Wainamu Falls

Easy walk around the lake, plenty of photo opportunities along the way
Oct 15th, 2022

This is my honest view about this 'waterfall'! I would disagree with many writers here that it is an awesome experience. No, it is not!! I had done this in the summer but was very disappointed about the tiny little water drop called as a 'waterfall'. It was so tiny, short and a gutter size water volume in summer so I decided to do one in the winter. I am writing in mid winter 2022, soon after weeks of rain, yes, it was a lot better than peak summer water volume but then again it was not big, full volume either! Have a look at the photos I posted if you don't believe me! Its not realllllly a full, rich waterfall ;) Then there are other drawbacks. First, the track to this place is so confusing. The route markings are hopeless and misleading. Eg: about 5 minutes in to the track from the car park, you hit the Waiti stream and the track indication is to cross the stream and continue. Please do not!! Cuz it leads to nowhere inside a bush! Instead, just keep going on the same side of the stream until you come across a private land then turn left and start climbing the dunes. Beware, in certain unclear spots, such as junctions, there are no route marks at all!! Because it is an open track but crosses different landscapes, you need to be careful not to deviate and trespass private lands! Pretty bad job by whoever the authorities are! Then the other point is, you will need to cross the stream several times at many points because there are NO bridges provided to cross the stream so you need to remove your shoes unless you are wearing gumboots :) Putting shoes on again after crossing is pointless as you need to cross again and also you will have to walk on the shallow riverbed for about a km as there is no other track to continue! I felt a warning should have been displayed at the beginning of the track! I chose to cross the stream with shoes on because of the rough terrain you need some kind of footwear but it was not a pleasant one to walk with wet shoes thereafter :( All in all this track is not for the faint hearted. It is slightly over 4km one way, takes 1-2 hrs depending on your fitness. You need be in good shape and trim to climb the slippery but lovely sand dunes over a km and cross the river and walk along the riverbed for almost a km, not to mention about 50 or so steep steps to climb after the lake jetty. Also I strongly recommend not to take this up in the winter. The track was absolutely muddy in so many places, few earth slips with fallen trees and you need to wade through really slippery edges holding on to tree branches.......... And in the end you meet with this tiny waterfall (again!) asking yourself is it really worth the trouble at all even in the winter unless you like the adventure part.
Aug 31st, 2022

Start the long walk to the waterfalls from the Lake Wainamu Carpark. Do not follow google directions they are all wrong. The falls are not always safe to dive into. First check for large logs and rocks that get washed into the pools and can hide in the murky water. And depth of water changes, depending on rainfall whether they are a safe depth or not. Eels hide in the crevices.
Jul 13th, 2022

Beautiful place must go
May 20th, 2022

We could not finish the track, it was not clear and easy to go after the falls (started the track from the northern side of the lake)
Jan 25th, 2022