Five NZ adventures for families this autumn

Discover five unique outdoor activities perfect for keeping the kids active this autumn. Photo / 123rf

Skip the urban strolls this autumn and head for the hills. Lofty family adventures offer a bird’s-eye-view of nature and the kids will love it, writes Ceana Priest.

Test the family’s mettle by tackling nerve-jangling lookouts above cascading waterfalls or eavesdropping on kōkako while perched atop swaying forest towers. These five short autumn adventures should get even the most reluctant kids outdoors before winter hibernation sets in.

Te Rere o Ōmanawa / Ōmanawa Falls | Ōmanawa

Take your pick from multiple lookout platforms dangling above the Ōmanawa Valley for panoramic views of these 35-metre-high falls. Access to the falls, about 20 minutes from Tauranga, was reopened in late 2023 and now includes a healthy dose of stairs – about 750 steps - to the furthest vantage points, but the views are worth it. Wander along raised boardwalks and pathways that follow a historic track which accessed the Southern Hemisphere’s first underground hydropower station, the Ōmanawa Falls Power Station. For a mini-adventure, there’s a two-minute-long ecology loop near the car park; watch for toutouwai/North Island robin and kererū/wood pigeon lurking in the forest canopy. There’s no access to the base of the falls for safety reasons.

Need to know: Walking only. Allow from 30 min to a couple of hours. No dogs. No swimming. 1031 Ōmanawa Rd, Ōmanawa. Open between 8am and 7.30pm (daylight savings) and 8am to 5.30pm in winter.

The Ōmanawa Falls, at 35 metres high, offer breathtaking views from multiple lookout platforms after a vigorous climb of approximately 750 steps.

Meads Wall | Mount Ruapehu

Head to the mountains before snow blankets the slopes of Mount Ruapehu for a dose of movie magic amidst volcanic peaks and rugged landscapes. From Iwikau Village, walk beneath the Sky Waka and follow the markers to the ridgeline, where Mount Ngauruhoe, aka Mount Doom, was first spotted by Frodo in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Even though it’s a short adventure, come prepared for alpine conditions with warm clothes and a rain jacket. Bring snacks to enjoy while surveying the raw aftermath of landscapes ravaged by volcanic forces.

Need to know: Walking only. Allow 30 min return. No dogs. Cafe, toilets and gondola rides available. Parking at Iwikau Village. 6km from Whakapapa Village.

Meads Wall at Mount Ruapehu doubles as a movie magic site, famously featured in "The Lord of the Rings" as Mount Doom.

Yarndley’s Bush | SH3 Te Awamutu

Follow the sloping pasture to the edge of the dark forest, where a looping pathway disappears under the dense canopy. Boardwalks wind past kahikatea root buttresses, surrounded by regenerating native plants thriving on the forest floor. About halfway around the loop, a viewing tower disappears skyward into the trees. Clamber up the stairs for forest views and, on breezy days, it’s a perfect spot for kids to lounge on the seating platform and listen to the eerie symphony of creaking trees swaying above. During prehistoric times, vast swamps covered this area, with swooping pterodactyls nibbling on the fleshy seeds of kahikatea trees. The boardwalk continues past towering kahikatea, with some exceeding 35 metres, survivors from the Jurassic period.

Need to know: Walking only. Allow 45 min for the loop. No toilets. Dogs on leads. Turn off SH3 onto Ngāroto Rd between Hamilton and Te Awamutu. The entrance is about 1.4 km on the left; however, the car park is about 180 metres on the right.

Yarndley’s Bush is home to towering kahikatea trees, some of which reach up to 35 metres and date back to the Jurassic period.

Karangahake Windows Walk | Karangahake Gorge

After being closed for more than a year due to storm damage, this kid-friendly gem has reopened. Peer through “windows” carved into historic mining tunnels, creating pockets of light and giving lofty views of the gorge. From the car park, cross the suspension bridges over the Ōhinemuri and Waitawheta Rivers before climbing the stairs and following the tramline as it passes the hulking concrete ruins of the Talisman battery. The trail gives a glimpse into gold fever which swept the gorge in the 1900s, covering it in a maze of trams, water races and pipelines.

Need to know: Allow 60 min (2.5 km) return for the loop. Or, allow 15 min one way just to the windows. Toilets available. No dogs. Karangahake Domain SH2 between Paeroa and Waihi.

The Karangahake Windows Walk allows explorers to peek into the area's gold mining past through windows carved into historic mining tunnels. Photo / Alan Gibson

Forest Tower Track | Pureora Forest Park

Clamber up a 12-metre-high tower for a bird’s-eye view of a vast forest saved by eco-warriors. See where protestors wedged makeshift platforms into weathered trees perched high above the forest floor in 1978, protesting against rampant logging within Pureora Forest Park. It’s an easy walk to the tower, with plenty of breaks to read the signs about the plucky protestors. At the final corner, the wooden tower looms ahead. From the top, listen out for the haunting call of the kōkako, which has a growing population here. For explorers jittery about heights, it’s still worth walking to the tower’s base to learn about the area’s fascinating conservation history.

Need to know: Walking and buggies only. Allow 30 min return. No toilets. No dogs. From Barryville Road off SH30 southwest of Mangakino, take Pikiariki Rd, then Bismarck Rd.

The Forest Tower Track in Pureora Forest Park. Photo / Outdoor Kid

Ceana Priest is the author of the Outdoor Kid Auckland and Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Central Plateau guidebooks; outdoorkid.co.nz