Gareth Varley Memorial

Porirua, Wellington, New Zealand

Urban track and skills area named after Gareth Varley.

Beginner

Bike and Foot

This track heads up a valley from Bothamley Park, passing behind houses that are mostly on Waihemo Street. Much of the track follows a small creek lined with Eucalyptus trees.

At just over the 1km mark the track crosses Warspite Avenue. On the northern side of Warspite Avenue is a large mountain bike sculpture, where the track continues alongside Waitangirua Intermediate School.

Around the northern end of the track there is a mountain bike skills development area, though it has fallen into somewhat of a state of disrepair.

The southern end meets Bothamley at a Y-intersection about 0.5km from its Warspite Avenue end. If traveling north, then head around to the left – the short step up straight ahead just leads to an open area behind some houses.

The northern end is next to Ascot Park Reserve, with an accessway to the end of Abbey Way cul-de-sac. Alternatively, jump the fence and cross Ascot Park to meet the bottom of Ascot Park Access.

This track is named after Gareth Varley, a young mountain biker who was killed crossing a road while representing New Zealand at the 1998 World Mountain Bike Championships in Quebec. Also see Varley's track in the Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park.

1.75km

Single track

15 May 2010 by ledzep

Ian