Exploring the Cutty Grass Track
Located in the Waitākere Ranges, the Cutty Grass Track connects Scenic Drive, just west of the Piha Road turnoff, to Anawhata Road. This track is notable for its accessibility, having been upgraded and reopened after initial closures due to kauri dieback disease. It is an easy walking experience through native bushland and is central to native bird recovery in the ranges, including kōkako.
Track Details and Features
The Cutty Grass Track is an easy 3.4 km walk each way, with gentle undulations and no steep climbs. The surrounding bush is a blend of native regrowth interspersed with taller, mature trees. A short detour leads to the Saunders Gully Hut, a private hut nestled in a picturesque grassed area within the forest. The detour track is a more jungle-like experience, with intense regrowth close to the trail.
Kōkaka Restoration
The kōkako, which became extinct in the Waitākere Ranges in the 1950s, has been reintroduced to the Cascades area through the Ark in the Park project, a partnership between Forest & Bird, Auckland Council, and Te Kawerau ā Maki, the tangata whenua. The project covers 2,300 hectares, and 47 kōkako moved there since 2009 to establish a small breeding population.
Notably, four chicks fledged in 2019, a significant milestone given the ongoing threat posed by predators, particularly ship rats, which remain the major challenge and a work in progress to control effectively. Intensive monitoring and trapping by volunteers are crucial for protecting the population. Dawn on the Cutty Grass Track is the best chance to hear, and even spot, a kōkaka.
Starting Points and Additional Walks
You can begin your walk from either end of the track. For those looking to extend their walk, the entrance to the short, easy McElwain Lookout track is across Anawhata Road and can easily be added to your walk.
Getting to the Cutty Grass Track
Cutty Grass Track from Downtown Auckland is 30 km and takes about 45 minutes outside of rush hour. Take the western motorway to the Lincoln off-ramp. Head south towards Henderson on Lincoln Road, then turn west onto Universal Drive. This takes you to Swanson Road, then to Scenic Drive. Follow Scenic Drive until you see the sign for Cutty Grass Track and the car park. Alternatively, continue to Piha Road and take the gravel Anawhata Road about halfway to Piha.
Nearby, on Scenic Drive, you can access Rose Hellaby House, Parkinson Lookout, Fairy Falls, the Large Kauri Tree, Spragg Bush Track, Waitākere Dam and Pukematekeo.
