Rocky Point Trail Run

This is the official trail of the The Kawatiri Coastal Trail Rocky Point Run which is a trail running race that is held in October each year. It utilises recently opened sections of the stunning Kawatiri Coastal Trail, and takes you on a scenic journey from Tauranga Bay to Westport before double backing back to Carters Beach.

While generally “flat” there are two climbs up out of the Seal Colony car park. The first (1km into the run) is around 800m long with 43m elevation, followed (quite quickly) by a short 100m section with 10m elevation gain.

The trail itself is a well-groomed cycle trail – mostly 2+ metres wide. The Millennium Track at the Buller Bridge is mostly narrow, compacted sand with the odd tree-root here and there. The run starts at the Tauranga Bay domain on the Kawatiri Coastal Trail (KCT). Leaving the domain, you will follow the KCT north to the Tauranga Bay Seal Colony carpark. Do not go up the seal colony, continue along the footpath and onto the KCT through to Lighthouse Road.

From there, you will follow the KCT through to the Omau Domain, across SH 67 to the old Holcim haul road. At the bottom of the Holcim Hill, you will cross SH67 again, back onto the KCT and through to the Carters Beach Domain before crossing Golf Links Road and Schadick Avenue. At the end of the KCT, run across the Buller Bridge (on the barriered walkway), turn left at the end of the bridge and follow the trail down into the Buller Bridge carpark.

Follow a semi marked trail to the start of the Millennium Track (to the north of the bridge) then run on the outer track alongside the Buller River. Continue along the ''inland" Millennium Track, which you will then follow back to the Buller Bridge retracing your steps back out to the Carters Beach Domain where you will end your fun and fast adventure.

If you are staying in Westport, you can cut the run short by finishing at the end of the Millenium Track, cutting the run short by about 5km.