Hatea Loop Walkway has much to do and see
The Hatea Loop is a 4.2km fully accessible multi use, inner harbour walkway that circles the Hatea River in Whangarei. The walkway links the Town Basin with Te Matau a Pohe and William Fraser Memorial Park on Pohe Island - from which a variety of activities can be enjoyed.
The entire loop is accessible for walking, jogging, pushbikes, all sorts of mobility aids and scooters and is also suitable for push-chairs.
The Hatea Loop that weaves past shops, through markets, beside yachts, parks and industrial areas, across the new cycle and footbridge over the Waiarohia Stream, is part of a grand vision of an area that all people can enjoy however they want to.
Kotuitui Whitinga - the bridge across the Waiarohia Stream ties the visual elements of the sail-like canopy and the riblike wind-break on the Canopy Bridge at the Town Basin end of the loop walkway with the two dramatic hooks of Te Matau a Pohe at the other end.
Along the walkway people can enjoy an open-air market in summer, cafes, galleries and shops or the Te Kakano, (The Seed) an architectural sculpture in the shape of a koru using all the elements of Hundertwasser’s style. It is a beautiful and intriguing structure that has been created to give the builders and artists the opportunity to adapt their skills for the proposed construction of the Below right: When the mayor of Whangarei, Sheryl Mai, (left) asked the editor of Walking New Zealand,Frank Goldingham, to cycle the new Hatea Loop Walkway with her on a beautiful summer Sunday he could not resist the challenge. Below middle: This tiny building is planned as a precursor to the Hundertwasser Art Centre Below far right: A colourful bed of flowers beside the cafes.