Murals, haiku carved into stone and a museum in the old fire station give Katikati an artistic and historical character. There are also trails with different levels of challenge, from an easy walk around town to longer hikes in the Kaimai Range. You can shape your stay around local art, nature or both.
Art and history in Katikati
The Haiku Pathway & Katikati Murals Walk is an easy walking route through Katikati. Haiku poems are carved into stones along the Uretara Stream. If you’d like to learn more about the town’s history, the Western Bay Museum features collections, interactive experiences and carefully curated exhibitions. They tell the story of tangata whenua and the settlers who built up the Western Bay.
The Western Bay Museum is housed in the historic old fire station at 32 Main Road. It welcomes walk-in visitors, and entry is free. Opening hours are Monday to Friday, 10 am to 4 pm, and weekends and public holidays, 11 am to 3 pm. Check opening hours and admission information before you arrive.
Every two years, Katikati hosts the NZ Mural Contest & Art Festival. It can last for a week or a month, and involves numerous art forms and community groups. As the exact festival dates vary, it’s worth checking the dates for your travel period.
The art centre The Art Junction is home to the small Junction Theatre, with sofas and theatre-style seating. Its regular programme includes films, concerts and theatre performances. If you’re planning to attend on a particular evening, check the specific dates, as schedules may change.
Compare walking trails and hikes
For a flat waterside walk, try the Bird Walk, also known as the Yeoman Walkway. The waterfront and estuary trail runs alongside the Uretara Stream, with opportunities for birdwatching and views of the harbour along the way. This makes it different from the Haiku Pathway, whose carved poems give it a distinctive connection to local art.
The Sentinel Rock Lookout Track on Hot Springs Road in Katikati leads through forest to a lookout. The return trip is about 6 km. A longer hike is the Te Rereatukahia Loop Track: the 14 km circuit connects Hot Springs Road with Te Rereatukahia Hut and takes about seven hours as a return trip. The Motutapere Hut Walk on Hot Springs Road is about 11 km long and considered a more challenging hike in the Kaimai Range. The different distances, times and trail characteristics can help you choose between them.
Destinations north and south of Katikati also offer different types of trails. About 5 km north, the Tuapiro Point Foreshore Walk has beach and forest tracks. Just south of Katikati, the Tuahu Kauri Track leads on a 20-minute return walk to a protective boardwalk around one of the largest mature kauri trees in the Bay of Plenty. Waitekohekohe Recreational Park is about 15 minutes south of Katikati. It has walking trails, mountain bike tracks graded from 1 to 4, more than 6 km of horse-riding trails, and swimming spots on Waitekohe Stream.
Getting oriented and local experiences
The Katikati Visitor Information Centre is located at Arts Junction in the heart of Katikati. Travellers can get maps, brochures and information there. This can help you decide between a walk around town and longer trails in the surrounding area.
For a culinary highlight, the Katikati Cuisine Trail offers the chance to meet local artisan food producers. Visitors can sample their products on site. Art, local history, trails and producer visits offer different ways to shape your stay, without having to fit every experience into a single itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Tahawai, Whakamarama, Aongatete, Te Puna, Pyes Pa, Lower Kaimai, Pukehina, Waihi Beach
For the overview of the wider area: Western-Bay-Of-Plenty-District.
