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Hawke's Bay · Hiking

A’Deanes Bush Walk: Walking Guide, Time & Access

A walker seen from behind carrying a grey and orange backpack, with hills in the background.

Illustrative photograph. General backpacking illustration; location unverified. This is not a photograph of the named route or evidence of its terrain, condition or difficulty.

Photo: Cody Black / Unsplash License / Details

Take a walk through A’Deanes Bush Scenic Reserve in beautiful native forest dominated by mataī and kahikatea as well as a large tōtara tree. The reserve is on a flat river terrace.

Last checked 8 October 2026 · Department of Conservation

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On this page

Location & access

DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route. Check the official route directions before travel.

Official location information
Location source

DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route.

Reference point: -39.93177, 176.30100. WGS84 coordinates retained at the official service's returned precision; decimal resolution is not survey accuracy. Source positional accuracy is not specified.

DOC Maps walking and tramping reference point (WGS84), exact official-page GUID / Department of Conservation. Checked 2026-10-12.

Key facts

Distance
1 km loop
Walking time
30 min
Track grade
Easy
Location
Central Hawke's Bay reserves
Dog access
No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.

Checked against official sources on 8 October 2026. Rules and conditions are set by Department of Conservation — confirm with them before you go.

Route overview

Take a walk through A’Deanes Bush Scenic Reserve in beautiful native forest dominated by mataī and kahikatea as well as a large tōtara tree. The reserve is on a flat river terrace.

This DOC directory entry covers A’Deanes Bush Walk in Hawke's Bay, within Central Hawke's Bay reserves. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.

Distance, time and grade

  • Distance: 1 km loop
  • Walking time: 30 min
  • DOC grade: Easy

Access and alerts

Source checked 2026-10-08. This page is a dated snapshot, not a live track-status report. Check current DOC route information immediately before travelling. An absence of listed alerts does not establish that a route is open.

Dog access

No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.

Description

A’Deanes Bush is the best remaining example of the original forest of the Ruataniwha Plains. The 38.5 ha scenic reserve, dominated by mataī and kahikatea, is situated on a flat river terrace.

A large tōtara tree, about 34 m high, is the focal point of this track that begins at the reserve entrance. It takes at least 7 people to encircle its trunk with their arms. The track passes through the forest to the Tukipo River.

If you’re visiting on dusk, watch out for long-tailed bats as they emerge to feed.

Getting there

Off SH 50 south of Ongaonga. Access off Makaretu Road, 1 km past Sherwood School.

Sources and reuse

Route descriptions and practical information reproduced from the Department of Conservation, Crown copyright, under CC BY 4.0, subject to DOC's copyright policy. Formatting has been adapted, including flattening page sections; follow the original DOC page for maps, section-specific layout, current notices and linked documents. Outdoor Next is independent and is not endorsed by DOC.

The accompanying photograph is a licensed general hiking illustration, not a photograph of this route.

Sources & official links

  1. 1.A’Deanes Bush Walk: official route information— Department of Conservation
  2. 2.DOC walking and tramping directory— Department of Conservation

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