Love and Lemons - Exploring Paeroa and Te Aroha

This is my latest story in Motorhomes, caravans & Destinations Magazine

 Heather Whelan discovers there’s more to the quiet townships of Paeroa and Te Aroha than soda water

Te Aroha Hot Pools

Linked by SH26, bounded by the Kaimai Ranges and Hauraki Plains, Paeroa and Te Aroha are often overlooked by visitors. ey are relaxing places to visit, a far cry from the days when they were busy settlements, swarming with gold miners and tourists.

Voyage back through time

European history in the Paeroa area dates back to 1769, when Captain Cook anchored the Endeavour near the mouth of the Waihou River – which he renamed the Thames – and a small party explored inland. After visiting a nearby pa, they continued for about 14 nautical miles. Here the party disembarked to explore the forest that grew beside the riverbanks. Cook was impressed by the size of some kahikatea; he measured the height of one and declared it to be ‘eighty-nine feet and as straight as an arrow’. is was the furthest inland that Cook would venture in New Zealand. His discovery of timber suitable for mast-building led to the arrival of many other ships and pioneering settlers.

The Paeroa Historical Maritime Museum is home to a treasure trove of artefacts

Later, when gold was discovered in the Karangahake Gorge, the small town of Paeroa became a staging post for goods and machinery that were brought up the Waihou River to supply the ‘rush’. The river had a regular passenger and cargo service until 1947.

Steamship memorabilia

We learned all this and more as we explored the Paeroa Historical Maritime Park and Museum, at the site of the old Puke Wharf. This small museum is a treasure trove of information and artefacts related to the area, as well as boating in general. There were detailed models of yachts and ships – including the Endeavour, the Victory and the Cutty Sark – paintings, flags, nautical instruments and all manner of maritime memorabilia.

Outside, we contemplated the remains of the paddle steamer Kopu, salvaged after 40 years on the riverbed. Built in ames in 1896, the Kopu had an illustrious history with the Northern Steamship Company and it is hoped she can be restored one day.

The propellor of the Manawanui

Famous fizz

Paeroa is synonymous with L&P, the much-loved zzy beverage. e town’s huge bottle is a Kiwi icon and everyone likes to get a photo beside it. Surprisingly, it was originally a space rocket, built for the Christmas celebrations in 1967 and subsequently developed into the big bottle we all know so well.

The Paeroa soda spring was well known to Maori and early settlers. Bubbling up from a paddock, it was not only thirstquenching, but was claimed to have health-giving properties. The miners used it as a hangover cure. After some enterprising people added slices of lemon to their water, Lemon & Paeroa was born.

Paeroa is a mecca for lovers of antiques...

Antiques galore

Paeroa markets itself as the country’s ‘antiques capital’ and we always love browsing around the many stores. Although there was motorhome parking at the museum, we preferred to join the row of buses and vans parked beside the Hauraki Rail Trail, a few minutes’ walk from the town centre. Once settled, we headed for the antique shops and spent a long time surrounded by everything from china and glassware to vintage linen, toys, jewellery, clocks and much more.

The historic Paeroa Hotel

There’s a whole block of antique shops, bounded by Granville’s at one end and Arkwrights at the other, and a smattering of stores on nearby streets. We headed back to our bus for coffee, intending to continue browsing later, but had run out of stamina. Ah well, there’s always next time.

... you could spend the whole day fossicking

Town of flowing love

The nearby town of Te Aroha is said to have been named by a Maori chief, who spied his home from the mountain, the highest point in the Kaimai Range, and declared, "Te Aroha-a-uta," or in English, ‘love flowing inland’.

A township developed at the foot of the mountain when gold was discovered in 1880. The boom didn’t last long, but an area containing hot springs became a popular spot with miners as well as local Maori. After Ngati Rahiri chief Mokena Hau gifted the land to the government to be used as a public reserve, the Hot Springs Domain was developed as a spa. In its Victorian and Edwardian heyday the springs attracted thousands of visitors, but its popularity waned in the early 20th century.

