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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: -45.55578, 169.02226. 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
- 1.1 km loop
- Walking time
- 30 min
- Track grade
- Easy
- Location
- Waikaia Forest Conservation Area
- Dog access
- Dogs with a DOC permit only. Contact closest DOC office to get a permit. 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 is an easy loop track.
This DOC directory entry covers Ngahere Ara Track in Southland, within Waikaia Forest Conservation 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: 1.1 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.
- Ngahere Ara Track closed; First published on 8 December 2025. Last reviewed on 21 May 2026.
Dog access
Dogs with a DOC permit only. Contact closest DOC office to get a permit. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
This is an easy walk leading to mine shafts and an operational water race built in the gold mining days.
Getting there
Waikaia is situated 54 km north of Gore beside the Waikaia River.
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.
