Paparoa Great Walk Track: Day 3-4, 10-11 February 2021

 ...continuing along the Paparoa Great Walk Track...

Welcome back for day 3-4 of the Paparoa Great Walk Track which I walked over Waitangi Weekend. At the end of the last post I was at Moonlight Hut roughly half way along the track. The tramp started off with fine weather but this changed to rain and high wind as I made my way between Ces Clarke Hut and Moonlight Tops. 

Misty drizzle on day three of the Paparoa Track...

This sub optimal weather continued into day three....making for a long wet walk but more about that later.

Day 3: Moonlight Tops Hut to Pororairi Hut, 19.1 km's (5-6 hours):

I had a much better nights sleep at Moonlight Tops Hut as the great insulation blocked out most of the sounds of the bad weather outside. There was also the lesser stress about the morrow as the track from Moonlight Hut to Pororairi Hut is mostly in forest and thus more protected from wind. I knew I could get to Pororairi Hut...I just had to keep putting one foot in front of the other regardless of the conditions. 

Heading out for Pororairi Hut on day three...

The second day is 20 kilometers and is the longest day of the track...first tramping on the tops then down to the forest around Mt Anderson and the infamous Escarpment. After a stop at the Paparoa Tops Emergency Shelter you continue down the northern end of  the Escarpment to Tindale Ridge and from there to Pororairi Hut. 

Last view of Moonlight Tops Hut, Paparoa GW Track

The weather was bloody atrocious right from the start...I left the Moonlight Tops Hut in my wet weather gear and didn't take it off till I got to Pororairi Hut about six hours later. It was a steady wind driven drizzle to Mt Anderson after which I was protected from the worst weather for about an hour and a half in the forest. 

Paparoa GW Track: heavy cloud and rain as I head to Mt Anderson

You can just see the distant Tindale Ridge through the cloud, Paparoa GW Track

Unfortunately the poor weather meant I missed out on the gorgeous views from the top of the Paparoa Range. All I saw for most of the day was the inside of a cloud and my immediate surroundings. I will have to revisit sometime just to see the view from up here....

Sidling on the western side of Pt.1104, Paparoa GW Track

Near the Moonlight Track junction, Paparoa GW Track

I passed the top of the old Moonlight Track about a kilometer from Moonlight Hut..it looked less used and overgrown as you would expect. The short distance between the top of the track and Moonlight Tops Hut could make a circuit trip possible from one of the various road ends accessible from the Blackball side of the Paparoa Ranges. 

Moonlight Track and Paparoa GW Track junction

Map: Croesus-Moonlight Track...Moonlight Hut is near Pt.1104

After about 1.5 kilometers of open tops travel you arrive at the edge of the beech forest that stretches from the top of the Moonlight Track to the Escarpment over four kilometers away. You are walking through thick gnarled sub alpine forest for all of this time. 

Back into the beech forest near Mt Anderson, Paparoa GW Track

Start of the forest along Mt Anderson, Paparoa GW Track

This is a true rainforest as there was a constant dripping of water from the tops of the trees down onto the forest floor. All that rain means this is a very moist environment so all the trees are covered with a thick coat of moss and lichen. This is the most extensive goblin forest I have ever visited in New Zealand and it is absolutely beautiful.

New track sidling along Mt Anderson, Paparoa GW Track

The people who built the Paparoa Track have done a nice job of winding along the side of the steep hillsides in this section. The gradient has its ups and downs but the difference is negligible...20 meters give or take. The track surface is still a bit rough as it was only cut just two years ago and has not fully bedded down. It is an ok walk but it would be really rough as a MTB ride...lots of hand sized and bigger rocks to bounce across. 

There were many large Podocarp trees close to Mt Anderson

Track slippage on the northern end of Mt Anderson, Paparoa GW Track

More open forest north of Mt Anderson, Paparoa GW Track

I saw and heard a lot of bird life in the forest around Mt Anderson and the Escarpment including Weka, Tui, Bellbirds, Kaka, Kakariki, Silvereye and Fantails. I was also excited to spot a flock of Riflemen...six in total cavorting around on some trees next to the track. I have only ever seen one other Rifleman in the wild and that was on Ulva Island in Rakuira NP. It is a big thing to see six of them in one place on the Mainland...

There are six Riflemen birds in this photo near Mt Anderson

I also saw a number of wild goats as I walked along...I was the first person out of the hut that day so they hadn't been spooked off the track when i arrived. I actually saw five over the course of the day and disturbed one at close quarters when I walked around a corner to find him rolling around in the mud on the track. I don't know who jumped higher...him or me!!!

