Map & Trails

Trails

Tracks are available to walkers, mountain bikers, and horse riders. Motorised vehicles are not permitted. Horse riding is on specified tracks only. Mountain biking is discouraged on the Smiths Creek Revegetation Project tracks, as they are easily damaged; the main Hereweka Harbour Cone Trust tracks are suitable. Tracks are marked with yellow poles across open farmland terrain, and there are no formed paths.

Hereweka Harbour Cone Track

Grade: Hard
Start: Bacon Street, Broad Bay, or Highcliff Road
Summit elevation: 315 metres
Return time from Bacon Street: Approximately 2 hours
Return time from Highcliff Road: Approximately 1 hour

The main track on the property. From Bacon Street, the route climbs gradually through open farmland before crossing Highcliff Road and continuing to the summit of Harbour Cone. The final ascent is steep and rocky, going straight up through open terrain, but manageable for those with reasonable fitness.

Between Highcliff Road and the summit, the route passes several heritage features such as drystone walls and stone ruins, including the remains of the Nyhon Farmstead.

From the summit, views extend across Otago Harbour, Hoopers Inlet, Taiaroa Head, the harbour-side communities of Portobello, Broad Bay, and Port Chalmers, and the open Pacific Ocean. It is one of the best viewpoints on the entire Peninsula.

Smiths Creek / Future Forest Walk

Grade: Easy to Moderate (lower sections)
Start: Bacon Street entrance
Time: 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on route

A walk through the active Smiths Creek restoration area. The route passes thousands of individually labelled native trees planted from 2012 onwards, each marked with the planting year and donor name where applicable (species are only noted on Tree Trail trees). Features of note include the Citizenship Slope and the Elizabeth Regina Grove, the latter planted to mark the years of Queen Elizabeth II's reign, with a handcrafted seat and named track.

A tree trail has been created to help identify the species present, originally aimed at local school students but likely to be of broader interest.

Hereweka Track (Portobello Loop)

Grade: Moderate to Hard
Start: Portobello village
Type: Marked loop trail

A self-guided loop beginning from Portobello, connecting the coastal village with the elevated interior of the property. Current signage and route details are available from the Trust.

Peggys Hill Ridgeline

Grade: Hard
Access: Via track from Bacon Street (not Highcliff Road)
Summit elevation: 401 metres

Peggys Hill is the second-highest point on the property and provides 360-degree views. The track is not an HHC-marked track — it is unmaintained and largely unmarked. There is currently no access from Highcliff Road.

The north-eastern slopes contain the property's most significant moist indigenous forest, including the podocarp miro, and a high diversity of moisture-dependent fern species. This is also the zone most likely to reward patient birdwatchers.

Track Conditions Note

Tracks traverse open farmland and natural terrain and are not formed paths. Conditions can be muddy and slippery after rain, particularly on steeper sections. Appropriate footwear is essential. Access is restricted during lambing season (typically September and October) except for the lower Smiths Creek fenced area. For current information on access and conditions, contact the Trust directly.

The summit tracks are classified as ‘Hard’ under the Dunedin City Council Track Policy due to the steep terrain and sustained climbs. A reasonable level of fitness and sturdy footwear are recommended.

For those with limited time or mobility, the lower slopes accessed from Bacon Street provide opportunities to enjoy the landscape and views without undertaking the full climb.