The Kauaeranga Visitor Centre (DoC) is one of the busiest in New Zealand. It’s your gateway to the Kauaeranga Valley, Coromandel Forest Park.

Start your journey here, grab a map, book a campsite, chat with a DoC ranger about the latest track conditions and advice, or pick up last-minute tramping supplies such as water bottles, dried foods, socks, beanies and more.

You can also view native bird displays and learn about the unique cultural, historic, and natural features of the Kauaeranga Valley. Watch a 20-minute film about the history of kauri logging in the valley “The Last of the Kauri Bushmen” in our theatre, as well as a number of other nature films (by gold coin donation).

At the car park, the Kahikatea Trail is a short walk to an impressive ⅓ scale Model Kauri Dam. It’s a replica of the Tarawaere Dam and a symbol of the more than 60 dams built around the Kauaeranga Valley to drive Kauri downstream to be processed.

The Kauaeranga Valley Café is open at weekends from Saturday 3 December and after Christmas is open 7 days until Waitangi weekend. From February 6 it will open weekends only. The Centre usually runs a Kauaeranga Valley summer event schedule.

Kauaeranga Visitor Centre (DoC) Location
To get to the Kauaeranga DoC centre, drive 15 minutes along Kauaeranga Valley Rd from Thames.

Open Hours
8.30 am-4 pm daily (off-peak/shoulder season)
8.30 am-5 pm daily (peak summer season)
Closed Christmas Day

Facilities and displays
There are toilets inside the centre, and 24-hour toilets at the end of the carpark.
You can you buy refreshments and camping supplies.
There is filtered water from tap.
There are also displays on the cultural, historic and natural features of the Kauaeranga Valley.

Contact
Kauaeranga Visitor Centre (DoC)