The saddle between Mt Anderson and Pt.1030, Paparoa GW Track

There is a long low saddle between the northern end of Mt Anderson and Pt.1030 with more open forest. The wind was biting along here and it whistled and moaned as it rushed through the trees. You are on a gradual descent down to the start of the Escarpment which is a long line of bluffs along the Paparoa Tops with a drop of 200-300 meters.

There is some classic goblin forest on the Paparoa GW Track

The track builders cut the minimum number of trees...Paparoa GW Track

Coming down off Point 1030 you enter stunted forest at the southern edge of the Escarpment...on a clear day you would be able to see the rest of the track and out to the coast around Punakaiki. It is an interesting track and you can fully appreciate the effort it took to built the track way up on this remote mountain top. 

Near Pt. 1030 on the southern edge of the Escarpment, Paparoa GW Track

Zero visibility from the Paparoa GW Track....

You drop sharply down once past Pt. 1030 and then start to climb back up to the start of the track along the Escarpment. The track is wide and well built and the gradient is not too bad considering where you are...

Nice switchback track close to Pt.1030, Paparoa GW Track

Climbing up to the Escarpment on the Paparoa GW Track

The start of the Escarpment proper is marked by a hazard sign warning about the drop offs all along the track through the Escarpment. The track is 1-2 meters away from a massive bluff in places so for the love of god don't be tempted to go exploring off the track. You will go most assuredly go "splat" if you fall off these towering bluffs....

End of the forest at the edge of the Punakaiki Escarpment

Dark and moody as I walk along the Escarpment, Paparoa GW Track

The edge of the Escarpment is as close as 1-2 meters in places...

I just about got excited after walking a kilometer or so along the Escarpment...I came to a piece of beautiful track with edges and flat gravel but alas it were but a dream. It was just there to cross a particularly boggy section...Sigh...!!!

Short section of excellent track on the Escarpment, Paparoa GW Track

Track along the eastern side of the Escarpment...Paparoa GW Track

The Paparoa Escarpment is the result of up-thrust action and is mostly comprised of limestone, mudstone and sandstone from old seabed. It must have been some awesome up-thrust to force the rock from below sea level to over 1200 meters in places. It really speaks to the majestic power of nature.

I kept seeing these well known bread plate sized oyster shells in the rock I was passing. These are fossil remains of ancient shellfish deposited on some sea floor millions of years ago. They were big suckers....I wonder if they tasted good...

Ancient fossil Oysters...Paparoa GW Track

The Paparoa Track alternates between the eastern and western sides of the sharp ridge along the top of the Escarpment...it helps with navigation as these changes are shown on the map I had. A note on maps...the Paparoa Track is not shown on the current Topo 250 maps...they are due to be updated at the end of 2021 and will appear from then. I brought a NewTopo map of the area from Map World here in Christchurch. 

Into a patch of stunted forest on the Escarpment, Paparoa GW Track

There are a couple of look outs and gaps in the rock where you can normally see out to the coast. No show on the day with the cloud but you could sense the huge emptiness at their edge...you can tell there is a massive drop off even though you cannot see it...

It is 200-300 meters to the bottom of these bluffs...Paparoa GW Track

There are some open tops areas as you head towards Onewa Saddle which apart from the very start of the day is the only area fully exposed to the weather. It was pouring with rain by this stage and very windy but the clearing only extends for about 400 meters before you head back into the stunted forest once more. 

Rain swept tops near Onewa Saddle, Paparoa GW Track

Onewa Saddle on the Paparoa GW Track

Heavy rain falls near the Onewa Saddle, Paparoa GW Track

From Onewa Saddle it is about a kilometer to the Paparoa Tops Emergency Shelter and a dry spot out of the weather for a lunch break. The small hut here was used as a base by the track workers and was left in this location so people using the track could rest half way along the days walk. It is roughly 10 kilometers from Moonlight Hut and 10 kilometers from here to Pororairi Hut.

Paparoa Tops Emergency Shelter is close to this sign....

The Paparoa Tops Emergency Shelter can be characterized as very spartan in nature.....there are two bunks with no mattresses and that is it. There is no water source, seating or toilets available just a small empty shack big enough for 3-4 people at a time.

 DOC really need to build a proper shelter here like they have on other Great Walks as my experience of cold, wet, windy weather will be the norm. People need a space big enough to all sit inside at once with a water tank and toilet. It would have to be enclosed as a three sided structure wouldn't last a year on this high very windy spot.

