Hokitika Area, IV of V: Lake Mahinapua, Swimmers Beach Track: 24th September 2021

Viewing Kotuku at Lake Mahinapua......

After visiting the Mananui Bush Walk we drove two kilometres south down SH6 to the turn off for Lake Mahinapua Reserve. The entrance to the reserve is opposite the Lake Mahinapua Tavern and is hard to miss with the massive signs. You drive about 800 meters down a gravel road to the sealed carpark at Lake Mahinapua itself. 

Entrance to Lake Mahinapua Reserve off SH6 at Ruatapu

The Lake Mahinapua access road...

Lake Mahinapua is about 12 kilometres south of Hokitika and has a wealth of short tracks, a campsite and boat ramp so you can enjoy the lake and its surrounds. We have been here before in 2019 to visit the lake shore and walk a short nature track located next to the campsite. 

There is a huge carpark at Lake Mahinapua...

When we walked down to have a look at the lake we were delighted to find three Kotuku or White Herons nesting close to the boat ramp. We managed to get quite close as they were on a small island less than 40 meters out on the lake...they are huge birds. Normally they nest on the far side of the lake far away from humans so we were very lucky...

Kotuku or White Herons at Lake Mahinapua

We had a stroll around the Lake side and watched a chap put his boat into the water and putter off to do some fishing on the northern side of the lake. Power boats are allowed here (no Jetskis!!!) and we also saw someone in a kayak on the southern side of the lake around the portage trail. 

There is an old steam paddle boat here which was once used to transport people up and down the lake and surrounding waterways before the road was built. There are several information panels explaining its presence. 

Small craft launching from the Lake Mahinapua boat ramp

The old paddle steamer at Lake Mahinapua Reserve

We walked along the shore to the Lake Mahinapua Boat Club where there is a wharfe...it is closed off about 2/3 of the way along to stop people falling off into deeper water. The last time we were here in 2019 there were masses of Swallows flying around the dock but it is still too early in the season for them.

Looking south across Lake Mahinapua...distant Mt Greenland

At the Lake Mahinapua Boat Club warfe

The campsite is massive and could easily hold about a hundred caravans, campers or tents...I have heard it is very busy over the summer weekends and also when they hold regattas here. It is a DOC backcountry campsite but it has toilets, water points and a gas BBQ shelter so it is not totally basic. 

There was one caravan parked up at the campsite when we visited...and another freedom camper arrived just as we were leaving. 

The solitary camper at Lake Mahinapua campsite...

We both walked the Swimmers Beach Walk and I walked the Jum Michal Track from here...both start right next to the carpark.

Swimmers Beach Walk:

Swimmers Beach Walk is a one kilometre ex forestry track to the edge of Lake Mahinapua and it takes approximately 30-40 minutes return. The track starts from the northern side of the Lake Mahinapua carpark and the track is wide and well maintained. It is alternating gravel and soil so it will be a bit muddy after rain. 

Start of the Swimmers Beach Walk at Lake Mahinapua

This area looks like it was once milled but it still has an assortment of typical Podocarp species and the under brush is thick and tangled. The canopies of the trees meet over the track so it is like walking down a cool green corridor. There are a lot of birds in the area and we saw several Tui, Bellbirds, Fantails and Bush Robins as we walked. 

Swimmers Beach Walk is an old forestry road...

The turn off for the Jum Michal Track is about 100 meters along the track...I will cover that walk in a separate post. 

Junction of Jum Michal and Swimmers Beach Walk

The track was wet and a little muddy as it had been raining on and off for the previous week so we wore our boots on this walk. It was certainly too wet for walking shoes but I'm sure in the middle of summer it would fine to walk it in shoes. 

Nice solid surface to the Swimmers Beach Walk

Large Totora and Kahikatea trees along the Swimmers Beach Walk

...you alternate shade and sun along the Swimmers Beach Walk...

There were a few big Totora, Rimu and Kahikatea Trees in the forest but most of them looked to be either Matai or Miro with a few large Manuka trees. If they once milled the area they were very selective and it must have been a long time ago as some of the Manuka were huge (for that species of tree...). They are usually the first trees to reoccupy old milled areas.

