Mōkau Historical Township Walk

Please note this is a self-guided walk

Download the Pamphlet (MAP)

You start the tour from the Mōkau Museum

A) MOKAU MUSEUM – Started by the Whittaker Family in their store down the road. As the museum grew the community came together and built the current museum building in 1994. Since then, it has grown with the addition of the old School Dental Clinic and the original jail, built in 1878 by Mr Edward Gough, the local Undertaker. Come here to play or listen to a pianola, watch movies in the Jailhouse Theatre, and browse around the many displays.

B) LOOKOUT ABOVE DAIRY FACTORY – cross the State Highway safely and walk to the steps to look down onto the Dairy Factory and Te Kauri Road

C) LOOKOUT – Walk to the top of the cliff at the end of Takarei Tce to look across to the Flowerpot, the bridge, and the river mouth.

WALK THROUGH THE BAMBOO PLANTATION – After coming out of the bamboo plantation check out the walkway down to the sand where you will walk past a waterfall, and into the Butter Cave (as long as the tide is out)! There are steps opposite the Butter Cave that will take you up to Tokopapa Street. The Butter Cave gets its name from when the dairy factory was first built the butter was stored in the cave until chiller storage was built.

D) LOOKOUT – Tokopapa Street gives a great vantage point to view the stone formation known as the Flowerpot which is also a top-rated local swimming site. You can also see the butter cave and waterfall from this vantage point.

E) POINT ROAD STEPS – Walk down these steps to get to the river mouth. Turn left at the bottom of the steps to go to the Butter Cave, or turn right to go up the coast toward Awakino.

F) MEMORIAL SEAT – A seat has been placed here in memory of John McIndoe (Black Mac). This seat looks across the sea towards the White Cliffs, and Mount Taranaki.

G) DRIVEABLE TRACK TO THE SAND – Gravel track that can be used to walk or drive down to the sea/sand. Ideally, 4x4 vehicles use this track.

H) MOKAU CEMETERY - resting place of many ‘identities’. You can also look down to the beach where the beach races were held. They went from 1925 until c1998.

I) MOKAU MINE – In 1942 the mine washed up on the shore. It is known as the ‘German Mine’ but was later discovered to be one of our own.