Castle Rock (Motutere)
Motutere
A solitary volcanic plug in the middle of the peninsula. A short, steep track to the top offers excellent views of the bays on both coasts.
Castle Rock is the lava plug of an ancient volcano, rising about 521 metres above sea level. Turn off Highway 309 onto a gravel side road to reach the car park. The round trip to the summit takes about 1.5 to 2 hours, and the final section requires scrambling with hands and feet, aided by chains. From the top you can see Coromandel Harbour and Mercury Bay. The road is gravel and muddy after rain, and it is not suitable for motorhomes.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Waiau Falls & Kauri Grove (309 Road)
- Coromandel Town
- Driving Creek Railway
- New Chums Beach (Wainuiototo)
- Matarangi Beach
- Whitianga
- Shakespeare Cliff Lookout & Lonely Bay
- Cooks Beach