The Orongorongo Valley is part of the Remutaka Forest Park, located 35km east of Wellington City. The valley has traditionally been a popular place for Wellingtonians to recreate due to its easy accessibility.

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There are many recreation opportunities suitable for a wide range of users including short walks, longer day tramps, overnight stays and hunting opportunities. See the Department of Conservation for hut bookings and more information about local tracks.

 

Native birds found in the valley include fantails, kereru (native wood pigeon) tui, tomtits, grey warblers, bellbirds, whiteheads, silver-eyes, moreporks, riflemen, kakariki, kingfishers, the occasional NZ falcon - and more recently - North Island Brown Kiwi.

 

The valley has an interesting mix of plant life from beech to mixed podocarp forest. You can see great examples of these different types when walking along the Orongorongo Track where you’ll see lush nikau palms and ferns, magical beech forest and towering podocarps like rimu and totara. In the summer months the valley also puts on a beautiful display of flowering northern rata.

 

The Remutaka Forest Park Trust run a number of conservation projects in the park including the Kiwi Project. Over 100 kiwis have been successfully released into the park and the trust run a volunteer trapping programme to help protect the kiwis.