Hanmer Forest is the town's everyday playground, with walking and mountain-bike tracks under old exotic plantings and native birdlife. You can make a gentle loop near town or stitch together a longer ride if you have a bike.
The forest has a history as well as shade: planting began in the early 1900s, and public access has been protected even as ownership changed. For travelers, the practical point is simpler: it is close, pretty, and easy to use.