13km south of Waiuku, at the mouth of the Waikato River is the Waiuku Forest.  Owned by Crown Forestry and managed by New Zealand Forest Managers, the forest covers 1508 ha and is planted in Pinus Radiata. Also at the forest is the New Zealand Steel Iron Sand Mining operation.  Inaccessible and mainly obscurred from vision, the site is a no-go area to the public except for organised visits, although at the entrance on Ghezzie Rd there is a viewing area and an information board explaining the design and process of extracting and slurrying iron sand to the mill 25km away. Aside from the commercial activities at the forest, this area is a wonderful playground for people who enjoy the great outdoors.  Beach and river access, mountain biking tracks, horse riding tracks, orienteering, fishing, swimming and picnicking are some of the activities enjoyed here.  The forest is vast and beautiful with lookouts offering extensive views over the Tasman Sea, Port Waikato and the Waikato River. As with all forests, no fires or barbeques, check closing times each day.  Also they are prone to restricted access during periods of high fire danger. The Information Centre at Waiuku has instructions on how to get to the forest from Waiuku and they also sell maps of the forest.