Gisborne Historic Walkabout

Lace up your good walking shoes, bundle up, and get ready to head out on a leisurely walkabout along New Zealand’s coastline in the town of Gisborne. Depending on your pace and the sites where you choose to linger, this excursion can take anywhere from 1 to 3 hours to complete. It can be started anywhere on the trail, however, the Gisborne Information Centre is a great place to start (209 Grey St). There, you will be able to gather information which will help to enrich your walkabout experience, as well as directions on how to reach the trail. This is a no-cost opportunity to learn a bit of the area’s history.

As you make your way down to the trail, you’ll be able to identify several historic landmarks based on the information gathered from this website and the Information Centre. The pathway will lead you down to the Taruheru River and along the riverbanks. Several benches are found along the path for you to sit, rest your feet, and take in the scenery.

From here, you’ll have two options. The first option will take you along the riverbank and afford you a spectacular view of the harbor, Kaiti Hill and a World War I memorial dedicated to the freezing workers. You’ll also encounter historic statues, a restored steam engine, and the majestic white cliffs of Te Kuri a Paoa (aka Young Nick’s Head) before arriving back at the Information Centre.

The second option is a shorter excursion which takes you more through town past historical landmarks and buildings before heading back up to the Information Centre.
Whichever path you decide to take will leave you feeling closer to the land and its people. Happy tramping!