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Hiking

Bellbird Walk: an easy forest loop at Lake Rotoiti

ReGear

Explore Bellbird Walk at Kerr Bay, Lake Rotoiti: a short accessible forest loop, birdlife, lakeside views and a simple St Arnaud stop.

Lake Rotoiti viewed from Kerr Bay in St Arnaud.

Bellbird Walk is a gentle introduction to Nelson Lakes: a small forest loop beside Kerr Bay, with time to listen for birds and read the nature-recovery panels. Pair it with a look across Lake Rotoiti.

Quick facts

  • About 450 m loop, based on DOC’s mapped track.
  • Allow 15 minutes including information-panel stops.
  • Wheelchair-standard short walk.
  • Start near the east jetty, at the end of Kerr Bay Road in St Arnaud.

Getting to the start

Use the car park near the east jetty. Our regional map places the walk beside St Arnaud; the closer map highlights the small loop.

Location and route maps

Open either image for a closer look. Orange highlights show DOC’s mapped track; north is up.

Regional aerial map locating Bellbird Walk beside St Arnaud.
Bellbird Walk mapped walking track highlighted orange on actual LINZ aerial imagery, with the entrance marked and north up.

DOC route information and official map

What the walk is like

  1. Enter the signed Bellbird Walk beside the east-jetty car park.
  2. Follow the loop through red beech forest and pause at the panels.
  3. Continue through the wetland section and return to the start.

Effort and conditions

This is a low-effort outing. DOC allows about five minutes of walking and ten for the panels. Honeydew Walk and the longer Loop Track are separate options.

Cold conditions can arrive in any season. Sandflies are common around the lake, and wasps can be troublesome from December to April. Carry rubbish out.

What I would bring

I would take a warm layer, rain shell and water, even for a short stop. Insect repellent makes a relaxed lakeside break more comfortable. Keep a small day bag handy rather than leaving everything packed under luggage in the car.

Before heading back

Arrange food, water and a toilet stop in the visitor area before setting off. Leave time for the lake afterwards. For accessibility needs, check current surface conditions with DOC before travelling.

Read next: How to read the weather before a New Zealand hike.

Sources and photo credits

Sources checked 30 September 2026.

Maps: LINZ Basemaps and imagery contributors, CC BY 4.0. Track geometry: Crown copyright, Department of Conservation, DOC Tracks dataset, CC BY 4.0. Location labels and route highlights added.

Photo: View of Lake Rotoiti from Kerr Bay in St Arnaud (4671476527).jpg — edwin.11. CC BY 2.0. Resized for display.