Gunns Bush - 1.5 hour loop through native bush
Gunns Bush entrance is off Lower Hook Road, 13 kms from Waimate township
During your walk you may see and hear various bird life, such as bell birds and fantails, view native totara trees which were in abundance before the sawmills and great fire. Moss hangs from the trees giving the walkway a magaical fairyland look.
Kelceys Bush - Sanders Falls 15 - 20 minutes, Intake Track - 1.5 hours return
Kelceys Bush is 8 kms from Waimate township at the end of Mill Road
The two tracks lead walkers to differing scenery. Your walk will be rewarded with the sound and sight of bellbirds and the delightful fantails. In recent times the occasional tui has been sighted. During early evening walks wallabies may be seen.
Nearby Kelceys Bush is the Kelceys Bush Farmyard Holiday Park
The Waimate Walkway - 2.5 hour return (optional one way as the Whitehorse monument at the top is accessible by road)
The walkway track commences at the end of Point Bush Road.
Climbing grassy slopes you join an old logging track remaining from early days, pass remnants of totara forests and modern day pine plantations. The walker is rewarded with magnificant views of Waimate district to sea and mountains behind. Picnic tables are provided at the lookout.
Studholmes Bush - Opened to public April 2008
Railway Embankment Track 45 minutes each way, Waterfall Track 30 minute round trip, Bellbird Track 50 minutes, Quail Track 20 minutes, Ngaio Track 45 minutes, Round Trips 3 hours.
Carpark for walk is on SH82, 2 km from Waimate.
A 281 hectare conservation reserve opened to the public by the Gama Foundation in 2008. Studholmes Bush offers a variety of walks, one on a 2km section of former railway embankment provides a wide flat walking track with a stream and willows on one side and wetlands and regenerating bush on the other. Another option, after a steady climb, rewards the walker with magnificent views over the surrounding countryside. Native bush such as totara, lancewood, mahoe, matai and bird life including bellbird, wood pigeon, grey warbler and fantail can be seen and heard along the way.
Call into the Information Centre for a brochure on this new walking track.
Mt Nimrod - 3 - 4 hour loop track
The Mt Nimrod Reserve is located off Backline Road.
The Reserve is a remnant of mixed broadleaf forest spread over two deep and spectacular gorges feeding the White Rock River. The quite demanding track offers variety at every turning as it climbs and sidles through bush and tussock to the spectacular falls in the Nimrod Stream. From there it leads up and over a high point with magnificant views in all directions. Birds are present in good numbers and wallabies are common about the upper forest fringes. In their brief burst of yellow in the spring the many kowhai trees are a real delight.
For a brochure on 'Walks in and Around Waimate' together with a detailed map call into the Waimate Information, 75 Queen Street.