Grade
Coastal sand and rocks, hilly over headlandDistance
8 kmWalking
3 hours
Walk to the historic lighthouse at Tuaheni Point along the beach and rocky shore from Lloyd George Road at the southern end of Wainui Beach. Allow one and a half to two hours, and plan to complete the walk (3km there and back) within two hours either side of low tide.
For a contrast, combine this coastal walk with a hilly farm walk to visit the current Maritime New Zealand navigational light on the high point of Tuaheni Point. From Lloyd George Road, walk up the right of way of the properties numbered 32 - 36, past the houses and follow the farm track through the gate on the right, with a QE II National Trust sign on the gate. The farm track becomes a steep gravel drive, which provides access to the cell phone towers. From here, another farm track continues to a pond fringed with native trees and harakeke (flax). Walk up to the trig and back if you are keen, then around the pond and follow the ridge up to the modern navigational light, with views of Tūranganui a Kiwa and Te Kurī a Paoa.
From the navigational light, a rough farm track leads steeply downhill towards the end of the headland. It is no longer possible to walk out to the end of Tuaheni Point along the ridge because the track has fallen away, eroded from below by the sea. Follow this track along the edge of the fenced QEII Covenant with planted coastal bush, to complete a loop rejoining the steep gravel drive that will take you back to Lloyd George Road. Allow about two hours for the loop walk, and perhaps enjoy the view with a picnic on top on a good day.
History of the trail
Tuaheni Point and Te Kurī a Pāoa face each other across Tūranganui a Kiwa, and are cultural and landmark features. Ambitious restoration projects on QEII National Trust covenants on both headlands over the past 15 to 20 years have enhanced their natural character.
On Tuaheni Point, three contiguous QEII National Trust covenants comprise 34ha of land, wrapping around the coast from Shark Bay to Sponge Bay. Coastal herbfield and shrubland occur on the coastal cliffs with Selliera-ice plant herbfield on cliff terraces, tauhinu shrubland on hillslopes, wharariki flaxland on cliffs, and tutu-rangiora-karamu shrubland on the hillslopes and cliffs.
The native bush restoration initiated by Tuaheni Point Charitable Trust in 2003 has resulted in well-established bush and shrubland. QEII National Trust, Project Crimson, Forest and Bird, Ministry for Primary Industries, Gisborne District Council, and keen volunteers have planted more than 7,500 seedlings on the headland.
'Tuaheni Point' - Te Tuahenitanga a Pāoa - the resting place of kings, is sacred ancestral Māori land with numerous wāhi tapu. For centuries, the headland has provided the final resting place for esteemed rangatira because here they can face their ancestral homeland, Hawaiki.
The Poverty Bay Herald published a history of lighthouses on Tuaheni Point up to 1911, when the historic lighthouse on the shore at Tuaheni Point was being built. link to Poverty Bay Herald article The metal tower and gas-powered lantern which sit on the concrete pedestal were salvaged from an earlier lighthouse, which had to be quickly moved because it was threatened by a landslip. Changing the acetylene gas tanks needed a calm day for access by sea. At 55 feet above the water, the Tuaheni light could be seen from 15 miles out at sea. This historic lighthouse was decommissioned in 1955.
Now, Tuaheni Point Light (light no. 3954 in the Toitū te Whenua list of maritime lights) is situated on the high point of the headland and stands 4m high. Its light is a long white flash, of 8 seconds duration. A solar panel powers the light - a contrast to the historic lighthouse.