New Zealand Walks: Waihi Beach to Houmanga Bay

Waihi Beach to Houmanga Bay

A view from the “The Bend”.

Explore our beautiful botanical world

Discover the first-rate walking tracks and spectacular scenery at New Zealand’s national arboretum, a unique park sanctuary for all ages. Eastwoodhill offers over 25km of graded and marked walking tracks set amongst 13,000 exotic and rare trees, shrubs and climbers. Immerse yourself in the beauty of our botanical wonderland and plan to stay - accommodation, self-contained campervan sites.

“A nature lover’s paradise” “This place is truly amazing” “A must see in autumn”

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Waihi Beach to Houmanga Bay

One of my favourite walks is the track from Waihi Beach to Houmunga Bay. Leaving the northern end of Waihi Beach, the trail rises steeply at first, then continues as an undulating path over a headland.

Access is tricky at high tide, because By Barbz Lowther at this end of the beach, the water laps the rocks; so you could be walking through knee deep water, before reaching the start of the track. The views all the way, are spectacular, bush on one side and Above: Reaching the stream at Orokawa Below left: Crossing the bridge at ‘The Bend”.

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rocky coves and crashing waves on the other. Tuis flitted around in the trees and we saw several fantails.

In about an hour, we reached Orokawa Bay – a perfect picnic spot.

The pohutukawas lining this beach, are stunning, when in flower in December. We had the option of staying on the grassy trail under the trees, or walking along the beach to the northern end. Those who wanted to be near the water, took the beach option.

We stopped for a break by a little stream, about halfway along, where spreading branches of a giant pohutukawa made perfect seating. At the end of Orokawa Bay, the trail passes grassy flats, before climbing steeply to continue for another hour to Houmunga.

On the section we crossed several gullys where little wooden steps have been built to make the route less slippery.

A little over halfway is the ‘magic moment’- a bend with magnificent views of coastline, with deep blue water, contrasting with a yellow clay bank, and a little bridge crossing a side stream. It is probably the most photographed spot on this walk. Continuing down over the

Above right: and middle right: Views from ‘The Bend’ Below left: Coming down to the beach from the top path under pohutukawas.. Below right: The track above Houmunga Bay.

Waihi Beach to Houmanga Bay

Above left: Hikoi Trampers.

Above right: The track above Houmunga Bay.

Below left: Negotiating the clay bank.

Below right: Kevin & Kate at ‘The Bend’ bridge, and clambering up the clay bank, we followed the trail around rocky cliffs, and through gullys and finally grasslands to reach Houmunga Bay, another incredibly beautiful beach, lined with pohutukawas.

A little waterfall sprays the rocks at the southern end.

It took us two and a quarter hours to reach this perfect lunch spot. After a break, we returned the same way, but with quite different views.

This is a really beautiful walk, especially when the pohutukawas are in flower. For those who don’t want to walk that far, a stop at Orokawa is an option.