Riwaka Resurgence at Takaka Hill, 15th October 2021

... A visit to the Riwakaka Resurgence at Takaka Hill...

I managed to get in one last walk before starting my tramp of the northern end of the Abel Tasman Coastal Walk. The shuttle to Wainui wasn't due to arrive till 11.30 and I had to be gone from my accommodation in Motueka by 10 so I had time for a short side trip. I visited the Riwaka Resurgence at the Motueka side of Takaka Hill on my way to Marahau (where the shuttle was due to collect me). 

Jon at the start of the Riwaka Resurgence Walk, Takaka Hill

The Riwaka Resurgence is the place where the Riwaka River emerges from the base of  Takaka Hill and starts its short journey down to Tasman Bay. Takaka Hill is a limestone massif which is filled with cracks, caverns and underground rivers that emerge at different places along its edge. The water in the resurgence wells up from an underground spring and flows down the Riwaka Valley. 

Representation of Maori palisade at the Riwaka Resurgence Walk

Riwaka Resurgence Walk: it is 300 meters or 10 minutes walk...

The track to the Resurgence is through a small patch of attractive remnant bush along the side of the Riwaka River. The area is surrounded by hills as you are right up against the side of the Takaka Massif and its outlier foothills. 

Maori portal at start of Riwaka Resurgence Walk

It was only a short walk but interesting as there are not that many resurgence points in New Zealand and this is only the third I have ever visited. 

Riwaka Resurgence Walk:

The Riwaka Resurgence Walk is about 1200 meters or 30 minutes return so I just had time to do the walk before I was due in Marahau for my shuttle to Wainui Bay. I arrived around 9.30am and was back at the car by 10 am and in that time I walked the track and did some filming.

Jon starts walking the Riwaka Resurgence Walk

The walk starts right from the carpark and you pass through a carved Maori portal before heading up a slight hill and along the track. The surface is very nice and it is an easy flat track except for two sets of steps along the way. I was the only person at the Resurgence the whole time I was there which surprised me given it was the school holidays...

Closer detail of the portal at Riwaka Resurgence Walk

...the first section is uphill, Riwaka Resurgence Walk...

There are views down to the Riwaka River as you walk along and you have the sound of the river in your ears the whole time you are in the area. The sound of the river is so loud as you are in quite a constricted valley with hillsides on both sides of the river. 

The Riwaka River from the Riwaka Resurgence Walk

Riwaka Resurgence Walk: heading down towards the river...

Takaka Hill is a huge chunk of limestone and the tracks are constructed from the same crushed rock so they have a white colour to them. The forest is thick and verdant as the nearby river ensures the area is always moist. There are a variety of species here...mostly middling sized trees and bushes but also some bigger Matai, Beech and Totora trees. 

Riwaka Resurgence Walk: nice wide and flat track...

At the first stairs on the Riwaka Resurgence Walk

About 200 meters along the walk you come to the first set of steps which are slowly climbing up and alongside the river. There is access to the river near here and you can get down to the edge of the water to see the cascades that the river drops over. There is a nice seat here if you wanted to sit and contemplate the surroundings. 

A seat and river access along the Riwaka Resurgence Walk

Attractive steps on the Riwaka Resurgence Walk

Riwaka River from the first lookout...

A series of cascades in the Riwaka River...

...more cascades further upstream, Riwaka River...

There is a second set of steps another 200 meters along the track and these ones climb up to a viewing platform at the end of the track. Both sets of steps are very pretty as they are constructed of stone and look like they have been there for centuries. 

Second set of steps on the Riwaka Resurgence Walk

Past the second set of steps you are walking along above the river to the viewing platform at the end of the walk. There is space here for about half a dozen people to stand and look down at the resurgence and there are a set of stairs going down to the side of the pool at the head of the Riwaka River. 

...a flat path to the Riwaka Resurgence lookout...

Viewing platform at the end of the Riwaka Resurgence Walk

The water is coming up through a pool on the side of Takaka Hill. As it rains on the top of the Hill the water runs down into the cracks, caverns and passages under Takaka Hill. Eventually it finds a low point to escape from and wells up at the head of a number of rivers and streams right. 

The resurgence is one such location....

