Canterbury-West Coast Heritage Trails & Self-guided Walks

There are several heritage walks, trails or drives you can take around the Canterbury and West Coast regions

Brochures describing heritage trails and other walks or self-drives are available from visitor information centres (i-sites), transport terminals and the Trust's Southern Regional office.

Ashburton

• Woolshed Creek
  Ashburton Gorge Rd to signpost, then 3.5km

  There are several walks ranging from 40mins to 2 hours. They include relics and a reconstructed mine entrance for the Blackburn mine, lime kilns and a stone cottage. Interpretation panels tell the history of the area.

Banks Peninsula

• Akaroa Historic Area Walk

  The walk takes in 43 sites (approximately 2 hours). Guide available from Akaroa Museum, corner of Rue Lavaud and Rue Balguerie or the Akaroa Visitor Information Centre, 80 Rue Lavaud.

• Governor's Bay Heritage Trail

  This walk comprises 19 sites of historic interest. It includes the homes or sites of noted people associated with Governor's Bay. Pamphlets available from Governor's Bay Café, Governor's Bay Hotel and the Christchurch, Lyttelton, or Little River Information Centres.

• Historic Lyttelton

  A self-guided trail which takes in 22 historic sites. Guide available from Lyttelton Information Centre, 20 Oxford St. Phone (03) 328 9093 or email lyttinfo@ihug.co.nz

• Peninsula Pioneers Heritage Trail

  A self-guided trail of approximately 145 kilometres which can be broken into segments and includes optional side trips. Guide available at Akaroa Information Centre, 80 Rue Lavaud or Little River Information Centre, Main Road, Little River

• Port to Plains Heritage Trail

The theme of the Port to Plains Heritage Trail is transport. The trail covers the original routes from Lyttelton to Christchurch used by the early settlers and also covers several points of national interest in the history of transport. It is intended as a car trail, but at various points along the route there are walking tracks related to the theme or of more general interest.
Download a copy of the Trail's brochure (pdf, 3.86 mB), or view the web page.

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Christchurch

• The Antarctic Heritage Trail

  This trail includes sites in Christchurch and Lyttelton that are associated with Antarctic exploration.
  Pamphlets available from Our City and Worcester Boulevard and the Visitor Information Centre, Cathedral Square, and online.

• Christchurch before 1850, The First Peoples Waitaha to European in Christchurch.

  Comprises two heritage trails: Inner City Heritage Trail and Coastal Heritage Trail. Pamphlets available from Our City, Worcester Boulevard, and the Visitor Information Centre, Cathedral Square

• Christchurch City Centre Walks.

  Three separate walks around the inner city with information on heritage buildings en route. Pamphlets available from Our City, Worcester Boulevard and the Visitor Information Centre, Cathedral Square.

• Fendalton Local History Walks

  Self-guiding trails around sites of interest in Fendalton commencing at the Fendalton Library, Jeffreys Road. Pamphlet available from the library and on-line.

• Sumner War Sites Heritage Trail.

  Available from the Sumner Museum

• The Bridle Path Track

  This track follows the path cut by Captain Thomas prior to the arrival of the first four ships to allow the settlers to cross from Lyttelton to Christchurch. It was not in fact suitable for horses over its whole length until 1851. The track starts in Dublin St on the Lyttelton side or at the Gondola parking lot off Bridle Path Rd on the Christchurch side. At the top of the Bridle Path is a shelter built as a memorial to pioneer women.

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Selwyn District

• Arthur's Pass Historic Village Walk
  

  A self-guided walk around the historic sites of the village commencing at the Visitor Centre, 1 hour return. Pamphlets available for a small charge at the visitor centre.

• Old Coach Road Walk, Arthur's Pass
  

  This walk commences at Greyney's Shelter (6km to the south of the village) and follows part of the old Cobb and Co. coach road. Sections of rock wall are still visible. 30min return.

• Millennium Walkway, Glentunnel

  This walk follows the rail bed of an abandoned mine tramway. It starts at the historic octagonal Glentunnel library (built late 1880s) and passes several sites of historic interest before ending at the entrance of the former Glentunnel mine.

• Rakaia Gorge Walkway
  State Highway 7, north side of Rakaia Gorge Bridge.

  This 5km walk includes the remains of the Snowdon coal mine, discovered by Haast in 1871 and worked from shortly after until 1904, the site of the ferryman's cottage and a WWII homeguard fortification site, intended to protect the bridge.

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Waimakariri District (North Canterbury)

• Waimakariri Heritage Trails

  A series of trails covering the district have been produced, some suitable for walking, others are car trails. The titles are: Ashley-Sefton, Carleton-Bennetts, Clarkville, Cust, Kaiapoi (2), Loburn-White Rock-Okuku, Ohoka-Wetheral-Flaxton, Oxford (2), Rangiora, Rangiora Environs, West Eyreton-Horrelville, Woodend-Waikuku. The complete series is printed in booklet form and available from Kaiapoi Library for $10. Some individual pamphlets are available at local libraries and information centres.

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South Canterbury

• Burkes Pass Heritage Trail

  Visit the website for information about this heritage trail.

• Central Timaru Historic Walk

  Information about this walk is available online. A number of other walks are also available on line at www.southisland.org.nz/what.asp. These contain some elements of heritage interest.

• Geraldine Historic Town Trail

  A one-hour Historic Town Trail. Brochure available from visitor information centre.

• The Bullock Wagon Trail

  A 320 km trail from Timaru to Twizel, brochure available from the Timaru Information Centre, 2 George St, Timaru or on-line.

