Poukawa: Farm Tour, Wetlands and Culture

Poukawa brings together a guided farm tour, cultural traditions and natural features from the surrounding area. Kahikatea Farm is in the town; Lake Poukawa and other landscape and historical sites add to the picture of the region.

Farm Tour and Cultural Traditions

Kahikatea Farm covers 16 acres in the Poukawa Valley in Hawke’s Bay. Its guided tour takes visitors through gardens and a food forest, and introduces permaculture and ecological principles. This combination of garden and food forest makes the tour especially interesting for anyone interested in these design principles. Dates and prices may change. Before planning, check with the provider for current dates and prices, and to confirm whether the tour is available.

The town’s name also has a traditional explanation: “pou” means post, while “kawa” is understood as a term for lean or tasteless eels. The pepeha of Kahuranaki Marae refers to Poukawa as “te waiu” and serves as a cultural summary of whakapapa and traditional cultural boundaries. The traditional interpretations of the name thus bring together different aspects of cultural history.

Lake Poukawa and the Pekapeka Area

Lake Poukawa, a large, shallow lake covering 195 hectares, lies near Poukawa. It supports a traditional Māori eel fishery. In normal weather conditions, the water level can fluctuate considerably; water flows north through the Pekapeka Wetland. The lake therefore combines a striking landscape feature with a traditional use.

The Pekapeka Wetlands offer walking tracks and information panels, as well as opportunities to observe native waterbirds, including the rare Australasian Bittern. The Pekapeka Wetland has held wāhi tapu status under the Historic Places Act 1993 since 1997.

Pekapeka Regional Park is 4.5 kilometres long, 800 metres wide and covers 98 hectares. A central area is open to the public, with tracks and boardwalks, as well as a lookout offering panoramic views across the valley. Check current conditions before visiting. The park is home to the protected New Zealand Dabchick and Australasian Bittern; the Australasian Bittern is considered very rare. The plant life includes more than 82 species, including native and introduced plants, as well as weed species.

Burma Road offers another perspective on the landscape. It climbs for 4 kilometres through the Orangihukai Valley to the ridge of the Raukawa Range. From there, panoramic views extend over the Lake Poukawa basin and the surrounding hills.

History in the Surrounding Area

At Te Wheao Pa, near Te Hauke School, young chiefs from the area were taught culture and warfare. The original Greenhill Homestead, on the road towards Bridge Pa, is also linked to a historical overnight stay: members of royal families stayed there during visits to New Zealand.

More Travel Ideas in Hastings District

Hastings’ Heritage Trails lead through cultural, historical and scenic highlights in Hastings District. They are open year-round, free to access and do not require a booking. For a different way to explore, the Hawke’s Bay Trails are among New Zealand’s 23 Great Rides: their 200 kilometres of easy-to-ride cycle paths run through Hastings District and Napier.

In Hastings District, visitors can drive along Te Mata Peak Road to the summit of Te Mata Peak. Cornwall Park is home to the Osmanthus Garden, a traditional Chinese-style garden with a large pond, pavilions, Friendship Bridge, Crooked Bridge, bamboo and fragrant osmanthus plants. Also in Hastings District, Frimley Park is an English-style landscape park reserve with more than 5,500 roses in formal gardens. Its playground features, among other things, bongo drums, speaking tubes, a wheelchair-accessible carousel, swings, slides, a climbing rope structure and a scooter track.

Choose the Right Place to Stay

Discover more destinations: Tuki Tuki, Karamu, Te Awanga, Clive, Hastings, Clifton, Maraekakaho, Kahuranaki.

For the main travel overview: Hastings District.