Walking this section
Introduction
Te Araroa section: This heartland-Southland journey travels across private farmland and exotic forest. You finish at the farming locality of Merrivale, at the northern foot of the Longwood Range.
Struan Flat Road, Ohai Clifden Highway and Birchwood Wairio Road - 3.2km
The track starts on Struan Flat Road. Walk 250m to the Ohai Clifden Highway. Turn right here and walk 650m to the intersection with Birchwood Wairio Road. Turn left onto this road and walk 2.4km to the edge of the eucalyptus forest fringe.
Woodlaw Track - 14.2km / 7-8 hours
This track crosses private property, and ongoing access is dependent upon the goodwill of landowners: Matariki Forests, DT King & Co Limited, Birchwood Station and Stephen Blair-Edie. The track is across farmland and through exotic forest, save for a small indigenous forest section within the Woodlaw Forest Conservation Area.
In order to comply with the daylight hours condition, trampers should start out early in the morning and make steady progress towards their final destination.
If you encounter farm staff moving stock en-route, please step well aside and wait quietly until all animals have passed by. Take direction from farm staff as necessary.
Do not rely on drinking water being available en route.
The track leaves the road on the right here and travels up the forest fringe beside a fence line.
Beyond the eucalyptus section, the track crosses a stock lane and continues up a fenceline to the base of the Twinlaw Range. The track line turns left here and sidles east to join with a grassed farm track. This track climbs steeply up the hill face to the right. As the track nears the main ridge, it veers south and becomes less distinct on the ground. Marker poles continue to show the way.
Once on the main ridge, travel is along the ridgeline to the left (southeast). This is on a light but distinct farm track that leads up to the Birchwood Station/Twinlaw Forest boundary gate. Beyond the gate, Te Araroa enters an exotic forest on a 4WD track, then traverses the Twinlaw tops on privately owned forest roads, which make for pleasant and easy walking. You’re unlikely to encounter vehicles unless there is some forestry operation underway.
There are a number of forestry road junctions, but marker poles are in place to show the way through. For the sake of completeness, turn left onto Trig Road, then right onto Twinlaw Road. Keep left at the Feldwick Road junction and continue along Twinlaw Road. This is towards and through the junction with Chandler Road. Te Araroa leaves Twinlaw Road on a 4WD track on the right-hand side of the road. There is a turning bay at the end of this track, right on the Twinlaw/Woodlaw Forest boundary.
Te Araroa enters the beech forest from the turning bay. This is on a tramping track, within the Woodlaw Forest Conservation Area. The track traverses uneven ground towards Woodlaw Peak then descends towards a narrow strip of exotic forest. Here it joins with a 4WD track that leads to a junction. Turn right at this junction onto the forestry road, and soon the road emerges from the forest. It then continues down a long fenced straight, which leads out through farmland towards Scotts Gap-Feldwick Road. (It is 13km to the right via Lower Scotts Gap Road and Otautau-Tuatapere Road to Otautau.)
Upper Scotts Gap Road and Hewitt Road - 3.2km
From the Woodlaw Track trailhead, turn left onto Scotts Gap-Feldwick Road and walk the road shoulder through Scotts Gap junction and onto Upper Scotts Gap Road. Continue down Upper Scotts Gap Road, then turn right and walk up Hewitt Road. The Island Bush Track starts up the road at the gate on the exotic forest fringe. This is a 3.2km connection.
Island Bush Track - 4.3km / 1.5 hours
This track is through the exotic forest and then across farmland. It is entirely on private property, with access provided by 2 landowners — Matariki Forests and Mike Whale.
The track starts at the forest entry gate near the top of Hewitt Rd. If arriving by car, it’s best to park near the bottom of the road and walk up. Continue up Hewitt Road beyond the gate and through the forest. This is to a junction with Loop Road.
Turn left onto Loop Road, the first of 4 junctions. Stay left again at the second junction, right at the third, and left at the fourth junction.
From the forestry road end, a marked foot track leads down between the pine tree rows to the farm boundary. From here, please leave all gates and electric gateways as you find them. Livestock, machinery, and farm workers have right of way in the laneway.
Once across the boundary fence stile, turn left onto the farm laneway and descend. Markers show the way down the laneway to a paddock at the bottom above a large pine shelter-belt. The track turns right here through an electric elastic gateway, if this is up, you will need to unhook and reattach the top hand-piece. Follow this line of trees to the marked shallow water crossing to the gap in the shelter-belt, the roadside stile is visible ahead to the right via a marked gateway. (It is left for 13km to Otautau, and Tuatapere is 28km to the right.) NOBOs will see a large orange triangle from the same roadside stile.