Moss and Ivy cover trees along Swimmers Beach Walk

Lots of big tree ferns through here as well with the full gambit of supporting small natives in the bush. It was really nice forest we were waking through and with the clear sunny weather it was an enjoyable wee stroll...

Swimmers Beach Walk: a clearing along the track

There is a clearing about 600 meters along the track which looked like either old farmland or a skidder area for forestry. It is covered in Gorse now but we could see where someone has been planting native trees amongst it. Gorse needs a lot of sun so when the trees mature they will naturally kill it off as it will be in the shade. 

This is a long standing practice pioneered by the Hinewai Reserve on Banks Peninsula. They discovered that Gorse is a great nursery bed for native trees by protecting it while it regenerates. Once the trees are taller than the Gorse it dies off. A great solution to a potential problem...

Old farmland regenerating along the Swimmers Beach Walk

Five minutes to Swimmers Beach....

The northern edge of the clearing is five minutes from the end of the Swimmers Beach Track...there is a sign near the northern edge of the clearing. You walk through a more mature area of native bush before descending a short set of stairs to the lake access point. 

Mature Podocarp forest in the last section of the track

Stairs down to Swimmers Beach

Jon descends down to Swimmers Beach....

Here is the kicker in this tale...there is no bloody beach at Swimmers Beach!!!! 

Instead you find yourself at a small clearing on the edge of the lake with nothing but water in front of you. I did a bit of research after we got back and it seems there was a beach here up to the late 1950's as it was a popular weekend haunt for residents of Hokitika. Over the years it waned in popularity and the forest grew back down to the water edge. 

Hmmmmmmmmmm!!!

...and there is no beach at Swimmers Beach...

Looking out over Lake Mahinapua from Swimmers (not) Beach

Normally there is a bit more of a clearing here but the lake was high after all the rain so at the end of summer I am sure there would be a dry rocky area at the end of this track. 

...Lake Mahinapua was very high...so flooded bush!

It doesn't make a difference though as it is a lovely short walk through some nice forest and that is reason enough to follow the track. there is a nice view of the lake from the end of the track right out to the Southern Alps so it makes a nice photo opportunity. 

After a couple of minutes we turned around and headed back the way we had come as we were hungry and had some lunch waiting for us in the camper van. 

Heading back up the stairs on Swimmers Beach Walk

...at the end of the old farmland, Swimmers Beach Walk...

The land has a definite slope to it and this was much more noticeable as we walked back to the carpark. You could actually see the land sloping down to the track entrance which was interesting as it seemed almost flat walking towards the lake...

...the slope is more noticeable on the way back...

Bush growing right to the edge of Swimmers Beach Walk

Ten minutes had us back at the start of the track and ready to chow down...it was getting on for 1.30 pm by this time so we were overdue for some vittles. We sat in the van and listened to a couple of Tui trying to loudly compete with each other to be the local Lothario....

Back at the entrance to Swimmers Beach Walk

There were a couple more cars in the carpark when we got back and the same family in the camper we saw at the Hokitika Seawall, Hokitika Gorge and Shantytown so it was like we were following each other around. I gave them a wave of recognition....

Bruce parked at the Lake Mahinapua car park

 Swimmers Beach Walk may not have an actual beach at its end but it is a lovely bush walk down to a more remote part of Lake Mahinapua. It would make a great taster walk if you had limited time to enjoy the pleasures of the area. 

Hey...I am spending four days in Able Tasman NP this coming weekend. I will be walking from Wainui Bay to Whariwharangi and then from there to Totoranui. A water taxi will take me to Anchorage for the night and then I will be walking out to Marahau in the morning. 

It should be fun...come back soon to see the detail....

Access: Lake Mahinapua Reserve is located off SH 6 approximately 10-12 km's south of Hokitika. The entrance is signposted and is directly opposite the Lake Mahinapua Tavern. Swimmers Beach and the Jum Michal Tracks both start from the northern edge of the carpark. 
Track Times: The Swimmers Beach Walk takes 20-30 minutes return to walk.
Miscellaneous: There is a toilet block located at Lake Mahinapua Reserve and the nearby campsite has water and a BBQ shelter. The track will be wet and muddy after rain but should be fine to walk in shoes most of the time. There is no beach at Swimmers Beach as the forest has reclaimed the land..leave your togs at home....