Enjoy
Places to walk & cycle
Enjoy > Places to walk & cycle
Ancient pā
In the west, as you are leaving Ōhope, walk up to the 'the village suspended in space', Tauwhare pā. Tauwhare is a complex of three separate pā (Māori settlements), their terraces and platforms are clearly visible today. From here you will also have amazing views across the harbour, inland and out to sea to Moutohorā (Whale Island) and Whakaari (White Island). Allow an hour to explore.
Tauwhare is on Ngā Tapuwae o Tairongo, the Ōhiwa Harbour Heritage Trail, a journey of discovery of the harbour’s environmental and cultural history with 13 stops.
Onekawa Te Mawhai, to the east of the harbour mouth at Ōhiwa, is another headland from where you can take in great views across the harbour and along the entire coastline. Just like Tauwhare this prominent hill was an important stronghold and gathering place for Māori since the 14th century. Allow 2 or 3 hours to walk the various tracks through bush and farmland and observe the coming and going of the tides in the harbour.
Watch a clip of Onekawa Te Mawhai Regional Park here.
At the harbour's edge
Ōhope Spit
At the end of Harbour Road past the Ōhope boatramp follow a narrow track between the water’s edge and the golf course into the Ōhope Spit dunes. This is fragile dune country and a nesting area for endangered birds such as the NZ dotterel.
Ōhope Harbourside Trail
This 3 km path for cyclists and walkers alike is a gentle amble for all ages and abilities along the shoreline of the harbour. It runs from Waterways Drive to the Port Ōhope wharf, the last reminder of Ōhiwa’s shipping history that ended in the 1960’slasted more than half a century.
Nukuhou Saltmarsh Lookout and Te Ru walk
The Nukuhou Saltmarsh is formed where the Nukuhou River enters the Ōhiwa Harbour. It has the best and largest examples of estuarine and freshwater wetland vegetation and mangrove shrub lands in the harbour. From the offroad car park walk a few metres to a lookout, a few more down to a boardwalk and about two kilometres along the river to the Te Ru area and a pottery.
Kutarere Wharf and stopbank
At Kutarere turn off into Kutarere Wharf Road and continue to the small carpark by the water’s edge. From here a short track leads you to what’s left of the old Kutarere wharf. This wharf was once a major transport hub until Port Ōhope took over in the 1950s.
Ōhiwa trail
The Ōhiwa walk- and cycleway runs from the Ōhiwa spit, past the Onekawa Te Mawhai Regional Park entrance and around the harbour edge to finish at the boat ramp. The trail is approximately 4kms and provides a safe and quiet trail that is perfect for jogging, walking or biking.
