Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Hooked on Barrier
MAP
( 09-429 0740;
www.hookedonbarrier.co.nz
;
89 Hector Sanderson Rd; half-/full-day charter $700/1200)
Hires
out diving, snorkelling, fishing, surfing and kayaking gear, and runs fishing, diving and
sightseeing charters.
DIVING, FISHING
Mountain Biking
With rugged scenery and relatively little traffic on the roads, mountain biking is a popular
activity. There's a designated 25km ride beginning on Blind Bay Rd, Okupu, winding be-
neath the Ahumata cliffs before crossing Whangaparapara Rd and beginning the 15km
Forest Rd ride through beautiful forest to Port Fitzroy. Cycling on other DOC walking
tracks is prohibited.
Tramping
The island's very popular walking tracks are outlined in DOC's free
Great Barrier Island
(Aotea Island)
booklet. Before setting out, make sure you're properly equipped with water
and food, and be prepared for both sunny and wet weather.
The most popular easy walk is the 45-minute
Kaitoke Hot Springs Track
, starting from
Whangaparapara Rd and leading to natural hot springs in a bush stream. Check the tem-
perature before getting in and don't put your head under the water.
Windy Canyon
, which is only a 15-minute walk from Aotea Rd, has spectacular rock out-
crops and affords great views of the island. From Windy Canyon, an excellent trail contin-
ues for another two to three hours through scrubby forest to Hirakimata (Mt Hobson,
621m), the highest point on the island, with views across the Hauraki Gulf and Coroman-
del. Near the top of the mountain are lush forests and a few mature kauri trees that sur-
vived the logging days. From Hirakimata it is 40 minutes south to Mt Heale Hut or two
hours west through forest and past a kauri driving dam to Kaiaraara Hut, where it's anoth-
er 45 minutes on to Port Fitzroy.
A more challenging tramp is the hilly
Tramline Track
(five hours), which starts on Aotea
Rd and follows old logging tramlines to Whangaparapara Harbour. The initial stages of
this track are not maintained and in some parts the clay becomes slippery after rain.
Of a similar length, but flatter and easier walking, is the 11km
Harataonga Coastal Walk
(five hours) which heads from Harataonga Bay to Whangapoua.
