Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Near Torrent Bay Village Campsite you skirt the lagoon in front of a string of beaches,
then turn left up the beach and pass yet more without one pang of envy. Or maybe just one.
Keep going for 500m before the track heads away from the coast.
Once the main track moves inland it climbs 90m and sidles around Kilby Stream, before
reaching a low saddle, where a side track takes you to a lookout. The Coast Track descends
to a swing bridge over
Falls River
and then climbs to a spur track to a second lookout. Take
a breather and enjoy the views of Bark Bay to the north and the coastline to the south. From
the junction it's a 20-minute descent to
Bark Bay
.
Bark Bay is now a major access point for the track, with passenger boats coming in and
out several times a day. Bark Bay Hut (34 bunks) is on the edge of the lagoon, a short walk
from the beach. Like the hut, Bark Bay Campsite is also a large facility, so at times this snug
little bay can be overflowing with trampers. But if you don't mind the people, it's a beautiful
place to spend a night.
SIDE TRIP: FALLS RIVER TRACK
3 HOURS, 6KM RETURN
Those who want to see the various falls and pools of Tregidga Creek and Falls River should
look for the track heading northwest from Torrent Bay Village. An easy track follows Tre-
gidga Creek to the modest
Cascade Falls
after one hour. Stay on this track to reach
Falls
River
, 15 minutes downstream from its main falls. A boulder-hopping scramble, helped by
an occasional marker, will bring you to the impressive cascade.
Day 3: Bark Bay to Awaroa Bay
4 HOURS, 11.4KM
The coast along this section of track is classified as
Tonga Island Marine Reserve
, home to
a seal colony and visiting dolphins. Tonga Island itself is the small island off Onetahuti
Beach.
The track follows the spit to its northern end and traverses the tidal lagoon that can be
crossed two hours either side of low tide. The all-tide track takes an extra 10 minutes.
Beyond the lagoon the track enters the bush and immediately begins to climb steeply to a
low saddle. You then wind over several inland ridges before dropping sharply to Tonga
Quarry, 3.5km from Bark Bay. A metal plaque describes the quarry operations that took
place here, and several large, squarish stones are nearby. What remains of the wharf can be
seen in the sand. Located just off the beach is the Tonga Quarry Campsite.
