Background to the Kaikohe to Okaihau Rail Corridor

The proposed cycle trail will run from Horeke in the west located on the upper reaches of the Hokianga harbour, through Kaikohe the heart of Ngapuhi, and on to Opua located on the Bay of Islands. See the map showing the proposed route supplied by the Ministry of Tourism.

The proposed cycle trail has a number of sections, most of which are along unused rail corridors.

In the government proposal the section between Okaihau and Kaikohe along the existing 11 kilometre rail corridor was flagged as one of the quick start cycle tracks.

People from Kaikohe have been working on opening up this section of the track for some time. See the Kaikohe to Okaihau rail corridor initiatives for more detail.

There is keen interest to start immediately, and a degree of frustration exists that work hasn’t already begun on the quick start section.

It is generally agreed by local community leaders that the Coast to Coast corridor would be a great initiative for the mid north in general. It would attract visitors to an area of New Zealand with its own unique brand of culture, diverse scenery, and rich history. This story needs to be told.

It has the potential to spawn a number of local business initiatives around cultural tourism and provide a welcome economic boast to small rural communities located on the proposed route.