Rere Rockslide

The Wharekopae River runs over a long smooth slab of rock at Rere, dropping about sixty metres at a shallow angle into a pool. People slide down it - on boogie boards, inflatable tubes, old truck inner tubes or, unwisely, on bare skin. It is a well-known local summer spot rather than a managed attraction: there is a car park, a toilet and a sign, and nothing else. No lifeguard, no equipment hire, no supervision. The rock is not uniformly smooth and injuries are common - grazes and bruises are routine, and there have been more serious accidents. Water level matters enormously: too low and you scrape, too high after rain and the flow becomes dangerous. Rere Falls, a separate wide waterfall you can walk behind, is a couple of kilometres further up the same road and worth combining.

What you actually see

• The rock slab - about sixty metres of sloping river rock.
• The pool at the bottom - where everyone lands.
• The improvised gear - boards and tubes people bring themselves.
• Rere Falls - the wide waterfall two kilometres upstream.

When to go

December to March, when the water is warm and low enough. Avoid it after heavy rain - high flow is genuinely dangerous. Weekends are busy with local families.

Honest expectations

Completely unsupervised, with no hire and no lifeguard - bring your own board. Grazes are normal; serious injuries happen. The rock is rough in places. Nothing here is checked for you.

Nearby

Rere Falls is upstream; Eastwoodhill Arboretum is on the same road.