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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: -35.21750, 174.19066. 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
- 4.6 km loop
- Walking time
- 2.5 hr
- Track grade
- Easy
- Location
- Moturua Island Scenic Reserve
- 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 track goes right around Moturua Island. You can join the track at any of the main beaches and walk through open grassy areas and along cool shady stretches beneath the regenerating coastal forest trees.
This DOC directory entry covers Moturua Island Track in Northland, within Moturua Island Scenic Reserve. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.
Distance, time and grade
- Distance: 4.6 km loop
- Walking time: 2.5 hr
- 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
Crossing ridges, the track descends to four, very different beaches, ranging from soft sand to pebble and stone.
Getting there
Moturua Island Scenic Reserve is in the central Bay of Islands and can only be reached by sea. You can catch a water taxi, paddle a kayak, ride a jet-ski or take your own boat out to Moturua.
The island's four main bays, Otupoho, Waipao, Mangahawea and Waiwhapuku all offer safe anchorage for visiting vessels and the island's track can be reached from any one of these bays.
Know before you go
No dogs due to risks to wildlife.
No camping.
Fires by permit only.
Remain on the track at all times – there are cliffs and steep bluffs on the island.
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.
