If you do opt for all 7 be prepared for a long and eventful day! Park rangers and contractors are working to reopen the Kitekite track in the wake of the kauri dieback track closures (video first published December 2018). How to Get To & Around the Waitakere Ranges, 3. amzn_assoc_region = "US"; This guide will go over 7 of the best walks in the Waitakere Ranges and help get you on your way to experience them for yourself! All Reviews: Very Positive (533) - 92% of the 533 user reviews for this game are positive. You will find an incredibly helpful information center with knowledgeable guides to better explain what the ranges are all about. It includes everything I bring along on day hikes, and it will have you better prepared when taking part of trails all over New Zealand. Compliance officers have noticed fences have been cut, damaged or removed during the Christmas holidays. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "triptins05-20"; As you approach the far far southern end of Piha Beach, you will see a sign pointing you up to the Tasman Lookout Walk. This will add another 30 minutes or so (there and back) to your hike but it is a pretty cool spot to check out as you see the river and pools above Kitekite. 1 May 2018. 4. Title: Waitākere Ranges Regional Park - Open tracks list Author: Auckland Council Created Date: 9/16/2020 9:43:49 AM Regional Parks Manager Rachel Kelleher said following that feedback eight tracks had been added to the work programme that weren't in the draft, including three proposed new tracks that would provide links and loops. "As long as people are sticking to the tracks that are open that, we've upgraded, that they're using the hygiene stations that are in place and they're taking that step to make sure that they come to the forest with clean gear and just follow the rules." "We don't really know all the answers yet, we don't know necessarily the potential impact of it. By following this route you will be able to get to the beach in no time. The only track along this section that should be reopened is the one from the beach to the Pararaha Campground. After you have spent enough time down below you can actually continue the trail to the top of the waterfall. Opening a section of track along the stream to provide a shorter walk opportunity may however be a possibility.". She said the final work programme had been determined by public feedback, input from Te Kawerau ā Maki and discussions with the Waitākere Ranges Local Board. Auckland Council consulted with the public between January and March on its track reopening plan for the Waitākere Ranges, after forested areas of the regional park and 10 higher-risk tracks in the Hunua Ranges were closed in May 2018. The Waitakere Ranges are a massive area made up of 16,000 hectares of land. Location of Waitakere Walks & Attractions, 4. Once all done at the falls, walk back towards the parking lot area, where you can take the walk to Karekare Beach. You will need to exit the parking lot to the right and will soon see a sign to Pohutukawa Glade Walk (you will also pass this sign when coming back from Karekare Falls). "We don't know what we don't know let's list the usual science argument and assume the worst-case scenario and work backwards from that until we've got greater clarity and that could potentially change some of the ways we manage the place.". By Metro; Nov 25, 2019 ; Where can you get your summer hikes in now that most of the tracks in the Waitākeres are out of bounds? Thankfully right around the Piha Beach area there are a few great options to choose from. Many of the Kauri that are dying are actually inaccessible so humans have no part in their demise. People living in the Waitākere Ranges area were particularly against the plans, with 71 per cent saying it didn't provide a good balance. At the end of May the council announced several further track and park closures in the Rodney, Hibiscus and Bays, Waitākere Ranges, Henderson-Massey, Ōrākei, Papakura, Upper Harbour, Howick and Waiheke local board areas. amzn_assoc_linkid = "c5ca1a34ebb2d0024e0cd3f07dcd3cb3"; Auckland offers its variety of accommodation options – from backpacker friendly to super luxury. I have seen on my walks around the water ways, people taking lots of undersize fish and also callously letting them die slowly on the ground. Jump into the ultimate toy sandbox and build the train set of your dreams! Covid case mystery: What is the missing link in the new community infection? What I would recommend is making the back and forth walk along the beach and taking in the views from all different parts of the area. Below are some highly rated options to choose from at different price points: Now that you have an idea of the 7 best walks in the Waitakere Ranges it is time to go do them for yourself! However there is a completely dry walk that will get you there too. Introduction to the Waitakere Ranges The Waitakere Ranges are a massive area made up of 16,000 hectares of land. » Learn more in the Mercer Bay Loop Walk Guide up on the site. This author hasn't written their bio yet.Forest & Bird has contributed 26 entries to our website, so far. Does the proposed track plan provide a good balance of recreation experiences and forest health? Always be sure to take it slow and adhere to any speed limit signs posted. The Waitākere Rāhui only covers the forest, but within the forest all tracks are closed by the rāhui. Tracks - The Family Friendly Open World Train Set Game. View entries by Forest & Bird. As of yesterday there are still 16 signals that our[...], For those of us lucky enough to live in the[...], Ken Warin is a keen recreational fisherman and one of[...]. Contractors will start placing signs and barriers at affected track entrances from June 5 through to about mid-June. There truly is no shortage of places to explore as you make your way around. Clark Bush Track is not currently included in Auckland Council's upgrades of tracks in the Waitākere Ranges. There are no public transportation options to get you there so you will need to stick to those two. Explore the never-ending black sand and enjoy the last walk of the day. Dr Mels Barton from the Tree Council said many of them were not in a good condition, and would not do well with a summer influx of walkers. Once there you should have no problem getting from one place to the next. "It will ensure that these beautiful tracks, and precious kauri trees, in a special part of our region can be enjoyed by generations to come.". Signs have also been removed and dumped in streams. Now if you are driving on your own do note that some of the roads down can be quite curvy and dangerous. These include the Whatipu Caves, Muriwai Gannet Colony, Fairy Falls Track, and Arataki Nature Trail. Leighton says reopening tracks is a bittersweet experience. READ MORE: * Kauri dieback: 11 Waitākere Ranges tracks to open this summer * Waitākere Ranges locals fined for breaching track closures * Charges filed against person accused of entering closed track. I ended up at Piha Cafe, a great spot with everything from eggs to burgers to pizza. Once in Karekare you can park your car in the lot and from there you will need to walk back to the road and make the 5-10 minute trek to the waterfall. Answer: We need to focus on the QUALITY of the upgrades, not the quantity. amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; Answer: All currently open tracks, as these are having to take significantly increased traffic and are already severely degraded.They need considerable work to be fit for purpose and this must be the first priority, and should be in the 2019 work programme. The consultation was in response to significant public demand for recreational opportunity in the Waitākere Ranges and community expectations further tracks would reopen. More people are breaching closed tracks in the Waitākere Ranges. With the summer season, fast approaching hikers and trampers need to be vigilant when taking a stroll through these ranges. We've done public consultation on that track plan and now we're busy implementing it.". amzn_assoc_asins = "1465468730,B07F9P9X2H,B01K99DTCW,1426218834"; Probably the walk with most dramatic of views is the Mercer Bay Loop. SIMON SMITH/STUFF Kauri dieback disease on the Maungaroa Ridge Track in … A rāhui was placed on the forest in 2018 by iwi Te Kawerau-ā-Maki after kauri dieback disease was first identified on a Piha track. Answer: Priority should be given to those on the FOREST EDGE and in COASTAL AREAS before opening those within the forest. Nine walking tracks in Auckland’s regional parks will re-open by the end of this year after the coronavirus lockdown halted upgrade works. Auckland Council's Information Communication and Technology team is helping West Auckland rangers in the battle to stop the spread of kauri dieback by developing new, cheap, effective monitoring technology. Tracks not included in the work programme were Cascade Track, Centennial Track, Farley Track, Hamilton Track, Home Track, Huia Ridge Track, Odlin Timber Track, Ridge Road Track, Walker Ridge Track and Zion Ridge Track. You can choose to do either a day trip from Auckland, or an overnight within the ranges if you want to have more time to explore the surroundings.