Step Into Spring: Rediscover Tuatapere’s Tui Trails

By Mike Goodwin – Advento Photography

Winter has finally loosened its grip, and Tuatapere is waking up. The mornings are lighter, the days are longer, and the air carries that unmistakable scent of new growth. For locals, it’s the perfect time to lace up the walking shoes and remember just how lucky we are — our town is stitched together by a network of native bush tracks, each with its own charm, history, and stories. For visitors passing through, these trails offer a glimpse into why Tuatapere has long been called the hole in the bush — a name born from our deep green surroundings and the way the forest wraps itself protectively around us.

The Tui Trails link together pockets of native beauty right through the heart of town, weaving past landmarks, the Waiau River, and into quiet bush reserves where the chorus of bellbirds, tui, and fantails reminds us we’re never far from nature. You can tackle them all in one go or take them in smaller sections — there’s no wrong way to explore.

You might start at the Heritage Orchard Walk, tucked between the Lions Park and the old railway station. This newer addition to our trail network offers a mix of local history and seasonal reward — the apples growing here were grafted from pioneer orchards, and in the right season, you can pluck one straight from the branch. From there, wander toward Greenheart Reserve, aptly named for the lush plantings and mature trees that form the town’s leafy heart.

Follow the call of the Waiau and you’ll find yourself on the Alton Terrace Walk, tracing the river’s edge where early settlers once relied on a ferry crossing before the bridge came in 1915. A little further on, McLeod’s Track offers river views and a nod to a family whose roots here run deep. The tracks don’t just connect places — they connect people, past and present.

For those who love true native bush, the Domain Bush Walk is a standout. Mature podocarps tower overhead, ferns and fuchsia crowd the undergrowth, and the birdlife is some of the best you’ll hear anywhere. At dawn, the chorus is worth the early rise. From here, the adventurous can take Templeton’s Track to Lillian’s Loop — the latter a peaceful circuit through the cemetery bush named after Lillian Elder, whose name, like her husband Dr Eric Elder’s, is etched into local memory.

Elder Drive Track and Keith Thomson’s Walk round out the network, each adding their own piece to the puzzle — riverside tranquillity, carefully nurtured fern gardens, and those little moments where you stop, breathe, and think, “this is home.”

Walking the Tui Trails in spring isn’t just exercise; it’s a reminder of our heritage and the beauty that surrounds us every day. These are tracks our grandparents may have walked, where kids have climbed trees, and where visitors still marvel at just how much bush you can find in a small rural town.

If you haven’t walked them in years — or ever — now’s the time. Dust off the cobwebs, grab the kids, invite a mate, or head out solo for some peace and quiet. And if you’re passing through Tuatapere, don’t just drive on — stop, stretch your legs, and see why locals are so proud of this place.

A printed Tui Trails brochure is available and well worth picking up for its detailed map and track descriptions. (Keep an eye out at local businesses and the library — we’ll confirm exact locations soon.) Over the coming months, we’ll be featuring each track in detail in the Western Wanderer, along with photos and maps, so you can explore them one by one.

Spring has arrived. The trails are waiting. See you out there.