Hātea Loop walkway – Huarahi o te Whai

Photo of the Hatea loop, town basin.

The Hātea Loop – Huarahi o te Whai (Pathway of Opportunity) is accessible for walking, jogging, bicycles, mobility aids, scooters and push-chairs. The entire loop circles the Hātea River.

The walkway connects Town Basin, Te Matau a Pohe, William Fraser Memorial Park, Kotuitui Whitinga, Canopy Bridge, Claphams Clocks, Town Basin playground, Reyburn House gallery, a sculpture and heritage Trail, Riverbank Theatre, Waka and Wave Millennium sculpture, and Riverside Park along the way.

Parking

The Hātea Loop – Huarahi o te Whai can be accessed from a variety of points. There is parking at Town Basin car parks, Bascule car park, and Pohe Island car park.

What to expect

  • An easy, circular, surfaced walk around the Hātea River with spectacular views of the Marina, lifting bridges, heritage panels and sculpture.
  • Dogs are welcome but must be on a leash at all times. 
  • Numerous activities including Camera Obscura, a dog agility park, family-friendly skatepark and BMX track, playgrounds and parks.
  • During business hours, there are also a variety of shops and cafes to enjoy.
  • You can also borrow a mobility scooter for free from Whangārei Art Museum to get around the Town Basin and the Loop.

A picture showing some accessibility users (wheelchair, a child on bike, people walking) on the Hatea Loop.

You can view a map of the walkway which includes the location of activities, sculptures, public toilets, carparks and other facilities.

Hātea Loop walkway map(PDF, 155KB)

Read more about the historical significance of the heritage trail on the following page.

Town Basin heritage and sculpture trail

Hātea Loop

Grade:         1
Time:           60 minutes (whole loop)
Distance:    4.2 km

  • Multi-use trail loop around the inner harbour, including the Town Basin marina, two lifting bridges and a sculpture and heritage trail
  • Crosses three bridges with numerous activities on the way
  • Fully-accessible.

Location

Reyburn House Lane, Whangārei 0110  View Map

Google Map