Hunua Falls, Auckland (New Zealand)

Hunua Falls, Auckland Overview

Hunua Falls are located to the West of the Hunua Ranges Regional Park in South Auckland. They are one of the most picturesque places to visit in Auckland. Often visited during the winter or summer, the Hunua waterfalls are one of the famous swimming spots in Auckland and the destination has gained an enormous amount of attention over the years.

Located around 40 kilometres from Auckland City, Hunua Falls includes many trails, ranges, and forests. The waterfall is around 30 meters high and flows into the Wairoa River, which is carved around a volcano near Clevedon's town and the destination has not only become one of the most popular attractions in South Auckland but also enticed visitors into exploring further the Hunua Ranges. It has been commercialised for both national and international travellers. Even though people spend only 2-4 hours, they are often relaxed and de-stressed.

Best Time to Visit

People often visit Hunua Falls during the first half of the year, from January to June. This is because the dry season allows visitors to have a pleasant time at the waterfalls. The best time to visit this place is in May when the temperatures are perfect for a day trip. As opposed to that, the rest of the year calls for rainfall that causes humidity to rise drastically, making it inconvenient for travellers to enjoy the Hunua Falls.

Places to Visit

There are usually two trials that people take to the waterfalls:

The falls upper lookout which is a 30-minute trail to the waterfall and back. It follows a track that is above the waterfall and involves easy signs and boards for visitors to follow.
The other trail is the Hunua Falls Lookout trail which takes a lower track across the Wairoa River. The river carves through the volcano and then meets the Hauraki Gulf.

A few attractions near the Hunua Falls are The Massey Track and Cossey Gorge Track that have the same starting trail as the Hunua Waterfall.

Things to Do

People usually just go to visit the waterfalls but there are a few activities that visitors can do.

Full-day guided tours at Hunua Falls. A few take specific routes through the waterfalls, while others go directly to the waterfalls. A lot of them are environmental tours that focus on cleaning up the track while walking on the trails. These tours can be easily found online or visitors can enrol for them on the spot as well.

Flora and Fauna

The Hunua Falls are home to a range of flora and fauna. The animals include cattle, goats, birds such as the New Zealand Pigeon, Grey Warbler, Shining Cuckoo, Morepork, etc and many rabbits, hares possums and pigs. In terms of flora, there is a wide variety of local plants such as Tawa, Kauri, Pukatea, Miro, Kahikatea, Northern Rota, Totara, and many other exquisite species of herbs, flowers and shrubs. The Hunua Forests are a great example of biodiversity and native wildlife in New Zealand.

Tips

Visitors should always carry an ID proof with them.
Visitors should wear comfortable clothes.
Visitors should be careful. There have been a few cases of people drowning in the water.
Visitors are requested to wear life jackets, especially children and those who do not know how to swim.
Visitors are requested to not disturb or interfere in the lives of the locals who live in nearby areas.
Visitors are restricted from consuming alcohol near the waterfalls
Visitors are restricted from diving or jumping into the waterfalls.
Visitors should be mindful and respectful of the flora and fauna at the Hunua Falls.
Failure of not having clear footwear, clothes or vehicles can cause visitors not being allowed to enter the waterfall.

How To Reach Hunua Falls

People often take a cab, taxi or rent a car till the end of the Hunua Falls road and take the journey to the Waterfall on-foot. Commuting throughout the Hunua region is usually by cars or buses. Car and bike rentals in Auckland and visitors can use them to travel till the Falls and back. Moreover, a few local shuttles regularly run from Auckland till the Falls. Bicycles can be rented in Auckland as well.

A few recommended places to rent vehicles from are as follows: