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Matapouri Bush Track Re-opens
Matapouri Bush Track has just reopened with a new southern exit 3km up Waiotoi Rd, Ngunguru.
Its original exit near Tutukaka ceased to be an option for Te Araroa last October. As this coincided with logging plans, Te Araroa had plenty of time to do track realignment work over the Crown-owned forestry lands which are leased to Matariki Forests.
Despite the change, the track length has stayed the same at 7kms and should take about 2-2½ hours to walk.
The new route does now dissect a DoC-administers bush block and goes directly past a rather large kauri - Tane Moana – so christened by local people in a naming and blessing ceremony last June. With kauris currently being threatened by a new disease, walkers are urged to clean their boots between visits to kauri forests and to keep their distance from Tane Moana’s shallow root system.
Commenting on the new route, Project Manager Fiona Mackenzie said the aesthetics would take some time to come back in recently harvested and replanted areas. In a couple of years, however, the southern end of the track should be green and pleasant again.
Te Araroa wishes to thank the ASB Community Trust for funding local contractor Northland Park Care to do this work. Also much appreciated is the ongoing support received from Matariki Forests and Rayonier New Zealand.
Machinery gathered on the route to prepare forestry roads for logging trucks.
Page last updated: Jul 28, 2020, 5:09 PM
