Sightseeing

Glenfern Sanctuary Guided Walk

Developed over the last decade, Glenfern Sanctuary walkway has been a labour of love for the owners of the FitzRoy House property. The Glenfern Sanctuary Guided Walk begins in a Unimog (all terrain army vehicle) departing from FitzRoy House to the top of the hill, where from Sunset Rock is a view of the sanctuary and the wealth of flora, fauna and native wildlife.

Enjoy the 'Kauri Tree Walk’ where the native plants have been identified with descriptive plaques. Climb into the crown of a 600 year old kauri tree accessed by a suspension bridge.

For more information visit: www.glenfern.org.nz/

FitzRoy House Barrier Walks Package

This great package offers transport to Windy Canyon for access to the Mt Hobson track, or the Hot Springs track. Walkers can be picked up by yacht from Bush’s Beach or Kiwiriki Bay. Short walks include Old Lady’s and Waterfall. A visit to Barrier Gold in Wairahi Bay where Sven Stellin extracts kanuka essential oil and makes kanuka soap and balm can also be done.

Kaitoke Hot Springs

Sit back and relax by bathing in the Kaitoke Hot Springs on Great Barrier Island. Kaitoke Hot Springs are naturally occurring hot springs that flow out of the earth due to thermal activity. The springs are an easy walk from Whangaparapara Road.

For more information about walking to the Kaitoke Hot Springs, visit the walking page of this website.

Kauri Dam

A two hour walk from the Kaiaraara Track takes you to the remains of the kauri dam, which can still be seen today in the stream.

Kauri driving dams were built by loggers to drive large quantities of kauri logs downstream, allowing access to areas too remote and steep to remove logs by other means. The central part of the island was intensively logged from 1925 - 1941. Kauri is a tree native to New Zealand. A series of dams made from kauri logs were built across the headwaters of the stream.

WARNING: Please do not climb on the dam or any other historic structure. They may be unstable and unsafe.

Mount Hobson, Hirakimata

Great Barrier's highest point is 621 metres. On a clear day it offers spectacular views of the Mercury Islands to the Poor Knights, and the Hauraki Gulf. The summit is the principal nesting area for the rare Black Petrel. Visitors are asked to keep to the boardwalk at the summit, built to help protect Black Petrel nesting sites. A variety of tramping routes access Mt Hobson, Hirakimata, the most popular being from Windy Canyon to Kaiaraara, a full-day walk. The summit of Mount Hobson can be reached in two hours from Windy Canyon.

SS Wairarapa Walkway

A 30-minute walk along Whangapoua Beach to Tapuwai Point from the road end. The steamer 'Wairarapa' struck cliffs near Miners Head on 29 October 1894, with the loss of approximately 130 lives. The grave site at the northern end of Whangapoua Beach is a reminder of one of the most tragic shipping disasters in New Zealand, and of the potential perils to boats off the rocky coastline of Great Barrier.