Waitakere Ranges Regional Park
Assessments completed to date have been allocating tracks to three categories
Category 1 - Mostly OK
- Complete - Auckland City Walk, Fenceline, and Houghton tracks
- Upper Kauri Track, Kuataika, Long Road and Maungaroa Lookout are well underway.
- Zion Hill was also nearing completion however storm damage and slips to Karekare and Whatipu Roads have prevented access to the site and this project is likely to be put on hold.
- Fairy Falls is at the final stage of sign off for procurement and is due to start works in April.
- Parau-Panto has been put on hold due to constraints in budget availability for the next financial year.
Hunua Ranges Regional Park
Most tracks that were open before the storms are open again. There was significant damage to the Cossey Groge Track (now repaired and open again) and the southern part of the Wairoa Loop Track (currently a re-route is WIP, possible reopening mid May). Expect more treefalls than usual. Amazingly the Cosseys Creek crossing now has a bridge !
Work on the Wairoa Cossey track is reported as complete but it needs new signage, so until that is installed, the track remains closed. Hopefully it won't be long now before that reopens.
Good news is that the Hunua Kauri Dieback Survey is now underway with results possibly fully available by year end / early 2024. This will contribute to recommendations to be made within the Hunua Track Re-opening Plan (that is a bit delayed because of personal storm damage hindering some key Regional Parks managers being able to fulfil their normal duties)
For the future Auckland Council are looking to
- Get the new Hunua Traverse (cycle track) open later this year
- Re-open the track from Mangatangi Trig down to the Lower Mangatawhiri Valley
- Re-enabling pedestrian access along Moumoukai Hill Rd to the Kohukohunui track
- Possibly re-open Workman Track - subject to the Kauri Survey / Track Plan
- Upgrade the toilets at the Upper Mangatawhiri carpark
Other Regional Parks and Local Parks
The best place for getting information is on the Auckland Council emergency information website as above.
There is significant damage to some walking tracks on the northern edge of Manukau Harbour and while these are being fixed, some are closed - check out the details at this website link
Reopening Plans
- Waitakere Ranges - Karamatura Loop, Karamatura Track, Donald McLean Track and Omanawanui. All council public open space in Southern Waitākere, from Armour Bay/Cornwallis through to Huia and Whatipu
- One way traffic controlled by lights between Titirangi village and the Filter Station roundabout; this is likely to remain for a while…
- Exhibition Drive open to Shaw Road; lots of slumping on Manukau side and undercut in places but still plenty of road to navigate past
- Mackies Rest and Beveridge track can be accessed by the sealed continuation of Exhibition Drive which connects with Huia Rd
- Te Rau Puriri - prawn farm area
Track Upgrades and Future Planning
How Can We Help ?
Thanks to Stu Leighton and Sarah Killick from Auckland Council for providing their updates (March 28th), Anna Roberts (April 3rd), also Our Auckland news on reopening plans.