Wharekai-Te Kaau Walk

97

Analysis

2 Rankers Reviews

2 Face-to-Face

3 Haast

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Marios Gavalas

Author And Researcher

Nau mai, haere mai

I'm Marios, delivering the best of Aotearoa's nature walks to your device.

I've personally walked hundreds of New Zealand's tracks and spent months in libraries uncovering interesting information on New Zealand/Aotearoa. And you'll find a slice of that research on this page - enjoy!

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Haast, West Coast

Camping near Haast

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Marios Gavalas

The end of the road

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Information

1.6 km return | 40 minutes return

The journey is also the destination. Ocean Beach is a rocky, driftwood strewn beach, hemmed in at high tide with large rollers smashing into the rocks.

Walk from sheltered Jackson Bay to the rocky shore at Ocean Beach. Interpretation panels tell stories about tidal pools and the life of the rocky shore. Please leave shellfish untouched for others to see.

Walking Track

Access

Jackson Bay is 48 km from Haast Junction. After the Waitoto River the scenery steps up a notch. This is a drive on a grand scale - a road to nowhere.

The track is signposted from the DoC information building around the left-hand corner from the fish and chips caravan. Head right up the industrial looking access road to the parking area.

Track

The walk traverses a low saddle to Ocean Beach.

European History

In 1874, hopes were up for establishing another thriving settlement on the West Coast - this time right at the southern accessible extremity at Jackson Bay. With fish, forest and minerals, on paper it looked good.

By 1877 400 hopeful immigrants had set up camp, many blissfully unaware of the practicalities and hardships of breaking in land. Let alone in one of the most isolated, tempestuous and harsh places of an outpost.

Without a wharf and with prodigious rainfall, even growing crops, let alone selling them, proved too hard and many left. A few hardy souls stuck it out. Their descendant live on here.

Details

Feature

Value

Info

Organisation

DOC West Coast

Central government organisation

Location

South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Haast

Categories

Walking
Free

Directions

To Coordinates

Coordinates

-43.972218124713

168.612120056152

Latitude
-43.972218124713
Longitude
168.612120056152

Feature	Value	Info
Track Length	1km to 3km Track Length What is the physical length of this track? 1km to 3km	Track Length What is the physical length of this track? 1km to 3km
Track Duration	30 mins to 1 hour Track Duration How long does it take to walk this track on average? 30 mins to 1 hour	Track Duration How long does it take to walk this track on average? 30 mins to 1 hour
Track Difficulty	Easiest walk Track Difficulty Considering the track's terrain, safety, facilities - how hard is this walk to complete? Easiest walk	Track Difficulty Considering the track's terrain, safety, facilities - how hard is this walk to complete? Easiest walk
Payment Requirement	Free access/participation Payment Requirement Is there a cost for this experience or is it free? Free access/participation The experience costs no money to access or take part in.	Payment Requirement Is there a cost for this experience or is it free? Free access/participation The experience costs no money to access or take part in.
Large Vehicle Access	Large vehicle accessible Large Vehicle Access Can large vehicles such as motorhomes, housebuses and caravans gain access? Large vehicle accessible The site is accessible with large vehicles such as motorhomes and 5th wheelers.	Large Vehicle Access Can large vehicles such as motorhomes, housebuses and caravans gain access? Large vehicle accessible The site is accessible with large vehicles such as motorhomes and 5th wheelers.
DOC Track Category	Short walk DOC Track Category What type of category does this walking track fall into (as defined by the NZ Department of Conservation)? Short walk Easy walking for up to an hour. Track is well formed, with an even surface. There may be steps or slopes. Suitable for people of most abilities and fitness. Stream and rivers crossings are bridged. Walking shoes required.	DOC Track Category What type of category does this walking track fall into (as defined by the NZ Department of Conservation)? Short walk Easy walking for up to an hour. Track is well formed, with an even surface. There may be steps or slopes. Suitable for people of most abilities and fitness. Stream and rivers crossings are bridged. Walking shoes required.
Disabled Access	No disabled access Disabled Access Does this location provide disabled access? No disabled access This location does not provide access for wheelchairs.	Disabled Access Does this location provide disabled access? No disabled access This location does not provide access for wheelchairs.
Crowd Factor	Lesser Known Crowd Factor How crowded is this place usually? Lesser Known Usually has less people visiting	Crowd Factor How crowded is this place usually? Lesser Known Usually has less people visiting
Track Managing Organisation	DOC Managed Track Managing Organisation What type of organisation operates this walking track? DOC Managed This track is managed by the Department of Conservation. DOC is a New Zealand government organisation.	Track Managing Organisation What type of organisation operates this walking track? DOC Managed This track is managed by the Department of Conservation. DOC is a New Zealand government organisation.

Nearby

West Coast ▷ Haast

Fantail Falls
West Coast ▷ Haast

Monro Beach Walk
West Coast ▷ Haast

Dune Lake Walk
West Coast ▷ Haast

Kahikatea Swamp Forest Walk
West Coast ▷ Haast

Smoothwater Bay Track
West Coast ▷ Haast

Roaring Billy Falls Walk
West Coast ▷ Haast

Thunder Creek Falls
West Coast ▷ Haast

Historic Haast to Paringa Cattle Track
West Coast ▷ Haast

Haast Pass Lookout Track

Reviews

5.0/5

Best fish n chips ever!!
Easy to walk, fantastic bay and great view, possibly dolphins and penguins.

Reviewed over 11 years ago

Nils Poppenborg
5.0/5

Very beautiful track.

Reviewed over 13 years ago

Daniela Borter