Gwavas Conservation Area

Gwavas is a small range of ~1000m hills immediately to the east of the Ruahine Range in the Hawkes Bay region.  Their lower height means that the tops do not clear the bushline. Vegetation is predominantly manuka bush. It is surrounded by exotic pine forests and wilding pines are also slowly colonising the range. 

There is 1 offical DOC track in the park climbing from the end of Leatherwood Road to the repeater station at the summit, and then dropping to Poutaki Hut on the eastern face 70m below the peak. The summit provides good views of the Ruahine Ranges and the East Coast.  Poutaki Hut is the only DOC hut in the park.

Vehicular access through the surrounding pine forests is not generally permitted and most people access the park from the old mill site at the Wakarara Road end. Many people use a mountain bike to travel from the millsite to the end of Leatherwood road, avoiding a 4km walk on forestry tracks to reach the park boundary.

There are reasonable (from a hunter's perspective) pig numbers in the park, and low numbers of red deer.