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Key facts
- Distance
- 2.2 km return via same track
- Walking time
- 40 min return
- Track grade
- Easy
- Location
- Ōtaki Forks area / Tararua Forest Park
- Dog access
- Dogs allowed. Keep dog under control at all times. 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 easy track near Ōtaki Forks takes you to a historic mill site.
This DOC directory entry covers Waiotauru Track to historic mill in Wellington, within Ōtaki Forks area / Tararua Forest 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: 2.2 km return via same track
- Walking time: 40 min return
- 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.
Slips on Waiotauru Track; First published on 27 February 2026. Last reviewed on 7 August 2026.
Predator control for part of Tararua Forest Park; First published on 2 May 2026. Last reviewed on 3 June 2026.
Dog access
Dogs allowed. Keep dog under control at all times. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
The track is 1.2 km (20 minutes) from the Fenceline Track car park. It follows an easy gradient but crosses several active slips so care is needed.
The track leads to a historic mill site - one of the best examples of New Zealand’s early timber industry sites.
From the mill site, the track continues to Waiotauru Hut, crossing more active slips. Care is required.
Getting there
Ōtaki Forks is 19 km inland from Ōtaki township – approximately 1 hr 30 min drive from Wellington or Palmerston North. The easiest turnoff from SH1 is at Ōtaki Gorge Road, just south of the SH1 bridge over the Ōtaki River.
History and culture
The Tararua Timber Company’s sawmill was built on the flats of the Waiotauru River. Constructed during the depression in the early 1930s. These mills were typically small-scale plants, with makeshift technology, frequently undercapitalised and struggled to survive. Health and safety wasn’t a major factor in the mills operations, and promotion was often a result of someone else’s grave misfortune. However workers were often thankful for the job despite the harsh conditions.
From the mill, a bush tramway crossed the river on a wood trestle bridge, and headed up Sheridan Creek to a log loading point. To minimise cost, the tracks were laid entirely in the creek bed or on wood crib work or trestle bridges, with the exception of two short excavated segments.
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.
