Tautuku Estuary Boardwalk

Al short stroll gets you a hidden gem of the estuary where it feels like a secret world of the fernbird habitat. Tautuku Bay is  a sweeping bay surrounded by forest. The short boardwalk winds through wetlands with wonderful views across to Maori Tapu (sacred spiritual) land. A raised flat boardwalk floats you across the peat wetlands.  This is another bird watchers destination. The DOC description is, “The track is partly board-walked and also incorporates a section of the Old Coach Road. It starts in podocarp forest then leads out to the estuary flats. The vibrantly coloured jointed rush/oioi takes on an extra glow at sunrise and sunset. There is also a resident population of the shy but noisy fernbird”.  The Tautuku Peninsula was a former port for timber and flax exports and was the site of a whaling station.