Looking down on the Riwaka Resurgence

The pool at the head of the river is really deep and you cannot see the bottom even when standing next to it and looking in. It just fades into murky darkness with little perception of depth.

Obviously the more rain water that falls the stronger the flow of the Resurgence. It normally takes a couple of hours to a couple days for the flow to increase as it takes time for the rainwater to make its way down through the rock. High flow might be 2-3 days after a big rain event...

The Riwaka Resurgence issues from within Takaka Hill

The Riwaka Resurgence head pool is very deep...

I walked down the stairs to the side of the pool and had a look around...you can get close to where the water wells up as there are large stepping stones around the pool. I would imagine they are all under water in high flow as you could see an obvious line marking the high water mark. 

The river downstream of the resurgence is under moss covered trees and over some rugged piles of rock. It is a couple of degrees colder here than the rest of the track as that water coming out of the hill is icy cold...

Head of the Riwaka River near the resurgence...

...a lot of water issues from the Riwaka Resurgence...

I spent about five minutes having a look around at the Resurgence before heading back down the track to the carpark. I had places to be and tracks to walk...

Jon at the viewing platform, Riwaka Resurgence

Heading back along the Riwaka Resurgence Walk

Wild mass of tangled vegetation near the Riwaka Resurgence

You head back along the same track you followed on your way to the Resurgence. You get a different view of the forest heading this way as you can see it slowly open up and the changes as it gets warmer further away from the head pool. 

Matai tree next to the Riwaka Resurgence Walk

Sunlight shines on the Riwaka Resurgence Walk

I went down and had a look at the river near the bottom of the second set of steps on my way back to the carpark. There are several moderately deep pools along here and the river flows over some rocks into a deep pool. It was very attractive down by the river...

Riverside along the Riwaka Resurgence Walk

View down the Riwaka River from the cascades

A small waterfall in the Riwaka River

It was a bit lighter in the forest heading back down the walk as the sun had started to come up over the surrounding hillsides. There would be great light for photos here around 11 in the morning with shafts of sunlight coming through the canopy above you...

Riwaka Resurgence Walk: wheel chair compatible to the cascades

I took a small side track down near the first set of steps...it leads into a small riverside clearing where you can see the surrounding hills. The hills were bathed in light from the sun. You can look down the river to a small gorge just past the clearing.....

Side track down to the Riwaka River...

A small clearing alongside the Riwaka River

Riwaka River heading out to the reserve edge...

From the clearing it is about 200 meters back to the entrance climbing up and over the small hill near the beginning of this track. The Maori portal was striking looking at the end of the dark corridor of enclosing trees.

Walking up over the last hill, Riwaka Resurgence Walk

Approaching the portal on the Riwaka Resurgence Walk

Back at the Riwaka Resurgence Walk entrance...

Soon I was back at the carpark and I was still the only person here even though it was getting past 10am in the morning. For solitude I would visit early in the morning as it was quiet and peaceful here on my own. For filming and photography maybe visit a bit later in the day (say after 10 am) as the sun coming through the forest always makes for better photography. 

Silver Surfer parked at the Riwaka Resurgence Walk

There are toilets at the entrance to the Riwaka Resurgence Walk

From here I headed off for my three day trip in Abel Tasman NP so come back soon to see those posts...

On the Abel Tasman Coastal Track overlooking Wainui Bay

I liked this walk even though it only takes 30 minutes to walk. It was very peaceful here and it is not often you get to see such an unusual geological feature like a river resurgence. Go have a look when you are on your way to points in Golden Bay and Abel Tasman NP. If you would like to see my vlog about the Riwaka Resurgence go visit my post at NZ Bush Adventures on You Tube. 

Access: From Motueka head for the road over Takaka Hill, turn left into Riwaka Valley Road just before you start the climb over the Hill. Follow Riwaka Valley Road to its end and the carpark for the Riwaka Resurgence Walk.

Track Times: Riwaka Resurgence Walk is 600 meters return and will take 20-25 minutes total.

Miscellaneous: Good quality track with several viewpoints along its length. It is wheel chair compatible to the cascades and first set of steps. Take care on the slippery rocks at the Resurgence. There is a toilet at the Riwaka Walk carpark.

You Tube link: Riwaka Resurgence Walk