Tutuwai - Totara Flats - Parawai Tramping Club

Matariki Weekend 10-12 July 2026

Leader: Owen Cox

The planned trip was the Mangatainoka Hot Springs in the Kaweka Range. However it wasn’t to be as the rain in the week leading up to the trip said otherwise. Looking at Hawkes Bay rain gauges and river levels suggested we could not cross the ford across Makahu River on the road in, so we quickly made a plan B so we did not do the massive drive to the Kawekas and then have to go somewhere else. I feel quite smug about the decision as we learned later that a Hutt Valley group drove up and found the ford well under water so had to go somewhere else. The forecast was for light rain on Friday with improving weather from then.

So we decided to go over Mt Reeves for Tutuwai and either camp on the flats or stay in the hut. We stopped for coffee in Featherston and then drove to the Waiohine Gorge. The river was well up as we crossed the swing-bridge. While Coal Creek was up it was manageable and only up to mid-thigh deep on me. Shorter people got a bit wetter. After that, we plodded up the 600 m climb to the fork in the Reeves Track. We had lunch there then continued the climb to Reeves, stopping only for photos at the plaque marking the centre of New Zealand. The view from the top was of cloud and light rain so we scuttled off down the ridge to Tutuwai Hut. We were surprised to find it had plenty of room and the flats looked wet and uninviting. We settled into the hut for the night.

On Saturday the weather was better; overcast with only occasional light drizzle. We went up the Tauherenikau Valley to Cone Hut for our first break. We then climbed to Cone Saddle, and started dropped down to have lunch by one of the side creeks. After lunch we followed the track down to the Waiohine and then up the valley to the lower flats. We camped in the manuka on the flat. We had a fire and loitered around that until well after dark.

Sunday morning was beautifully fine. There was bit of mist at ground level that burnt off before we started walking back to the Waiohine Gorge car-park, about 3 hours down valley. We had the odd view of Holdsworth and snow on the way down. We finished the trip with coffee and food in a café in Greytown.