Last updated November 2026
Kahikatea, also known as white pine, gives this small Tangoio valley reserve its name. White Pine Bush Scenic Reserve protects 19 hectares of bush beside State Highway 2, about 30 km north of Napier, and the Department of Conservation presents it as a piece of New Zealand’s remaining coastal forest.
Two easy loops run through it: an 800 m short loop of about 30 minutes that DOC lists as suitable for prams and wheelchairs, and a 1.6 km longer loop of about 40 minutes past large kahikatea to a view over parts of the reserve.
A stream and a small waterfall can be seen from the track, and there are picnic tables at the top of the short loop. The reserve lies about 39 km from the Hastings centre in a straight line.
Practical Information
- Location
- State Highway 2 in the Tangoio valley, about 30 km north of Napier (DOC Tūtira area)
- Distance from the city
- About 39 km from Hastings in a straight line
- Size
- 19 hectares of bush (DOC)
- Walking times
- Short loop 800 m, about 30 min; longer loop 1.6 km, about 40 min
- Facilities
- Two picnic tables at the top of the short loop; bridges and educational panels along the track
- Managed by
- Department of Conservation
- Status
- Department of Conservation: White Pine Bush Scenic Reserve walks page
About White Pine Bush Scenic Reserve
Kahikatea is the main tree here, and DOC notes a stand of nīkau palms as well; the short loop passes what DOC calls a towering nīkau grove. The Maungaharuru-Tangitū Trust lists a wider mix in the forest: mataī, tītoki, rewarewa, tawa, kawakawa, porokaiwhiri and māhoe alongside the kahikatea and nīkau.
The short loop has several bridges and educational panels. DOC suggests walking it anticlockwise, because that way more of it runs downhill. The longer loop carries on above the picnic area past some of the biggest kahikatea; that upper section is not suitable for prams or wheelchairs.
Native birdsong can be heard from the picnic tables, and the trust names kererū, tūī, korimako (bellbird) and ruru (morepork) among the birds of the reserve. In the stream, DOC says, small fish, eels and koura (freshwater crayfish) are sometimes seen.
One plant to give a wide berth is ongaonga, the giant stinging nettle. DOC warns against touching it, especially in summer when it puts on new growth, and points out that nettles are the only food of the red admiral butterfly.
Mana Whenua and History
The Maungaharuru-Tangitū Trust describes White Pine Bush and nearby Tangoio Falls Scenic Reserve as having great spiritual, historical and cultural importance to the hapū Ngāti Marangatūhetaua (Ngāti Tū), Ngāti Kurumōkihi and Ngāi Te Ruruku. It calls the two reserves “the last bastion of ngahere within the Tangoio valley”.
Into the early twentieth century the bush was valued for pikopiko (young fern shoots), poroporo and wild gooseberries, along with miro and kiekie berries, and the trust says kererū were still plentiful here in the twentieth century.
An account of Hawke’s Bay scenic reserves held by the Hawke’s Bay Knowledge Bank traces the reserve to the Purahotangiha Block, Māori land in the Tangoio valley that passed to the Crown by 1915 and was largely used to settle discharged soldiers on farms.
The reserve was set aside in 1923, first as the Tangoio Stream Scenic Reserve, and later took the local name White Pine Bush. The same account says fencing to keep stock out stalled after the 1931 earthquake and was finished with a government subsidy approved in 1935.
Getting There
The reserve is on State Highway 2 north of Napier, in DOC’s Tūtira area, which also takes in Lake Tūtira, made a bird sanctuary in 1929, and Tangoio Falls Scenic Reserve. From Hastings, the way is north through Napier and then up State Highway 2. DOC rates both walks easy, each taking under an hour.
Where to Learn More
Department of Conservation: White Pine Bush Scenic Reserve walks: reserve information, walk times and status. Track information: Crown Copyright: Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai 2026. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Maungaharuru-Tangitū Trust: White Pine Bush and Tangoio Falls scenic reserves: the hapū connection to the two Tangoio valley reserves, their forest and birds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is White Pine Bush Scenic Reserve?
Beside State Highway 2 in the Tangoio valley, about 30 km north of Napier and about 39 km from Hastings in a straight line.
How long are the walks?
The short loop is 800 m and takes about 30 minutes. The longer loop is 1.6 km and takes about 40 minutes.
Can I take a pram or wheelchair?
DOC lists the short loop as suitable for prams and wheelchairs. The section of the longer loop above the picnic area is not.
Why is it called White Pine Bush?
White pine is another name for kahikatea, the main tree in the reserve.
What wildlife might I see?
DOC mentions native birdsong at the picnic tables and small fish, eels and koura in the stream. The Maungaharuru-Tangitū Trust names kererū, tūī, bellbird and morepork.
Is there anything to watch out for?
Giant stinging nettle (ongaonga) grows in the reserve. DOC advises against touching it, especially in summer.
Who looks after the reserve?
The Department of Conservation manages it. The Maungaharuru-Tangitū Trust describes it as important to the hapū Ngāti Marangatūhetaua (Ngāti Tū), Ngāti Kurumōkihi and Ngāi Te Ruruku.
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