Pekapeka Regional Park: Wetland Boardwalks South of Hastings
Photo: “Pekapeka Swamp 11” by Rudolph89, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Park at a glance
- Region
- Hawke's Bay
- Location
- South of Hastings on SH2
- Managed by
- Hawke's Bay Regional Council
- Dogs
- No dogs
- Camping
- No
Overview
Pekapeka Regional Park, also called the Pekapeka wetlands, is one of the few remaining large wetlands in Hawke's Bay. The swamp is 4.5 km long and 800 m wide and covers 98 hectares. The Department of Conservation ranked it the second most ecologically valuable wetland in Hawke's Bay. It has had wāhi tapu status since 1997, reflecting its cultural significance.
The name probably comes from the bats (pekapeka) that once lived in nearby caves. Tree roots found beneath the peat suggest the wetland was forested more than 10,000 years ago.
Since the late 1990s, Pekapeka has been the focus of a major restoration project. It aims to improve the wetland's ability to absorb floodwaters and to bring back biodiversity, with plantings by school children, duck shooters and many volunteers.
Getting there
- Location: On SH2, 12 km south of Hastings, 26 km from Napier and 36.5 km from Waipukurau
- It's on the Middle Road Heritage Trail.
- Take care turning in and out, because this is a busy highway.
Things to do
Boardwalks and the lookout
Public access is to the central area of the wetland. Paths and boardwalks lead to a lookout with panoramic views of the valley. Across the boardwalk from the lookout is a reflection area with seating, created with CanTeen, the teen cancer support organisation.
Birdwatching
Look for NZ dabchick, little black shag, white-faced heron, grey teal, marsh crake, spotless crake, pied stilt, shining cuckoo, ruru (morepork) and kingfisher. If you're very lucky, you might see the Australasian bittern, which is very rare. More than 82 plant species grow in the wetland.
For years Pekapeka was used as an illegal dump. Rubble from the demolished Pacific and Mayfair hotels has been deliberately left exposed as a reminder of how wetlands were once treated.
Rules and facilities
- No dogs, because of the wildlife
- No toilets
- Closed on the first weekend of May each year for game bird shooting
- Picnic areas and tables are available. Take your rubbish home.
In the height of summer the wetland can smell of hydrogen sulphide. That's actually a good sign: it means the wetland is working, releasing nutrients as gases.
Where is Pekapeka Regional Park?
The pin marks: Centre of the park area (-39.7222, 176.7703). It isn't an entrance or car park, so check the council's park page for access points before you go. Plan a route on OpenStreetMap (opens in a new tab).
Location data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0).
Check before you go
Track closures, gate times, fire bans and storm damage change often. Hawke's Bay Regional Council posts current alerts for Pekapeka Regional Park on its official park page.
Current park alerts