Waiau Falls & Kauri Grove (309 Road)
Waiau Kauri Grove
Beside the gravel Highway 309 that crosses the peninsula, there are kauri groves hundreds of years old and Waiau Falls, along with the free-roaming '309 pigs'.
Highway 309 connects Coromandel town and Whitianga, passing Waiau Falls (about a five-minute walk from the road) and the Kauri Grove track (about 30 minutes return). In the forest you can see huge kauri trees and a 'Siamese Kauri' whose trunks look like conjoined twins. To prevent kauri dieback, clean your shoes before and after entering the track and stay on the path. The highway is gravel, with many narrow, winding and steep sections, so drive with care.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Castle Rock (Motutere)
- Coromandel Town
- Driving Creek Railway
- New Chums Beach (Wainuiototo)
- Whitianga
- Square Kauri
- Matarangi Beach
- Shakespeare Cliff Lookout & Lonely Bay