Kawatiri Coastal Trail over everchanging coastlines

The Kawatiri Coastal Trail is a Grade 2, family friendly cycling and walking heritage trail that will connect the Buller District towns of Westport and Charleston when fully completed.

This extraordinary West Coast adventure journeys between the mountains to the east and the coastline to the west, with views towards the majestic Paparoa Mountain Range.

Diverse landscapes combine to create a memorable journey across 50 km. Comprising of nine gentle sections, the trail is manageable for riders and walkers to fully complete, at each turn revealing unrivalled and ever changing coastlines.

Multiple access points, bike hire, luggage transfers and shuttle options will eventually make logistics simple to incorporate an overnight stop or two. As a Grade 2 family friendly cycle trail it is suitable for most ages and abilities, and ultimately will offer the convenience of accommodation and eateries along the way.

The Pūwaha Section of the Kawatiri Coastal Trail from Westport to Carters Beach, is the first of nine sections to be built, and officially opened to the public on 6 December 2020, with other sections of the trail opening in stages. The Waitakere Section is also open.

As of February 2023 four consecutive sections are now open between Westport and Ōkari Lagoon, offering users 22km of Trail (Pūwaha, Kawau, Omau and Tauranga Sections). Details of those four section are below. The full 50 km of trail is due for completion early 2024.

cal Site dating back to around 1350, thought to be one of the earliest New Zealand settlements.

Westport to Carters Beach

The Pūwaha Section offers a fulfilling set of experiences between Westport and Carters Beach. This restorative section of trail brings together a unique combination of native flora and fauna, wildlife and significant Māori archaeological sites. Whilst only a short distance, the accessible route is brimming with history and local secrets, and has much to offer cyclists and walkers.

Initially following the Buller (Kawatiri) River with it’s Māori meaning of swift and deep, the trail meanders a mix of forest and a 700 metre boardwalk through pristine wetlands. Upon leaving the forest, riders encounter the towering ship like masts of the Martins Creek suspension bridge, offering elevated views of the wetlands, wildlife and wider West Coast scenery.

The bridge is named after the Martin family who were the first permanent Pākehā settlers in the Buller District, establishing the first farm in 1865.

Pause for breath and explore the Shelter, called Ngāhue. In the surrounding fields is an historic Māori Archaeologi-

The journey continues north hugging the estuary, enabling riders to observe the wading birds stalking their prey in the shallows. As the trail reaches the outskirts of the Carters Beach Domain, the river trail becomes coastal, and riders are met with expansive views of the 9 km shoreline of Carters Beach.

Length 5.5km

Carters Beach to Cape Foulwind

Following 500 year old Pounamu and Gold Trails, the Kawau Section offers an expansive coastal experience, featuring outlooks to the stunning Tasman Sea and Paparoa Ranges. Stay curious, as the trail also gives a peek at The Steeples as you go past towards the impressive Omau clifftops which are unique to the area.

Seven km of flat terrain runs adjacent to the sandy beach, and rises gently as it reaches the Cape Foulwind headland (Kawau Point). The reefs located here were important for seafood. Looking inland, the old Cape Foulwind Railway ran alongside, and during the Gold Rush era, the Gibson’s Rest accommodation to rest your head.

The name Kawau derives from the Māori name for the cormorant or shag. A large diving bird commonly found on rivers, estuaries, harbours and coastal waters. Kawau Point was historically a vital lookout for Māori, allowing them to communicate with Kawatiri using smoke signals to warn of the arrivals of friend or foe.

The penguins along this coastline are locally known as the little blue penguin. This protected native species are the world’s smallestpenguin at just over 25 cm and weighing one kg these penguins are very faithful to their home site, generally returning to within metres of where they were born to set up their own nests, and never move away. Distance 7km.

Cape Foulwind to Tauranga Bay

This fulfilling section combines plenty of history, culture and heritage for enquiring minds. Abel Tasman first sighted the Cape in 1642 and named it Rocky Point, but it was later named Place of Foul Winds by Captain Cook when his ship was besieged by gales in 1770. Māori knew the Cape as Tauranga which refers to the sheltered anchorage the bay provided for their voyaging canoes.

The Buller District has a compelling history, from ancient Māori Pounamu Trails, gold mining, and coal mining more recently. Granite from the disused quarry nearby was also used to develop the Westport Harbour. This fascinating history combines with spectacular scenery, diverse ecology, and rock formations providing a window into the geological past.

Once the gold rushes subsided, the pioneer development of the West Coast depended very much on the logging of native forest. Early 20th century timber milling

Above: A bridge on the Kawau Section. Photo by Richard Rossiter saw the Bowater & Bryan Mill established. It was the first timber mill at Cape Foulwind.

From Omau or The Cape as it’s known locally, make the most of the surrounding native forest and lake views. As you head downhill towards Williams Gully and onto Tauranga Bay, stop to take in the spectacular views across to the Paparoa Ranges and on a clear day Mount Cook. Pause for breath here and meet the locals. From the Tauranga Bay end, the path leads to the rookery of kekeno, the New Zealand fur seal. For an extra adventure follow the track along the coastal bluffs to the iconic Cape Foulwind lighthouse.

The headland is an important site for the seal colony as well as the sooty shearwater, a large sea-going petrel, and also blue penguins. This location is also home to the largest population of seabirds from Farewell Spit to Milford Sound. The disused cement works are located close to the Cape, and took advantage of the abundant limestone, sand and clay in the immediate area.

The Cape Foulwind Railway was constructed by the