How many tracks lead to Crosbies Hut (you might ask) … a LOT!
Crosbies Hut sits perched on top of a cleared historic farm site and provides coast to coast views of the surrounding Coromandel area.
From the ample deck you can see Whitianga Harbour; Table Top Mountain; the Kaiaua Peninsula and the lush forested hills of the Coromandel Forest Park. There are seven access points to the idyllic spot, each with their own flavour of suffer-fest. These include from Thames itself (Karaka and Waiotahi); Tararu ( Tararu Stream - five minutes out of Thames); the Kauaeranga Valley (Whangaiterenga - 30 minutes from Thames); Te Puru (15 minutes from Thames); Waiomu (20 minutes from Thames); and Tapu-Coroglen Road (35 minutes from Thames). Mostly, the track times are the same, but the tracks can vary somewhat in steepness, depending on where they are accessed from.
Today, it was waterfalls that made me do it.
Mention the word “waterfall” and I am all ears. My intention had been to hike up to Crosbies after my night at Pinnacles Hut. That night was the night that never ended! I got ZERO sleep due to it being packed to its 80 capacity with noisey weekend warriors; and after descending foolishly down the Billygoat Track instead of the normal quick way (doubling my descent time), I was a walking zombie, desperately in need of a nap! And so plans to hike the 5-6 hours up to Crosbies was the least inviting idea I was entertaining.
[ … but back to those waterfalls … ]
I had heard of some attractive waterfalls in Tararu, the camping ground there mentions them on their website - but gives no clue as to where they are located. Someone told me they were on the Tararu Stream track up to Crosbies - I am IN, I thought - the old “two birds with one hand” kind of thing. I will go to Crosbies AND I will photograph this picturesque cascading waterfall.
Perfect.
I walked that track to Crosbies - the steepest (but shortest at 9km) route up to the hut, of ‘360 degree views’, salivating over all the waterfalls of a post heavy-rain Tararu Stream, and not one single access point (unless I wanted to bungy, abseil or fall down), that I could see. Bummer.
The first of a three-tiered waterfall I was able to look longingly at from above.
The stream was pulsating with water energy!
Tantalisingly close - but oh so far.
With a stated track time of 4-5 hours, the Tararu Track is apparently the steepest and shortest route up to Crosbies Hut.
I was pleasantly surprised - although there were some places where I needed to stop for a bit and urge myself forward. The track, once it leaves the stream and continues to climb, joins the Karaka Track at ‘Jam Tins Junction’. From this point, the track time stated one hour and thirty-five minutes to the hut. I completed this section in half that time. It was boggy underfoot - a telling remnant of the previous two days heavy rainfall.
There are tell-tale signs of the history in this area, on these tracks. Originally cut for the trams which transported kauri logs into Thames, the tracks are wide in places and some parts have remnants of cobblestones underfoot. There are also mine tunnel entrances - particularly in the lower Karaka and Waiotahi tracks - and shafts in the bush, so staying to the track is essential; no wandering off to chase waterfalls in this region!
The final push to the hut
is a short scramble up a narrow, tree-rooted track which takes you to a clearing that the Crosbie family farmed at the turn of the century. A flash new building erected in 2010, takes in the stunning views and I was certainly happy for a chance to laze about on the sun-drenched deck while I ate my lunch and drank in the views.
Hut to myself - so time to get the camera on a tripod and do the official ‘selfie’.
And what about those views …
A glance north towards Coromandel township, from the hut.
Going down?
I wanted to walk into Thames directly, so I planned to return via the Karaka Track. This is longer by 30 minutes than Waiotahi, but I know that after heavy rainfall, Waiotahi would be a quagmire; so my choice was Karaka, which also has snippets of amazing views.
From the junction with tracks down to Kauaeranga Valley, the stated track time to Thames was five hours.
I was a woman who need caffeine
and so I knew my time would be half that. And it was. I was able to roll into Melbourne Cafe in Grahamstown (the top end of Thames) for my daily dose before they shut their doors for the day.
I never did find the waterfall I was looking for. Thats a mission for tomorrow.
A view to Tabletop Mountain from the Karaka Track)
Total Distance: 21.7km
Total Elevation gain: 720m
Total Time: 6 hours, 45 minutes (including 45 minutes of breaks)
Total Fun: Big fun
Tararu Track and Karaka Track to/from Crosbies Hut, in black.