Last updated November 2026
A short, easy track from a car park off Port Underwood Road leads out along a narrow headland where a fortified pā once looked down Tōtaranui/Queen Charlotte Sound. Te Rae o Karaka, also known as Karaka Point, is a historic reserve between Waikawa and Whatamango bays near Picton.
Along the way you can still make out a defensive trench cut across the headland and the remains of pits, and a carved pou in the reserve shows Kupe’s battle with the giant octopus Te Wheke-o-Muturangi.
The point’s history involves several iwi, and its story includes a musket-era attack. It is a place to visit quietly, keeping to the walking track.
Practical Information
- Location
- Karaka Point, between Waikawa and Whatamango bays near Picton; car park at the top of the point, off Port Underwood Road
- Reserve
- Te Rae o Karaka Historic Reserve
- The walk
- Easy; about 400 metres from the car park to the point, roughly 10 minutes each way
- Distance
- About 27 km from Blenheim city centre in a straight line
- Status
- Check Destination Marlborough’s Karaka Point Walk page before you go.
About Te Rae o Karaka
Te Rae o Karaka is a narrow headland on Tōtaranui/Queen Charlotte Sound, north-east of Picton, with views down the sound. It was once a fortified pā, and the remains of its earthworks are still visible.
The Prow records that early Ngāti Mamoe people built a substantial pā on the promontory, and Destination Marlborough’s walk notes name Kati Mamoe as believed early users of the point. The Prow describes later tribes taking over the land, sometimes peacefully and sometimes by force.
Around 1830, with North Island iwi armed with muskets moving south, Te Ātiawa entered Tōtaranui and attacked the resident tribes. The Prow records that many Rangitāne, along with some Ngāti Apa allies, retreated to the Karaka Point pā, believing it could not be taken.
Destination Marlborough’s walk notes likewise name Te Ātiawa in the conflict of 1830 and Rangitāne and Ngāti Apa as possible users of the point as a retreat pā.
Destination Marlborough’s heritage pages also connect the pā with Ngāti Toa. They record that Ngāti Toa established several sites around the Marlborough Sounds, including pā in Tōtaranui, between 1827 and 1830, and that Te Rauparaha’s musket-armed men attacked the pā at Karaka Point in the early 1830s.
The Prow asks visitors to treat the headland with respect as a place “where terrible events occurred”.
The Walk
From Picton, head towards Port Underwood to reach the Karaka Point car park at the top of the point. The track runs about 400 metres to the end of the headland and is graded easy, taking around 10 minutes each way.
Destination Marlborough’s walk notes point out a trench dug across the narrowest part of the headland, which would have slowed attackers, and the remains of pits along the way that were likely used for storage or sleeping. Its heritage listing describes the earthworks as ramparts and whare pits.
The reserve’s carved pou shows Kupe overcoming the giant octopus Te Wheke-o-Muturangi, and The Prow records that Rangitāne erected the pou.
The earthworks are part of what makes the site historic, so stay on the track and leave the ramparts and pits undisturbed.
From locals
How old are the earthworks at Karaka Point?
Is the track okay for young kids, or are there steep drops near the path?
No answers yet. If you know, a local would love to hear it.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Te Rae o Karaka?
On Karaka Point, between Waikawa and Whatamango bays near Picton. The car park is at the top of the point, off Port Underwood Road.
How long is the walk?
About 400 metres from the car park to the point, roughly 10 minutes each way. It is graded easy.
What can I see on the walk?
A trench cut across the narrowest part of the headland, the remains of pits, a carved pou and views over Queen Charlotte Sound.
What does the carved pou show?
Kupe overcoming the giant octopus Te Wheke-o-Muturangi. The Prow records that Rangitāne erected it.
Who lived at the pā?
The sources name Ngāti Mamoe as early occupants, and Rangitāne and Ngāti Apa as having retreated there around 1830.
Who attacked the pā?
The Prow and Destination Marlborough’s walk notes name Te Ātiawa in an attack around 1830. Destination Marlborough’s heritage listing also records an attack by Te Rauparaha’s musket-armed men in the early 1830s.
Is Te Rae o Karaka another name for Karaka Point?
Yes. The headland is Karaka Point, and the reserve is Te Rae o Karaka Historic Reserve.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Related links 3
- Destination Marlborough: Karaka Point Walk: the walk, its length and the features of the pā.
- Destination Marlborough: Te Rae o Karaka/Karaka Point Heritage: a short history of the pā and its earthworks.
- The Prow: Te Rae o Karaka or Karaka Point: the iwi history of the headland and the attack of around 1830.