27/05/2026. Pineapple Track / Nicols Creek. Grade 4. Trampers. Leaders: Karen McInnnes and Sarah McCormack
17 mud loving trampers met at Tanner Road on a brisk Dunedin morning for our “workout”.
Continue reading “Pineapple Track / Nicols Creek”
Tag: Pineapple Track
Pineapple Track/ Ross Creek
15/10/2025. Pineapple Track/ Ross Creek. Grade 3. Hikers. Leaders: Wendy Langley, Val Cayford.
What a magnificent hike we had today. The weather, company, bush walks and views of Dunedin were all top notch.
Nicols Creek, Moon Track, Swampy Ridge, Pineapple and Shortcut Tracks
10/09/2025. Nicols Creek, Moon Track, Swampy Ridge, Pineapple and Shortcut Tracks. Grade 4. Trampers. Leaders: Gwenda Farqharson, Lyn Keene.
20 Trampers met at Leith Valley Road, our tramp followed the Nicol’s Falls track. Continue reading “Nicols Creek, Moon Track, Swampy Ridge, Pineapple and Shortcut Tracks”
Nicols Creek, Moon Track, Pepper Tree Track, Pineapple Track
26/06/2024. Nicols Creek, Pineapple Track. Trampers. Grade 4. Leaders: Wyn and Ross Davies.
The weather forecasts were not very encouraging. Nevertheless, 12 courageous trampers arrived at the meeting point at Booth Road Continue reading “Nicols Creek, Moon Track, Pepper Tree Track, Pineapple Track”
Bull Ring, Flagstaff Walkway, Ben Rudd, Pineapple Track – Information and Trips Library
Scope:
This page of club tramps and hikes in the Dunedin Central City area groups together trips from the Bull Ring (Flagstaff / Whare Flat Road) and incorporates the Flagstaff Walkway, Pineapple Track and Ben Rudd shelter. (map)
Background Information:
Road distances from Mosgiel carpark.
Location: 13.3 km from car-park.
TRTC Grading Information – trips incorporating these tracks are generally given a TRTC grading of about 3. This is indicative only, as trips can be allocated a higher or lesser grading depending on the route taken. For more detailed analysis refer to Grading Information.
Dunedin’s Hills’ History for background information.
Pineapple Track for background information.
Pineapple and Flagstaff walk for background information.
Flagstaff Name for its origin.
Ben Rudd Article for background information.
How To Get There:
Access to the Bull Ring (and the Pineapple Track) on Flagstaff is off the Flagstaff-Whare Flat Road. This can be accessed off Three Mile Hill Road by turning left at the top of Three Mile Hill and continuing approx. 5 minutes to the Bull Ring carpark.
Links to tramps and hikes in this area:
23/10/2024. Flagstaff, Bull Ring. Grade 2.5. Hikers. Leaders: Theresa White, Julie MacKenzie.
Bull Ring, Flagstaff Walkway/ Pineapple Track. 2018 – 2008 (8 trips, 3 with reports and photos, 2 with photos only, 3 with no reports or photos)
Bull Ring, Ben Rudd. 2024 – 1995 (13 trips, 3 with reports and photos, 10 with no reports)
Ross Creek, Lower Leith Valley, Wakari Rd Bike Park, McGouns, Pineapple and Davies Tracks – Information and Trips Library
Scope:
This grouping of Club tramps and hikes covers trips involving Woodhaugh, Leith Valley up to Islay Street, Pineapple Track up to Flagstaff (Skyline) Track, Davies Track, McGouns Track, Wakari Rd Bike Tracks, Ross Creek Reserve, Cannington Road and Prospect Road.
Background Information:
Road distances from Mosgiel carpark.
TRTC Grading Information – trips incorporating these tracks are generally given a TRTC grading of 4. This is indicative only, as trips can be allocated a higher or lesser grading depending on the route taken. For more detailed analysis refer to Grading Information.
Dunedin’s Water Supply.
Pineapple Track: Information.