Te Aroha town centre

Today the Hot Springs Domain is a picturesque example of an Edwardian spa complex. We always wander through the grounds and go for a soak at what’s now called Te Aroha Leisure Pools. The adjacent Number Two Bathhouse, the last remaining in the domain, has recently opened after a 13-year hiatus.

It has had an $188,000 refurbishment, and now boasts a glass wall at the end of the pool. Bathers can look down on the old piles and rocks where warm mineral water used to bubble up to heat the pool.

Te Aroha’s newly restored bathhouse

Unfortunately the 15-minute sessions at the bathhouse were booked out; we couldn’t get a slot for three days! Instead we took refuge in the Number 15 Spring and Shelter, a hot spa pool that overlooks the leisure pool. We usually visit in midsummer; now, in mid-winter clouds of steam billowed up into the cold, clear blue skies.

Malcolm with the new bus and the iconic bottle in the background

Te Aroha and lemon

You can spend several hours walking around the Domain. There’s an information office at the entry on Whitaker Street, where we picked up a brochure that lists 21 points of interest.

Number three on the list is the Mokena Geyser, named for the chief who gifted the land. The geyser was caused by drilling work which created the only hot soda water geyser in the country.

L&P wasn't Paeroa's only brew

What was once called the Cadman Bath House is now the centrepiece of the Domain. Described in 1902 as the best appointed bathhouse in the southern hemisphere, it is now the Te Aroha & District Museum.

Inspecting exhibits here, we discovered that a drink called Te Aroha and Lemon was created 19 years before its more famous rival down the road in Paeroa. Launched in 1888, the fizzy drink was produced until the 1960s. Visitors to the spa not only bathed in the waters, they drank them too. Te Aroha’s mineral water was claimed to cure everything from bladder problems to gout.

Parked beside the Te Aroha Domain

Walking trails

For walkers there’s plenty of choice in Te Aroha. Starting beside the Mokena Geyser, there’s a track up to the summit of Mount Te Aroha. Malcolm and I walked for about 45 minutes up this track to the Whakapipi Lookout, from where we had great views across the Hauraki Plains. From here I returned to Te Aroha to browse around the shops, while Malcolm continued on to the summit. At the top he looked down into the Bay of Plenty and right across the Waikato.

On the wetlands walk

One summer’s evening we strolled around the Howarth memorial Wetlands. There’s a freedom camping area for self-contained vehicles at Spur Street, close beside the start of the track. It’s an hour’s easy loop-walk around the wetlands, on a formed track with areas of boardwalk. There’s a bird-watching point where you might spot king sher and heron, pied stilt, grey teal, black shag and pukeko. At one point the wetlands pass close to the Waihou River, where a group of youngsters were cooling off by jumping into the water from a handy tree.

One of Adrian Worsley’s wacky sculptures

Summer or winter, there’s plenty to explore in Te Aroha and Paeroa. We’re planning to revisit; we want to have a soak in the newly restored bathhouse in Te Aroha – and we definitely need to spend more time in Paeroa’s antique shops.

FURTHER INFORMATION

• There are a variety of places to stay in the area. Self-contained campers can stay at the Paeroa Maritime Park for $15 per night. In Paeroa the overnight parking is $5. Freedom camping is allowed at Spur Street, Te Aroha, for a maximum of four consecutive nights.
• Paeroa’s Information Centre is on Normanby Road; Te Aroha’s i-SITE is at the Domain entrance on Whitaker Street.
• Te Aroha’s Wetland Track is an easy one-hour loop; Te Aroha Summit Track is a tramping track and takes three hours one way.
• Useful websites: historicalmaritimepark.co.nz; tearohamineral spas.co.nz.

Go Gisborne!

