New Zealand 1986-87

Short walks around Auckland

Waitakere Ranges

The Waitakere Ranges, to the west of Auckland, are a water catchment area where the authorities have developed many walking routes for public access. During my two years, I walked all of them (bar one, the end of which had disappeared when a road was re-aligned), mostly in the winter months as it was usually too hot for walking in summer.

Mokoroa Falls, Goldie Bush, Sat 19 Jul ’86	Mercer Bay, Sun 3 Aug ’86

Saturday, 16 August 1986 - Maungaroa Lookout Track

Glen Esk	Piha & Lion Rock	The Bush

The Bush	Piha & Glen Esk	The Watchman, Karekare, Sunday, 17th

Sunday, 14 September 1986 - Omanawanui & Gibbons Tracks

Paratutae Island	Manukau Harbour	Omanawanui Track

The coast	Paratutae Island

Sunday, 21 September 1986 -

Fairy Falls	Stoney Stream

Sunday, 23 November 1986 - Cascade & Anderson Tracks

Cascade Stream	nesting burrows	Cascade Stream

Sunday, 30 November 1986 from Exhibition Drive	Sunday, 30 August 1987 Kakamatua Ridge Track	Sunday, 19 September 1986 Te Toiokawharu
Lower Nihotupu Reservoir	Huia Bay and the Manukau Harbour entrance	highest point in the Waitakere Ranges

Sunday, 27 September 1987

White's Beach and Te Waha Point	The cliffs above White's Beach

Sunday, 11 October 1987

Sunday, 18 October 1987 - Arataki Nature Trail

Nihotupu Reservoir, Laingholm and the Manukau Harbour	Kauri	Kauri Grove

Hunua Ranges — Sunday, 13 September 1987

The Hunua Ranges, to the east of Auckland, are another water catchment area, less intensively developed for walking than the Waitakeries (being further away from the city) and I made only the one visit.

Hunua Falls	Wairoa Reservoir

Karangahake Gorge — April or May, 1987

The Karangahake Gorge was once part of the rail route from Auckland east to the Bay of Plenty, now bypassed by the Kaimai Tunnel. The old tunnel has been converted to a walkway with an alternative route beside the river.

Owharoa Falls on the Taiere Stream

Ohinemuri River in the Karangahake Gorge	Eastern end of the tunnel

East end of the tunnel	West end of the tunnel

Karangahake Mountain	West end of the tunnel

Countryside near Pukekohe — August 1987

Not walking but driving — though I can't remember why I was in this area just south of Auckland.

SSW over the Waikato River	Pukekohe from the Hill

Wairere Falls, Kaimai Ranges - November 1987

Another drive, I think the Falls were the objective.

Views from Atuanui (Mt Auckland), New Year's Day, 1988

I couldn't manage the usual trip up Arthur's Seat so I had to settle for Atuanui (Mt Auckland) north of Auckland overlooking the Kaipara Harbour.

North up the Kaipara Harbour	West across the Kaipara Harbour

Coromandel — Sunday, 10 January 1988

West to the Hauraki Gulf from ...	East towards Whangamata from ...

The summit of Kaitarakihi (852m)

A couple of beaches.

The beach, Motuihe Island (Sat 7 Feb ’87)	Whangamata Beach (Sun 1 Nov ’87)