Te Haua Uru Track

From the Tangihua Lions Lodge you walk past the orientation course and clearings to enter a bush track. For your own safety keep off the orientation course equipment - it's supplied by the Lions Lodge Trust for the use of their guests with appropriate safety equipment and supervision.

The track crosses a stream via a small bridge and meets the Tumanako Track. Signage directs you to follow the stream for approximately 20 minutes before crossing it and heading up towards a kauri grove, traversing up through mixed podocarp/broadleaf forest.

Within 20 minutes you will reach the large kauri trees at Kauri Grove. From here the Te Haua Uru Track continues to climb steeply up to the junction of the Tangihua Main Ridge Track which leads to the Horokaka Transmitter (an additional 2 - 3 hours tramp) and the Northern Tangihua Track which leads to the Tangihua Hut (an additional 2 - 3 hours tramp). Both tracks are strenuous and require tramping experience due to the roughness of the routes.

Day walkers can easily walk as far as Kauri Grove accessed from the Te Haua Uru Track.

Experienced trampers wanting a challenging day can follow the Te Haua Uru Track-Tangihua Main Ridge Track- Horokaka Track loop, a full 9 hour tramp which includes strenuous climbing in places. Alternatively they can continue on to the Tangihua Hut via the Northern Tangihua Track.

Viewing platform

The track features a viewing platform set amidst a stand of large kauri trees, part of the fight to protect our native kauri trees.

The platform's circular design, with a diameter of 5.2 metres, is based on the trunk size of Te Matua Ngahere – the widest and second largest living kauri tree in New Zealand, located in Northland's Waipoua forest.

The Te Haua Uru track is located in the Tangihua Forest which is found halfway between Whangārei on Northland’s east coast and Dargaville on the west coast. Your best access into Tangihua Forest is from Omana Road.

The Omana Road Tangihua access car park has parking for 15 cars. You will need to walk 30 minutes along a formed road to the bush line. From here, it is another 15 minutes until you reach Tangihua Lions Lodge, a good orientation point for tracks and walks in the forest.

• The Horokaka, Tangihua Main Ridge Track and Te Haua Uru Track loop route should only be tackled by experienced trampers.
• There are razor back ridges and lack of hand holds.
• Trampers should have a  high degree of skill and experience, route-finding ability, be well-equipped and use topographical maps.
• Watch where you are going at all times. There are steep drops in places.
• The ridge is exposed to rough weather. Make sure you are well equipped and have appropriate warm and waterproof tramping gear.
• Strenuous climbing required in places.
• Keep to the marked tracks.
• There may be wasps and wasp nests in the area.