The Pukatea Walk is a short botanical ramble that will take you no more than 30 minutes to complete.

Head north from Tōtaranui on the Coast Track. The walk leaves the Coast Track at the bottom of Anapai Hill and runs through a kānuka/gorse shrubland typical of local abandoned farmland.

Next it follows a curving boardwalk through a raupō swamp, then a dry ridge forest of beech trees, and on into magnificent pukatea forest with glades of tall nīkau palms and the occasional massive rātā tree and tall black mamaku treeferns.

The walk ends on a promise for the future. Under tall kānuka forest are dense thickets of pukatea, rimu and kahikatea, pointing to the time some decades ahead when traces of last century’s destruction will slowly fade from the landscape. 

Nelson to Tōtaranui is about two and a half hours. Take SH6 south out of Nelson and turn onto SH60 (the Coastal Highway) once past Richmond. Follow SH60 over the Takaka Hill to Takaka.

From Takaka follow signs to Pohara and Tata Beach, which will lead you past the Abel Tasman Memorial and onto Tōtaranui. The last 12 km is a narrow, winding, unsealed road.

Wasps

Wasps are a possible hazard and are more common from December until April. Carry antihistamine if you are allergic to their stings.

Rubbish

Day visitors must take out their own rubbish.

Giardia

Giardia has been found in some park waters. It can be removed from drinking water by boiling, filtering or chemical treatment. All tap water at Tōtaranui is filtered.