This is my latest article, published in Motorhomes, Caravans & Destinations

From soaking in hot springs to cycling adventures and adrenalin-fuelled rock sliding, there’s something for everyone in Gisborne

On the Wainui Makorori Headland

It was 8.15am when my partner Malcolm and I arrived at the railway line at Muriwai, just south of Gisborne, and the day was already hot. We were all set for a cycling adventure on Gisborne Railbikes, a unique concept thought up by Geoff Main, the director and driving force behind the venture. Geoff greeted us and showed us our bikes, which sit side by side, rigidly connected and attached to the rails. The other cyclists on today’s ride had chosen the e-bike option but we were happy with standard bikes, which came complete with a basket at the front and packs behind to carry whatever we’d brought for morning tea.

The 16km section of disused railway line took us through a bush-filled valley, over wooden bridges that spanned rivers and roads, before reaching the first tunnel. Geoff checked we had our lights switched on and we pedalled into the darkness. Then it was back into the sunshine again before entering another tunnel, finally emerging at the coast. We cycled along, admiring views from cliffs 140 metres above sea level, before reaching the end of the line. Literally. Stormy weather had caused a slip that left the track twisted and suspended in mid air. After taking photographs of the dramatic sight, we retraced our route for a few minutes to the picnic spot. Geoff produced chairs from a shed beside a grassy area and we ate our snacks while enjoying the sea view.

The bikes were easy to use

Geoff hopes that in the future riders will be able to take the rails all the way to Wairoa but for now the ride is a there-and-back-again trip. Going back was fun, we’d barely noticed the slow incline on the outward journey but the return trip was definitely downhill – we hardly needed to pedal at all. Four hours after leaving we were back at Muriwai, having enjoyed a really unique experience.

Clifftop views

Historic Gisborne

Gisborne City began its life as a commercial centre in 1831 when 23-year-old John Harris set up a trading post. Soon the port was thriving, as local Maori grew potatoes, flax and wheat for export.

Maori had sailed from Polynesia and settled in the area more than 650 years ago, naming their new home Turanga. Links to their seafaring heritage can be seen at the small harbour on the Esplanade where two double-hulled sailing waka are moored. The Tahitian waka Fa’afaite is in Gisborne following last year’s Tuia celebrations, while the waka hourua Tairāwhiti offers cultural and sailing trips. This is on the bucket list for our next visit.

Gisborne is famously the first place in the world to see the light of the new day. It is also famous for its surf beaches, having some of the best breaks in the country, but for non-surfers there are lots of other options, such as parks, walkways and cycle paths.

The i-SITE has plenty of brochures – we found a short walk in one that took us to the top of the Wainui-Makorori headland. We didn’t get there early enough to see the sunrise but we did have great views, especially to the south over Wainui Beach to Tuahine Point and Young Nick’s Head.

We also strolled along Gisborne’s palm tree-lined main street, Gladstone Road, towards the art deco clock tower, with a stop for lunch at one of the many cafes and a lengthy peruse through the bookshop.

Entering ‘the Cathedral’

Beautiful Botanics 

There are more walks at Eastwoodhill, New Zealand’s National Arboretum, a 30 minute drive from Gisborne. The arboretum boasts more than 25kms of walking tracks looping around its 100 hectares, allowing visitors to discover over 3500 different trees, shrubs and climbing plants. The arboretum is home to the largest collection of Northern Hemisphere trees south of the equator as well as many species of native and exotic birds.

The arboretum began in 1910 when Douglas Cook bought the farm he called Eastwoodhill. Cook spent the next 50 years expanding the plantings before selling the arboretum to H B (Bill) Williams. The Williams family gifted Eastwoodhill to the people of New Zealand and it is now administered by a trust.

We picked up a map in the visitor centre and decided to follow the 3km purple walk (the six trails have coloured leaf signs to keep you on track). This took us along some of Eastwoodhill’s higher ground and gave great views of the arboretum. As the track zigzagged down we came to a Canadian-style cabin with a sign that told us that it had been used as accommodation for naturists in the past, and that Douglas Cook used to keep a supply of sherry here, so his guests could stop for a glass on their walks.

