Waikaia River Track
Waikaia · Southland · Loop
The permit requirement shown here is DOC’s own published rule for this land. The DOC office and signs on the day have the final say. DOC’s own wording: “Dogs with a DOC permit only. Contact closest DOC office to get a permit. (DOC, dog access field for Waikaia River Track)”. Evidence: a hand-checked correction against the authority. How we check dog rules.
Good to know
A DOC dog permit is required before any dog walks here. Apply to the managing DOC office ahead of time; do not turn up with the dog first. DOC's dog access field for this track reads "Dogs with a DOC permit only. Contact closest DOC office to get a permit." It is the general dog permit rather than a hunting one, and the Murihiku / Invercargill office is the one to ask. Note DOC also has the track partly closed.
About Waikaia River Track
Waikaia River Track is a loop of 10.0 km, near Waikaia in Southland.
DOC has this as an advanced tramping track, 7 km return and about 4 hours, following the true right of the river to a swing bridge and back down the opposite bank and the road. It is a serious day out with a dog rather than an afternoon walk, and the permit has to be sorted before you go. Waikaia itself sits 54 km north of Gore beside the river.
It sits at the moderate end and gains roughly 154 m, pitching up to 19 % at its steepest, and takes about 3–3.5 hr to walk.
Walkers come for native forest, river frontage, and big views. A DOC dog permit is required before any dog walks here. Arrange it with the managing DOC office ahead of your trip. Walkers rate it 4.5 / 5 across 8 reviews.