Ms Upston walked the track with representatives of the groups involved in its development and met some of the landholders who had provided access.
New Zealand Walking Access Commission chief executive Eric Pyle welcomed the minister's interest in community trail development initiatives and public access to the outdoors.
"This visit provided an opportunity for the minister to see some of the fantastic trail development work being done by community groups in Northland, in partnership with local iwi and landholders. The Wairoa Stream Track is a great example of the work being done across the country to develop new public access for current and future generations."
Once complete, the Wairoa Stream Walking Track will start at the footbridge at the bottom of Pa Rd and Alderton Drive.
Much of the track to the waterfall is complete with work now under way to build a 12m-long bridge across the Wairoa Stream.
The bridge is expected to be complete in April, weather permitting, with the track to Te Wairere Falls due to open shortly afterwards.