Okura Estuary Scenic Reserve Walking Track

by Gail
(Auckland)

Years ago my then 9 or 10 year old daughter did the walk from Stillwater to Dacre Cottage where she and a couple of other Brownies and their Leader stayed in the quaint historic brick cottage with a gas lamp and no mod cons overnight....continuing out to Okura.....all for a badge to add to her collection.

Getting There

It is a walk I have long wanted to do. Dacre Cottage is only accessed by sea or foot....( you can’t stay there these days) and I have kayaked to this beautiful spot several times. This day my husband and I decided it was time to do the walk. We were starting from the end of Haighs Access Road off East Coast Road just past Torbay on Auckland’s North Shore.....and planned to walk to the cottage and back.....a two hour hike each way.

We arrived to find we were not the only one’s wanting to walk the Okura Estuary Scenic Reserve Track! However.... parking was found and some hikers were already on their way out at 11.00am!

Okura Estuary Scenic Reserve Walking Track

We had barely entered the bush when my camera was out and clicking! This gem of a track was just stunning.....I have never seen such prolific growth of New Zealand’s beautiful Nikau palms......they were massed everywhere. From small, young nikau to the very tall specimens towering above you.... bunches of yellow berries hanging from the base of the fronds. There were also many huge old kauri, totara and other native trees.

Native wood pigeons were so happy in their environment they didn’t budge when I stood very near taking photos....the berries were too enticing!

At every turn we exclaimed some more at the beautiful bush....over an estuary inlet bridge, up steps........ we finally came out by the beach. From here we had a choice...either walk around the coastline or continue on through the bush.


The Beach or the Bush ?

My husband Brian chose the beach.I chose the bush...and was given a good fitness workout as I made my way up a hundred plus steep but well spaced steps....I didn’t count....then a second flight of steps finally brought me out to the edge of the pine forest.

Skirting the forest on one side, with expansive sea views on the other.... I eventually had to go down a flight of stairs similar in length to those I had just walked up!

From the beach where I could see Dacre Cottage in the background.... I was happy to know I had arrived.....it was well past lunch time! Meeting up, we enjoyed lunch on a bench seat edging the freshly mown lawns and looking out to sea.

And Back Again...!
Well relaxed and refreshed ......we headed around the beach where the tide was out and girls were exercising their horses. From the end of the beach we were back into the bush and the return journey. It is always fascinating how different everything looks in reverse. Equally beautiful.....we found the special log that was an excellent seat for a rest, before tackling the many stairs...which I hadn’t noticed going down! Red faced and hot, the bemused trampers we met didn’t realise they had a long way to go if they covered the same ground we did.

Highly Recommended for Medium Fit Walkers

This is a truly stunning piece of New Zealand bush very close to Auckland. If you have a day.....and a medium level of fitness I could recommend it as a lovely experience. Even just walking into the bush a very short way gives you the feel of the bush as you are immediately enveloped in the gorgeous trees.....so an hour would still be worthwhile if you have time constraints.