Kahikatea Swamp Forest Walk

Kahikatea Swamp Forest Walk - Ship Creek

Kahikatea Swamp Forest Walk

Ship Creek

10 Rankers Reviews

6 Face-to-Face

6 Walking

1 Haast

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Marios Gavalas

Author And Researcher

Nau mai, haere mai

Nau mai, haere mai

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Photos

Boardwalks over the swamp forest

Information

Kahikatea Swamp Forest Walk

800 m return | 20 minutes return

One of the best examples of swamp forest that you will come across and well worth stopping for on your journey along the West Coast.

Visions of swamp monsters rising from the murky depths, memories of Flash Gordon or more recent beasts from Axel Scheffler and Julia Donaldson’s 'Room on the Broom'. This is a swamp to awaken the imagination.

Walking Track

Timing

After heavy rains the access to the track can be under water. This is a swamp after all.

Access

Ship Creek is well signposted 20 km north of Haast on SH6. There’s a large parking area with toilets.

Track

A lofty lookout tower which can be climbed with ladders gives good views of the coast and the nearby Dune Lake Walk (30 min return, 1 km). Under the road bridge the track forms a loop and after rain can become part of the swamp. Extensive boardwalks allow you to walk on water and get close-up with the kahikatea. Well-designed and presented interpretation panels show the forest and swamp ecology systems and some history of the ‘butter-box’ tree.

Flora

The kahikatea is a lowland tree, which is often the dominant tree to colonise wet and boggy ground, but also tolerates drier sites. It is the tallest native tree, sometimes topping 60 metres in height, and grows at less than 600 metres altitude. Differing growth stages exhibit differing forms. The rather mangy seedling grows to a distinctive conical form in its youth. When mature, the crown opens out. The wood is straight grained, easily workable and durable. Europeans used the odourless wood to make butter boxes, as it did not impart any undesirable flavours.

The tops here are often bald, presumably defoliated by the salt laden winds.

Fauna

This is the domain of Te Namu. Keep moving on still days.

Details

Feature Value Info

Organisation

DOC West Coast

Central government organisation

Location

South IslandWest CoastHaast

Categories

  • Activity__walking_and_trekkingWalking
  • Free

Directions

To Coordinates

Coordinates

-43.7582322226432

169.148518943786

Latitude
-43.7582322226432
Longitude
169.148518943786

Nearby

Reviews

    • Ace spot.
    • Between Haast and Fox.
    • Very nice short walk.
    • Well done track through the swamp.
    • Beautiful spot.
    Rating Count Percentage
    10/10 2
    20%
    9/10 3
    30%
    8/10 3
    30%
    7/10 1
    10%
    6/10 1
    10%
    5/10 0
    0%
    4/10 0
    0%
    3/10 0
    0%
    2/10 0
    0%
    1/10 0
    0%
  • 5.0/5

    Very nice way on footbridges through the forest and along the river.

    Reviewed 9 months ago

  • 3.5/5

    Decided to stop off for lunch here whilst driving between the glacier and Wanaka.

    Beautiful place, not great surf though, and I did not expect sandflies, but they were out on force! Worth a stop if you can beat the sandflies.

    Reviewed over 6 years ago and experienced in March 2018

  • 5.0/5

    Beautiful spot.

    The trees in the forest and the views of the bay were amazing.

    Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in January 2017

  • 4.5/5

    Very nice short walk.

    Reviewed about 9 years ago

  • 4.5/5

    Ace spot.

    Would be 10/10 except for the sandflies.

    Saw a pod of Hector dolphins playing in the breakers.

    Great views of the sea over the sand dunes.

    Reviewed over 10 years ago

  • 4.5/5

    Well done track through the swamp.

    Reviewed about 10 years ago and experienced in February 2014

  • 4.0/5

    Very nice walk along the beach and dunes, lookout tower, second walk into a swamp possible.

    Reviewed over 11 years ago and experienced in March 2013

  • 4.0/5

    Between Haast and Fox.

    Nice view and two short walks - bush and beach walk.

    Reviewed almost 12 years ago

  • 5.0/5

    Very nice way on footbridges through the forest and along the river.

    Reviewed 9 months ago

  • 3.5/5

    Decided to stop off for lunch here whilst driving between the glacier and Wanaka.

    Beautiful place, not great surf though, and I did not expect sandflies, but they were out on force! Worth a stop if you can beat the sandflies.

    Reviewed over 6 years ago and experienced in March 2018

  • 5.0/5

    Beautiful spot.

    The trees in the forest and the views of the bay were amazing.

    Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in January 2017

  • 4.5/5

    Very nice short walk.

    Reviewed about 9 years ago

  • 4.5/5

    Well done track through the swamp.

    Reviewed about 10 years ago and experienced in February 2014

  • 4.5/5

    Ace spot.

    Would be 10/10 except for the sandflies.

    Saw a pod of Hector dolphins playing in the breakers.

    Great views of the sea over the sand dunes.

    Reviewed over 10 years ago

  • 4.0/5

    Very nice walk along the beach and dunes, lookout tower, second walk into a swamp possible.

    Reviewed over 11 years ago and experienced in March 2013

  • 3.0/5

    Good place but too many sandflies.

    Reviewed over 11 years ago

  • 4.0/5

    Between Haast and Fox.

    Nice view and two short walks - bush and beach walk.

    Reviewed almost 12 years ago