Pineapple and Flagstaff Walk.St. E
How To Get There:
There are multiple entrances to Ross Creek
(1) Leith Valley – take SH1 north and turn left onto Duke St. Continue on Duke St which merges into Malvern St, past the Woodhaugh Gardens, over the bridge spanning the Leith River and turn immediately into Woodhaugh St. Ross Creek entrance is behind the NZMCA Camping Ground.
Links to tramps and hikes in the same area:
15/10/2025. Pineapple Track/ Ross Creek. Hikers. Grade 3. Leaders: Wendy Langley, Val Cayford.
01/10/2025. Ross Creek Reservoir. Combined. Grade 3. Leaders: Yan Campbell, Graeme Souter, Jenni Wright, Wendy Langley.
28/08/2024. Ross Creek and Davies Track. Trampers. Grade 4 Leaders: Ross Davies and Sarah McCormack.
Ross Creek and Environs (1990 – 2024, 34 trips including 15 with reports).
Booth Road, McGouns, Pineapple Track, Ben Rudd (1990 – 2023, 9 trips including 4 reports).
Spiers Road, Davies, McGouns Creek Extension (2009 – 2023).
Bull Ring, Swampy, Nicols, Pt Pineapple, Davies, return (1989 – 2020, 4 trips, 2 with reports including 16/09/2009 Davies Track)
Davies Track, Ben Rudd (1995 – 2014, 5 trips with 1 report – see also
Warburton Track ?aka. Davies Track?).
Big (Bivvy) Rock, Pineapple, Davies, Firebreak (1991 – 2012, 3 trips with 2 reports).
Nicols Creek, Swampy Saddle, Davies Track (2001 – 2011, 3 trips with 2 reports).
Bull Ring, Flagstaff Walkway, Pineapple, McGoun, Davies, return Nicols Creek, Swampy Saddle, Davies Track (2010, 1 trip with report).
Davies Track, Jim Freeman (2000, 1 trip with no report). Continue reading “Ross Creek, Lower Leith Valley, Wakari Rd Bike Park, McGouns, Pineapple and Davies Tracks – Information and Trips Library”
Nicols Creek – Information and Trips Library
Scope:
This page of club tramps and hikes to the Leith Valley area and groups together trips to Nicols Creek (map) incorporating the Pineapple Track, Nicols Falls, Moon Track and other tracks on Swampy.
Background and History
Road distances from Mosgiel carpark.
TRTC Grading Information – trips incorporating these tracks are generally given a TRTC grading of 4. This is indicative only, as trips can be allocated a higher or lesser grading depending on the route taken. For more detailed analysis refer to Grading Information.
DCC land. Nicols Creek circuit maintained by Green Hut Track Group.
David Nicol was an early settler and dairy farmer. He reputedly bought land here in the hope that the railway line would be routed north through Leith Valley.
Antony Hamel’s YouTube video showing his exploration of the 5 falls of Nicols Creek.
Neighbours at War Background and photos to the Finnerty Family and their house site on the Moon Track by Nicols Creek.
Swampy ridge track background information.
Pineapple Track for background information.
Pineapple and Flagstaff walk for background information.
Nicols Creek Glow-worms
How To Get There:
Take SH1 north and turn left onto Duke St. Continue on Duke St into Malvern St and onto Leith Valley Road. Continue to the sign indicating the Nicol’s Creek Track and mountain bike track. There is limited parking the track entrance. Parking therefore is often best in Booth Road (left off Malvern St) and then take Islay St (off Booth Road) back to Malvern and Leith Valley Roads to the track.
Links to tramps and hikes to the same area:
27/05/2026. Pineapple Track / Nicols Creek. Grade 4. Trampers. Leaders: Karen McInnnes and Sarah McCormack
10/09/2025. Nicols Creek, Moon Track, Swampy Ridge, Pineapple and Shortcut Tracks. Grade 4. Trampers. Leaders: Gwenda Farqharson, Lyn Keene.
