Onekawa walk

Drainage Reserve - Taradale Road to Te Awa

Distance: 3.7km

Taking about 15 minutes to cycle and 45 minutes to walk, this section follows the pleasant strip of drainage reserve which separates Marewa from Onekawa and forms the northern boundary of Maraenui as it continues on to the coastal suburb of Te Awa.

Starting at Taradale Road just southwest of Tom Parker Avenue, the first length of drainage reserve is home to a stand of flowering gum trees which attract a wide range of birds, including the melodious tui.

The path here is comparatively narrow but it splits near a bridge, giving walkers and cyclists the choice of which side of the waterway they follow to Kennedy Road.

Taking advantage of the traffic lights to negotiate this busy arterial road, follow the path through the drainage reserve as it heads southeast. This wider section of Pathway swerves away from Riverbend Road at St Augustine's Church and crosses a footbridge as it continues on towards Latham Street. On either side of Latham Street, the reserve encompasses a number of community buildings including St Augustine's Scout Hall and club rooms for the Napier Racing Pigeon Club and the Port of Napier Brass Band.

The path narrows for the short stretch from Latham Street and Nash Street.

A recent addition to the Pathway network starts at Nash Street and emerges at Chambers Street opposite Napier Boys' High School. This, the Harakeke Waterway, has been a joint project involving the Hawke's Bay Regional Council and the Napier City Council. Here, the concrete path is a good three metres wide, and for those wanting to get "off road" there are also threads of crushed limestone track weaving around new areas of native planting

At Chambers Street, the path turns north, following a wide grassed strip punctuated with well-established deciduous trees. While the path ends at Nuffield Avenue, those wanting to continue can follow Ellison Street to Marine Parade to connect to the coastal Pathway.