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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: -36.17245, 175.39304. 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
- Not confirmed on the checked DOC page; see individual route sections
- Walking time
- 2 hr 30 min - 3 hr one way
- Track grade
- Advanced
- Location
- Great Barrier Island/Aotea
- 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
Walk to a lookout with extensive views.
This DOC directory entry covers Port FitzRoy: Cooper's Castle Track in Auckland, within Great Barrier Island/Aotea. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.
Distance, time and grade
- Distance: Not confirmed on the checked DOC page; see individual route sections
- Walking time: 2 hr 30 min - 3 hr one way
- 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.
Dog access
No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
The track begins at the top of the Okiwi/Port FitzRoy Hill and ascends the southern ridge, under a forest canopy with views of both sides of the island.
At a signposted junction reached after 2 hours, a 5 minute detour leads to a lookout, where a large volcanic-rock bluff gives extensive views of Okiwi Basin and the Whangapoua estuary.
The main track descends to Kaiaraara Track, then it's a short walk to the Lower Kauri Dam.
Getting there
Start from the top of Port FitzRoy/Okiwi Hill at Aotea Road.
Know before you go
Take care at the lookout - there is an extremely steep drop off.
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.
