Goldie Bush / Mokoroa Falls

This tramping loop track is sort of like canyoneering lite. The Mokoroa stream section of the track criss-crosses the knee-deep stream numerous times, with the track markers actually glued underwater at certain spots. This is a great fun jaunt and if you go when it’s sunny around 11am-2pm, then the delightful stream pools will invite lingering dips. There are stone-cut steps around deeper pools, but overall this is pretty simple tramping. Wearing just swimsuit and shoes is fun! Mokoroa Falls can be interesting if it has rained a bunch, but by mid summer it’s often just a wee trickle.

Access the track either from Waitakere City or Muriwai Beach. Either trailhead is good. I prefer to go anti-clock, heading downstream through the stream. The Falls track is 25 minutes. Downstream is 50 minutes, then the ascent up Goldie track is 30 minutes.

Excerpt from "NZ Frenzy Guidebook" by Scott Cook