View from the door of Paparoa Tops Emergency Shelter

Paparoa Tops Emergency Shelter (2018), Paparoa GW Track

I sat inside the shed with the door open and ate my lunch of crackers, cheese and salami and heated water for a brew. A hopeful Weka came and poked his head in the door at one stage I suggested to him that he might like to find a more tropical locale to call home. I chucked him some food scraps because he looked as wet and miserable as I felt...

The two bunks inside the Paparoa Tops Emergency Shelter

I was at the hut for approximately twenty minutes and did not see anyone else the whole time. Everyone was quite some distance behind me and only started passing me as I was climbing the last rise up to the Pororairi Hut site in the late afternoon. 

Cloud, wind and heavy rain at Paparoa Tops Emergency Shelter

From the hut you head along the Escarpment for a couple of hundred meters before starting the long slow descent down to Tindale Ridge. The weather was really bad in this section so I didn't take any photos for over 30 minutes. It was just too wet...I took the camera out but it just misted up with rain. Here is a shot I found which shows the switchback track that descends down off the northern end of the Escarpment. The drop off along here makes for some tight clenching of the buttocks...

On the descent down towards Tindale Ridge, Paparoa GW Track

Heading down to the Escarpment Falls, Paparoa GW Track

You are descending down into some ancient Podocarp forest along the Tindale Ridge with magnificent examples of all the usual tree types. You eventually arrive at the Escarpment Falls which cascade down off the lip of the drop off. The highest point at the falls is 172 meters and with all the rain the whole basin at the bottom was one swirling mass of mist. 

There is a spectacular suspension bridge to cross high above the outflow from the falls. 

The swing bridge over the Escarpment Falls outflow, Paparoa GW Track

The waterfall coming off the Escarpment, Paparoa Track

Pounding mist from the Escarpment Falls, Paparoa GW Track

House size rocks at the base of the Escarpment Falls, Paparoa GW Track

From the falls you continue to lose altitude as you head down to the Tindale Ridge and start the five kilometer walk along it to Pororairi Hut. It was very, very wet coming down through the forest as it was pummeling down with rain with thunder and lightening added in for effect. I just retreated into my wet weather gear and watched my feet...

Paparoa GW Track: heading down to Coal Creek

I managed to find a rock overhang just before Coal Creek and I tucked myself into it for a ten minute break. It was great to get out of the weather for awhile...It was nearly totally dry under the rocks and I managed to have a snack and drink as I looked at the map. The overhang was about an hour from the Emergency Shelter and that was how long it took me to walk down off the Escarpment. 

My pack under a overhang near Coal Creek, Paparoa Track

The view from my rest spot near Coal Creek, Paparoa GW Track

Jon looking wet and bedraggled near Coal Creek, Paparoa GW Track

Once over Coal Creek you are walking along the Tindale Range for the next hour and a half...it is easy walking with only moderate up and down sections. I found this section to be the most tedious of the track as it just seemed to go on for ever and it was hard to pinpoint your location due to the sameness of the terrain. 

A momentary break in the rain...Tindale Ridge, Paparoa GW Track

Paparoa GW Track: on Tindale Ridge

More of Tindale Ridge...Paparoa GW Track

View down to Pororairi River Valley from Tindale Ridge near Pt. 687

For most of the way down Tindale Ridge you are losing altitude as you drop down from 800 meters to 400 meters asl. There are no really big climbs on the Tindale Ridge except for the climb up to the clearing Pororairi Hut sits in. The hut is on Pt. 451 so there is a bit of climbing to get up to the hut site right at the end of the day. Save some energy for it...

Climbing up to Pororairi Hut, Paparoa GW Track

Large slip about 500 meters from Pororairi Hut

Nearly at the top of the knob (Pt.451) Pororairi Hut occupies....

Paparoa GW Track: Cyclone damage to the forest near Pororairi Hut

I arrived at Pororairi Hut at approximately 2.30 in the afternoon so it took me 6.5 hours to walk the 20 km's from Moonlight Tops Hut to Pororairi Hut. It was good to finally arrive at the hut so I could get my wet gear off, dry myself and have a hot drink...

At Pororairi Hut:

Pororairi Hut is almost a carbon copy of Moonlight Tops Hut which is to be expected when you are building two new huts at the same time. It has the same set up with twenty bunks over two bunkrooms, a large dining living space and the same verandas, mudrooms and covered entrances. This hut also had a very nice veranda which we actually got to use as it wasn't pouring with rain all the time.

