Location: Hills above Wilton and Crofton Downs.
Entrance and exit points: Tracks to Kilmister Tops start from Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush and at the end of Chartwell Drive. The area can also be reached via Bells Track from Awarua Street.
Brief description: Kilmister Tops are part of the main ridgeline that runs above Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush through to Johnston’s Hill. This high, broad area is mostly open pasture and an attractive contrast to the dense bush on the eastern slopes and valleys below. The area is traversed by the Skyline Walkway and is used for walking, running and mountain biking.
Mountain biking: This is one of the many entrances to the Skyline Walkway which is an amazing trail for mountain biking. It is a bit of a climb up 4WD track, but manageable for beginner to intermediate riders. For more information, see Trailforks
History: Kilmister Tops are named after John and Henry Kilmister, who bought land from the Crown above the Karori Cemetery in the 1860s and established 'Sky Farm'.
This part of the western ridgeline was the main route used by Māori from Wellington Harbour to Makara.
Friends group: Green Belter.
Visit map