Port Robinson walkway. (updated 2021)

The name "Port Robinson walkway" is a bit of a misnomer these days.

Prior to the Cave Creek tragedy (1995), the Department of Conservation used to maintain a walking track stretching from Gore Bay to the Hurunui River mouth. Signs, marker posts and rudimentary maintainance was done to keep the track in reasonable condition. Since that time, DOC appear only interested in projects that involve 4 lane wooden boardwalks and structures which support Centurion tanks and for fear of being sued or out of sheer bloody mindedness have abandoned many tracks which include this walkway.

The current evolution of the original track now starts at Manuka Bay beach at the bottom of Manuka Bay Road which cuts through private land through a gate to the beach. The road is maintained by the local council to a minimum state, but as long as you are careful, most vehicles will negotiate it without a problem. The track starts at the bottom where the road takes a sharp left along the beach.

The track which runs south to the Hurunui River mouth is maintained by volunteers and is about 5kms in length. At the river end, negotiations with the land owner has allowed the track to link through. This has only been possible in the last couple of years. Walkers are asked to be mindful that it is private land and treat it and any stock they come across with respect.

For the hardy souls one can start from Gore Bay by walking along the low tide mark walking along the beach to the south end and clambering around the rocks past Port Robinson. The coastline is heavy shingle and rocks and good footwear is required. It can only be done at low tide which is why I am including tide tables on this site. This photo taken at high tide shows the route looking back to Gore Bay. All evidence of the activity Port Robinson was involved with has long disappeared into the sea.

There used to be an alternative route to start the walk from a track at the end of Port Robinson Rd. This track was (and still is) used by surfies to get to the shoreline and also continued over farmland to Manuka Bay to join up with either the beach or the top of the access road. Erosion has destroyed most of the formed pathways and the easiest route is to stick to the shoreline all the way at low tide. There is a large colony of seals occupying the shoreline between the north end of Manuka Bay and around the corner to where the Port Robinson slipway used to be.

If anyone has a recent update the surfers track to the beachand happy to share them with others, email them to postmaster@portrobinson.nz and I will post it on this site. I'm too old to attempt these days!