Rere Lake Walk is a 14.3 km loop day walk that takes about 5 to 6 hours, starting at the car park at the end of Greenstone Station Road. It lies at the southeast end of the Greestone-Caples Conservation Area. The track is quite unusual as it incorporates access across paddocks with sheep and cattle, ancient beech forest, areas where the forest is gradually reclaiming past farmland, Lake Rere, and a gorgeous walk along the Greenstone Track above the Greenstone River. You can complete the track in either direction. Here, we describe it going clockwise, starting with a crossing of the Greenstone River on a swing bridge to access the high paddock flats of the station.
The track follows the Greenstone Station flats for about 3 km. It's an easy walk with a couple of short climbs that take you up to 60 metres above the lake, surrounded by steep mountains. The views over the lakes to the Richardson mountains are fabulous. Along the way, you will see the Wisdom Sponge, a couple of quirky, large wooden figures. The flats are followed by a short, steep descent to Efin Bay, where there is a historic wharf and stony beach. From the bay, a steep 100-metre climb takes you alongside a tumbling stream with waterfalls, beech trees and large boulders.
From there, it's a straightforward 3 km walk, with a gentle 100 metre incline, along an old road through a beach forest to the lake. This was a popular tourist route in the early 1900s for day trippers, who were brought to Elfin Bay by steamboat from Queenstown. As a consequence, the lake has its own reserve status, separate from the nearby Greenstone and Caples Conservation Areas. A notable feature of this part of the beech forest is the extent of treefall caused by past storms, as well as some small sections of open grasslands.
The west end of Lake Rere is mostly forested up to the lake edge. If you follow the track around the lake, you'll find a large, grassy area perfect for a picnic and a swim. Mind the rabbit poo! From here, you also get a great view of Tooth Peak, which is south of the lake. Sandflies can be an issue; they weren’t for us, but if they are present, find a spot in the forest for a break.
The walk fronts the lake, then heads west and downhill through a mix of open pasture, scrubland, and forest, with one rocky stream crossing. Keep an eye out for deer and goats! As you approach the Greenstone River, there is an enormous gravel slip to cross. The upside is the fantastic, high, and wide-open views of the river rapids and gorge. The track follows the river closely for another kilometre or so, then crosses a swing bridge, with a sharp 80-metre climb that connects it to the Greenstone Track at the southern end of the Ailsa Mountains.
At this point, you still have around 7 km to return to the car park, but the walk is spectacular. It’s mostly in beech forest following the river. There are two narrow ravines with bridges and waterfalls to cross, slip gravel fields, plus fabulous views of the river in several places. After about 5 km, you'll reach the Caples Valley. The track crosses the golden grasslands of the valley, then a swing bridge over the Caples River and passes by the Caples Track junction. The final 2 km of the track undulates along the southeast tip of the Humboldt Mountains, alongside the Greenstone River to the car park.
To access the trail from Glenorchy, take the Glenorchy-Paradise Road, which continues as a sealed road to the end of the Glenorchy Routeburn Road. At the end of the sealed road, turn south on Kinloch Road and continue through Kinloch onto Greenstone Station Road. This gravel road has several fords, but it is generally suitable for a 2WD vehicle. The car park is at the end of the road.
Choose fine weather for the walk, as there are streams along the track that can be challenging after heavy rain. It is rated as moderate, but it is quite a long walk, and the section from Lake Rere to the Caples Valley is relatively slow going. Be sure to allow the allotted time.
