Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
land robin, and it's also frequented by kakariki and kaka. The beautiful endemic Great Bar-
rier tree daisy and tiny sundews like it here as well.
You will encounter a mix of steep paths, stairways and bridges as you descend the steep
west slope of the mountain, ending just before you arrive at the upper kauri dam. All that re-
mains of the dam is a stack of large logs and rusting cables, but the view of the sheer rock
walls of the gorge below is stunning.
Around 40 minutes from the Hirakimata (Mt Hobson) summit you'll see a two-minute
side track to NZ's best-preserved kauri driving dam, built in the 1920s along with six smal-
ler dams upstream. This
lower kauri dam
is truly impressive: a massive, wooden structure
held in place across the gorge by huge kauri logs. When this dam was tripped, the force of
water sent the logs all the way to Kaiaraara Bay, where they were held in huge booms until
being floated to sawmills in Auckland. These dams were constructed in 1926 and amaz-
ingly, after all the work to build them, were used for only three years.
The intriguing scenery continues just beyond the lower dam, when the track passes
through a nikau grove that makes you feel you're in a true tropical wilderness. At this point
the track improves remarkably, and within 15 minutes you cross a large suspension bridge
and arrive at the junction with Coopers Castle Route (right) - it's a 45-minute climb along
this track to a lookout, and if you keep going you'll eventually reach Port Fitzroy.
Kaiaraara Track (left) crosses a series of suspension bridges across this branch of Kai-
araara Stream. Kaiaraara Hut (28 bunks) is just to the right (1½ hours from the lower dam).
Built in 1973 by the New Zealand Forest Service, it has been well cared for and is a pleasant
place to spend an evening.
Day 3: Kaiaraara Hut to Whangaparapara Road
4 HOURS, 11KM
The final day of this tramp is an easy grade route, following Forest Rd, built in the 1950s to
provide firefighters access to the island's rugged interior, although today it is closed to
vehicles.
From Kaiaraara Hut, return to Forest Rd and head right. The road takes you on a gentle
climb and within 15 minutes (1km) passes a signposted junction with South Fork Track
(left). You need to continue climbing, and soon you'll see an impressive kauri tree along the
road and then, high above, the stone fortress that is the peak of
Mt Young
(372m).
In less than an hour you reach the signposted junction with Line W Track (right) that
heads west to Kiwiriki Track (25 minutes). Forest Rd, however, descends to cross
Coffins
