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Location & access
DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route. Check the official route directions before travel.
Official location informationLocation source
DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route.
Reference point: -45.76758, 170.69504. 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
- 5 km return via same track
- Walking time
- 2 hr
- Track grade
- Advanced
- Location
- Aramoana area / Dunedin area
- Seasonal restrictions
- Access from end of Heyward Point Rd is closed for lambing from 29 August until 4 November inclusive. Access from Aramoana to track junction is closed for lambing from 29 August until 4 November inclusive.
- 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
This cliff top track, through farm land and regenerating forest, offers great coastal views.
This DOC directory entry covers Heyward Point Track in Otago, within Aramoana area / Dunedin area. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.
Distance, time and grade
- Distance: 5 km return via same track
- Walking time: 2 hr
- DOC grade: Advanced
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.
Seasonal restrictions
Access from end of Heyward Point Rd is closed for lambing from 29 August until 4 November inclusive. Access from Aramoana to track junction is closed for lambing from 29 August until 4 November inclusive.
Dog access
No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
There are great views from this cliff top track. To the right, Taiaroa Head and the mouth of Otago Harbour, and to the left looking up Otago's east coast.
After following the cliff tops the track descends through regenerating bush to the more exposed Heyward Point.
Getting there
There are two starting points:
Off Aramoana Road, 50 m before Pari Street
The end of Heyward Point Road, which is off the road From Port Chalmers to Purakanui and Long Beach
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 published in DOC's official route gallery with an explicit reuse licence. Its original caption and credit are retained; it does not establish current track conditions.
