Tararua Forest Park, Wellington Region, New Zealand

Tararua Forest Park, often called the Tararuas is a protected area in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Its area is 116,535 ha (around 450 mi2), and its highest point, a peak called Mitre, is at 1571 m above sea level. It was established in 1954, as New Zealand’s first Forest Park, and is managed by the Department of Conservation (DOC) under the Conservation Act. Tararua Forest Park includes more than three-quarters of the Tararua Range, and its boundaries extend north from New Zealand State Highway 2.

User reviewed online profile of Tararua Forest Park: Wellington region, New Zealand. Plan your adventure holiday to Tararua Forest Park armed with information and reviews provided by experts and by users. Find out about when to go, how to get there, what to do, best season to visit, its wildlife, habitat and much more…

What to do in Tararua Forest Park:

Wild Life: Paradise Shelduck, Pipit, Spur-winged Plover, Welcome Swallow, Rifleman, Whitehead, Tomtit, Grey Warbler, Fantail, Tui, Bellbird, Kereru, North Island Kaka, Yellow-crowned Parakeet, Morepork, Skylark, Karearea, Long-tailed Bat, Short-tailed Bat, Snail, Giant Kokopu, Short-jaw Kokopu, Brown Mudfish, Torrent Fish, Koaro, Red Deer, Goat and Possum
Adventure: Tramping, Hunting, Fishing, Mountain Biking, Camping, Picnicking, Walking, Rafting, Kayaking, Swimming

Where is Tararua Forest Park:

Region: The Park extends from the Rimutaka Saddle in the south to Manawatu Gorge in the north.
Location: Carterton and Kapiti Coast districts, Wellington region, New Zealand

When & how to get to Tararua Forest Park:

Best Time to Visit: to
Getting There:

• Getting there via Holdsworth: Turn off State Highway 2 on to Norfolk Road, 2 km south of Masterton. This leads to Mount Holdsworth Road. Holdsworth is 15 km from State Highway 2. There is a daily rail connection and regular bus service between Wellington and Masterton (17 km from Holdsworth). Taxis or, for large parties, pre-booked buses, can be hired for travel between Masterton and Holdsworth.
• Getting there via Otaki Forks: Otaki Forks is the main western entrance to the Tararua Forest Park. Otaki Forks is 19 km inland from Otaki township – approx. 1½ hour drive from Wellington or Palmerston North. The easiest turn-off from State Highway 1 is at Otaki Gorge Road, just south of the State Highway 1 bridge over the Otaki River. The last 5 km of the Otaki Gorge Road is unsealed, narrow and windy – please drive carefully. There are daily bus and rail connections to Otaki township. A taxi service is available in Otaki.
• Getting there via Waiohine Gorge: Turn off State Highway 2 just south of Carterton into Dalefield Road. Follow the road signs indicating Tararua Forest Park. The road-end car park is approximately 15km from State Highway 2.

Nearest Town: Carterton
Nearest Airport: Wellington
Nearest Railway Station: Carterton

Where to stay (Lodges / Guest Houses / Camps / Resorts / Hotels):

Accommodation: There are a number of DOC campsites and many DOC huts throughout Tararua Forest Park.

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Climate & Weather conditions in Tararua Forest Park:

Temp: c to c
Rainfall: cm
Altitude: 1571 m

Other details about Tararua Forest Park:

Established: 1954
Area: 1,165 sq km
Language: English and Maori