a

Ba
y Ro
ad

Karaka Bay

Wood Island
(Motuahu)

Okiwi Park

t
da
or
ern Road

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Aotea R

Raro
har
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ay

Cove
haw

Port FitzRoy

Key

P Port FitzRoy wharf

Bridle
Track

op

Brads

All you need to know to enjoy exploring this area for a day.

Co

Haukaraka
(Mt Overlook)
179m

7
Mitre Peak
185m

Akapoua
Bay

12

st
le
Tr
ac
k

Warrens Track
Akapoua Campsite

Coopers Castle
465m

Kaia
raa
ra

Blairs Landing

Kaiara
ar a

Bay

4
11

B u sh
s Be

T rack

Kaiaraara Hut

ac h T rack

To Windy
Canyon

T
L ine W rack

k i Tr
ac
k

For
kT

iri

Great Barrier Island

ra c
k

Mt Heale Hut

or

ad
estpRinog tra ck)

tr

Smokehouse Bay

Twin Islands

Coopers Castle
Track

Kaikoura Island
tracks

Warrens Track

Glenfern Sanctuary

Okiwi Park

Forest Road
(tramping track)

Sealed road

Other track

Gravel road

Safe beach

Private road

Information

Shop/store

Public toilets

Cafe (seasonal)

Camping

Ferry

Campervan site

School

Restaurant/bar

Boat ramp

Heritage site

Scenic site

Mountain bike route

(also tramping track)

Cemetery

Petrol/diesel

Hut

BBQ

Kayaking

Ki w

Bushs Beach Track

6
k
r
th Fo k T r a c
Sou

Sou
th

Old Lady Track

Old kauri dams

Hirakimat (Mt Hobson) 627m

Man O
O War Passage

Bridle Track

Hirakimat Loop
(see Aotea Track brochure, DOC)

Kaiaraara
Bay Road

Port

Perimeter Track

Fi tzR
oy H
arbo
ur

Kaikoura
Airfield
Island

a
sC
er

Quoin Island
(Graves Island)

If you had to design the perfect

boatie's spot, this would be it.
Good on you for finding it!

o ad

ce
fen

Glenfern Sanctuary
tracks (private land)

Gl e

Road
ea
t
o

Okiwi

f
oo

Kotuku Point

Old Lady Track

pr

Tree Peak
205m

To Claris

9
Okiwi
School

Pre

Port
Abercrombie

Discovering
Port FitzRoy

Ka
ra
k

10

d
a b e y Roa

To Whangapoua Beach
to Katherine Bay

1km

Postal service
Recycling station

To Whangaparapara

Kiwiriki Bay

Parking
Refuse transfer station

Places of interest

1 Port FitzRoy village

4 Kaiaraara Hut, forest and stream

7 Kaikoura Island

10 Karaka Bay, Outdoor Pursuit

2 Glenfern Sanctuary

5 Kauri dams

8 Coopers Castle summit

11 Bushs Beach

3 Waterfall

6 Hirakimat (Mt Hobson) summit

9 Okiwi Park

12 Girlies Grave

Centre, Orama Oasis

Walk safe: for walks longer than 30

minutes, wear good shoes, a sun hat
and sunblock. Carry water. Most
tracks are clearly marked.
Find out more: phone 09 301 0101
or visit www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
Maps produced with support from the Ngti Rehua Ngtiwai ki Aotea Trust Board.

Easy to see what

makes Port FitzRoy
special.
There are passionate locals,
lovely intimate bays, a small
village with a shop, a library
and info centre.
Walking, boating, chilling
out at a secluded bay - Port
FitzRoy is tops with these
options.

SNAGBDM050614

Laid back
and local

Shelter from the storm

The sanctuary of Rarohara is
known today as Port FitzRoy. Used
traditionally as a landing place and
shelter from rough seas, this port
was renamed by settlers in honour of
Captain Robert FitzRoy, governor of
New Zealand 1843-45.
With the stunning combination of
crystal clear water, bush covered
hills and just enough modern
conveniences, boaties are drawn here
in all seasons.
About 35 hardy souls keep the home fires
burning year round, welcoming and hosting
visitors with hospitality in the tradition of
manaakitanga as practiced by Ngti Rehua
Ngtiwai ki Aotea since the 1700s.
The port has seen exports of gold, trees, fish,
livestock and now mussels, and its a short trip
by boat or land to the cultural centre of Aotea:
Motairehe Whanga or Katherine Bay. Here you
can be welcomed at two marae which are the
pride and joy of mana whenua.

First flights
Lookout Rock, a worthwhile side trip off Old Lady Track.
Photo: Kay Stowell.

Old Lady Track

Maybe they should rename it They were
tougher in the good ol days track - because
whoever the Old Lady was, she was fit and
strong! Still, this is one of the best walks in the
area, well worth the effort.
Begins on Glenfern Road. For views of the
harbour, take the diversion to Lookout Rock.

90 minutes return.

Kai moana (seafood) fest

The worlds first regular airmail service

began between the Barrier and Auckland in 1897, using pigeons.
The pigeon-gram service started at Okupu,
and was later also established at Port FitzRoy
and Whangaparapara. Birds took it easy on the
weekly steamer to the Barrier and flew back to
Auckland with messages written on flimsies
attached to their legs.
Two rival pigeon-gram companies were soon in
business. Their stamps are very sought after.
The beautiful birds were made redundant when
the first telegraph cable was laid to Barrier in
1908. Apparently the cable was more reliable.

