22/10/2025. Orokonui Lagoon/Waitati Grade 2. Hikers. Leaders: Phil and Raewyn Keene.
On doing the recce we discovered that the Opeke Track, normally part of this hike, is now closed to the public……
……so it was plan B for the 26 hikers who drove to Waitati.
After parking at Bland Park, we set off for a short walk to the War Memorial grounds for an early morning tea in the sun.
Onward along Hardy Street into Orokonui Road, we discovered that Katherine’s son had recently purchased a property on the corner. A short detour was quickly made and we all admired the views the family will have from their new passive home overlooking Blueskin Bay. From there, it was up Conn street to do a loop via View Street, admiring views over the Lagoon on our way down to the bridge over the Waitati River.
Now on the lagoon walkway we made a short stop on the riverbank where ‘spring was in the air’ (a mother paradise duck and her new ducklings).
Continuing on then to Doctors Point Road, up Chelivode Street and rejoining the lagoon track down through the forest. 
Several of our hikers had not been in the area before so once the farm at the far end came into view, we stopped to explain it’s history. (In 1868 the land supported a flax mill which closed soon after all the flax was gone. 880 acres were sold in 1877 to establish a Finishing School for young gentlemen but that closed in the 1880s. In 1901 Dr Truby King bought it to establish a home for alcoholics, but unfortunately that failed too. The buildings then became a psychiatric hospital before closing in 1984, and now it’s a private farm. The Lagoon Track itself was opened in 2017).
At the top gate we took a detour and ventured through the Green gate to the DoC track along the Orokonui Creek.
This area has been planted out in natives, many named, as the creek is important to the life cycle of many species of fish. We had lunch……..
…… and then continued on the track as far as the Ecosanctuary predator fence, returning the same way.
Back on the walkway we stopped at an art sculpture of three macrocarpa posts called ‘The Creation’. This was installed by the pupils from Waitati School who made all the tiles attached to it, based on the Maori Creation Story (https://www.odt.co.nz/the-star/orokonui-lagoon-art-installation).
Our walkway loop was completed back at the bridge again, and we then returned via Erne Street, Doctors Point Road & Brown Street. There was a lot of interest in the vege/flower gardens on the Brown Street verge.
Finally through a gate to the reserve and down to The Gallery Cafe for a well earned coffee or cold drink. From there, a quick walk through the Blueskin Nursery’s car park to find the hole in the fence, and ‘presto’ there were the cars for our return journey home. As per usual, some variations on distance, but final agreement was 8.5kms and a nice day out.
Raewyn & Phil
Link to background information and earlier tramps and hikes in the same area.