Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
transport services around the island.
The Tramp
Day 1: Whangaparapara Road To Mt Heale Hut
3-4 HOURS, 8KM, 480M ASCENT
The trailhead is indicated at Whangaparapara Rd by a large display sign and a toilet. Your
first leg is along
Kaitoke Hot Springs Track
, which is easy and flat as it crosses Kaitoke
Wetlands, where you should look out for birds. You may hear the rare fernbird around this
area.
It takes around 40 minutes to reach
Kaitoke Hot Springs,
the best of which are half-hid-
den in a canopy of trees. Not only are some of them too hot, they may also contain amoebic
parasites, so
do not immerse your head in the hot water
. You could have a soak here, al-
though you could also wait until day three, when you're on your way out again.
After a brief but steep climb, you join
Tramline Track North
and turn right. Along this
wide, old tramline are relics of the logging era, when the Kauri Timber Company used to
haul kauri logs out of the forest.
Peach Tree Track
soon appears on the left, which you should follow to climb steadily
through the regenerating forest to reach
Mt Heale Hut
. There are spectacular views from
here, especially on clear evenings when there are striking sunsets over Little Barrier Island
(Hauturu).
Day 2: Mt Heale Hut To Kaiaraara Hut
3 HOURS, 6KM, 227M ASCENT, 627M DESCENT
From Mt Heale Hut, it's a steep 40-minute climb north along
South Fork Track
to the junc-
tion with
Kaiaraara Track
, which descends towards Kaiaraara Hut. Before starting the des-
cent, however, be sure to take the five-minute sidetrack leading to the summit of
Hirakimata
(Mt Hobson; 621m).
The peak has a wooden platform with a large trig and views of both sides of Great Barrier
Island, as well as the outer islands in the Hauraki Gulf. It is also the site of several rare spe-
cies, being a spot favoured by the tomtit, black petrel and recently re-introduced North Is-
