Tairua-Pauanui: Volunteers aim to bridge gap between Coromandel settlements

An indicative design of the future bridge and trail along the north bank of the Tairua River. Image and design Abseil Access

Two Coromandel volunteer groups aim to have Tairua and Pauanui connected via an off-road trail as they see a range of benefits for both settlements.

The Tairua River Trail is overseen and maintained by the groups, firstly the Hikuai District Trust, a local charitable trust formed in 2007, that oversees funding and future planning of the trail.

Hikuai District Trust chair Derrick Adams said its trustees have a wide range of professional backgrounds, including civil engineering, construction, tourism and hospitality, community fundraising, law, communications and accounting.

Some live locally in Pauanui and Tairua, while others are regular visitors who had “fallen in love with the area over the years”, he said.

The trust works with the trail operations committee, which carries out the day-to-day work of building and maintaining the trail, as well as delivering a range of improvements such as repairing slips, setting and monitoring pest traps, and planting native trees along the trail.

The committee was made up of “fantastic local volunteers who give thousands of hours a year of their time to keep the trail and its surrounding in such good condition”, Adams said.

Starting at the Waterways in Pauanui, it winds its way 6.4km through mangroves, native forest and rolling farmland to a point downstream from Hikuai.

When complete, it would link the communities of Tairua and Pauanui and be a terrific addition to the Coromandel’s network of trails, he said.

“The trail has been built piece by piece over the last 20 years, with the original plan to go all the way to Hikuai along the south bank of the river and then into Tairua along the north bank.

“In 2022, we decided instead to build a 120-metre suspension bridge across the river where the trail currently ends.”

Hikuai District Trust chairman Derrick Adams (right) with trustee Max Bania. Photo: Paul Schrader

All funding to date has come via donations and community grants while the groups were grateful to the Thames Coromandel District Council, who had been a generous funder over the past decade, Adams said.

“Completing the trail into Tairua is the next big step and we hope to be able to do this in the next few years; we see a range of benefits from a fully off-road trail between Pauanui and Tairua.”

That included economic opportunities from increased year-round walking and cycle tourism, conservation benefits through an extension of the existing planting and pest-trapping work, a safer off-road walking route for residents south of Tairua township, improved community health and wellbeing and potential future connections to other walking and cycling trails in the region.

“We’ve had about 15,000 people use the trail already so far this year, which is great, but it never feels busy out there, there’s always time to listen to the local bird song and enjoy the great views up and down the river.

“What’s great about the trail is its multi-use and accessible for people of all ages; it’s built and maintained to a high standard, nice and wide, and flat apart from a few short sharp hills.

“In recent years the Pauanui Half-Marathon has been run along its full length, a great event that’s getting more popular every year.”

The Tairua River Trail. Hikuai District Trust

Husband and wife Gary and Anne Fowler set up the Hikuai District Trust in 2007 to help raise funds for local community projects, including the trail.

Adams said Gary had been instrumental in helping develop the trail from an initial small section of boardwalk, getting stuck in both on the day-to-day construction work and fundraising through a range of initiatives, including hosting annual community concerts that had attracted more than 1500 people.

Gary was awarded a QSM in 2016 for his services to the community.

He stepped aside as chairman of the trust in 2022 but remained involved as a key adviser.

“Alongside Gary we’ve been grateful to dozens of people both locally and from elsewhere over the years who have lent a hand to help build and maintain the trail.

“We like to think of it as ‘the people’s trail’, because it belongs to the community and so many people have directly or indirectly helped in its construction.”

“We encourage locals and visitors to get out and enjoy the trail, whether walking, running, biking or walking the dog, on a leash please.”

A section of the Tairua River Trail. Hikuai District Trust

It’s classified as a Grade 2 cycleway, but has been specifically designed to accommodate walkers, runners and cyclists of all ages and ability.

Separated from roads and offering stunning views of the estuary and nearby mountains, the trail is wide and flat - allowing people to explore at whatever pace suits them.