Last Updated: 21st Sep 2023

Beginner

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Whananaki Coastal Track

Hikurangi, Northland

Submitted by Chris Taylor

Last Updated: 21st Sep 2023

Beginner

Save Trail Save

I've done it Done

Open

Grunt Factor: 15 ?

Gnarl Factor: 31 ?

12.0km

390m

390m

87m

  

  

  

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Trail Map

Type of Run

Front country - easily accessible

Out and Back

Undulating, small hills only

Plantation/exotic forest

Beach

Coastal

Run Makeup

40%
20%
10%
10%
10%
10%

Gravel Road

Farm Road / 4WD Track

Easy Single Track

Moderate Single Track

Technical Single Track

Untracked / Route only

Average Uphill Gradient: +10.1%

Average Downhill Gradient: -9.8%

Trailhead

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Estimated Times to Run

2:00

Slow

1:10

Moderate

0:50

Fast

Feb 2021: Access to Bougainville Memorial is now only possible from the beach. Landowner has removed access and signs at the stile now are changed to "Private No Access".

Starting from McAuslin Road, jump over the stile and follow the track. The track goes over private land so please stick to the gravel road / farm track and leave gates as you find them. Follow this track for about 4.3 kms when you reach another stile where the track forks. Turn right and follow signposts to the Bougainville Memorial.

From the Bougainville Memorial, provided the tide is not too high, you can head down the hill towards the white sands of the beach, hopping over some rocks. Head north along the beach to the point where you can pick the track back up (where Pukekawa Road meets the beach). From that point, start heading back south along the track. However, if the tide is too high, from the Bougainville Memorial retrace your steps back to the stile mentioned earlier and take the other track to the point that Pukekawa Road meets the beach in order to access the beach at the north of this run and return the same way.

Great views of the coast with a couple of opportunities to access the coast and go for a cooling swim.

If you know of any public toilets near the trail start or on the route, please login and then let us know so we can update this section.

Some parking at trail head. Otherwise park in Sandy Bay beach carpark and can include the McAuslin Road as part of the run.

24 km

29 minutes

Unknown

No

Easy.

Hard to go wrong. Follow the track / road and orange markers.

Patchy.

First aid kit, Cellphone

Take your own

none

Livestock in paddocks - treat with respect.

Trail Legend

JH

Jacqui Haggland

has completed Whananaki Coastal Track once in the last year.

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Trail Reviews

A very runnable and accessible trail with stunning views around every turn.
In warm weather make sure you have water, and towel and togs for a swim. You can extend this run out to Whananaki camp ground for an even more epic Northland coastal experience!
The track to the Bougainville monument is no longer open as land owner has removed access -so to reach ther monument, you have to head right along the beach once you get to the main track turnaround: you need to get out there at lower tide.
There are other shorter but very scenic coastal runs back along the coast at and around Matapouri. In summer there's yummy kai at food trucks parked along the coastal strip at Sandy's bay and other spots nearby

Denise Limby

April 14, 2021

Nice run, great coastal views. Land owner has removed access to Bougainville Memorial, only way to access it now is out and back from beach.

Raewyn Peters

February 5, 2021

Beautiful run, awesome scenery. I couldn't see any signposts to the Bougainville Memorial at the trail fork - you'll need to keep an eye out for where the trail leads off into the pine forrest.

Matt Rowbotham

December 23, 2020

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