Pororairi Hut (2017), Paparoa GW Track

View out to the coast from Pororairi Hut, Pt. 451

We were the exact same group of people using the hut on the evening I stayed...we were not joined by any new trampers or riders. The weather while I was at the hut was very changeable and we had rain, sun, wind, calm all interspaced. Thankfully we had several hours of sun in the late afternoon so we all had our packs and wet weather gear set out on the veranda drying in the sun. 

The Kiwi way to tramp...Pororairi Hut

That's a nice welcome at Pororairi Hut, Paparoa Track

 The hut sits atop Pt. 451 a small knob at the western end of Tindale Ridge with excellent views down to the coast and the Punakaiki and Pororairi River Valleys. Most of the trees on this knob were blown over in either Cyclone Fehi or Cyclone Ita a couple of years ago. 

It was obviously the perfect spot to build a new hut as the land required little clearing and no trees had to be cut down. I don't know what that says about future possible damage as the hut will be really exposed to wind gusts howling up the valley but you have to trust DOC know what they are doing. 

View of Mt Hawera and the Escarpment from Pororairi Hut

The switch backs at the northern end of the Escarpment from Pororairi Hut

Mouth of the Punakaiki River from Pororairi Hut

The Pororairi River Valley from the Pororairi Hut

View of the Northern Paparoa Range from Pororairi Hut

I had the exact same bunk in Pororairi Hut as in Moonlight Tops Hut...bottom next to the window because I likes me airs! The fit-out of these two new huts is really good...they are warm and the insulation and double glazing keep any sun generated heat inside the huts. We had the fire going but more to dry out all our gear instead of keeping out any chill. 

Pororairi Hut: back in the same spot as Moonlight Hut

Cooking bench inside Pororairi Hut, Paparoa Track

The cloud cleared in the late afternoon and we could clearly see the Escarpment, Mt Hawea and even Moonlight Tops Hut way off in the distance. We could clearly see the switchback sections of the track heading down off the northern end of the Escarpment...that was some feat of engineering. It really makes you think about how difficult it must have been working on the track. 

Rain cloud envelops the northern end of the Escarpment, Paparoa Track

Sunshine out to the coast at Punakaiki from Pororairi Hut

We could also see right out to the ocean and the mouth of both the Punakaiki River and Pororairi River. The sun was sparkling on the top of the ocean but it looked super rough down there as the wind was still blowing quite strongly.

Moonlight Hut is on the ridge in the upper center from Pororairi Hut

The hut warden at Pororairi Hut was a Maori fella and he was a bit of a crack up with a whole lot of jokes and interesting stories about the area. It must be a hard job...DOC Greymouth had called him up on the radio in the morning and asked him to walk up to the top of the Escarpment to take some photos of a new slip that had appeared up there. That is like a 20 km round trip half of it up a steep track in torrential rain....bloody ridiculous!!! 

I saw him coming back to the hut with a shovel over his shoulder on dusk and he looked knackered. 

Pororairi Hut: the DOC sign on the hut....

Outside view of Pororairi Hut from the veranda

We spend the afternoon and early evening in the hut talking amongst ourselves, eating and drinking. One of the guys from Southland had some Stones Green Ginger Wine with him and as we were the only two in the hut who like that particular beverage we had a sup or two. 

Stones Ginger Wine....great drop that!

Marvelous....I might go buy myself a bottle for future trips. I normally take red wine or the fixings for a whiskey laced hot toddy but I really enjoyed sipping on that Stones in the hut.  

Day 4: Pororairi Hut to Punakaiki, 16.3 km's (3-4 hours):

We were all up early on the last day of the trip...thankfully the worst of the rain had dissipated by the morning so we were going to be walking in the sun on our way out to Punakaiki. 

Back on the main Paparoa Track near Pororairi Hut

I was the third person out of the hut on the last day and I set out on the 16 kilometer trip at about 8am in the morning. I was looking at roughly four hours to finish the track which was more or less spot on as I arrived at the Punakaiki Tavern at 11.45. 

Heading down off Tindale Ridge, Paparoa Track

Rata stems on the Paparoa Track near Pororairi Hut

The first part of the day was the descent down off Tindale Ridge from the knob Pororairi Hut sits on. It was a nice steady descent on good quality track...this is the oldest section of the Paparoa Track so it was nicely bedded and the vegetation had grown back to the track edge.

Wind damage to the forest near Pororairi Hut

I passed the last of the hut marker posts as I headed down to the Pororairi River...they are a good idea and should be installed along more tracks with huts on them. It is nice to know when you are closing in on a hut especially if you are flagging and need a morale boost.  