Magestic trees at Eastwoodhill

In one place there was an area where the tall trees were cathedral-like and, we discovered, this was what Cook had in mind when he planted the cypress and eucalyptus trees here. During a visit to England in 1936 Cook took note of the outline and proportions of Westminster Abbey. On his return to Eastwoodhill he planted cypress and eucalyptus to represent a cathedral. By the 1950s the foliage drooped to ground level, creating an enclosed private space. The trees were planted too closely and the effect is now lost, though the area still has a spiritual feel. One tree that formed a pillar in ‘the cathedral’ is, at 53 metres in height, the tallest tree at Eastwoodhill.

Close to the visitor centre is Eastwoodhill’s Fibonacci spiral. Constructed from volcanic rock and limestone, the spiral radiates out from a 750kg rock ball that floats in a pool. Water pressure eliminates friction, which means the ball can be rotated easily.

Gisborne street art

The waka Fa’afaite with Tairawhiti in the background

Free fun 

If you turn right when you leave Eastwoodhill and drive about 10 minutes further along the Wharekopae Road there’s a sign for Rere Falls. This pretty waterfall is not high but it is wide – and when there is plenty of water pouring over it you can walk behind the cascade. There’s a swimming hole and picnic area too – but we didn’t stay long because we wanted to see the ‘world famous in New Zealand’ Rere Rockslide, just a little further up-river.

Rere Falls

This natural playground is composed of a 60-metre-long mossy and slippery waterslide, smoothed by the waters of the Wharekopae River that flows over it and empties into a pool at the bottom. If you’re adventurous you can grab a lilo, boogie board or inner tube and ride the waterfall. We were content to just watch the happy folk slithering down and splashing into the pool, then rushing back up for another turn. It was obviously the best free fun for miles.

Relax in seclusion 

We prefer our water activity to be a bit more sedate so, when we left Gisborne, we stopped at the Morere Hot Springs on SH2 where, after walking through shady palm-filled rainforest we relaxed in the hot pools.

Morere’s water has been called ‘fossilised sea water’ because of the length of time it has been underground before bubbling to the surface. Visitors have enjoyed calming, therapeutic soaks at Morere since the 1890s and it’s quiet, green ambience was the perfect end to a fun filled, but tiring, exploration of Gisborne.

Morere Hot Springs

FURTHER INFORMATION

Useful websites with details about the places mentioned in this story: railbikeadventures.co.nz; eastwoodhill.org.nz; wakavoyagers.com; morerehotsprings.co.nz

Gisborne i-SITE Visitor Information Centre is at 209 Grey Street

NZMCA members can stay at the park at 7 Pacific Street, Awapuni, Gisborne, and there are several motor camps and POPs in the area, including one at Rere, near the Falls. Self contained motorhomes can stay at Eastwoodhill Arboretum for a fee of $10.

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Matamata Magic

A recent article published in Motorhomes, Caravans & Destinations Magazine

Heather Whelan finds there’s more to Matamata than Hobbits, as she and her partner Malcolm explore the area

Matamata’s Tolkien-inspired i-SITE

The little town of Matamata lies beneath the Kaimai Range, the mountains that separate the Waikato from the Bay of Plenty. We’d never spent time here so, on a recent trip, partner Malcolm and I decided to stay a while and explore the area.

Matamata has become synonymous with Hobbiton since trips to the film-set attraction leave from the town. You can’t ignore the Hobbit connection – pizzas at one restaurant include ‘Frodo’s Secret’ and ‘Sauron’s Fury’ – and the i-SITE is charmingly Tolkien-inspired in design.

But there’s more to Matamata than Middle Earth: the town’s history dates back to 1830 when Te Waharoa established a pā. Three years later, missionaries arrived, and a mission station was built, though warfare led to this being moved.

