The Manawatu River existed long before the Tararua Ranges, now south of the river, or the Ruahine Ranges, now to the
north. So, as the ranges rose, the unrelenting river carved the gorge.
The gorge walks offer an accessible nature experience the whole family can enjoy. This track is mostly through bush, offering
shade on a hot day.
The Gorge Track is not a circuit, but walking in either direction is fine and it’s only 10km. Either end involves a fairly steep
initial section, which then levels out a couple of hundred metres above the gorge. There are plenty of places to stop along the
well graded, mostly smooth trail; and five lookouts offer nice views into the gorge and out to wind and dairy farms.
In fact, a point of difference on this walk is the electricity-generating windmills. Love them or hate them, they’re rather majestic
structures, whether viewed en-mass across the gorge (Te Apiti Wind Farm) or individually up close (Tararua Wind Farm). You
hear them before your see them – an ominous swooshing.
The native bush is mainly tawa and podocarp forest, with nikau palms and giant maidenhair fern, which is unique to the
Manawatu, also in abundance.
There’s a significant conservation programme underway and birdlife is becoming increasingly abundant. Expect to see and
hear shining cuckoo, tomtit, riflemen and tui.
Another point of interest is the impressive 6.2m high metal sculpture of Whatonga, towering into the canopy near the western
end of the trail. Whatonga was one of three recognised chiefs on board the Kurahaupo Waka, which journeyed across the
Pacific. He continued his waka-bourne explorations around the New Zealand coast, eventually travelling up the Manawatu
River.