Wairere Falls Track
Your Nature Guide
Marios Gavalas
Author And Researcher
Nau mai, haere mai
Nau mai, haere mai
I'm Marios, delivering the best of Aotearoa's nature walks to your device.
I've personally walked hundreds of New Zealand's tracks and spent months in libraries uncovering interesting information on New Zealand/Aotearoa. And you'll find a slice of that research on this page - enjoy!
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Information
Wairere Falls Track
5 km return | 3 hours return
The Wairere Falls cascade over 150 metres and form a visible feature over much of the Hauraki and Waikato Plains.
Walking Track
Access
Wairere Falls are signposted along Goodwin Road off Old Te Aroha Road, 17km north of S.H.24 and 27km south of Te Aroha.
Track
The track has been completely annihilated by storms in recent years, but is now up and running.
Follow the well-formed track to the river crossings. Admire the flow (which has passed over the waterfall) from the bridges.
The track then steepens and has steps, heading to the gorge, where there is a platform at the base of the falls.
Geology
The 153-m high falls tumble over an escarpment which is part of the Okauia Fault Line.
European History
It was this conspicuous presence which gained them notoriety as a landmark for navigation in the days when the only mode of travel was by foot. Travellers were drawn to the falls as they knew this indicated the start of the Wairere Track.
Ngauhue, an early Polynesian explorer from Rarotonga, was said to have killed a moa at the base of the falls and taken the flesh back to his homeland.
Following Hongi Hika’s devastating musket raids in the 1820s, many Ngati Maru became firmly encamped in the traditional tribal areas of Waikato peoples. Tensions mounted and, under the leadership of Te Waharoa, muskets, men and flax were brought over the Wairere Track for the ensuing battles.
Later, Ngati Haua prevented the use by Ngati Maru of the Hauraki Gulf as a port, so the main sea port became Tauranga and all goods were carried over the Wairere Track. Traders carting sacks of flax and kumara caused the route to often degenerate into a quagmire, especially in winter.
During the period of early European occupation, many missionaries, traders, explorers, tourists, prospectors and travellers passed over the Wairere Track. Archdeacon Alfred Brown, the pioneer missionary of Matamata, walked the track many times between 1834 and 1858. His travels were described in journals.
E. Dieffenbach, F. Hochstetter, William Colenso, and Bishop Pompallier were among the early travellers who traversed the route.
Details
| Feature | Value | Info |
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Organisation |
DOC Bay of PlentyCentral government organisation |
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Location |
North Island ▷ Waikato ▷ Matamata |
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Categories |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Coordinates |
Walking
Nearby
Reviews
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5.0/5
Beautiful falls and great path.
Amazing work done to improve the Track
Also, the car park is a freedom camping zone (up to 4 nights) with drop toilets
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4.5/5
Lovely track and very well signalled.
Quite muddy due to heavy rain in the previous hours.
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4.0/5
Bit of a tough track!
Only made it to the lower viewing area. Lots of beautiful little water pools along the way, probably the most beautiful part. Great for swimming.
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5.0/5
The way up was hard and muddy, but at the top I was proud of myself, because the view and the silence were so impressive.
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4.5/5
Excellent walking track, through rainforest, up many steps to the base of the falls.
Had been very wet before we arrived (and when we were there) but track was still in good order. Highly recommended.
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4.0/5
The hour long walk to see the highest waterfall in the North Island was totally worth it.
Well maintained track, plenty of sign posting and breathtaking views of the falls made walking for an hour in the rain all worth it.
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5.0/5
Long and exhausting walk up to the top, but it is definitely worth it, you have the awesome view at the top of the waterfall over Matamata.
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3.5/5
Very steep and rough walk through the bush.
On the Summit you have a great view (top of the 150m long waterfall).
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4.0/5
Worth the trek to the top as the view is absolutely stunning!
The only negative is that at one point on the trail the signs are unclear and we ended up veering off onto another much longer trail along with another couple who had also made the same mistake a few minutes earlier.
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4.5/5
Beautiful area, well maintained track.
Stunning falls worth the effort! for us it took longer than the 45 minutes on the sign to reach the half way point but that is with stopping for pictures and rests.
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5.0/5
Beautiful falls and great path.
Amazing work done to improve the Track
Also, the car park is a freedom camping zone (up to 4 nights) with drop toilets
-
4.5/5
Lovely track and very well signalled.
Quite muddy due to heavy rain in the previous hours.
-
5.0/5
The way up was hard and muddy, but at the top I was proud of myself, because the view and the silence were so impressive.
-
4.0/5
Bit of a tough track!
Only made it to the lower viewing area. Lots of beautiful little water pools along the way, probably the most beautiful part. Great for swimming.
-
4.5/5
Excellent walking track, through rainforest, up many steps to the base of the falls.
Had been very wet before we arrived (and when we were there) but track was still in good order. Highly recommended.
-
4.0/5
The hour long walk to see the highest waterfall in the North Island was totally worth it.
Well maintained track, plenty of sign posting and breathtaking views of the falls made walking for an hour in the rain all worth it.
-
5.0/5
Long and exhausting walk up to the top, but it is definitely worth it, you have the awesome view at the top of the waterfall over Matamata.
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3.5/5
Very steep and rough walk through the bush.
On the Summit you have a great view (top of the 150m long waterfall).
-
4.0/5
Worth the trek to the top as the view is absolutely stunning!
The only negative is that at one point on the trail the signs are unclear and we ended up veering off onto another much longer trail along with another couple who had also made the same mistake a few minutes earlier.
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4.5/5
Beautiful area, well maintained track.
Stunning falls worth the effort! for us it took longer than the 45 minutes on the sign to reach the half way point but that is with stopping for pictures and rests.
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4.5/5
A beautiful waterfall with lush green forest surrounding it.
A good workout with nice tracks.
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4.5/5
Amazing view on top.
Remember to bring some food to have a little picnic once you get to the top.
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4.5/5
One of NZs highest waterfalls - amazing!!
Nice track along the river, everywhere trees and birds, not so many tourists.
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4.0/5
Rainforest.
Easy to walk as they built a very nice wooden walkway. The falls are amazing.
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5.0/5
One of our favorite tracks - we discovered it by accident.
Walked up halfway then the rest of the way. Got some fantastic pictures standing on the edge of the falls. Took the Maori track down, but be careful, it is treacherous!
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5.0/5
Nice walk through the forest, if there is less water in the river you can go to the edge of the falls which are around 50m high - an amazing experience!
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