In 1865 an Auckland entrepreneur named Josiah Firth leased – and later bought – land, including the future site of the town. He called his estate Matamata, the name of the pā. Locals dubbed him the Duke of Matamata.

Exploring the past

The McCaw homestead

Curious to learn more about the history of the area, we visited the Firth Tower Historical Reserve on the outskirts of town. This was once the homestead and headquarters of Firth’s enterprise and today houses a variety of buildings, surrounded by gardens, lawns and mature trees.

The tower itself was built in 1882 to provide a lookout over the surrounding countryside. It is 16m high and is one of New Zealand’s earliest reinforced concrete buildings. The interior is now a museum that tells the story of Firth and his family, and of the developments he made in opening the land for agriculture and in the introduction of innovative agricultural machinery.

From the lookout atop the tower, we realised what an extensive estate this once was.
Josiah Firth eventually became bankrupt and lost his land. It was divided into 117 farms owned by the Bank of New Zealand and managed by John McCaw.

The McCaw homestead next to the tower dates back to 1902: the previous house was destroyed by fire. Stepping through the front door is like going back in time, the rooms furnished in the style of the late 1880s.

Heritage buildings

Firth Tower Methodist Church

Grouped attractively around the tower are a variety of old buildings, giving the look of a rural village. We wandered around and peeped into the old Matamata Methodist church, the original Okoroire post office, an old schoolroom, a jail built in 1892 in Karangahake, and a settler’s cottage.

This cottage is shown with furniture and household objects from the early 20th century.
Around the back of the grounds are a group of large sheds, containing a history of agriculture in the area.

One shed has an exhibition of tractors; another has shearing gear, wool bales and fleece. Another shed’s exhibits illustrate the changes in agriculture from Māori times to early motorised machinery.

The dairy industry is represented in a shed that showcases milking and cheesemaking. Near the sheds, there’s a potager garden, orchard, and the original stables. We spent a couple of hours looking around and could have stayed longer – next time we visit we will because there is parking for self-contained motorhomes on the grounds.

Spectacular falls

Wairere Falls

For something completely different we headed further down the road, to the very edge of the Kaimai Mamaku Forest Park, for a hike to the top of Wairere Falls. At 153m in height, this waterfall is the biggest in the North Island, and the track covers some of the most varied and beautiful bush in the area.

At the top of Wairere Falls

The track up to the waterfall is part of an old trail from the Bay of Plenty. It was first walked, so the story goes, by Ngahue, an early voyager from Rarotonga, who killed a moa at the base of the falls. Later the track was used by missionaries and explorers.

Today the track first winds through an area of moss-covered rocks, tree ferns and ponga, before reaching the river. There’s a bridge here, and another further up the track, which goes steeply uphill.

There are plenty of steps and a set of wooden staircases that took us up beside a cliff face, which leads to the top of the gorge. After a short walk through a grove of nīkau, pūriri and kohekohe, we reached the viewing platform. This looks across to the waterfall and is the halfway point of the walk.

The second section took us up more steps and through more native forest until suddenly we were at the top of the falls. There’s a viewing platform beside the waterfall, but you can do as we did, and rock-hop across the water to where it cascades over a cliff. There are views across the Waikato Plains from the waterfall.

Thermal pools

Josiah Firth discovered the Ōkauia hot pools in 1886. He sold the land containing the pools to W J Aitkin in 1900, and his manager developed the site, establishing concrete pools and a camping ground.

One pool is called Ramaroa and, according to Māori legend, is named after a canoe that transported a chief and his wife up the Waihou River. They had been warned that if they were still in the Ōkauia area after dusk, they would be turned to stone.

Stopping to warm up beside a fire, the couple became petrified – the Ramaroa pool is said to be heated by the fire still burning under the bow of the canoe. Since 2000, Ōkauia has been known as Opal Hot Springs.

