Katikati Haiku Park: Riverside Poetry Walk

Flat 2 km loop in central Katikati with 40+ haiku carved into river boulders. Three entrances, free parking, picnic spot, dogs on leash. How to combine it with the Murals Walk.

Home » North Island » Bay of Plenty » Katikati » Katikati Haiku Park: Riverside Poetry Walk

Last Updated on: 15 May 2026

The Katikati Haiku Pathway is a 2 km sealed loop alongside the Uretara Stream in the centre of Katikati, with over 40 haiku poems carved into river boulders. It’s flat, wheelchair-friendly for most of the route, dogs on leash are welcome, and it takes 30 to 45 minutes. Free parking off SH2 beside Robert Harris café. Combine it with the Katikati Murals Walk for a good couple of hours in town.

Quick Facts

Detail	Info
Distance	2 km
Time	30–45 minutes
Difficulty	Very Easy
Route	Loop
Surface	Sealed path
Wheelchair Access	Mostly yes (one staircase limits the full circuit)
Dogs	On leash
Toilets	Yes
Parking	Free, off Main Road beside Robert Harris café
Mobile Coverage	Yes

About This Walk

This one’s two minutes from the Katikati shopping centre, right on the main road, and it’s genuinely worth stopping for. The Haiku Pathway, sometimes called the Katikati Haiku Park, follows both sides of the Uretara Stream with over 40 poems carved into river boulders, the largest collection of haiku stones in English in the world, and the only haiku walk outside Japan. Do the pathway, then walk the murals. Between the two you’ve got a good couple of hours sorted.

Getting There

Katikati is on SH2, about 35 minutes north of Tauranga. There are three ways in:

Main car park off SH2 beside Robert Harris café. Look for the Haiku Pathway sign. Easiest if you’re coming by car.
Library entrance down steps at the rear of the Katikati Library and Information Centre in the centre of town.
Mitre 10 end car park immediately south of Mitre 10 at the southern end of town.

Parking is free. GPS: [confirm before publishing]

The Walk

The path is sealed and flat the whole way, following both banks of the Uretara Stream with two bridges connecting them.
The haiku were chosen by Katikati poet Catherine Mair to reflect the surroundings, the river, the light, the bridges, the birds. Poets from New Zealand, Australia, the US, Canada, the UK, Japan and Poland are all represented.
There are also poems set into the path itself on the eastern bank, written by local people.
The first stone at the main entrance reads: “Strangers they stop and ask me the way if only I knew.”
On the far side of the footbridge there’s a good picnic spot. If you’re planning lunch, grab something from town first and walk back to the tables.
The loop comes out behind the library and Information Centre.
One staircase on the circuit means the full loop isn’t doable for wheelchairs or prams, but most of the path is fine.

After the Walk

Back on the main street, do the murals, there are more on the other side of the street than most people notice. And get your photo taken with Barry. He sits outside the library all day and night and he’s one of Katikati’s oldest locals.

If you want a longer walk, you can continue north to The Landing reserve, where there are three more haiku boulders, then carry on to the harbour via the Yeoman Walkway. That adds another 30 to 40 minutes each way.

Practical Info

Open: All times, every day
Toilets: Yes, at the pathway
Dogs: On leash
Guidebook: Available from the Katikati Visitor Information Centre at The Arts Junction, includes a map to all the poems