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Hurunui District
3 km
2 hours
125 metres
Nestled along the rugged and beautiful coastline of the Hurunui District, the Tweedies Gully Walk has long been a cherished secret among locals and a rewarding discovery for visitors to Gore Bay. This trail offers a quintessential North Canterbury experience: a climb through lush native forest that opens up to sweeping, salt-sprayed views of the Pacific Ocean.
However, before we dive into the magic of this track, there is an important update for any budding adventurers. Nature is a powerful force in New Zealand, and following significant flooding and storm damage in 2022, the Tweedies Gully Walk is currently closed indefinitely. The terrain remains unstable, and slips have made the path unsafe for public use. While we wait for the environment to heal and for potential track repairs in the future, we’ve put together this guide to celebrate what makes this walk so special and to provide some historical context for this local gem.
When it was open, the Tweedies Gully Walk was a classic "out and back" experience that packed a lot of variety into its 3-kilometre length. Starting near the coast at Gore Bay, the track led you into a 63-hectare reserve that felt a world away from the nearby holiday homes.
The journey began with a gradual but steady climb. For the first half of the walk, you were enveloped by a dense canopy of native bush. The air here was always cool and damp, smelling of moss and wet earth. The dominant feature of this forest is the Kānuka, which creates a fine, lace-like ceiling overhead. The track itself was largely formed from clay; on a dry day, it provided a firm, earthy staircase, but after a typical Canterbury southerly, it could become famously "greasy." Navigating the muddy sections was all part of the fun, requiring a bit of footwork and the occasional grab of a nearby branch for balance.
As you gained elevation—roughly 125 metres in total—the environment began to shift. The tall trees started to thin out, and the "gully" aspect of the walk became more apparent as you climbed toward the ridgeline. For the final few hundred metres, the bush fell away entirely, replaced by open tussock grassland. This transition was always the most exciting part of the hike; the sudden exposure to the bright Canterbury sun and the refreshing (or bracing!) coastal breeze signalled that you were nearly at the top. The trail culminated at a well-placed lookout point, where the sense of enclosure from the forest was replaced by an immense sense of scale.
There is no designated car park. Parking was typically available on the verge of the road beside the start of the track, accessed from Gore Bay.
Get DirectionsKeep an eye out for these native and local bird species along the trail
Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae
New Zealand wood pigeon, a large native bird with iridescent green and purple plumage. Important for seed dispersal of native trees.
Best time: Year-round
Rhipidura fuliginosa
Small insectivorous bird with distinctive fan-shaped tail. Friendly and curious, often following walkers through the bush.
Best time: Year-round
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Out and back
The undisputed crown jewel of the Tweedies Gully Walk was the panoramic view from the summit lookout. Standing at the top, you were treated to a breathtaking vista of Pegasus Bay. On a clear day, the coastline stretched out in a shimmering arc, with the blue of the Pacific meeting the horizon in a seamless blur. It was the perfect spot to watch the white foam of the breakers hitting the shore far below.
A sturdy wooden picnic bench sat at the lookout, and it was practically a local tradition to stop here for a thermos of tea or a sandwich. From this vantage point, you could truly appreciate the rugged geography of the Hurunui coastline, characterised by its dramatic cliffs and hidden bays.
Another highlight was the sheer density of the Kānuka forest in the lower sections. In late spring and early summer, the white blossoms could make the canopy look as though it had been dusted with a light frosting of snow. For photographers, the contrast between the deep greens of the gully and the brilliant turquoise of the ocean provided endless opportunities for that perfect "Kiwi summer" shot.
Gore Bay is located about 8 kilometres from the township of Cheviot, roughly an hour and a half’s drive north of Christchurch. To find the trailhead, you would drive down into the Gore Bay settlement and follow the road along the beach.
There was no formal, paved car park for the walk. Instead, hikers would park their vehicles on the wide grass verge of the road near the start of the track. It was a humble beginning for such a scenic trail, marked simply by a DOC sign pointing the way into the trees. Because Gore Bay is a relatively quiet spot outside of the peak Christmas holidays, finding a space was rarely an issue.
The Tweedies Gully reserve is a haven for native birdlife, and the walk was often accompanied by a constant soundtrack of chirps, whistles, and the distinctive "whoosh" of wings.
The best time for birdwatching was always early morning or late afternoon when the birds were most active and the light was soft.
The area around Gore Bay and Cheviot is steeped in history and geological interest. The most famous nearby landmark is the Cathedral Cliffs, just a short drive from the Tweedies Gully trailhead. These towering siltstone pillars were formed by thousands of years of erosion and look like something out of a gothic cathedral—hence the name.
The Hurunui region itself was historically a significant area for both Māori and early European settlers. For Ngāi Tahu, the coastline provided a rich "mahinga kai" (food gathering area). Later, in the 19th century, Cheviot became famous as the "Ready Money" Robinson estate, one of the largest and most successful sheep stations in the country.
The closure of the Tweedies Gully Walk is a poignant reminder of the "dynamic" nature of the New Zealand landscape. This part of the coast is geologically young and constantly shifting. While the 2022 floods were a setback, they are part of the ongoing story of how the land here is shaped by water and weather.
Once the descent was finished, the best way to reward yourself was to head back into Cheviot. This friendly rural town has a great vibe for hikers.
While we wait for the day the Tweedies Gully Walk might reopen, we can still appreciate the rugged beauty of Gore Bay from the shore and look forward to the time when we can once again climb through the Kānuka to see the Pacific stretching out toward the horizon.
Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae
Endemic New Zealand honeyeater with distinctive white throat tuft and iridescent plumage. Known for its complex and beautiful song.
Best time: Year-round
Anthornis melanura
Endemic songbird with bell-like calls. Males are olive-green with a purple head sheen; females are browner with a narrow white-yellow stripe across the cheek.
Best time: Year-round
Gerygone igata
Small greyish songbird also known as Riroriro. Has a distinctive trembling song often heard before seen.
Best time: Year-round