Photo: Mark Law, CC BY-SA 2.0Sharplin Falls Track (Tāhekerua)
A volunteer-built track up Bowyers Stream to a beech-forest waterfall the district refused to lose.
Sharplin Falls, on Bowyers Stream near Staveley, was a Mid Canterbury picnic-and-waterfall institution for generations — until the 2010 earthquake damaged the track and a 2015 rockfall took out a section built along a rock face. DOC closed the track, and in 2017 declared the closure permanent. That should have been the end of it.
It wasn't. The Mt Somers Walkways Society spent five years fundraising and put in around 3,500 hours of volunteer labour to build a completely new 1.3km track, routed along the true right of Bowyers Stream to keep walkers clear of the rockfall zone that ended the old one. The new track — which carries the name Tāhekerua — opened in June 2023 with two steel truss footbridges and a viewing platform at the falls, and the society continues to maintain it.
The walk itself runs through black beech forest with southern rātā — uncommon this far east — and a reliable chorus of bellbirds, fantails, tomtits and kererū. The car park at the end of Flynns Road has facilities and doubles as the eastern trailhead for the Mount Somers Track, so the falls make a good short objective in an area that rewards longer visits.
What to expect
The track is 1.3km each way; allow about an hour return at an easy pace, longer if you linger at the platform. Total climb is modest — roughly 100m — but the new route earns its grade honestly, with stairs, benched sidles and two bridge crossings of Bowyers Stream rather than a flat stroll. Most reasonably mobile visitors, including school-age children, will manage it comfortably.
Because the track was purpose-built recently, the surface is in better condition than most bush tracks of its age bracket: formed tread, solid structures, clear waymarking. It can still be slippery after rain — this is a stream gorge in beech forest, and the shade holds moisture. The falls themselves sit at about 560m elevation, and the viewing platform puts you directly in front of them.
From the same car park, the Mount Somers Track heads off toward Pinnacles Hut and Woolshed Creek — a two-day tramp — and the South Face Track offers a challenging day route. If Sharplin Falls whets the appetite, this corner of the Hakatere Conservation Park has plenty more. No dogs are allowed on tracks in the Mount Somers area.
Best time to visit
Any clear day works — the track is low-altitude and sheltered, so it stays walkable when the higher country is out of condition. The falls carry the most water after rain or spring snowmelt, which is also when the track is at its slipperiest, so the day after a wet spell is a good compromise. Summer weekends are the busiest; a weekday morning usually gives you the platform to yourself.
Insider tips
- ✓Wear proper walking shoes — the track includes stairs and benched sections that get greasy after rain.
- ✓Leave the dog at home; dogs are not permitted on Mount Somers area tracks.
- ✓The falls are at their best after rain — more water, more noise, more photo.
- ✓Check the DOC alerts page after storms; the track is volunteer-maintained and occasionally closed for repairs.
- ✓The Staveley Store, five minutes back down the road, is the traditional post-walk stop.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Sharplin Falls track open?
Yes. A completely new track opened in June 2023, built by the Mt Somers Walkways Society after the original was closed by rockfall damage in 2015. The new route avoids the old rockfall zone. It is worth checking the DOC Mount Somers area page for temporary alerts after major storms.
How long is the Sharplin Falls walk?
The track is 1.3km each way — about an hour return for most walkers, with roughly 100m of climbing, stairs and two footbridges along the way. It starts from the car park at the end of Flynns Road, Staveley.
Can you take dogs to Sharplin Falls?
No. Dogs are not allowed on walking tracks in the Mount Somers area, which includes the Sharplin Falls Track.
Where should I stay when visiting Sharplin Falls?
Staveley itself is a hamlet with very limited options. Most visitors stay in Methven, 25 minutes away, and do Sharplin Falls as part of a foothills day — see visitmethven.co.nz/stay.
Practical information
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