Last of the one kilometer signs on the Paparoa Track

 Once out of the area affected by cyclone damage it was the most beautiful Podocarp forest with huge trees and a thick and varied undergrowth. It was strikingly beautiful...lots of ferns, grasses and smaller trees and shrubs vying for the available sunlight. Occasionally there are clear views out to the surrounding hills of the Paparoa Range. 

There is dense Podocarp forest on the side of Tindale Ridge

Paparoa Track: the track cutting is still fresh.....

Entering the Podocarp forest on the descent from Tindale Ridge

As you make your way along the Paparoa Track you will strike snow poles with an orange sleeve adorned with a exclamation mark. These warn of danger zones so be prepared for a slip, creek crossing, section of rough track or a sharp drop off. 

Paparoa Track: these poles mark danger zones...

Rake propped up against a tree stump...Paparoa Track

I started with my jacket on and wore it all the way to the Upper Pororairi River bridge as quite a lot of water was falling out of the trees. This is classic rainforest so it is wet, dark and verdant with all the water everywhere. 

Lovely sun dappled ferns descending Tindale Ridge, Paparoa Track

The forest is beautiful heading down to the Upper Pororairi River

Half way down to the Pororairi River you pass a warning sign which points out the presence of Ongaonga along the track. I have talked about Ongaonga before but basically it is a native nettle with a very powerful neurotoxin in its needles. You want to avoid it at all costs as it can cause stinging, itching, intense pain, nausea and even paralysis if you are stung too many times. 

It is very, very dangerous...take heed!!!

Paparoa Track: there is Ongaonga in the Pororairi Valley...

There is Ongaonga right along this track section...Paparoa Track

Close up of Ongaonga...don't touch it!!!

I really liked this uprooted tree on the side of the track...it would have provided a good deal of shelter on any rainy days when you are on the track. It is already being colonized by ferns and grasses...

Uprooted tree on the Tindale Ridge, Paparoa Track

There are some gigantic trees on the way down to the Pororairi River...I saw Rimu, Totora, Miro, Hinau, Rata, Kahikatea and a host of other tree species. These trees were protected from timber harvesting by the rough terrain so some of them could be up to 1000 years old. The two massive Kahikatea trees shown below are indicative of many others I saw...

Two magnificent Kahikatea Trees along the Paparoa Track

Finally at the base of Tindale Ridge, Paparoa Track

Eventually after 45 minutes you find yourself down on the river flats along the Upper Pororairi River. You are walking alongside the river for about 15 minutes to the first of the big suspension bridges you will strike on the day. 

Bridge over Upper Tindale Creek...Paparoa Track

Upper Tindale Creek...not a raging beast, Paparoa Track

The Upper Pororairi River is flat and calm with wide boulder strewn beaches and shallow river braids. It would be a lovely area to camp in if you could find a suitable flat space in the dense bush. There is a scar of a massive slip along here which totally blocked the track at the beginning of 2020 for a couple of weeks. It must have been some job shifting all the spoil as the slip face reaches hundreds of meters up the surrounding slope.

First view of the Pororairi River from the Paparoa Track

Massive slip near the Upper Pororairi River bridge

Upper Pororairi Bridge, Paparoa Track

I arrived at the Upper Pororairi Bridge after an hour of tramping...this is the first of four large bridges you encounter in the mid reaches of the Pororairi River. I stopped on the far bank to remove my jacket and have my first rest of the day. You have covered roughly 1/4 of the distance when you arrive here and the track is much flatter for the rest of the day.

On the true right of the Upper Pororairi River bridge

Upper Pororairi River Bridge, Paparoa Track

The Upper Pororairi River is wide and calm....

The Upper Pororairi River bridge is a large one....

There is a superb looking swimming hole right next to this bridge...on a hot sunny day even I would be tempted into a swim. The water was flowing placidly so it would be reasonably safe to swim here but don't act like a fool. You should only go swimming if you have other people around to assist you if you get into difficulties. 

Jon at the Upper Pororairi River, Paparoa Track

My Osprey pack at the Upper Pororairi River, Paparoa Track

After the bridge you are walking along the course of the Pororairi River for the next hour and a half. You can see the river for a lot of this time but you do head away from it a number of times as the track follows the contours of the land. This is more open coastal type forest along here but you still see the occasion forest giant.

Heading to Watson Creek bridge, Paparoa Track

You pass another slip between the Upper Pororairi bridge and Watson Creek bridge. This whole coastline is prone to slips..the underlaying ground is clay on top of limestone and when you get heavy rain the soil turns to mush and flows down the hillsides. This track is always going to be difficult to keep open..it will require constant maintenance to keep it in a usable condition. 