26/06/2024. Nicols Creek, Pineapple Track. Grade 4. Trampers. Leaders: Wyn and Ross Davies.
Nicols Creek, Swampy, Pineapple Track, Moon Track, Booth Road 2023 – 1989 (27 trips, 9 with reports and photos, 1 with report only, 17 with no reports or photos)
Bull Ring, Swampy, Nicols, Pineapple Point, Davies, return 2020 – 1989 (4 trips, 2 with reports and photos,
Nicols Creek Bridge, Morrisons Burn, Poleline Road, Swampy, Nicols or Pineapple 2016 – 2006 (6 trips, 2 with reports and photos, 1 with photos only, 3 with no reports or photos)
Nicols Creek, Swampy Saddle, Davies Track 2011 – 2001 (3 trips, 1 with report and photos, 2 with reports only)
Moon, McQuilkan, Possum Hunters, Jim Freeman, Pineapple, Nicols 2008 (1 trip with report and photos)
Nicols Creek, McQuilkans (no reports).
Booth Rd, Nicols Creek, McQuilkan, Jim Freeman, Pineapple. Either direction (no reports)
Leith Valley, Nicols Waterfall, Sullivans Dam (no report)
Moon, McQuilkan, Possum Hunters, Jim Freeman, Pineapple, Nicols
26/11/2008 Moon, McQuilkan, Possum Hunters (now Lwr McQuilkan), (uppr) Jim Freeman, Pineapple, Nicols Leaders: Ria, Hazel
Six hours, 11 tracks. Quite a day.
On parking our cars at the Nicols Creek bridge we were amazed to find a whole new set of tracks up the creek’s true left made by Mountain Biking Otago. This part had been discovered by our leaders only at the end of their recce so for us it was a recce in itself. The tracks (open to walkers too) zigzagged and zigzagged up the slope on a gentle gradient which although easy walking added a considerable distance to the day. But it was fun. See Nicols Creek tracks for details – click on Image Gallery for an endless supply of photos of the tracks. Well, that was track number one.
We eventually latched onto Moon Track further up and sat down to morning tea with Ferrero Rocher chocs slipped into Ian’s pack by Lex earlier to celebrate Lex’s 80th birthday.
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Enjoying Lex’s Ferraro chocs. Hazel, Doug, Ria, Glenice. - Enjoying Lex’sFerrero Rocher chocs. Hazel, Doug, Ria, Glenice
There were six of us but twelve chocs so they did for lunch as well. Then it was up on to Swampy Ridge
Click Swampy ridge track for background information.
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Track through tussock – at top of Moon track - Track through tussock – at top of Moon track. Ria
and almost immediately across and down McQuilkin Track. This was well cleared but two or three nasty bush crashes across the track made for some scratchy scrambling through. Wish we had brought our pruning saws. We joined Possum Busters and made our way round the track to where it links with Possum Hunters where we lunched at 12.30. On the way we made the three familar McQuilkin stream-crossings and the fourth came shortly after lunch
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McQuilkan creek cross No. 4 - McQuilkan creek crossing No. 4. Doug, George
and the second treat of Lex’s chocs. Again we struck several bush falls across the track (where were those saws?) and reached the bottom of the Jim Freeman.
It proved just as steep (or steeper? – as we age!) as it ever was. There were one or two Rhodo blossoms on the track but none on Bruce Campbell’s bushes that we passed up. Then it was onto the Ben Rudd track and up to the Firebreak. Down along that and across to the Pineapple
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View of Dunedin. - View of Dunedin.
and then steeply down to where we reached the place to strike left and down through the long Spring cocksfoot to where our leaders had cleverly located the almost hidden entrance to the bush track that would lead us through to the Nicols Track that took us down the creek’s true right to the cars. The wind on the top kept us from over-heating. To repeat, the highlight of the day had been the discovery of Mountain Biking Otago’s work-in-progress of its ambitious biking tracks, making for a surpising addition to our day out. – Ian