Mahia residents will soon have a new way to explore the peninsula, thanks to the new 24-kilometre Te Aratia Walkway nearing completion.
It comes after a group of landowners, marae and agencies formed the Whangawehi Catchment Management Group in 2014.
Nic Caviale-Delzescaux, who co-ordinated the group nearly 10 years ago, said they’ve planted more than 250,000 native trees along the river and tributaries.
“First, we had to plant a lot of trees. Then four or five years ago the community and landowners said it’s pointless doing all this work if the wider community can’t enjoy it,” he said.