’, which are porous culverts - at low flows the water goes beneath the road surface and at high flows the water flows over the surface.