• The Pioneer Trail

  A 150k round trip commencing in Timaru. Brochure available from the Timaru Information Centre, 2 George St, Timaru or on-line.

• The Strawberry Trail

  A 150 k trip from Timaru to Waimate, brochure available from the Timaru Information Centre, 2 George St, Timaru or on-line.

• Waimate Town Heritage Walk
  

  This walk has 30 points of interest and pamphlets are available from the visitor information centre.

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West Coast

• Big River Track, Reefton
  

  A moderate overnight walk in Victoria Forest park to the historic Big River gold mining township. A number of goldmining remnants can be explored here; water races, the Big River dam site, the large double acting Robey steam-winding engine in a reconstructed engine shed which was use to lift gold-quartz to the surface, a restored poppet head standing above the mineshaft and Big River sawmill. There are a number of side walks. The areas can also be accessed by 4WD. Information from Reefton Visitor Centre, 67 Broadway, Reefton tel: (03) 732 8391 Fax: (03) 732 8616
  Email: reeftoninfo@paradise.net.nz

• Blackball Walks
  

  There are several walks in and around Blackball which explore old tunnels, tailraces, water races and other remnants of the Blackball mine including a magazine site, ventilation chimneys and a bathhouse. Information available from the Blackball Hilton historic pub.

• Bottled Lightning Powerhouse Walk, Reefton
  

  An easy 40 minute walk to the site of hydro station for the first public supply of electricity in the southern hemisphere.
  Information from Reefton Visitor Centre, 67 Broadway, Reefton

• Buller Coalfields Heritage Trail
  

  This 120 km return trip leads through places which have been important to the region's coal industry, ranging from coal towns and mines to downstream industries and transport facilities - some still working, others long abandoned. Visit the website for more information.

• Charming Creek Walkway, Seddonville

  The Charming Creek Walkway starts near the old mining settlement of Seddonville and follows old mining tracks and tramlines. It is 10.5 kms long and finishes on the Ngakawau River at Hector township. The track has many mining and saw milling relics on it, and passes through railway tunnels. It takes 3-5 hours, grade easy.

• Croesus Track
  

  This two day tramp follows an old goldminers' trail between Blackball and Barrytown. Water channels and cribbed walls are still intact. Relics include the Garden Gully gold stamper. Side trips may be taken to other historic sites. Signposted from Smoke House carpark, Blackball.

• Goldsborough Walks
  35km south of Greymouth on SH6
  

  Walk through an old goldmining area, site of several "ghost towns". Includes old miners' tunnels and other mining relics. Lengths of trails vary (up to 4 hours)

• Granity Heritage Walks
  State Highway 7, north of Westport
  

  There are a number of walks in the vicinity of Granity relating to the Stockton coalfield. Relics include the Millerton Incline and Millerton Bath House and the remains of coke ovens. For more information, visit the website.
  

• Historic Reefton Walk
  

  A self-guided walking brochure is available from the Reefton Visitor Centre, Broadway.

• Hokitika Heritage Walk
  

  A self-guiding walk around 15 sites in Hokitika.
  Available from the Hokitika Museum and Information Centre, Tancred St.

• Kaniere Water-race
  Lake Kaniere, east of Hokitika

  A 10 km walk (3.5-4 hours, one way) which follows a working water-race through native bush from Lake Kaniere to a small hydro-electric power station at Kaniere Forks. The race has a long history associated with goldmining and supplying water for power.

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• Moonlight Creek Track
  Atarau, northeast of Greymouth

  An attractive walk that contains evidence of the area's alluvial gold mining history, going back to the 1860s. At Anderson's flat at the start of the track, there are the remains of huts and piles of tailings. This can be reached by 4WD or a walk of around 3kms. The full track is a 2-3 day walk which includes the sites of mine settlements and the Moonlight Battery. The walk can be linked to the Croesus track.

• Nelson Creek Historic Gold Workings Walks
  On the Ngahere-Kopara Road off State Highway 7, northeast of Greymouth
  

  A number of short bush tracks in the area explore the site of the 1865 Nelson Creek goldrush. Sluicing and dredging continued until 1900. Evidence of tailraces, tunnels, tailings, and a water race remain and the historic Colls Dam can be visited. Three tracks (Callaghans Track, Tailrace and Tunnel Walk, and Colls Dam Walk) can be accessed opposite the hotel in Nelson Creek township.

• Reefton Goldfields Journey
  

  A moderate 3-5 day walk within Victoria Conservation Park that links many past mining settlements including Waiuta, Big River and Murray Creek goldfields.

• Ross GoldFields Walkway
  Ross, 27 km south of Hokitika
  

  The walkway follows along beside the remains of a network of water races which supplied water to the sluicing operations of the Ross Goldfields. A Visitor Centre at the start of the walkway provides interesting background information on the history of the Ross Goldfields.
  Water Race Walk: 1 hour - climbs the hill behind the town. There are several well walked interconnected tracks, past water works, miners huts and dams.
  Jones Flat Walk: 1.5 hours - explores the gold working on the north side of Jones Creek. A loop track.

• Waimangaroa/Denniston Heritage Walks
  State Highway 7, north of Westport
  

  There are a number of walks which explore the relics of the coal mining history of the Denniston coal field, including the famous Denniston Incline, opened in 1879, which transported coal from the precipitous Mount Rochfort Plateau to Denniston, a fall of 518m in a track distance of 1670m.
  

• Woods Creek Track
  

  Turn inland at Paroa on SH6 south of Greymouth (Shantytown Rd) and continue 17km to Woods Creek.
  A walk through a former goldfield. It features tunnels dug by miners and passes tailraces, tunnels and dams. Interpretation panels. 45 minute loop