#1: Te Tae Omanawa Lookout. The original cache was placed further down this track on the way to the old power station. The track is now closed to the public for health and safety reasons (unstable ground / potential slips). You can see the waterfall from this lookout. For more info on the power station, see below. <\p>
We have placed the cache as close as possible to the original GZ. As the original description and hint no longer applies, we will post a screenshot in the gallery to preserve the history of this cache placement. We hope to also locate some photos of the original cache and some “before and after” photos of the track to add to the gallery.
Follow the steps uphill to #2: Wairere Tapu Lookout, approx 15min walk from the carpark. There is a great view of the falls from here (you can’t see the falls from GZ now).
Please take note of the signboard at this lookout, which states a moderate to high level of fitness is required to walk the remainder of the track (662 steps!!) to #3: Te Harikoa Lookout.
To find the replacement cache you will need to continue onward from the Wairere Tapu Lookout for a few more minutes. There is no need to go to the end of the track unless you want to.
We found there was poor cellphone coverage at GZ (we used a Garmin Etrex GPSr to average the waypoint) so here are some landmarks.
You will see a sign on the steps saying 200 steps. The cache is placed to the left of this. Go up to the next landing (the top of that flight of steps) and you will see a narrow dirt track to your left. The cache is placed in a hollow under ferns, just past a cut tree stump. As already mentioned, there are no views of the waterfall from here.
You are looking for a regular-sized black-taped screwtop container. When replaced on 26/1/24 it contained a logsheet and pencil and two trackables. We highly recommend bringing your own pen, as it’s a long way to walk back to the car if the pencil goes missing!
As there are likely to be others using the track, please be stealthy when retrieving and replacing the cache, and cover it well with sticks and natural materials.
More info on the old power station (edited from the original cache description, written in 2001):
. . . A private track through a tunnel led to the first underground hydroelectric power station in the southern hemisphere. Decommisioned in 1998 it was originally abandoned. It's since been sold to a private owner, restored and is operational again. It is unsafe to attempt access to this station by any means . . .
Additional links on the power station: 1912-1982 History, Back online, reported in media, Youtube video.
See also the historical photo links in the gallery below.
History of the Omanawa Falls track upgrade:
October 2016 Omanawa Falls
October 2017 Omanawa Falls upgrade
January 2018 NZ Herald link
December 2018 Council buys land for Omanawa Falls carpark
Deadly beauty spot Omanawa Falls May become commercial tourist attraction
December 2019 Council looking into options for Omanawa Falls
April 2021 Omanawa Falls Development (Tauranga City Council long-term plan - link removed]
June 2022 Omanawa Falls Development (update) (Tauranga City Council long-term plan - link removed)
December 2023 Omanawa Falls open to the public