Nikau Palm Gully
Akaroa
- 4 hr 30 min – 5 hr return via same track
- Easy
Visit a small pocket of Banks Peninsula forest containing the southerly nikau palms.
|
Walking time
|
1 day
4 hr 30 min – 5 hr
|
|---|---|
|
Distance
|
10.0km |
|
Type
|
Return via same track
|
|
Grade
|
Easy |
|
Bookings
|
No bookings — open access
No — open access
|
|
Starts
|
Onuku Farm Hostel, Hamiltons Road, Akaroa |
|---|---|
|
Maps
|
NZTopo50-BY25
|
|
Altitude
|
20m
–
220m
Altitude change 200m
|
Nikau Palm Gully is a surprisingly diverse pocket of forest surrounded by dreary regenerating farmland near the mouth of Akaroa Harbour. While the gully itself is public reserve, access is over private land. Contact the Onuku Farm Hostel in advance for access permission -- telephone +64 3 304 7066. The track is closed for lambing between August and October.
From Akaroa, follow Rue Jolie onto Onuku Road and drive past Onuku Marae at The Kaik. Follow the road uphill and turn right at Hamilton's Road. A car park is located just outside the hostel entrance. Check in at the hostel.
From the hostel, a 4WD track crosses farmland, sidling high above the coastline. Eventually, a strikingly high cliff appears ahead: this marks the far side of the gully. Two hours' walk leads to a set of stairs descending into the gully. Nikau pams are scattered through the forest here. A lightly marked track leads down the gully to the top of a waterfall. This fall drops straight down onto the beach, far below. There is no access down.
| This track needs a photograph. |