| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Distance | 1.3 km full circuit (two linked loops) |
| Time | 15 minutes (short loop) to 1 hour (full circuit) |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Track surface | Flat, well-formed, even surface with exposed roots in places |
| Dogs | No |
| Parking | Free, spacious car park at reserve entrance |
| Wheelchair access | Yes, on the short loop |
| Toilets | No |
| Cost | Free |
| Managed by | DOC |
Ten kilometres northeast of Gisborne on Back Ormond Road, Gray’s Bush is one of those places that stops you mid-stride. The kahikatea trees here are between 400 and 500 years old, some reaching 40 metres tall, and the whole reserve is only 12 hectares. That’s all that’s left of the forest that once covered the entire Gisborne plains. It’s the only surviving example of this kahikatea and puriri forest type on the plains anywhere in New Zealand.
The canopy is dense enough that the light changes as soon as you step inside, and the root systems snake across the track like something out of a fairy tale. It’s not a long walk by any measure, but it’s a genuinely good one.
From central Gisborne, take Ormond Road north and continue onto Back Ormond Road for about 9 km. The reserve is signposted on the right at the turn-off to Harper Road. The address is 428 Back Ormond Road. There’s a spacious free car park at the entrance.
No public transport. You need a car.
Two main tracks loop and link within the reserve, both starting from the car park. The shorter option is a 15-20 minute wheelchair-accessible loop, clearly marked with an even surface throughout. The full circuit of both tracks takes 40-60 minutes at a relaxed pace.
The terrain is completely flat — no hills, no steps. The reserve is small enough to roam freely once you’re inside. Interpretation signs along the way explain what you’re looking at.
Watch your footing on the roots. The track surface is even but the roots that cross it are slippery when wet.
The dominant trees are kahikatea and puriri, with pukatea, mahoe and tawa filling in the mix, plus occasional kohekohe and rare matai. The understorey is dense kawakawa and nikau, with ferns and kiekie in the damper spots. Most of the taller kahikatea are between 400 and 500 years old, some reaching 40 metres.
For birds, you can expect tui, fantail, bellbird, grey warbler, shining cuckoo and kingfisher. Kereru are around too, and the North Island kaka turns up seasonally.
The atmosphere is the real thing here. The scale of the old trees, the density of the canopy, the birdsong — it feels like a completely different world from the farmland paddocks right outside the fence.
No dogs. Bring your own water as there are no facilities on site beyond the car park. Comfortable footwear is fine — you don’t need tramping boots, but jandals are a bad idea given the roots.
The reserve is managed by DOC and is open year-round. Access is currently limited to the southern end of the reserve only, to allow the rest of the forest to regenerate undisturbed.
Titirangi / Kaiti Hill is the obvious contrast — elevation and views over the city rather than flat bush. Eastwoodhill Arboretum is about 25 km further west and makes a good half-day combination if you’re already heading out of town. See everything on the Gisborne Walks hub.