Slip prone gully between Watson Creek and Pororairi River

There is another large suspension bridge over Watson Creek about a kilometer from Upper Pororairi River bridge. None of these rivers and creeks could be crossed in heavy rain so it was inevitable that a lot of bridge construction was going to be needed to keep the track open.

The Watson Creek Bridge, Paparoa Track

Watson Creek was the main base location for the workers on the Paparoa Track and they had a whole mini village of accommodation huts, kitchens, store rooms and living spaces here from 2017 to early 2020. They had motorcycles to take them up to the trail head and a lot of helicopter flights were required to shift men, material and stores from place to place. It was all removed in late 2019-early 2020 as the track neared completion.

View across the Watson Creek Bridge, Paparoa NP

There are half a dozen smaller bridges along this section of the track as there are a number of creeks and streams crossing the track. Some of these are metal removeable track sections but most are purpose built structures of wood. 

Smaller bridge over a side stream of Watson Creek, Paparoa Track

Idyllic looking Upper Pororairi River...Paparoa NP

Climbing up to sidle along the Pororairi River Gorge, Paparoa Track

The mid reaches of the Pororairi River are gorged so the track climbs up to sidle along the side of them. There are some great outlooks along here with views down to the rough and jumbled river bed...it looks super rough down there so I can totally see why they avoided it altogether and climbed above it all. 

Start of the Pororairi River Gorge, Paparoa NP

I think there might have been a historic bullock track up this valley...I walked along a couple of hundred meter long section of track that looked almost cobbled to me. It kind of reminded me of the old bullock track between Sawdust Bay and Oban on the Rakuira Track. 

Old bullock track above the Pororairi River Gorge???

Paparoa Track: flat track along Pororairi River Gorge

The track eventually starts to zig zag down the side of the hills to a point about 100 meters above the river itself. You are gradually dropping altitude so that you can walk over a long flat area of old river terrace out to the Mid Pororairi River bridge. 

Watch for Ongaonga along this section...I saw lots of it scattered along the side of the track and as it was a bit overgrown it was right next to the track...within brushing distance.

Switchback heading along Pororairi River Gorge, Paparoa Track

There are some possible steep falls into the Pororairi River Gorge

Mid section of the Pororairi River Gorge, Paparoa Track

First view of the escarpments along the Pororairi River Track

Paparoa Track: cavern above the Pororairi River Gorge

End of the Pororairi River Gorge, Paparoa Track

I struck my first Nikau Palms of the Paparoa Track as I was starting the walk over the river terraces...they must have colonised along the river as they are generally spread that way. I love these trees and there are a lot of them in this valley. 

My first Nikau Palms....near the Pororairi River Gorge

The river terrace section takes about an hour to walk across and is mostly covered with regenerating Rimu forest. The trees are sparse and spread out so I am sure some tree felling was done up here in the past. This is another area affected by cyclone induced tree fall and you could see the evidence all around you in massed tangles of broken forest. 

Cyclone Ita basically closed all the tracks around Punakaiki in 2014 as so many trees blew down. Both the Pororairi River Track and Inland Pack Track were severely damaged. There was talk they would never reopen but DOC got a cash injection from the government to fix them in late 2016. 

On the extended river terrace between Pororairi River and Cave Creek

Descending down to the Pororairi River-Cave Creek confluence

You are making your way across the river terraces to a small peninsula between the Pororairi River and Cave Creek. The land is about a hundred meters above the waterways and gradually slopes down towards the confluence at the Mid Pororairi River bridge. 

First view of Cave Creek from the Paparoa Track

The peninsula between Pororairi River and Cave Creek

Pororairi River near the confluence with Cave Creek

I'm heading down to the side of the Pororairi River....

You descend down off the side of the peninsula at its western end and find yourself at the third suspension bridge of the day. This is taking you over to the true left of the Pororairi River where you stay for the rest of the Paparoa Track.

Forest damaged by Cyclone Ita near the Pororairi River

I stopped at the Mid Pororairi River bridge for a fifteen minute break...at this point I had been walking for around three hours and I basically had about another hour to get to the track end at Punakaiki. I sat on a handy tree stump and had a drink and a bite to eat before donning my pack once more and continuing on my way. 

At the Mid Pororairi Bridge, Paparoa Track

The Mid Pororairi bridge takes the track to the true left of the river...

Calm waters at the Mid Pororairi bridge, Paparoa Track

The Mid Pororairi bridge is an elegant structure

There is a short 300 meter section of track between the Mid Pororairi and Pororairi River bridges which I covered in less than five minutes. You are travelling along with the river right next to the track...it is less than 20 meters away for the next kilometer or so. 