The holiday park is set in six hectares beside the river and has a range of accommodation, including motorhome sites. We called in for a soak in the thermal pools after our long walk to the top of Wairere Falls. Since it was a scorching day, we alternated between relaxing in the hot pools and cooling off in the large swimming pool.

Botanical beauty

Matamata township sprang up in 1885 after a railway line was constructed from Morrinsville. Surveyors drew wide streets and a central domain – the building lots flanked by a plantation reserve.

This reserve has been developed into the Matamata Centennial Drive, a botanical park with a huge variety of trees. The trees were initially planted in 1940, to celebrate the centennial of New Zealand, and further planting has continued.

We took an evening stroll along Centennial Drive and were impressed by the variety and stature of the trees. There were many native species but also a huge range of exotics, most of which we had never heard of – Pendulum Redwoods and the handkerchief/ghost tree, for example.

At the Tainui Street entrance, there’s a huge rock, surrounded by a lily pond with a fountain. A plaque on the rock commemorates the Māori, missionaries and early settlers of the district who laid the foundations of today’s Matamata. We finished our walk and went to find somewhere for dinner. We ended up having a great meal in the courtyard at the Horse and Jockey Inn – with not a Hobbit in sight. 

FURTHER INFORMATION

• There’s parking for self-contained motorhomes at the Firth Tower. Full details at firthtower.co.nz
• Opal Hot Springs Holiday Park: opalhotsprings.co.nz
• The Wairere Falls track is 5km return and takes 3-4 hours, though some people choose only to walk to the lookout at the halfway point. More information at doc.govt.nz

Loving the Loop - Whangarei

This is my last article In Motorhomes, Caravans & Destinations Magazine

From clocks to cafes, markets to boat trips there’s something for everyone at Whangarei’s Town Basin and along the riverside walk known as ‘The Loop’

There are some options for lunch around Whangarei’s Town Basin

Whangarei’s Town Basin has long been a favourite destination for locals and visitors alike. There are shops, galleries, restaurants, and cafes housed in colonial-style buildings overlooking the marina. As well as Whangarei-based boats, there are ocean-going yachts moored in the basin, as international visitors sit out the Pacific hurricane season, or decide on a longer stay. Even though I’m a local, I always find something new going on Quayside and along the Hatea Loop.

First stop for visitors should be Te Manawa, The Hub. This building is one of Whangarei’s information centres and the staff have a wealth of local knowledge. There are lots of maps and brochures to peruse – I picked up the latest visitor guide as I felt I should learn more about the places and sculptures I walk past so regularly.

A lovely spot to stop and admire the scenery

Inspired architecture

The Hub is more than an information centre; it also houses Whangarei Art Museum Te Manawa Toi. The gallery curates a variety of exhibitions, as well as displaying art from its collections. Entry is by donation and it is well worth a look.

On this occasion though, I was drawn to the colourful, funky model of Whangarei’s newest building project, the Hundertwasser Art Centre with Wairau Maori Gallery (HAC). Admiring the organic form of the architecture, I was reminded that the Hundertwasser Centre will be radically different to the surrounding architecture. When completed it will be a unique feature in Whangarei and is expected to draw visitors from around the country and overseas.

Outside on Quayside I wandered up the spiral ramp inside the folly building called Te Kākano (The Seed). It is a little koru-shaped building, something like a tiled lighthouse with round windows and ball-topped pillars. It was built in 2016 as a precursor to the 100-times bigger HAC development behind it. From the top I peered across the building site and tried to imagine the completed structure.

Specialty shops beside the water

Gorgeous galleries

Along the pedestrianised Quayside there are a cluster of speciality shops and galleries. The Bach sounds suitably seaside-like but its name is actually an acronym – Basin Art and Craft House. Every item on sale here is produced locally but don’t be misled, this isn’t an amateur set up, the Bach Gallery sells quality products with a Northland vibe.

