Short Walks: Bellbird Walk, Lake Rotoiti, St Arnaud

  Exploring the walks at Lake Rotoiti, St Arnaud

I went up to Nelson Lakes National Park last weekend for another of my Winter Series of tramps. I walked into Lakehead Hut for the night and stayed and then walked out the next morning. On my way back to St Arnaud I did a couple of short walks down near Kerr Bay including the Bellbird Walk. 

Start of the track network at Kerr Bay, Lake Rotoiti

Map: Bellbird Walk, Kerr Bay, St Arnaud

Numerous tracks start at Kerr Bay the shortest of them is the Bellbird Walk. It is a nice 10 minute walk through lowland forest close to the carpark in an area which is being restored by a local trust to original condition. The track is to wheel chair access quality so anyone can have a short jaunt into the nice forest. 

This is the start point for numerous tracks at Lake Rotoiti

There are a number of information panels at the start of the track describing the Lake Rotoiti Restoration Project. This has a long term goal of restoring the flora and fauna around Lake Rotoiti to a state before humans arrived in New Zealand. To this end the restoration trust is trapping pests, planting and maintaining the forest in the area.

On the Lakehead Track...information panels

A series of information panels about Nelson Lakes NP...

From the information panels you head on up the Lakehead Track for about 100 meters where you will head up a small rise before you come to a track junction. Turn left and follow the Bellbird Walk back through forest to the start of the track near the information boards. 

The start of the short climb to the Bellbird Walk, Lake Rotoiti

Track junction of Bellbird Walk and Lakehead Tracks

The forest is a mix of beech and podocarp species and there are also a number of native Fuschia Trees along the side of the track. There is a thick and varied understory with many of the usual plants you will find in this sort of forest. 

Bellbird Walk...heading away from Lake Rotoiti...

The Bellbird walk is to a good standard for all of the way...

Most of the trees are naturally sown but there are a couple of areas where planting has obvious been carried out. There is a nice area of lowland swamp plants half way round the track that looked very nice. 

Native Fuschia trees along the Bellbird Walk, Lake Rotoiti

Bellbird Walk: an area of lowland swamp....

Below are a couple of the native Fuschia Trees you will see on the track. Fuschia Trees are under threat as they are one of the favored foods of Possums...they will eat all of the leaves and even chew into the soft sappy wood as well. 

Native Fuschia Tree on the Bellbird Walk

The paper like bark of the Fuschia is a good fire starting material...

Even though you are right next to the track entrance it was really calm and peaceful as there were not a lot of people around. There are a lot of birds in this forest due to the intensive trapping program and I saw a number of them as I ambled my way along. 

Mix of Beech and Podocarp trees, Bellbird Walk

Black Beech is the predominant tree type....

The track loops back onto itself after about 10 minutes of walking arriving back next to the information panels near the track start. From here you head right and out to the end of the track at the Kerr Bay carpark. 

Back at the start of the Bellbird Walk...

The tracks start at Kerr Bay, Lake Rotoiti

It was busy at Kerr Bay with lots of cars and people putting boats in the lake but there was still plenty of parking available. If you are just walking the shorter tracks on the way through St Arnaud you should park down here near the track entrance. Longer term you are better to park up by the Park Ranger HQ....

Lots of parking at Kerr Bay, start of the tracks

It was a nice walk to finish off a good trip...as an add onto the an existing tramp or just as a short walk to break up your journey you should come down and see what Lake Rotoiti has to offer. 

NB: If you are out doing winter tramps please be very cautious. The conditions up in the mountains are icy and slippery at the moment so take care and make sure you have your PLB in case you need it. 

Cheers!!!

Access: Bellbird Walk starts and finishes at the Kerr Bay carpark near St Arnaud. Follow Kerr Bay Road or Lake Road off SH63 (Main Road)  and down to the jetty at Kerr Bay. Numerous tracks start from this location and branch off the main Lakehead Hut Track.  
Track Times: It takes 10 minutes to walk the full circuit of the Bellbird Walk. 
Miscellaneous: High quality track, wheel chair accessible from the carpark. There are some information panels at the star of the track network.