You know, I’ve lived in Whakatāne on and off since 1996, and I told myself that this is the year I will finally climb Mt. Pautauaki in Kawerau (also known as Mt. Edgecumbe). It took two attempts, but we got there in the end. The first time we chose not to go because there was a heavy rain warning, and even though the second time was still fairly wet, it was nothing a rain jacket couldn’t handle. It’s times like these that owning more hiking jackets than heels comes in handy.

Mt. Putauaki is an igneous volcanic cone that lies 3km east of Kawerau in the Bay of Plenty. It’s 820m above sea level, and can be seen from the Eastern Bay coastline. It’s English name, Mt. Edgecumbe is said to be named after John Edgecombe, a sergeant of the marines on the Endeavour in 1776. The official name was changed to Pūtauaki in 1925. The town of Kawerau is about 40 minutes drive from Whakatāne, and the start of the track is actually through the forestry road before you get to the town. Permits cost $10 per vehicle, and requires a minimum of four hikers as part of the permit (check on their website for updates). You can only get permits through the Māori Investments website - take note that permits are only processed Monday to Friday, so plan ahead for a weekend adventure.

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