By Outdoor Next Editorial standards
On this page
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: -36.83205, 175.54695. 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
- 30 min return
- Track grade
- Easiest
- Location
- Coromandel Town area
- 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
Visit a popular swimming hole at Waiau Falls and view a mature kauri grove on this walk.
This DOC directory entry covers Waiau Falls and Kauri Grove Lookout Walk in Waikato, within Coromandel Town 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: Not confirmed on the checked DOC page; see individual route sections
- Walking time: 30 min return
- DOC grade: Easiest
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
Waiau Falls
Waiau Falls can be viewed from the roadside 7 km along the 309 Road. Beautiful native bush surrounds the falls and its popular swimming hole.
Kauri Grove Lookout Walk
Another 1 km up the road, a walking track takes you to the most accessible and mature kauri stand on the Peninsula. The grove contains a ‘siamese’ kauri which forks just above the ground.
Getting there
Starting in Coromandel:
Leave Coromandel heading south on Tiki Road.
Turn left after 3.7 km onto 309 Road.
After 7 km you come to the start of the Waiau Falls track.
Know before you go
Parking
Parking at Waiau Kauri Grove walk is limited. Additional parking is available at the Waiau Falls track carpark, 600 m northwest along the 309 road.
Be aware when parking at the Waiau Falls track, you will need to walk along a gravel road with blind corners to the entrance. Stay to the outside of the road, look out for vehicles and keep children close.
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.
