Pros & cons
PROS
- High chance of close bird encounters thanks to the honeydew beech ecosystem
- Short loop with interpretive panels that make the ecology easy to appreciate
CONS
- Sandflies and summer wasps can be distracting if you stop often
- Not fully wheelchair‑independent despite a high‑standard surface
Park at the east jetty car park at the end of Kerr Bay Road in St Arnaud; follow signs for the Bellbird Walk to reach the Honeydew Walk.
Sandflies and wasps in summer; track can be muddy after rain; forest can feel alpine‑cool year‑round; wheelchair users will need assistance on steeper sections.
Overview
A mellow forest loop near Kerr Bay at Lake Rotoiti, the Honeydew Walk serves up a concentrated dose of classic beech forest and birdsong. It’s a short, family‑friendly loop that branches off the Bellbird Walk, then wanders through the Rotoiti Nature Recovery Project before rejoining the main path. Plan on about 1.0 miles total for the loop (including the Bellbird connector) and roughly 45 minutes at an easy pace.
Route and feel
From the end of Kerr Bay Road, pick up the Bellbird Walk and follow signs for the Honeydew Walk. The track is wide and well‑benched, with gentle undulations as it climbs onto old glacial terraces before looping back. Surfaces are generally firm but can be muddy after rain. There are interpretive panels along the way that explain the recovery project and the forest you’re walking through.
What you’ll see
This is honeydew beech country: scale insects feed on red and mountain beech and exude sugary droplets that blacken trunks with sooty mould. That honeydew is a magnet for life—expect bellbirds and tūī in good voice, with chances of robins, tomtits, and fantails flitting through the understory. Keep an eye out for big erratic boulders and the stepped form of those glacial terraces. Mixed beech dominates here, including silver, red, and mountain beech.
Access and practicality
Start/finish at the east jetty car park at the end of Kerr Bay Road in St Arnaud. The path is high‑standard and considered suitable for wheelchairs with assistance on steeper sections, but it isn’t fully wheelchair‑independent. No dogs—this is within a national park and an active restoration area.
Tips and add‑ons
- Bugs are part of the deal: sandflies can be heavy and wasps are common in warmer months; cover up and use repellent. Forest temperatures can feel alpine‑cool any time of year.
- For a longer wander, combine the Bellbird Walk and Honeydew Walk with the signed Loop Track for about 1.5 hours total.
Bottom line
If you want a quick, easy taste of the park’s honeydew beech ecosystem—with real birdlife and a bit of glacial story—this loop delivers. If you’re after big viewpoints, look elsewhere; this one’s about the forest itself.
Elevation
1 mi · 45 minWhere it starts
-41.8065, 172.8463Wildlife on this trail
Near Honeydew Walk
All places →All trails →
0 mi awayTravers-Sabine CircuitAlpine hut circuit over Travers Saddle with a Blue Lake detourChallenging · 49 mi · 31 hr
0 mi awayLakeside Track (Kerr Bay to West Bay)Flat lakeside stroll linking Kerr Bay and West Bay with viewsEasy · 2.4 mi · 1 hr
0 mi awayKerr BayLakefront DOC campground with jetties, views and easy short walksCampground · Restroom
0.1 mi awaySt Arnaud Range TrackSteep climb to big alpine views via Parachute Rocks and the ridgeChallenging · 6.7 mi · 4.5 hr
0.1 mi awayWaiau Pass RouteBurly hut to hut alpine crossing over Waiau PassChallenging · 0 mi · 0 min
0.1 mi awayLake Rotoiti JettyIconic jetty for reflections, eels, and summer swimsParking · Restroom
0.2 mi awayDOC Nelson Lakes Visitor Centre (St Arnaud)DOC hub for track intel, permits, and trail-ready suppliesVisitor Center · Restroom
0.3 mi awayAlpine LodgeComfy base with a good bar a short stroll from Lake RotoitiLodging · Restaurant