The Mid Pororairi would be great for kayaking trips....

The Lower Pororairi bridge comes into sight, Paparoa Track

Crossing one of the many side streams feeding the Pororairi River...

This was my third visit to the Pororairi River bridge so I only stopped long enough to take some photos of the bridge before starting the short climb up to the start of the Pororairi River Track. If you cross the bridge you are on the Inland Pack Track to Cave Creek, Bullock Creek and the Ballroom Overhang. This will probably be my next track in the area as I have long wanted to tramp the track. 

Pororairi River Bridge...junction of Paparoa Track and Inland Pack Track

The Inland Pack Track starts on the far side of the Pororairi River 

Jon at the Pororairi River Bridge, Paparoa Track

The new track built for the Paparoa Track ends at the Pororairi River bridge...past here is historic track which is part of the Inland Pack Track. Karen and I were last up here in May 2020 when we walked in from Punakaiki during our post lockdown trip to the area. The river side track is lovely and should be a must do activity for anyone visiting Punakaiki for a holiday. It only takes 1.5 hours return and is well within most peoples abilities.

Heading along the Pororairi River Track to Punakaiki

The Pororairi River Track sidles high above the Pororairi River

A short distance down the track you will reach the track junction for the Inland Pack Track and the Pororairi River Track. Walkers continue down along the river but MTB riders climb up and over a saddle to the track end at the Punakaiki River mouth. There is a stile here to stop the riders going down the river as there are several places where the track is impassable to bikes. 

Junction of the Pororairi River Track and Inland Pack Track

MTB riders follow the Inland Pack Track to the Punakiaiki River

Pororairi River Track: gates to stop MTB riders going the wrong way...

The track from here out to Punakaiki is mostly under the forest canopy so it is cool and shady on those hot sunny days. It is well established and has a number of nice bridges, well maintained stairs and cobbled path sections.

Descending some stairs on the Pororairi River Track

A full Pororairi River next to the Pororairi River Track

Start of the limestone gorges on the Pororairi River

 It is awesome to be able to see the river for most of the way to the track end and you will often see kayakers venturing up the calm gentle course of the river. 

The Pororairi River Track is cool and shaded for most of its length

There is a little subterranean cavern along the Pororairi River Track where the track goes through a rock overhang and up a set of stairs. It is a really cool feature of the track and one I finally managed to take decent photos of...

The Pororairi River Track goes under a rock overhang

Inside the rock overhang on the Pororairi River Track

Funky subterranean passage on the Pororairi River Track

Past the overhang the track is almost flat for the rest of the walk out to the carpark at SH6 and the end of the Paparoa Track. Both sides of the track are lined by thick bush with a lot of ferns, Cabbage Trees and Nikau Palms thrown in. It is a very nice way to finish the track. 

Dense bush along the lower Pororairi River Track

Water sculpted rock on the Pororairi River

The lower Pororairi River is lined by big bluffs on both side of the river rising to over 200 meters. The river has gradually cut down through the relatively soft sandstone and limestone over the millennia. This is the classic landform over this whole region of the West Coast. 

The massive bluffs lining the lower Pororairi River

A real mixture of typical West Coast bush, Pororairi River Track

The Pororairi River Track is mostly flat and easy walking

There is a seat about 20 minutes from the end of the track with excellent views up the Pororairi River so make sure you stop and enjoy your last view up the river...

Looking up the lower Pororairi River near Pt.290

The final kilometer of the Pororairi River Track is on a river terrace

I like this colony of new plants which have covered this old fallen tree along the Pororairi River Track. There are a variety of ferns, grasses and epiphytes along the trunk...

Interesting plant family colonizing a fallen Podocarp tree...

Flood debris along the Pororairi River Track

There is a view down towards the mouth of the Pororairi River about ten minutes before the end of the track. The river mouth widens and opens up as it get closer to the coast and the river is much more tidal as you are very close to the ocean. I usually see kayakers and paddle boarders in this area but it would also be a decent place to swim in low river flow. 

Pt. 294 and the lower Pororairi River Valley

One last view up the Pororairi River Valley

I eventually arrived at the Maori gateway at this end of the Paparoa Track and the official end of the Great Walk. I really like that there is a special place marking the end of each of these long journeys so you can say...yeah I walked that track. 

Approaching the end of the Pororairi River Track

Jon finishes the Paparoa GW Track at Punakaiki...

