Path of progress: Motu Trails, Opotiki

How a decade-old cycle trail is delighting both tourists and the local community contributing to its success.

WORDS Sue Hoffart PHOTOS Jim Robinson, Neil Robert Hutton + Cam Mackenzie

A scenic dunes trail that has resolved a watery paradox for the coastal town of Opōtiki is proving a massive drawcard for both locals and tourists.

Ancient waka travellers and modern-day boat owners have always been able to access the ocean by way of twin rivers that wrap around the Eastern Bay of Plenty township. But it took a cycle trail and handsome suspension bridge spanning Otara River to connect walkers, joggers and bikers with the gloriously long stretch of coastline on their doorstep.

Most of the spectacular Motu Trails cycleway network lies inland, where rugged grade three and four tracks attract hardy mountain bikers keen to test themselves on backcountry roads and steep forest trails. Collectively, they range over 30km of track and more than 150km of gravel and backcountry roads. The most mellow section, though, begins with a pedestrian bridge on the northern edge of town and a delightfully scenic, undulating gravel track running parallel to the shoreline.

Increasing popularity

It is this 9km grade two “dunes trail” that has given the town its beach, according to tourism operator and local resident Volker Grindel. The decade-old trail has become increasingly popular with Opotiki people and visitors.

“Before, everyone needed a car to get to the beach,” Volker says. 

These days local children and carless residents can reach the coast safely on foot, by crossing the Pakowhai ki Otutaopuku bridge, rather than having to walk more than 3km along the highway and side road. So too can tourists who arrive by bus or bike. After crossing the river, the trail meanders past grazing Friesian cows and opens onto views of the East Cape and nearby Moutohorā (Whale Island).

“The dunes section is the most used part of the Motu Trails,” Volker says.

“The town kids and people who live here use it a lot for fitness; running, jogging. And the kids who live out of town use it to come to school on their bikes because it’s safer than the highway. I’ve even seen a little fella with training wheels.”

Happy accident

Volker and his wife Andrea operate a small backpackers’ hostel and Andrea runs their busy Kafe Friends coffee cart just off the main street. The German-born couple, who met in Opotiki after her car broke down there, are seeing increasing numbers of day trippers in bike gear from nearby Rotorua, Whakatane and Tauranga. 

He says Tirohanga Beach Motor Camp, part way along the dunes, is packed with people using bikes during summer holidays and weekends. Plenty of those campers and cycle tourists make their way along the trail to the town centre.

“Before, they were not taking their kids on that busy road. Now, they come here to town do some shopping, drop in for coffee here or somewhere else. So the Four Square, the New World, the gas stations all get something out of this trail, too.”

Andrea runs along the dunes when she is training for half-marathons, and it is used by dog walkers and local schools that have been inspired to run duathlons and small cycle events for students.

Long-time volunteer trail builder, keen biker and Motu Trails executive officer Jim Robinson does track assessments, as well as overseeing signage, the trails website and Facebook page and multiple other roles. He laughs at his fancy title and stresses the trust-run operation is small and heavily reliant on unpaid community involvement, as well as council and conservation department input. But he says there is no doubting the Motu social and economic benefits, or its standing as a ‘great ride’ of Ngā Haerenga, the New Zealand Cycle Trail.

He is especially enthused by the ongoing planting and beautification programme that has transformed the “really important but environmentally degraded” sand dunes area with the help of about 20,000 flax bushes, cabbage trees, pōhutukawa and other native plants. All have been poked into the ground by volunteers, with another three planting days planned this winter.

Jim says one section of coastline now occupied by the dunes trail had been used for dumping rubbish, other parts had been grazed by stock, or were covered in gorse, kikuyu, boxthorn, pampas and other undesirable invaders.

Points of interest

Interpretive signs denote culturally significant areas, including historic landing sites and burial grounds, and the track route was chosen to avoid especially sacred or sensitive sites.

Local potters and environmentalists Margaret and Stuart Slade provided handmade ceramic tiles depicting birds, mounted on concrete culverts to create sturdy sculpture. Earlier artworks were provided by schoolchildren who painted wooden cut-outs of birds and animals as a conservation week project.

Small tourism operators have sprung up to offer farmstay accommodation, food or shuttle transport to mountain bikers using the trails that connect Opotiki to Gisborne.

Late last year, long-time kayak tour operator Kenny McCracken began offering guided bike tours along the dunes, incorporating local history and food, with an optional swim along the way.

“There’s a massive amount of community ownership of the trail,” Jim says.