Located in the Western Bay of Plenty, near Te Puke, Pāpāmoa Hills Cultural Heritage Regional Park is a 135 hectare property explored and enjoyed by thousands of visitors each month.
The summit is 224 metres above sea level and offers sweeping views of the Bay of Plenty coastline. There are several tracks through the park which can be used to enjoy the views and explore the numerous archaeological features, including seven pa sites.
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Getting there
From Tauranga
20 kilometres - 20 minutes
Travel east on State Highway 2 towards Pāpāmoa. Take the Domain Road exit from State Highway 2.
Continue on Pacific Coast Highway/Te Puke Highway to Poplar Lane. Turn right into Poplar Lane.
From Rotorua
65 kilometres - 45 minutes
Take State Highway 33 from to Pacific Coast Highway/Te Puke Highway in Paengaroa.
Follow Pacific Coast Highway to Poplar Lane in Pāpāmoa. Turn left from State Highway 2 into Poplar Lane.
From Whakatāne
80 kilometres - 60 minutes
Follow State Highway 2 to Pacific Coast Highway/State Highway 30 near Paengaroa.
Follow Pacific Coast Highway to Poplar Lane in Pāpāmoa. Turn left from State Highway 2 into Poplar Lane.
Walking tracks
Walking trails are Pāpāmoa Hills Cultural Heritage Regional Park's main feature. Take a stroll through the farmland and enjoy the panoramic coastal views.
The main and most well-known walking track is from the carpark, located on Poplar Lane, to the trig station (at 224 metres). This track leads through pine forest, native bush and open grassland and showcases the terracing on several pa sites and breathtaking views from the top. It takes about 45 minutes and rises relatively steeply. You will find an information board at the car park that provides further information about the park.
There are several other tracks which allow you to explore the cultural heritage of the park and make the most of the expansive views, with most tracks leading you to each of the six pa sites within the Park boundary.
Park Rules
Due to the high number of archaeological and cultural sites located within the Pāpāmoa Hills Cultural Heritage Regional Park activites have been restricted to passive recreation.
- No dogs permitted at all times.
- No camping.
- No motorbikes.
- No mountain biking.
- No horse trekking.
- No fires.
- Rubbish free park - care for our environment and take your rubbish home with you.
Things to note
- Remember sunscreen and a hat for sunny days and although most tracks are well formed, good walking shoes are recommended, as is a reasonable level of fitness.
- Take a bottle of water with you as there is no drinking water supply in the Park.
- There is an information board at the car park that provides further information about using the park.
- The Park is also an operational farm. Remember to always leave gates the way you found them.
The Pāpāmoa Hills Upgrade project is scheduled for implementation in 2021, which will see the entrance upgraded and landscaped with increased capacity and better safety features, improved interpretation and signs and improved recognition of the cultural and historic features of the park.