The Maori gateway at the Punakaiki end of the Paparoa Track

The Pororairi River Track officially ends at the carpark another 500 meters away so you set out over the clearing where a small farmlet once stood, through a patch of forest and you are finally finished walking for the day...

Old farmland at the Punakaiki end of the Pororairi River Track

There is a series of information panels at the car park explaining the flora, fauna and history of the local area and the Paparoa Track. There are also a set of DOC toilets here if you need them...this is the first toilet you will have seen since leave Pororairi Hut four hours and 16 kilometers ago...

The car park at the Punakaiki end of the Pororairi River Track

Information panels about the Paparoa Track, Punakaiki

 There were a number of cars in the carpark and I stopped to have a quick look at the information panels DOC have installed there. You could leave a vehicle parked at this end of the track overnight but given the number of cars going up and down SH 6 it would probably get stolen or broken into. I would be inclined to pay the small fee and park it in the secure parking at the Punakaiki Campgrounds.

Pororairi River Track carpark, Punakaiki

The carpark is the start/finish point for several tracks...the Paparoa Track, Pororairi River Track and the Pororairi-Punakaiki Loop Track. If you take the shorter option it can also be the end of the Inland Pack Track though this normally finishes at the Punakaiki River.  All of these are excellent tramping options for anyone visiting Punakaiki. 

The campground and Punakaiki Tavern are right across SH 6 from the carpark if that is your next destination...

The start of the Pororairi River Track, Paparoa Track and Loop Track...

SH6 at the Pororairi River carpark, Punakaiki

I was knackered by the time I got to the end of the track and in urgent need of some liquid refreshments. I had been daydreaming about an ice cold pint for the last hour walking down the Pororairi River Track. I headed over to the Punakaiki Tavern for a cold brew and oh my did it taste good.....

View of the Paparoa Range (Pt.245) from the Punakaiki Tavern

I didn't see any of my track/hut mates at the pub but there was an odd assortment of locals, hikers and tourists enjoying a sup. If you visit the Tavern and it is a nice day sit outside and enjoy the surroundings...the garden at the pub is awesome and there is plenty of shade. There were Tui singing in the nearby trees and I could see the Gulls flying around their nesting sites on the surrounding bluffs. 

Pint No. 1...sweetly going down at the Punakaiki Tavern....oh yeah!!!!

That first pint went down smooth and fast and I enjoyed another with the Caesar Salad and garlic bread I ordered for my lunch. I ate at the Tavern a couple of times and the meals were really good and not too expensive considering how far away from anywhere Punakaiki is. 

Pint No. 2 was enjoyed with a Caesar Salad and garlic bread......

So that was my penultimate Great Walk done and dusted...it is a marvelous track and I can see it gaining quite a following over the next couple of years. Even with the miserable weather on day 2 and 3 it was both challenging and fun. I have to say..I enjoyed myself a lot which probably means I have some machoistic tendencies because sometimes it was bloody awful walking in that rain. 

There are Goldfish in the ponds at the Punakaiki Tavern

I would love to come back but I think next time I would walk up the Moonlight Track to Moonlight Hut and walk out to Punakaiki from there. Or walk up the Moonlight Track and down the Croesus Track to Barrytown on the West Coast. I missed the often mentioned legendary views along the coast because of the cloud and rain and they are something I would like to see.Tramps for the future perhaps....

So I say..bring on the Kepler Track and lets get her done!!!

Access: The Paparoa Great Walk Track can be accessed from either Punakaiki or the Smoke-ho carpark above Blackball. There is a shuttle service from Punakaiki to Smoke-ho so you can leave your car at the Punakaiki end of the track. You can also access the Great Walk from the Moonlight Track (Andersons Flat) or Croesus Track (Barrytown).

Track Times: Paparoa GW Track from Moonlight Tops to Pororairi Hut is 19.1 km's (5-6 hours). Pororairi Hut to Punakaiki is 16.3 km's (3-4 hours). 

Hut Details:  Moonlight Tops Hut: Great Walk, 20 bunks, wood burner, water tank, wood shed, toilets. Paparoa Tops Emergency Shelter: No stay, no facilities as day shelter only. Pororairi Hut: Great Walk, 20 bunks, wood burner, water tank, wood shed, toilets.

Miscellaneous: Both Moonlight Tops and Pororairi Huts are on the DOC Hut booking system, they must be booked for overnight visit. This is a Great Walk so all overnight stays must be pre booked before starting the track. Hut Wardens at all of the Great Walk huts.  The section from Moonlight Tops Hut to the northern end of the Escarpment feature exposed tops travel. Do not try to walk the track in extreme weather (very windy/cold/heavy rain)