Moonlight Track

The Moonlight Track cuts deep into the Coromandel Peninsula’s gold country, following the original miners’ route that linked Thames to the remote Moonlight Battery site in the 1870s. The trail winds through regenerating native bush past collapsed mine shafts and rusted machinery, with the notorious Waiotahi Creek crossing at kilometer 12 claiming more than a few oil pans over the years. You’ll navigate narrow ridge lines where kauri stumps tell stories of the logging era before descending into steep gullies where the track becomes little more than a goat path.

This is proper backcountry driving that demands high clearance, low-range capability, and a winch for the creek crossings. Weather can shut down access fast – stick to dry periods between April and October. DOC permits aren’t required but respect the kauri dieback restrictions and pack everything out. What you get is raw New Zealand bush, genuine pioneer history, and the satisfaction of completing one of the Coromandel’s most challenging tracks. Cell service is non-existent beyond Thames.