Gisborne, Walks & Parks

There a couple different options to custom fit this trail to your time frame. Either a 30 minute walk from the car park on Motu Falls Road or a 2.5 hour walk from Marumoko Road to the Motu Falls Car Park.

This unique banana research establishment, located at Wainui Beach, is set in a tropical paradise of exotic plants and is only a few kilometers away from where the film Whale Rider was filmed. The gardens feature plantings of environmentally friendly bananas, a water feature area, a palm grove, a fairy dell and a play area for children.

The gardens are situated right on the riverbank, with a large playground, toilets, picnic area, lots of grass to spread out, and Noddy Train rides for the littlies. The train runs year round, every Sunday, and costs just 50c a ride (adults or children) with proceeds going to the Lions Foundation.

A very picturesque waterfall that makes a great picnic spot. The falls are only 5m high, but 20m wide.

35 km from Gisborne, this unique forest and garden dating back to 1910, contains New Zealand’s largest collection of Northern Hemisphere trees and shrubs. Set among hills, valleys and ponds there are easy walking tracks through the gardens. The Blue Walk which wanders through the Circus, Corner Park and Pear Park, is the flattest walk and takes about an hour. Eastwoodhill can also provide morning teas and lunches by prior arrangement.

Gisborne is blessed with a fantastic, sunny climate, year round. It is famed for its gorgeous, golden beaches and turquoise sea. While you can swim at any spot along the Poverty Bay coastline, if you’re with children we would recommend you stick to the popular main beaches as there’s a consistent swell, and surf lifesavers are on duty during the summer, at key swimming spots. Try Waikanae Beach, with toilets and café nearby. These spots are just ideal to learn to surf, or just to play on a boogie board, as the swell tends to be clean and not too large.