Overview
In 2018, following a rāhui (or ban) being placed by iwi over parts of the Waitākere Ranges, Auckland Council made the decision to close a large amount of tracks in an effort to combat the spread of kauri dieback.
Following extensive work on the tracks, the Ōmanawanui Track along with Puriri Ridge Track, a six-kilometre upgrade, have now reopened. The refreshed track is part of the Te Ar Tūhura / Hillary Trail.
From the Whatipu dunes it climbs steeply up newly created staircases, past exposed rock faces to a ridge high above the northern entrance of Manukau Harbour. Then, it plunges down the ridgeline across an old pā site before a further steep climb to the trig station. On a clear day, walkers will cop sweeping views of the wild west coastline all the way to Mount Taranaki.
The upgrades include the installation of approximately 2420 steps on Omanawanui Track and another 700 on Puriri Ridge. The new lookout on the highest point gives 360-degree views of the coastline and native kauri forest. The reopening enables the reconnection of the multi-day trail from the Karamatura Valley through to Anawhata following the recently completed tracks linking Huia to Whatipu.
The Ōmanawanui Track is now open. For more information, visit the Auckland Council website.