Wainuiomata Recreation Area

The Wainuiomata Recreation Area covers an area, at the foot of one of the largest and most untouched lowland forests in the lower North Island.[2]

It includes a range of native vegetation, including gum trees, maturing beech trees, and regenerating forest.[1]

Māori used the hills and valleys of the area to travel between Wairarapa and the Wellington Harbour.[2]

In the mid-19th century, the Sinclair family and other European settlers logged the lower valley for timber, including the site of the current recreational area.[2][3] In the 1880s, an earth dam and pipeline was established to collect fresh water from the Wainuiomata and Orongorongo Rivers. There are still remnants of the old logging tramways and old dam construction camp sites in the park.[2]

A geological survey route was built in the 1970s, to investigate rock structures and the possibility of damning the Wainuiomata River. It is now open to the public as the Tana Umaga Track.[3]

Vegetation is now regenerating, and the rivers now provide about 15% of the region's drinking water.[2]

The Lower Dam was flooded in 2007 to create a wetland.[3]

Wellington Regional Council consulted on the future of the park in 2020.[4]

A native plant nursery was opened in the park in August 2021.[5]

The park includes a swimming spot and a range of walking tracks, featuring a swingbridge and footbridge.[1]

There are two tracks which are suitable for a range of walkers, including parents with baby buggies:

• Lower Dam Walk (1 hour 20 minutes return), a track suitable for mountain bikers, cyclists, walkers and baby buggies which is also used by heavy vehicles
• Gums Loop Track (1 hour return), a track through gum trees, old dam construction houses and regenerating bush, crossing the river by a footbridge and a swingbridge[3][6]

There are also three other tracks for walkers:

• Nikau Creek Track (1 hour return), a track upstream alongside the Nikau Creek, returning the same way
• Sledge Track (1 hour 30 mins return), a track through native bush, a flat planting site, a historic logging track and regenerating forest beside tot he Sledge Track Creek, to a viewpoint across the Wainuiomata Valley, and then looping back
• Tana Umaga Track (1 hour 40 mins), a track with views of the Lower Dam and the upper Wainuiomata River valley[3]

Dogs are banned on the Lower Dam walk beyond Gums Loop junction, and must be on leash in other areas. Droppings must be removed. However, dogs are allowed off-leash at some nearby city parks.[1]

Fireworks are banned at all times.[1]

The park is open from 6am to 6pm during winter, and from 6am to 8pm during summer.[1]