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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: -43.38759, 170.20271. 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
- 3.6 km return via same track
- Walking time
- 1 hr 20 min
- Track grade
- Easy
- Location
- Franz Josef Glacier/Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere / Westland Tai Poutini National Park
- 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
The 80-minute walk follows an old 4WD road then the tracks climbs to the old water tunnels. You will need a torch and raincoat to explore the tunnels.
This DOC directory entry covers **Tatare Tunnels Walk ** in West Coast, within Franz Josef Glacier/Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere / Westland Tai Poutini National Park. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.
Distance, time and grade
- Distance: 3.6 km return via same track
- Walking time: 1 hr 20 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.
- Tatare Tunnel Walk closed; First published on 22 October 2025. Last reviewed on 14 September 2026.
Dog access
No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
The Tatare Tunnels Walk shares the first 5 minutes with the Callery Gorge Walk. This section is a short, gentle climb to a high terrace behind Franz Josef Waiau township, passing the town water supply pipes and tanks.
After 10 minutes on a four wheel drive road, the track climbs gently then drops to a view of the scenic Tatare Gorge. The track then becomes steep and narrow for the short climb to the Tatare Tunnels.
If you want to explore the tunnels bring a torch and raincoat. You may get wet feet – at worst the water will be ankle deep.
The track stops just inside the far end of the first tunnel as the wooden structures beyond the tunnel are damaged.
Getting there
The Tatare Tunnels Walk begins in the Franz Josef Waiau township at the end of Cowan Street.
Know before you go
- Take warm and waterproof clothing as the weather can change rapidly.
History and culture
Pioneer miners drove a 500 metre tunnel system through from the Tatare Gorge to pipe water to the Waiho terrace. While the gold recovered did not cover mining costs, Franz Josef township was established on the operation site. From 1911 the sluice pipes provided water supply for the old Graham Hotel.
The high-pressure water drove a Pelton wheel in the town and generated electricity for a sawmill during the day and lights for the town at night. In 1938 water from the Tatare Tunnels powered a small hydro station in the Tatare Gorge until it was destroyed by a slip in 1982.
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.
