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Heaphy Track

Trampers in Forest - click for more.
Trampers are lured into the deep green seclusion of the Heaphy Track.
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The Kahurangi National Park protects the north western tip of the South Island. The park includes the Department of Conservation's longest hiking trail - the famous Heaphy Track - which runs between Golden Bay and the rugged west coast.

Reaching a maximum altitude of around 900 metres, the track delivers a wide range of scenery as it follows rivers and travels over expansive tussock downs to the lush forests, nikau palms and roaring seas of the Tasman Sea coast.

Native bird species readily found include weka, pipit, tui, bellbird, pigeon and robin. With luck, hikers may hear or even sight some rarer bird species, such as the great spotted kiwi, morepork and blue duck. Half of New Zealand's 40 species of giant, carnivorous land snail inhabit the park, and New Zealand's only native mammal - a bat - might be seen in the evenings.

In days gone by, Maori from the Golden Bay area traversed the pass in search of the highly prized pounamu (greenstone or jade) used for weapons, tools and ornaments. Early European miners used the route as a pack trail, but by 1900 it had fallen into overgrown disuse. In 1965, when the national park was formed, the trail was cleared and opened for public use by the Department of Conservation. Today the Heaphy Track is well formed and all river crossings are bridged. Hikers' huts and camping areas must be booked ahead.

The 82 kilometre long Heaphy Track is not a circuit journey - the two ends are 463 kilometres apart by road. Public phones at either end of the track link to transport providers from the nearby towns.
 

 
NELSON Region


CONTACT DETAILS

Contact: Karamea Information & Resource Centre
Phone: +64 3 7826 652
Fax: +64 3 7826 654
Postal: Box 94 106 Market Cross Karamea New Zealand
Website: www.karameainfo.co.nz

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