Wainuiomata Scenic Reserve: A wilderness area with untamed nature and few maintained walks.
Initially, the Wainuiomata Scenic Reserve served as a water catchment site, situated just north of the Hair Street terminus. The water intake scheme here was established in the early 1940s, but ceased operation by the early 1960s, due to issues with muddy water. While there are no remnants of the catchment today, the area has since transformed into the expansive Wainuiomata Scenic Reserve, extending beyond the original water catchment boundaries.
The reserve is an area of native bush and hills that are dissected by a number of small creeks with many feeding into Hair Stream. Additional entry points include Wright Street and the Wainui Centre Track. Spanning approximately 170 hectares, the reserve is under the ownership of the Department of Conservation (DOC). Primarily designated for recreational use, the reserve offers a diverse and expansive natural environment containing a mix of old growth and regenerating forest.
The track starting at the Hair Street entrance, lacks the upkeep found in other Wainuiomata walks. Venturing into the park can sometimes resemble a bush bash rather than walking on a track, and there are no designated bridges spanning the creek, which you need to cross multiple times. Nevertheless, some will like the experience of an untamed adventure involving leaping over creeks and trying to stick to a track that doesn’t always look like a track. It’s obvious that this reserve wouldn’t be most people’s first choice for a walk, but if you have done most of the other walks in Wainuiomata, then it might be time to explore this reserve for something different.
You could for example connect with the Wainui Centre Mountain Bike Track, although you can’t take your bike with you. Once on this track, you can walk to the summit of Wainuiomata Road, drop down into Moores Valley, or connect with numerous other locations.
