Format Supports Walk Waiheke

Get the most out of your Waiheke experience – take a walk on the wild side!

Instead of following the main road to Oneroa, follow the path along the beach to the bridge and enter a piece of newly formed bush that runs up the valley to Oneroa or follow the signs to Church Bay vineyards.

The name ‘Atawhai Whenua’ was chosen by the late Don Chapple, which is short for ‘Te atawhai kit te whenua’, means ‘a kindness to the land’. It really sums up the approach we should take to all of Waiheke’s native flora and fauna…

This revegetation reserve was gifted to Forest & Bird by Nick and Nettie Johnstone. At that time it was bare grassy hillsides, dotted with a few kanuka and clumps of gorse. Don used these gorse patches to establish nurseries in which he planted seedling he had raised from locally collected seed. A large percentage of the 50,000 trees planted in the reserve came from this stock.

The tracks were formed initially as working tracks to aid the revegetation, and have since been upgraded for public use. Mid, High, and Low Contour Tracks traverse nearly the entire length of the reserve (more than one kilometre) and connect with the council-owned walkway network. The high tracks provide breathtaking views across Matiatia Bay and beyond…

Since Don’s death in 2005, our reserve is looked after by a paid ranger who works 2 days a week. He and his partner maintain the tracks, do never-ending weed control, continue with planting, and do other jobs as they arise.

Atawhai Whenua Reserve is owned by Forest & Bird and supported by the Atawhai Whenua Trust.