4-9 February 2026
Leader: Sandra Rowland
Professor David Bellamy referred to Whirinaki as a Dinosaur Park: ‘a living cathedral that dates back 200 million years’.
The ancient, superb mixed indigenous podocarp forests survived at Whirinaki and Pureora initially because the cold winter climate and the cobalt deficient soil meant it was not sought out for farm clearance. In the summer of 1978, protestors sitting high up in giant trees temporarily brought logging to a stop in Pureora with logging in Whirinaki forests halting permanently several years later.
Covering 650 square km, it shares a boundary with Te Urewera, a substantial area of Kaingaroa pine plantations and, with an area of farmed pasture between, the Ikawhenua Range. Ngāti Whare co-manage the park with DOC to work on initiatives to preserve the forest.
This park has called me back regularly for decades now from day walks to overnight loops and long, multiday treks. It has it all, along with awe inspiring forest, rivers, birdlife, abundant fungi and a network of huts. It can also be cold, wet and plagued with massive slips and windfall.
On a Tuesday in early February three Parawai members met me at our accommodation at Whirinaki Forest Adventures in Te Whaiti. Next morning we were joined by my sister, Christine, and set off in our shuttle for the River Road carpark. We were greeted by magnificent podocarp trees as we set off on the well-used track on the true right of the Whirinaki River.
Along the way we passed over the Te Whaiti-Nui-A-Toi Canyon, the Moerangi and Mangamate Streams where those routes lead off, the waterfall where an alternative track back leads along the opposite bank, and Vern’s Camp which these days sports a nice shelter complete with a couple of mattresses.
Leaving Central Whirinaki Hut the following day, we headed off to Upper Whirinaki Hut along the Taumutu Stream. From here, as expected, the track markedly deteriorated which is usual, given the high rainfall the park gets. After lots of wading in the creek and scrambling over windfalls and slips we arrived at the sunny clearing the hut sits in. After deeming the ‘closed’ hut safe, with the stream having undercut just one corner we settled in and celebrated Christine's 76th birthday with a sip of wine, a couple of chocolates and a fire outside on a beautiful evening.
The day to Upper Te Hoe saw us rejoin the Whirinaki River headwaters. We passed two more slips, climbed onto the ridgeline, (where the Pukahunui track joins from the Kaingaroa forest), and headed on to the hut with a wasp nest adding to the day's obstacles. This hut sits on a plateau above the Te Hoe River. Another lovely evening with clear sky and not a hint of rain.
The following day was a long one heading to Mangakahika Hut firstly sidling around, up and down towards Central Te Hoe where the river joins up with the Mohaka River. From here we had straightforward walking in predominant beech forest down a valley and over a small pass to a new watershed and the Wairoa Stream which eventually joined the Te Urewera’s Waiau River which in turn exited into Lake Waikaremoana. I had no memory of mosquitoes anywhere in this park however here at Mangakahika they were voracious!
A stop at the historic Rodgers/Te Wairoa Hut was in order before turning up the Moerangi Stream and hitting the now benched and graded mountain bike track to Moerangi Hut for our final night. This track had also taken a battering with slips and large tree windfalls. The terrain was OK for walkers but would be difficult for bikers to negotiate. I understand the wonderful Back Country Trust people have been working to improve all the tracks.
Our final day tramping on more a benched and graded track gave us a climb out of the Moerangi and back over to join with the main Whirinaki Track with a stop for photos of the ravine before meeting our shuttle.
Five nights and six days in Whirinaki with no rain!
Those on the trip were:
Sandra Rowland, Christine Elmiger, Mark Robertson, Kate Livingston, Elisabeth Hynes
Currently there is no photo album for this trip.