This walk can be accessed by public transport (Western Rail) from Auckland (but not on Sunday as there are no trains).

The walk includes good birdwatching, tunnels, several large Kauri trees, a water-pipe 2ft tramline and a varied trail that includes some steep and slippery bits and good views.

The trains leave Auckland at 15 minutes past the hour (on Saturdays) from 7:15 am and return from Swanson at 11 minutes past the hour until 7:11 pm.  The journey takes 46 minutes.  I caught the 8:15 and arrived at Swanson Railway Station to find that the station building (now a cafe) was already open for business.  I asked how long they would be open and was told until 2:30 for food and until 4:30 for drinks.  Something to look forward to at the end of my walk.

I headed off west on the main road and then crossed the tracks and immediately turned onto Tram Valley Road.  There was plenty of bird life in the pastoral farms and lifestyle plots along the road

Pukeko (a purple swamp hen), native
Kingfisher (sacred kingfisher), native
Blackbird, European introduction, 
Myna, Asian introduction 
Australasian magpie, Australian introduction
Eastern rosella, Australian introduction
Grey warbler, endemic

Before the road ended the forest started and shortly afterwards a well-signposted track headed left.  In the trees were: 

Silver eye, (similar to white eye), native
Fantail, (pied fantail?), native
New Zealand pigeon, (a big imperial pigeon), endemic
(Note that there are so few species of land birds in New Zealand that they some can be referred to as kingfisher, fantail, etc. as there is only one of the genus in NZ.)

New Zealand Pigeon

As usual, the times on the trail signs are about twice as long as needed to cover the distance.  The trail was up and down with a gradual overall climb.  The trail follows a water pipe but is too up and down for an old tram track.  About half way, there is a tunnel for the pipe and the track goes through this.  It's straight and you can see the other end about 200 m away.  The walls and floor are fairly smooth and a torch isn't vital.  Just before the tunnel, a track goes right that eventually meets up again just before Scenic Drive.  

Tunnel exit

The trail reaches Christian Road inside the Water Care gate.  There is a grand old Kauri tree opposite.  Turning right takes you past the filter station and offices and onto a wide track that lead to the Tramline Depot.  From the station to here takes less than 1 hr.  

On the way, I saw

California quail, (with forward curving topnot crest plume), North American introduction 
Brown quail, Australian introduction 

There are 4 buildings connected to the rail system and extensive point work but only about 100 m above ground before the railway goes into a long tunnel.  This tunnel is gated and the trail goes right and up to Scenic Drive.  The trail up is steep in places and slippery (after rain).  It doesn't take more than 20 minutes to do this section.  The Anderson track is straight over the road and after about 10 minutes you get to the signposted turn left to the Waitakere Dam via the West Tunnel Mouth Track.  You are deep in the forest here and the trail curves around on a level to meet the west end of the tramline tunnel. 

The line is set up for 2 trains working independently.  This board is just inside the long tunnel leaving the depot.  There is one siding and one loop before the terminus.  George's Tunnel is also a footpath so the speed restriction ties in with signs to walkers that trains will proceed at walking pace to allow them to get out of the way.  The date appears to be June 2001.

The tramline runs for about 2 km from the tunnel mouth.  It has clearly been used for tourist trains as there is a Picnic Station and a Dam Station.  There is also a short tunnel shared with a pipe.  The trail runs along the railway to the dam.  From Scenic Drive, about 30 minutes brings you to the dam and you have to leave the railway and climb up to the dam.  This was the furthest place from Swanson and time for lunch.

Waitakere Dam from tramline

The Water Care road from the dam to Scenic Drive is up and up but in about 20 minutes you are there.  A short walk west along Scenic Drive brings you to the little used (but clear enough) Filter Track to the Filter Station.  This track was muddy and features slippery, steep descents but another 20 minutes got me back to the Filter Station.  

Muddy bush

For variety, I walked back down Christian Road to the station.  This is a higher level version of Tram Valley Road and features similar arable land and life style plots.  

I call these 'sheep loaders'.  They are a comment site in the country.  A quick way to get livestock onto a truck.

Yellowhammer, European introduction
Welcome swallow, native
Australasian harrier, native

View of Rangitoto Island (left) and Auckland (right)

Back at Swanson Station in time for a cup of coffee before the 3:11 train back to Auckland, arrive 3:56.  The train is little used on Saturday and costs NZ$4.50 each way.  Passengers are mainly those too young to own a car.  Sad!

This walk which took about 5 hours including lunch and other stops is not for someone who just wants a stroll but is highly recommended for its interesting flora and fauna (birds and a squashed hedgehog) and its 2ft gauge railway that still sees occasional use.  To find out more about the tramway contact the Waitakere Tramline Society 09-832-3300  This is listed at http://www.railfed.org.nz/groups/ but with no more details or web page for the society.  You might do better than I did at http://www.waternz.co.nz/ and find some details of the water pipeline tramways that Water Care owns and operates.  The best web page I have found so far about the tramline is http://diddums.topcities.com/yhawaitakeretramline2001.html 

Update
John McCarthy who owns the last website above writes:

The Waitakere Tramline Society you are enquiring about now has its own website http://www.waitakeretramline.org.nz  The society runs trains every Sunday, but you will need to book in advance as the trips are generally full, often with various groups. The trip takes two hours return and costs $8 per person

I have done a tramp into that area the Saturday before last, including the Swanson Pipeline Track, the steep Peripatus Track and the Waitakere Tramline and the Waitakere Dam, with the Auckland Baptist Tramping Club. I have put a report about the trip on http://diddums.topcities.com/abtcwaitakeresmar2002.html and will be adding photos to it within the next 2-3 weeks.

You may be interested to know that Christian Road follows the original route of the Waitakere Tramline when it extended all the way to Swanson Railway Station back in the early 1900s

Thanks for this, John.

For my report on Tiritiri Matangi, goto nzdiary.html
To read about other railways explorations in NZ, go to nz.html 

John Raby
March 16, 2002