There is parking opposite the trail-head.
Otautau Road and Tuatapere Road - 2.5km
From the Island Bush Track trail-head, turn right (west) onto Otautau-Tuatapere Road and walk 2.5km, past Gill Road to the Merrivale Road junction.
Getting there
Northern Start: Struan Flat Rd, Birchwood
Southern End: Junction of Otautau-Tuatapere and Merrivale Rds, Merrivale
Track conditions
Lambing closure between 9 September and 9 November inclusive.
Potential hazards:
- Vehicles on the road or track. Take care on the roads
- Farming operations
- Forestry operations
- Few water sources
A number of conditions apply to enable walking access to co-exist with farm and forestry operations. These conditions include an annual track closure for lambing from 9 September to 9 November inclusive. The remaining conditions are set out below, and compliance is important, both out of respect for the landowners and to help ensure Te Araroa walkers continue to be able to use this critical link:
- Access is only for tramping parties of 8 or fewer members and during daylight hours
- Give way to stock and farm/forestry operations
- No camping, fires, vehicles (including bicycles), horses, dogs, or firearms
- Carry all rubbish out
- No commercial activity, including guiding or organised events
Accommodation
Accommodation at start of the route (Birchwood)
- Birchwood Station has a cabin available to Te Araroa walkers near the beginning of this route. For safety reasons, you'll need to call ahead - same day ok but at least a few hours notice - and be met and taken into the hut.
- $20pp for the night and $15pp more for a home-cooked meal. Gas cooking facilities, microwave, hot shower, fire, toilet.
- Call or text Sarah 027 699 5234 or Dean 021 655852.
Accommodation at Scotts Gap (km 2,923.2)
- Campsie Downs 324 Scotts Gap / Feldwick Road, 1 km west from Te Araroa.
- 2 sets bunks $25 per night, shower (hot water), toilet, laundry facilities, basic kitchen, meals available (frozen), bread and salad $25, laundry $5, vegetable garden (help yourself) .
- camping sites with toilet and shower facilities available
- text Rowena 027 577 0978
Accommodation at end of route (Merrivale km 2,933.7)
- Merriview Hut. Bunks $15 per night per person. Tent $10 per night per person. Hosts Chantal 021 567 105 or Daryl 027 784 6316
Accommodation at Otautau
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Otautau Hotel - 167 Main St, Otautau - P: 03 225 8166 - E: otautauhotel@vodafone.co.nz - W: www.otautauhotelpub.co.nz/contact - rooms, bars & restaurant
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Otautau Railway Hotel and Backpackers - 76-78 King St, Otautau - P: 03 225 8577 - backpackers, bar & restaurant
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Otautau Windermere Retreat. If you are travelling or walking the Te Araroa Trail and looking to escape the noise and clutter of the cities. Our 1920s villa Homestay is for you. Wide open spaces, nature, birdsong, and rural views within walking distance of the township for supplies. 1 Queen room, 1 King room, or tent sites available. From $50.00 per person. Living room, dining room, shared kitchen/bathroom space and 2nd separate toilet. Extras upon request: Home cooked meals, laundry. Free parking/Pick up/Drop off on Trail E:windermere.retreat@gmail or Contact Lynley directly on: +64 27 2211 813
Accommodation at Tuatapere - Island Bush
- The CWTCH - 6 Ferry Road, Tuatapere. Bunks and bathrooms and a decent towel on a koha basis. Laundromat on site. Next door to pub and 4 square. Large communal space and use of kitchen. Legendary host care, especially for wrecked feet. Can accommodate groups. Transport from Merrivale Road and Straun Flat Road by arrangement and fuel charge applies.
Contact via WhatsApp or text Greg 027 683 0670.
- Tui Basecamp - 4 McFeely Street, Tuatapere - P: (0)3 226 6250 or M: (0)27 837 3521 E: enquiries@tuibasecamp.co.nz
- Last Light Lodge - 2 Clifden Highway, Tuatapere - P: 03 226 6667 - camping sites, campervan sites, backpacker type facilities and a restaurant/café.
Food and supplies
Otautau
- Supervalue Supermarket - 157 Main St, Otautau - P: 03 225 8029 - W: www.supervalue.co.nz/ Open daily 8am-7pm.
Tuatapere - Island Bush
- Four 4 Square supermarket - 73 Main St, Tuatapere - P: 03 226 6898 - W: www.foursquare.co.nz/ - Open daily 7:30am-9pm