Pukehina Cycleway/Walkway
A beautiful journey around the estuary
What’s coming up?
Host a community open day to walk the route - a chance to experience the walkway and see where it goes, hear from the key organisations working around the estuary and ask questions. (est April 2026)
Finalise match funding applications (est April 2026)
Work with Ngāti Whakahemo to name the new route
Work with MOWS (Maketu Ongatoro Wetland Society) to support their mahi in the wetland area
Work with Te Ara Kahikatea ropū and Ngāti Whakahemo to look at a bridge across Pongakawa river to enable connection to Arawa and Wharere Road.
Launch with the community and enjoy the new walking/cycling opportunities it will bring!
For more information on each section of the walkway please see the presentation above, and if you have some time you could spare to help progress this project, please sing out to Leanne Armstrong or Esther Kirk and join the team!
The Pukehina Ratepayers and Residents Association hold a resource consent to develop a cycleway/walkway from the Pukehina Surf Club to Cutwater Road.
It's an exciting project championed by a number of locals over 15 years ago so it's been a long time in the wings!
The pathway starts at the Pukehina Surf Club and follows the footpath along Pukehina Parade to the Boat ramp. From there you can walk along the grass reserve until you reach the wetland at the accessway (beside 604).
The next part of the project development starts here, with a wooden boardwalk to be built through the wetland, and a small bridge erected across the outlet to join up to the stop bank. A mowed pathway currently runs along the top of the stop bank providing great walking and cycling access, and in time we hope to link to Cutwater Road and perhaps even Wharere and Arawa Roads.
For more information on each section of the walkway please see the PDF presentation on this page.
Actions and progress to March 2026:
Hosted the 'BridgeIt' team onsite to plan for the placement of the bridge (March 2026). We have secured a bridge from WBOPDC that will go up onto the stopbank allowing access in all tides. Aiming to get this installed in May 2026.
Signed a Grants Agreement with WBOPDC for $200,000 towards to construction of the wetland boardwalk and bridge. (Dec 2025)
We erected property boundary markers so we can plan where the boardwalk section of walkway/cycleway route will go (completed 16th March 2023)
We attend the Central BOP & Te Puke District Cycleway Walkway strategy meetings to keep updated with regional plans and funding ideas. This connection has meant that now in 2023, kōrero is moving towards linking our cycleway with Arawa Road developments, and eventually the Te Puke and Papamoa cycleways!
We built a set of stairs in Dec 2021 with a bike gutter so the stop bank pathway is more accessible. Thanks to our local legends, Dennis and Kevin!
With support from an Environmental Programme MOWS (Maketu Ongatoro Wetland Society) cleared the gorse and pampus along the stop bank so there is now an area cleared of weeds that is accessible by foot.
With support from BOPRC we commissioned a coastal report in 2021 to investigate options for erosion mitigation in sections 1 of the walkway/cycleway. We got a one-off grant from BOPRC and were able to contract the surf club to help remove concrete rubble from the water in front of Oruroa Reserve and boat ramp area.
Working with Ngāti Whakahemo, WBOPDC, DOC and BOPRC we developed a working plan for the Oruroa Reserve foreshore area. This included the removal of concrete rubble from close to the banks (over 6 tonnes), sand re-nourishment (using sand from the Surf Club building works/excavation), removal of a lot of rubbish dumped and buried over the years, relocation of picnic tables, topsoil and grassing. The aim was to create an area that is more accessible for whānau and community for fishing, swimming, picnics and pulling up a boat! An area that looks cared for and loved, and helps to mitigate future erosion. This of course will also be the first section of the walkway too :) See photos below!
