Hunua Falls

Hunua is one place where some dams are for Auckland’s water supply. Its really important to keep water clean for drinking but today sophisticated water experts can set up measures to make sure its drinkable but its no guarantee and we cant take it for granted.

Auckland public transport is not great, best go by car or hire one to view these falls. Best to pack a lunch and take your own drinks with you. There are public toilets in this area. Take any rubbish back with you.

Hunua is a lovely park with New Zealand native bush, some native birds are there but are not always on show because of rats, stoats, weasels and ferrets and opossums and other pests.

There are some wonderful bush walks to go through. When you walk through it is important to scrub your walking shoes or boots clean to prevent the spread of kauri die back. You need to clean your shoes going there and back again, yes, twice. 

Try and see Hunua if you come to New Zealand. Its well worth a visit. 

So I went through the loop walk which said 20 minutes but actually would take me 5 minutes. Its an easy walk and the scenery is great. Just breathing in the air there is so clean.

It does pay to be reasonably fit to do these walks and good footwear. Make sure the footwear is water proof and grips the surface of where you walk. Be alert when you walk because in some areas its very easy to slip and fall.

Auckland is sub tropical. That is in-between being tropical but it isn’t tropical. We have unique native bush and one type is the kauri tree. I didn’t see a kauri tree today. The kauri die back virus is now a serious concern and there is no cure for the tree, if it catches this virus tree it dies. Kauri is precious and its vital to protect this beautiful irreplaceable tree. 

Its important to keep to the tracks so you don’t disturb anything that should not be trodden on and also for your own protection. It’s very easy to get lost if you go off track. People can die in our forrests because they can get hypothermia or injure themselves by slipping and breaking a leg or falling into dangerous places. 

From these photos, these are punga or ponga trees. They belong to our unique bush and inside the wood work all sorts or live stock lives and I believe some of it is edible. Im not an expert on edible NZ bush.

I went on another track up the hill briefly to see where a small stream of water was coming from but didn’t have time to complete this walk. 

One aspect of viewing Hunua falls and there are other places to take a photo.

Hunua stream that flows into the lagoon and contributes to the river.

Steps that go down to a some grass and some dead branches near the falls. I love the moss over the rocks its unique and beautiful.

Here on the return journey you see the bridge in the far distance that goes over Hunua river to the car park.The nearest bridge is one on the loop track.

Looking over the distant bridge at Hunua river going away from the falls. 

Looking at Hunua Falls from the far bridge now going into the public car park. 

Here the general public can see the fall without going through a bush walk or over the bridge. You can see my photos but if you are there, you can hear the roar of the water, quite loud and smell the clean New Zealand bush.