Tours to Waitakere Ranges and Arataki Reserve

TOURS TO ARATAKI VISITOR CENTRE AND WAITAKERE RANGES

and

Breathe in the clean, crisp air of the Arataki Bush and Nature reserve
….all from 400m above sea-level !

See amazing views of the Waitakere rainforest, AUCKLAND’S TWO HARBOURS, and the surrounding Auckland landscape.

There is no Public transport to Arataki, but this is a ‘MUST DO’ on an Auckland sightseeing tour!

ARATAKI means “place of learning” in Maori

As there’s a lot to see and learn here…we don’t just -“drop you off”- at the door for you to aimlessly wander through …how would you know what things were all about?
We show you through the centre on our tour…and explain about the different types of plants in the New Zealand bush,
including the New Zealand Silver fern, the New Zealand Tea-tree,

Arataki Visitor Centre carving ….plus the history and Maori legend of this area.

Coast to Coast Tours is an Auckland Regional Council Approved Operator which is allowed to take tourists to specified parks. Every commercial tour operator which visit Regional parks has to pay a fee. We have to pay to visit the Muriwai and Waitakere parks, (the cost of this is included in the price of your tour). This is a way in which the Auckland Regional Council can monitor the amount of people using these natural areas. Unfortunately, this registration to obtain a concession tends to be abused
(even by large companies), so please check that your tour provider is a current and Approved Operator!

Views from the Arataki Visitor Information Centre Coast to Coast Tours is an Auckland Regional Council Approved Operator (WAITING for current passes to be issued!!)

view from Arataki carpark. (Picture courtesy W. Morgan)

grand view from 450m above-sea-level. (Picture courtesy W. Morgan)

part of the Nihotupu dam, Waitakere Ranges

To contact the Arataki Visitor Centre: +64 9 817 0077

SOME SAD NEWS…
It was discovered in the old main carving (Pou) that stood at the entrance to the Arataki Visitor Centre, was rotten!
so was removed to be [hopefully] restored…
Here was the report from the Senior Park Ranger…

“There has been some time since the last communication on progress in repairing the Pou as we went to the Parks and Heritage Committee seeking additional funding to carve and install a new Pou.
When we investigated the extent of the rot in the Pou we discovered that the decay was more extensive than originally thought – not only had parts of the core rotted, there was rot in places on the surface of the Pou. After consultation with experts it was decided that the cost of repairing the original Pou would be more than the carving a new Pou, and that the life of the repaired Pou would be limited. The original Pou now lies in a Park building at Cornwallis while we consult with Kawerau a Maki over its future.
A project plan is currently being developed with Kawerau a Maki to carve and install a new Pou, with the preference being to use kauri. A new installation system is proposed with each ancestral figure being carved as a separate piece and attached to a laminated ‘back board’ bent in the shape of a tree trunk. John Collins the master carver for the original Pou continues to be involved in the Project.
We will be working to a deadline of mid 2010 to install the new Pou”.

Unfortunately…
this Waitakere Ranges and Arataki Reserve Pou was not able to be restored as the rot was too widespread.

HOWEVER… a new Pou has been carved and erected in its place. It is beautiful, and we hope it brings many years of enjoyment to the tourists that visit there.

Arataki Pou