The annual Mussel Fest in January

happens right here at Port FitzRoy.

Kauri is making a comeback after extensive logging.

Photo: www.BENIsLAND.co.nz

Coopers Castle walk

Future bush
A lot has happened since European
settlers stripped these hills of the
beautiful kauri forests.
Major replanting and pest control
programmes are under way.

This is big and challenging, with some steep

sections and rugged tracks. Best option is to
walk up from the Aotea Road carpark to the
summit and come back the same way.

4 hours return.

Glenfern Sanctuary walk

Inspirational, in a word. Visitors can walk
among more than 15,000 planted native trees,
in a private revegetation haven with a predatorproof fence.
Glenfern Sanctuary offers guided tours by prior
arrangement. Phone 09 429 0091.

Chow down, as much as you like, while listening

to totally authentic music from near and far and
browse stalls of local produce and handicrafts.

Local wildlife features in the school bus stops on the island.

Allow 2 - 3 hours.

Forest Road

Further out
The sheltered harbour is ideal for kayak trips.

Submerge yourself into Aotea culture.

Underwater views

Must-do activities

As with most Aotea harbours, Port FitzRoy

has beautiful clear water. Its worth exploring
underwater.

Dont miss these highlights:

The Mussel Fest 1 A highlight! Held every
year in January at the Port FitzRoy Boating Club.
Glenfern Sanctuary 2 Next door to Port
FitzRoy is a wonderful example of native forest
restoration. A great introduction to what real
New Zealand forests can look like. Book a
guided tour before you head out.
Waterfall 3 For a delightful local walk, head
up either the Bridle Track or Warrens Track to
visit a gorgeous waterfall.
Kaikoura Island 7 If youre waterborne, go
explore Kaikoura Island. A new bush track takes
you around the island to secluded bays. Or
wander up one of the peaks for great views.
Kaiaraara Bay and the route to Kaiaraara
Hut 4 A lovely bush walk to a beautiful wide
stream bed with an impressive suspension
bridge, a great place to splash on a hot
summers day.

Mussel fest at Port FitzRoy - legendary!

Dive tanks can be filled at Port FitzRoy, too.

Bridle Track
A nice stroll away from the road, from Port
FitzRoy central to Akapoua Campsite.

15-20 minutes one way. Or do a 90 minute loop

combined with the following:
Warrens Track to waterfall

A gentle grade to a pretty decent waterfall,

complete with a popular swimming hole. From
the end of the Bridle Track turn left. Gradually
climbing the hill and descending the steps to
the waterfall.
The former Forest Service experimented with a
kauri timber plantation here, but this forest is
now protected. These kauri will live a full and
un-harvested life.

35 minutes one way.

Got a boat? Start at Kaikoura Island wharf, and

head northwards across the island to check out
World War II bunkers at Bradshaw Cove. Good
views of the lovely and narrow Man O War
Passage as you pass the airfield.
A pest-eradication project is underway on this
island. A new track around the island has been
established for this purpose, opening up the
whole island for walkers.

Times vary.
Rope swing, Kaikoura Island. Photo: Kym Tremain.

2 hours by bike, 4-5 hours walking (one way).

Hirakimata (Mt Hobson) loop

Starting at Kaiaraara Hut, take the South Fork
Track to Hirakimata, the islands tallest peak
and come back down past the remains of two
kauri dams.
Felled kauri logs were floated in these dams.
The dams were then deliberately burst, allowing
the logs to be swept down to the coast to be
picked up by ships. Didnt always work that way
- logs could be splintered on rocks, or jammed
in the gullies.
Youll need to be fit. The track is steep and can
be challenging.

7 hours return from the Kaiaraara Bay car park.

Walking up the Kaiaraara Track to the (more
complete) lower kauri dam: 3-4 hrs return.
Large kauri dam. Photo: Dr Robert Brown.

Cycling the Forest Road. Photo: GBI Eco experiences.

Okiwi Park

After the Old Lady Track, you can keep walking

down Aotea Road to Okiwi, a rural community.
Theres a lovely shady domain just north of
the school there, on the road to Whangapoua
Beach. A perfect picnic spot. The local primary
school has a close bond with this park, so look
out for their special messages.

Okiwi Park circuit: 30-40 minutes.

Want more?

Walk the Aotea Track

The old kauri dams 5 Walk up from the

Kaiaraara Hut to the remnants of two historic
kauri dams. If youre fit, keep going to the top of
Hirakimat (Mt Hobson) for a big day walk.

A local favourite, get away from it all and have

a swim at this gorgeous beach.

Left: Sheltered anchorage at Port FitzRoy Harbour.

30 minutes one way from the Kaiaraara Hut.

Bushs Beach Track

Kaikoura Island walks

If youre up for a long walk, or want

to explore the wider area around Port
FitzRoy, consider these options. But
remember, these are no floppy strolls
with jandals, this is real bush walking:

A 13km long unsealed road (closed to vehicles)

that follows exposed ridgelines and some deep
gullies. Great for mountain bikes - start at the
Kaiaraara Bay car park going south. You can get
all the way to Whangaparapara on this track.

11

Make sure you pick up a brochure from Claris

Airport i-Site or Port FitzRoy Information
Centre, which tells all about the Aotea Track, a
beautiful 3 day walk through the heart of the
island, all Department of Conservation land.
Maps produced with support from the Ngti Rehua Ngtiwai ki Aotea Trust Board.