Matata – Lagoon, Coast and Cultural History

Matata brings together a lagoon landscape, beach activities, birdwatching and an important cultural history. This gives you different interests to consider when planning your trip: the short Matatā Lagoon Track through the dunes, birdwatching from the shelter, swimming or surfcasting at the beach, and the history of Kohika Pā.

Matatā Lagoon Track: loop walk and access

The Matatā Lagoon Track is a short walking track that forms a loop through the dunes beside the Matatā Wildlife Refuge. From Arawa Street in Matata, a 200-metre gravel road leads to the car park at the trailhead. Matatā Campsite is a family-friendly campground in a coastal setting beside the refuge, accessible from Arawa Street via a 200-metre gravel road. As road conditions can change, check access information before you travel. There is a birdwatching shelter on the track; check its condition before your visit.

The lagoon, birdlife and cultural connection

Matata Lagoon is recognised as an area of special wildlife interest and is highly significant as a wildlife habitat. The shelter on the track gives birdwatchers a dedicated place to observe birds. The short walk through the dunes and the opportunity to watch birds from the shelter offer two distinct nature experiences. Te Awa o Te Atua (Matata Lagoon) is also a place of great cultural and ecological significance, shaping the connection of the community and Mana Whenua to their Rohe.

The name Te Awa o Te Atua, “River of the Gods”, was originally the name for the Matatā area. The lagoon’s importance as a habitat and the community’s cultural connection are therefore part of the same local context.

Beach activities and views

Surfcasting and swimming are possible at Matatā Beach. Check local conditions before swimming. From Matatā, there are views of Moutohorā, Whakaari/White Island and along the East Coast. The beach activities and views give the coast different roles in your trip planning: you can distinguish what you do on the beach from views of the named islands and along the coast. Together with the lagoon and dune loop track, these offer a range of different options.

Kohika Pā: archaeological context

Kohika Pā is a swamp pā, a private historic site that is not open to the public. Preserved remains include wooden artefacts and archaeological structures such as house floors, pits, posthole patterns and a burial. The site was probably occupied 300 to 400 years ago; this date remains a historical estimate. Preserved wooden artefacts are rare. No comparable site to Kohika Pā is known in the wider regional area of the Rangitaiki Plains or the Bay of Plenty. Comparing Kohika Pā with the lagoon shows different layers of time: the archaeological site points to earlier settlement, while the lagoon shapes the ongoing connection of the community and Mana Whenua to their Rohe.

Discover more destinations: Murupara, Ohope, Awakeri, Whakatane, Nukuhou, Edgecumbe, Taneatua, Minginui

For the wider travel overview: Whakatane District.