Whakanewha Regional Park Waiheke Island. Photo / Supplied
Whakanewha Regional Park Waiheke Island. Photo / Supplied
Fancy a walk on Waiheke Island but don’t know where to start? Sarah Kember, a trustee of the Waiheke Walking Trust, shares the island’s best-kept walking secrets.
The Waiheke Walking Trust is a charitable trust established in 2017 with a focus on promoting Waiheke Island as a walking destination, and to encourage a love of recreational walking on Waiheke.
The Trust is made up of passionate locals who love to walk and give their time freely. They manage and host the annual Waiheke Walking Festival which finishes today but will be back next year, and manage the Walk Waiheke website and app which are both user-friendly ways to enjoy the network of Waiheke Island tracks and encourage stewardship of the Island’s environment.
Sarah Kember acts as a guide for the Te Ara Hura walk as part of Waiheke Walking Festival 2023. Photo / Supplied
The Walk Waiheke website and app have graded each walk it features out of ten. The grading reflects the type of terrain and walking surfaces you can expect. Grade 1-2 is gentle walking. Grade 9-10 includes tricky tracks and conditions, where rope-assisted hill climbs or descents may be required.
We recommend organising your walking partner and selecting a date. Keep an eye on the weather forecast and print the directions of the self-guided walk, or download the app onto your phone to follow the directions as you go.
There are walks for all ages and all fitness levels that are family friendly and dog friendly; walks that pass by vineyards, beaches and more. The Matiatia to Oneroa coastal walk, known as the Mokemoke Pā Headland Walk, is not for the faint of heart but the breathtaking scenery is well worth the effort.
McKenzie Reserve is a lovely native reserve close to Enclosure Bay, offering stunning views of the Hauraki Gulf at the top. This reserve was once overrun by ageing pine trees, but thanks to the community’s efforts, more than 15,000 native trees have been planted, and an extensive network of tracks makes the four-hectare reserve walkable. It not only now serves as an educational hub but also has witnessed the flourishing of indigenous flora and fauna as the native plants have matured. This idyllic location is an ideal spot for a leisurely picnic lunch before venturing down to Enclosure or Sandy Bay for a swim.
Discover a trove of walks you never knew existed on Waiheke Island with Waiheke Walking Trust. Photo / Barbara Lowther
Personally, I have two favourite walks. Our daily walk with our little dog Louis along Onetangi Beach is so energising and restorative with great views out to Little and Great Barrier Islands. For our visitors, I love to showcase the beautiful peaceful bush of the Mamaku Track down to the Cascades Loop Track in the Whakanewha Regional Park. It’s a wonderful opportunity for some mindful and meditative walking and a great excuse to pop up the Batch Winery for a drink and to take in the amazing view back to Auckland city.
Post walk you can’t beat heading to the Waiheke Wine Centre to try some beautiful local wine; for us there’s nothing nicer than finishing a walk with a Postage Stamp Wines rosé as a sundowner on the beach.
Visitors to Waiheke Island always love a smoothie or coffee at Ahipao, across the carpark at the Matiatia Bay ferry terminal, or an ice cream reward at the Island Gelato after a walk up the hill from the ferry terminal to Oneroa. For walkers adventuring further afield a coffee and toastie at the Palm Beach Store is locals’ best-kept secret, until now.
If you’re looking for a substantial breakfast/brunch on the island before a big walk then head to The Island Frenchie in Oneroa, (near the Police Station). If you find yourself on Waiheke Island over the weekend, a visit to the iconic Rocky Bay Café is a must. Open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., it offers a delightful experience with scrumptious homemade dishes, a cup of tea reminiscent of your grandmother’s, and the opportunity to browse through timeless photographs within the historic Omiha Hall, which was established back in 1945. It’s also an ideal starting point for embarking on one of the numerous scenic walks in the beautiful Whakanewha Regional Park. Explore your options for coastal walks while conveniently parking your car, hiring a scooter or e-bike.
The Trust is focused on promoting Waiheke Island as a walking destination 365 days a year and we want to elevate the profile of the Te Ara Hura walking track, which is almost 100km long, as a great urban island walk in Aotearoa. In 2015 Lonely Planet rated Waiheke Island the fifth-best region in the world to visit. The Trust will continue to focus on its guardianship of the Te Ara Hura and sharing its best-kept natural walking secrets with other walking lovers here and internationally.
To find and plan your next favourite Waiheke Island walk, visit walkwaiheke.co.nz
