Last updated November 2026
Limestone pinnacles, a balancing rock and a lime kiln built of stone mark one of the largest surviving stands of lowland podocarp hardwood forest in Canterbury. Kakahu Bush Scenic Reserve lies on Hall Road, about 17 km by road from Geraldine (15 km on SH79, then 2 km along Hall Road).
The Department of Conservation looks after two walks here: the Kakahu Track, a 3-hour, 8 km return loop past Pinnacles Lookout and Balancing Rock, and the Kakahu Escarpment Track, 20 minutes and 1 km return to a line of limestone cliffs.
Geologists rate the area’s rock formations as nationally important, and the bush shelters the rare long-tailed bat, or pekapeka. Sawmilling, lime burning, coal mining and brick making all left their mark on the land, and DOC describes the area as a favoured Māori hunting ground.
Visiting Kakahu Bush Scenic Reserve: The Essentials
- Location
- Hall Road, near Geraldine, South Canterbury; the car park is beside a large stone lime kiln
- Distance from the city
- About 32 km from Timaru in a straight line; the nearest town is Geraldine, about 17 km away by road
- Managed by
- Department of Conservation
- Walking times
- Kakahu Track 3 hr, 8 km return; Kakahu Escarpment Track 20 min, 1 km return
- Dogs
- Not permitted on the Kakahu Bush Track (Timaru District Council)
- Cycling
- Walking only; the council marks the track as no cycling
- Status
- Department of Conservation: Kakahu Bush tracks page
- Track markers
- On marked bush tracks, DOC and most councils use orange triangles for the walking route. Triangles or tape in other colours, usually pink or blue, mark pest-control lines and traps. They can lead off the track, so don’t follow them.
What You'll Find Here
DOC describes Kakahu as one of the largest remnants of lowland podocarp hardwood forest left in Canterbury. Tōtara, mataī and kahikatea are the main podocarps, growing with pōkākā, māhoe, broadleaf, lemonwood, lancewood and five-finger. Around the forest there are areas of kānuka shrubland, wetlands and plant communities that grow on dry rock.
The rocks are what set the reserve apart. A limestone escarpment runs along one side, with large mushroom-shaped rocks at the foot of the cliffs, and elsewhere huge pinnacles rise out of the bush, some with balancing rocks perched on top. DOC notes that geologists regard the area as of national importance.
Birds DOC lists as often seen include kererū, bellbird, South Island tomtit, brown creeper, fantail, kingfisher and pūkeko. Long-tailed bats roost in hollow trees and limestone crevices and only come out at night. DOC also notes that the escarpment area has spiritual significance for local Māori and asks visitors to treat it with respect.
Lime Kilns, Sawmills and a Sanatorium That Never Was
The land around Kakahu has been worked for well over a century. Sawmilling began in 1853 and left benched tracks and sawpits in the bush. Coal mining and brick making also took place on the property.
Marble quarried in Kakahu Gorge was burned in lime kilns to make high-grade burnt lime. A wooden tramway carried marble chips from the gorge quarries to the kiln on Hall Road, and the first part of the Kakahu Track follows its route. Around 1900, English trees were planted on the site as part of a planned tuberculosis sanatorium.
Before European settlement the area was a favoured Māori hunting ground. DOC records rock drawings, shelters, ovens and rubbish pits, and a deposit of chert that was used to make stone tools.
The Kakahu Lime Kiln
On the west side of Hall Road stands the Kakahu Lime Kiln, a stone pot kiln set within a historic reserve. It is linked with Alexander Fergusson, who had earlier been a partner with George Munro in the Pioneer Lime Kiln.
Sources differ on when it was built: Heritage New Zealand dates it to about 1876, while Timaru District Council’s heritage assessment gives 1881.
How the kiln worked
Limestone and coal were tipped into the kiln from above, a fire was lit through the arched opening at the base, and the burnt lime was raked out there once the load had burned.
A track that served the kiln runs from its top down to the road. The lime was used in building, for mortar and plaster, and on farms.
Later years
Regular burning had ended by the early 1890s. In 1973 J H Wallace Ltd of Timaru capped the kiln. Heritage New Zealand lists it as a Category 1 historic place (List 315) and describes it as a “rare surviving relatively intact pot-style kiln”.
The Two Walks
Kakahu Track
From the car park by the lime kiln, the track follows the old tramway route, then a marked farm track around the edge of the bush. It crosses a small stream and climbs to Pinnacles Lookout, which sits on a high bluff: DOC says to keep back from the edge.
The track then drops over another stream and climbs to Balancing Rock, a huge stone perched on a buried pinnacle, before looping back to the kiln. Allow about 3 hours for the 8 km return walk. Timaru District Council rates it medium difficulty.
Kakahu Escarpment Track
This short walk goes about 250 m from the car park to the road bridge, then crosses paddocks to the foot of the limestone cliffs and their mushroom rocks. It takes about 20 minutes, 1 km return.
Getting There
From Geraldine, drive about 15 km on SH79, the road towards Fairlie (Fairlie is 32 km away in the other direction), then turn onto Hall Road and go 2 km to the car park beside the stone lime kiln.
From Temuka, the reserve is 23 km inland via Waitohi Temuka Road, Earl Road and Winchester Hanging Rock Road; the council’s directions turn right from Winchester Hanging Rock Road onto Hall Road, with the car park on the left.
Official Sources for Kakahu Bush Scenic Reserve
Department of Conservation: Kakahu Bush tracks: reserve information, track details and status. Track information: Crown Copyright: Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai 2026. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Timaru District Council: Kakahu Bush Track: directions from Winchester Hanging Rock Road, the route and the dog rule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Kakahu Bush?
On Hall Road, Kakahu, in South Canterbury. It is about 17 km from Geraldine by road and about 32 km from Timaru in a straight line.
How long is the Kakahu Track?
DOC gives 3 hours for the 8 km return loop past Pinnacles Lookout and Balancing Rock.
Is there a shorter walk?
Yes. The Kakahu Escarpment Track takes about 20 minutes, 1 km return, from the road bridge to the limestone cliffs.
Can I take my dog?
No. Timaru District Council says dogs are not permitted on the Kakahu Bush Track.
Where do I park?
At the car park on Hall Road beside the large stone lime kiln, 2 km along Hall Road from SH79.
What is special about the forest?
DOC says it is one of the largest remnants of lowland podocarp hardwood forest in Canterbury, with tōtara, mataī and kahikatea among the main trees.
Can I see bats at Kakahu?
Rare long-tailed bats live in the reserve, roosting in hollow trees and limestone crevices, but they only emerge at night.
What is the history of the lime kiln?
Marble from quarries in Kakahu Gorge was carried by wooden tramway to the kiln on Hall Road and burned to make high-grade lime. The first part of the Kakahu Track follows the tramway route.
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