The Nikau Caves and Café, along with the surrounding farm, has been owned by Philip and Anne Woodward since 1976.
Philip, who has lived in the area since he was two, continues to work on the farm alongside one of their five children, Emily, who now leases the property. Both Philip and Emily have impressive sheep-shearing records—Philip sheared 453 lambs on his 70th birthday (and still shears at 75!), while Emily held a 9-hour shearing record for 14 years.
The Woodwards opened the cave to the public in 1994 and as the business grew so did the need to have a dedicated centre to operate from. Their dreams for the café grew for many years before the first foundations were laid, and the café opened its doors in 2008.
Since then, their business has blossomed and offers fully guided cave tours, a 60 minute loop track bush walk leading to a waterfall just around the corner from the cafe, and includes informational signage and views of the bush, river, and farm. The café has delicious freshly baked food and coffee roasted onsite, with accommodation onsite for up to 12 people. The café operates from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm on weekdays (opening later at 10:30 am on Mondays) and from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm on weekends.
Ihub volunteers experience Nikau caves
A group of enthusiastic iHub volunteers set off on a sunny Tuesday morning for the Nikau caves, located 65 kms northwest of Raglan, via the quiet back roads of Waingaro and State Highway 22. It took us about 1 hour 15 minutes to drive there, passing almost no traffic but encountering some curious sights along the way such as the piglets on the side of the road and turkeys in the middle of the road.
Our group of iHub volunteers split into two, the waterfall walkers and the cave explorers. Five of us set off on foot with our guide Athol to the caves via the farm.
The entrance to the caves was not obvious to see as we walked along the ridge in the paddocks, but as we dipped down into the beautiful nikau and fern bush, we immediately felt the refreshingly cool and naturally air-conditioned air flowing around us. Inside the cave, we were greeted with glow worms sparkling above us as we walked along the riverbed. Wearing helmets and with the aid of individual torches, we were able to explore each cave’s unique formations, stalactites, stalagmites, giant pillars, fine straws and flowing shawls, not touching but discovering with our eyes. Some caves were so expansive, and the glow worms seemed to be very high above us. The squeeze through a shelf and a short crawl along the riverbed was a little challenging but quickly over and forgotten with yet another beautiful cave in front of us. At the end of the cave experience, we popped out again into the bright sunshine and went to the farm once more. It was incredible to look back down on the crease of the hillside, knowing we had just explored through its underground!
The entrance to the bush and waterfall loop walk is a couple of minutes drive from the cafe, starting from a small car park and bridge with signage. It is a stunning piece of bush in a QE II open space covenant, with lots of signage informing walkers of the names of trees, bush and birdlife. Be prepared to look out for the track markers along the way to follow the route. As we got closer to our destination, hearing the sounds of the stream below and eventually the waterfall was very enticing. On the hot day, we were pleased to get there and see the gorgeous water dropping over the limestone karst cliffs and sit in the shade. This would make a great spot for lunch. The bush walk up was undulating and uneven in places – wearing good walking shoes is recommended. It is a wonderful little part of the beautiful Waikaretu landscape.
After an easy walk back to the café, everyone tucked in to cold drinks, fresh coffees and tasty wholesome food from the café kitchen. The back decks of the café opened out onto the grass/picnic area and a gorgeous stream, a perfect place to relax and take in the tranquillity of the surrounding hills. The Nikau Caves and the Waikaretu Waterfall walk offer an unforgettable experience—whether you’re looking for a half-day adventure, a full-day escape, or a unique overnight stay surrounded by natural beauty.
For more information on the Nikau Caves and Waikaretu Waterfall as well as the Karst landscapes, check out the following websites or call in and see our friendly volunteers at the iHub open 7 days a week 10am – 3pm:
W: www.nikaucave.co.nz/
W: www.waikatobiodiversity.org.nz/karst-limestone/
