NELSON TRAILS

Six Mile Hydro Walkway

Matakitaki Valley

Six Mile Hydro Walkway showcases the historic remains of the Six Mile Hydro Scheme, in the Matakitaki Valley south of Murchison. The scheme was in operation from 1922 to 1975 and during this time provided power to Murchison and homes in the Matakitaki Valley.

Details
Distances 3.6 km return
Time Required 1 hr return
Trail Type Walking track
Physical Difficulty Easy   
Uses Walking
Direction Return
Dog Access Dogs are prohibited

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Connections

Six Mile Hydro Walkway does not connect to any other tracks.

Access

  10 min from Murchison

 

Six Mile Hydro Walkway is located 10 km south of Murchison along Matakitaki Rd. There is a small parking area on the left side of the road and a green DOC sign indicating the track start.

 

The walkway is located within Tutaki West Conservation Area and there are pest traps alongside it.

Description

The track begins at the small turbine house where there is an information panel detailing the history of the hydro scheme. The track climbs briefly beside the penstock to the old reservoir that fed the turbine, then enters beech forest on a terrace above the true right of Six Mile Creek.

 

The track reaches a viewing platform that overlooks a waterfall at the beginning of a gorge section of the creek, and the weir at the beginning of the water race.

 

On the return leg you can follow another track that runs parallel to the main track and follows the in-ground water race that carries water from the weir to the reservoir.

Short Walks

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Day Walks

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Tramping

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Biking

Six Mile Hydro Walkway
Matakitaki Valley

Six Mile Hydro Walkway showcases the historic remains of the Six Mile Hydro Scheme, in the Matakitaki Valley south of Murchison. The scheme was in operation from 1922 to 1975 and during this time provided power to Murchison and homes in the Matakitaki Valley.

Details
Distances 3.6 km return
Time Required 1 hr return
Trail Type Walking track
Physical Difficulty Easy   
Uses Walking
Direction Return
Dog Access Dogs are prohibited

If any layers fail to load, try clearing your cache and refreshing the page.

 

Access

  10 min from Murchison

 

 

Six Mile Hydro Walkway is located 10 km south of Murchison along Matakitaki Rd. There is a small parking area on the left side of the road and a green DOC sign indicating the track start.

 

The walkway is located within Tutaki West Conservation Area and there are pest traps alongside it.

Description

The track begins at the small turbine house where there is an information panel detailing the history of the hydro scheme. The track climbs briefly beside the penstock to the old reservoir that fed the turbine, then enters beech forest on a terrace above the true right of Six Mile Creek.

 

The track reaches a viewing platform that overlooks a waterfall at the beginning of a gorge section of the creek, and the weir at the beginning of the water race.

 

On the return leg you can follow another track that runs parallel to the main track and follows the in-ground water race that carries water from the weir to the reservoir.

Connections

Six Mile Hydro Walkway does not connect to any other tracks.

Updated 20 May 2020