Tunnel Terrace
Walk
Old gold-mining tunnels, incredibly green West Coast forest, glowworm threads and the first wētā we finally managed to find.
One of our favourite short walks on the West Coast.
We had just crossed the South Island through Arthur's Pass, and Tunnel Terrace was our first real stop once we reached the West Coast.
Walking through the old tunnels was just plain fun. Some were wider and taller, while others narrowed down or changed shape as we made our way through them.
Then the track would suddenly open into incredibly green forest. Huge ferns crowded the trail, the trees were constantly dripping, and everything seemed wet, mossy and alive.
A lot packed into 700 metres.
The official walk is short and easy. Our family managed to make it much longer by stopping to investigate almost everything.
About 15 km north of Hokitika according to DOC.
DOC's published walking time for Tunnel Terrace.
West Coast NZ lists the loop at 700 metres.
West Coast NZ lists it as easy and DOC highlights it as good for kids.
The route passes through miners' tail-race tunnels and old gold workings.
We found stone track, stairs, boardwalks and some wet tunnel sections.
Or a flashlight, if your Canadian vocabulary is still refusing to cooperate.
Tunnels, forest, mining history, glowworms and little discoveries.
Tunnel No. 1, closest to the car park, remains closed because of rockfall. DOC directs walkers to Tunnel No. 2 about 100 metres east along the road. That is also the detour we used during our visit.
The walk gets interesting almost immediately.
The first entrance we reached was closed from rockfall, so we doubled back and walked along the road to the open entrance.
Some passages were tall enough to walk comfortably through. Others narrowed down or changed shape. The floors could be damp, with little puddles and wet stones underfoot.
The tunnels were the part we kept wanting more of.
You would disappear into the dark, follow the old passage through the hill, then emerge into dripping forest again.
Dark passage. Green opening. Then another tunnel.
The constant change between tunnel and forest made this tiny loop feel like much more of an adventure.
These are old mining tunnels, not natural caves.
DOC describes the entrances and exits on Tunnel Terrace as miners' tail-race tunnels within old gold workings.
Goldsborough was once a thriving mining settlement. During the West Coast gold rush, miners worked throughout this area, leaving tunnels, water races and other changes to the landscape.
Claims were established throughout the Goldsborough, Stafford and Waimea area.
Water races and drainage systems were central to working the gold-bearing ground.
Historic mine shafts remain scattered through the surrounding bush.
The forest was incredible from every direction.
Huge fern fronds stretched overhead, while moss and smaller plants covered almost everything closer to the ground.
We could see long glowworm threads hanging from the ceiling.
New Zealand glowworms are the larval stage of a fungus gnat. They hang sticky silk threads and use their glow to attract small flying insects.
Old mining tunnels provide the humid, still conditions glowworms favour.
We could clearly see long hanging threads inside the darker passages.
Our first wētā.
We had been trying to find one for ages. Tunnel Terrace finally changed that.
Finding one was fascinating. Learning that the one beside Kristine could jump was slightly more educational than she had requested.
Is Tunnel Terrace good for families?
For our family, absolutely. It was easy enough to explore comfortably but interesting enough that it never felt like just a short loop.
Easy for us
Straightforward formed track with some stairs.
Stones + boards
Pebbles, stone, boardwalks and damp tunnel floors.
Expect puddles
After plenty of rain we would expect wetter conditions.
Bring one
Some tunnels get properly dark.
Lots to investigate
Tunnels, mushrooms, glowworms and mining history kept us stopping.
We had a blast
One of our favourite short walks of the trip.
The first tunnel is currently closed.
DOC directs walkers to Tunnel No. 2, around 100 metres east along the road.
Historic shafts remain in the surrounding bush.
The darker passages are much easier to explore with a proper light.
See Tunnel Terrace as part of our first West Coast adventure.
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Absolutely.
The tunnels, dripping fern forest, glowworms and finally finding our first wētā made this one of our favourite short walks on the West Coast.
Tunnel Terrace Walk FAQ
How long is Tunnel Terrace Walk?
Do you need a torch?
Is it suitable for kids?
Why are there tunnels here?
Official information used for this guide
Track details and closures come from official and regional sources. Our comments about conditions and family experience describe our visit.