Wairoa District: Trails, Nature and Culture

A trail from Wairoa Lighthouse to Whakamahia Beach, a waterfall on the Wairoa River and a lake in Te Urewera give Wairoa District a range of natural features. Other highlights include a route across the Māhia Peninsula, a lagoon that provides habitat for waterbirds and wading birds, and places with historical and cultural significance. When planning your trip, you can organise these highlights by landscape, activity and culture.

Trails and waterfalls

The Wairoa Riverside Walkway runs from Wairoa Lighthouse to Whakamahia Beach and is 7.7 kilometres long. The easy route takes about 30 minutes by bicycle. Its length, endpoints and mode of travel give you specific points to consider when adding this trail to your plans.

The Te Aratia Walkway crosses the Māhia Peninsula through farmland, forest and a large project to restore native nature. This trail description focuses on the landscape along the crossing. This gives you a specific point of comparison if you choose trails not only by their length, but also by their surroundings.

At Te Reinga Falls Scenic Reserve, a short walk from the car park and picnic area leads to viewpoints of the 35-metre-high Te Reinga Falls on the Wairoa River. While the walk to the viewpoints is short, the Wairoa Riverside Walkway is 7.7 kilometres long. Check the information about the viewpoints before you set out.

Lake and wetland

Lake Waikaremoana is in Te Urewera in Wairoa District. Fishing, hiking and other recreational activities are possible at the lake. The activities mentioned range from fishing-focused visits to hiking, so you can think of the lake in terms of different recreational interests.

At Whakakī Lagoon, the focus is on habitat: it provides habitat for waterbirds and wading birds of regional significance. Together with Lake Waikaremoana, it represents a different natural focus in the district. While fishing, hiking and other recreational activities are mentioned for the lake, the lagoon’s description centres on its importance for waterbirds and wading birds.

Culture and history

Since renovations were completed in 2001, Wairoa Museum has been housed in the former ANZ bank building on Marine Parade in Wairoa. The building’s former use as a bank adds a specific historical connection to the museum’s location. An interactive Discovery Space with educational activities and related materials was also developed for the museum. In this way, the building’s history and the development of an education-focused offering come together as distinct museum themes.

The Wairoa Māori Film Festival is based in Nūhaka in Wairoa District. It was founded in 2005 to support, recognise and showcase Indigenous storytelling traditions. This gives it a different cultural focus from the museum: Indigenous storytelling traditions are at its heart, while the museum also has a connection to the former bank building.

Another historical connection is Portland Island Lighthouse. It is considered an iconic part of the history at the heart of Wairoa Township. Along with the museum’s location and the film festival, it offers an additional perspective on the district’s history and culture.

Discover more destinations: Wairoa, Tuai, Morere, Kotemaori, Central Hawke's Bay District, Hastings District.

Return to the main travel overview: Hawkes Bay.