Distance: 3.5 km (1.0 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 15m to 77m. Gain: 135m. Loss: 84m . Gradient: 4 deg (Moderate)
Skills: - Streams (2/6)

Tramping track (4/9)
Cut, marked tramping track: natural, rough ground surface

Primary, mapped (1/5)
Formal route, on maps, principal access to hut or along range / catchment

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

Easy-moderate (difficulty: 2/5)
Tussock / river-gravel / open bush / cut track

None (difficulty: 1/7)
No alpine skills required

Streams (difficulty: 2/6)
Small streams, danger only in extreme weather

Unknown (difficulty: 0/7)
Not specified

Follow the old logging road from the gate up the Waikawa Valley. After 10 minutes the road enters native bush. There is a slip that a rough track climbs up and over about 250m before the end of the old road that ends at an old (now soggy) camp site (with good toilet). The slip is a rough section but fairly short and the climb is not too high.
From here there are routes up to Panatewaewae and Thompson.
Shortly after cross the Panatewaewae stream. There is a track at the stream mouth up the spur here to Mt Waitewaewae via 590 & 708. Continue up the main trail up to the Old Mill Site (1hr)
All that remains is a large field and a few blocks of concrete.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the old mill site, follow the track down, cross the Panatewaewae stream. The track eventually joins the old road end and shortly afterwards scrambles over the slip, then continues out to the road end.