On the waterfront nearby I checked out Burning Issues Gallery. As well as being able to browse and buy handmade glass, paintings, jewellery and ceramics, visitors can watch glass blowing from a viewing platform at the rear of the shop. Glass artist Keith Grinter also holds beginners’ workshops.

Te Kākano(The Seed)

Dining beside the river

From a casual ice-cream on a hot day, or dining with the water lapping beneath your feet, there are plenty of options at the basin. There are cafes with courtyards and shady sun umbrellas, where you can grab a coffee or enjoy a lazy lunch watching the activity on the water.

The Fudge Farm is everyone’s idea of an old-fashioned sweet shop, its shelves packed with varieties of fudge and other sweet treats. Started in a farmhouse kitchen using a family recipe, the Fudge Farm shop is a popular spot – and not only with the children. As well as fudge, you can enjoy espresso, cool drinks, ice cream and desserts on the tables outside. I chose one of the delicious ice cream options to enjoy while I looked around at the nearby restaurants.

The Town Basin marina is a haven for the yachting community

Next door, No 8 Restaurant and Bar provides dining in a stunning hexagonal-shaped building. It has a white-painted, balustraded balcony on the second floor and is topped by a little tower. But arguably the best location for brunch or dinner is at the Quay, where the restaurant’s deck is right over the Hatea River.

Messing about on the river

Not only can you sit and admire the yachts, but out on the water there’s the option of hiring an aqua cycle or kayak and, on summer weekends, the MV Waipapa offers cruises along the harbour to Matakohe-Limestone Island. Once home to a thriving industrial village with a post office and school, the island is now a nature, scenic and kiwi reserve.

Claphams Clock Museum

For the kids

Ice cream finished, I set off to walk the loop. At the start of the walkway another unusual building houses Claphams Clock Museum. This museum is home to the largest collection of timepieces in the Southern hemisphere, everything from rare antiques to fun and strange clocks. It’s a great place to take kids.

Outside there’s a huge sundial, and beside it an area of grass destined to be home to a rolling ball clock.Unsure what this was, I followed the signs to a nearby workshop where I discovered the About Time Project. Volunteers have been working for several years to create what looks like a giant marble-rolling toy. In reality, this kinetic sculpture is an accurate timepiece and an amazing piece of engineering. I don’t claim to understand how it works but I stood mesmerised by the rolling balls and clicking cogs. The enthusiastic builders are fundraising so the rolling ball clock can be moved to its new home beside the river. 

Reyburn House

Markets and more

Back on the brightly painted wooden walkway, children were having the time of their lives on a popular adventure playground. Just beyond the play area is Whangarei’s oldest house. A true colonial gem, white-painted Reyburn House is surrounded by a pretty cottage garden and is a gallery for local artists. During the summer, this grassy area is the venue for markets. On Saturday mornings there is a craft market with stalls full of artwork, handmade soaps, garden art and much more. There’s a coffee caravan and live music if you just need to sit and chill for a while. On Friday evenings foodies gather at the night market where stalls sell multicultural cuisine.

Walking the loop

The Hatea Loop Walkway Huarahi o te Whai runs for 4.2km from the Town Basin (or other points along its length) crossing bridges and linking both banks of the Hatea River. It’s about an hour’s stroll, and is a shared path, so watch out for cyclists.

Heading south from the Town Basin, the walkway leads past 16 different sculptures. These range from quite small to enormous and are constructed from diverse mediums, from marble to steel pipe.

Outside Reyburn House I admired Lottie by Kap Pothan, commemorating the first child born to the Reyburn family.

The gypsy fair market

A contrast is Kaitiaki, a two-metre-tall guardian figure carved by Manos Nathan. Probably the most eye-catching sculpture is Chris Booth and Te Warihi Hetaraka’s Wave and Waka sculpture, featuring an enormous stone wave suspended above a canoe. This celebrates the history of the site as a landing place for Māori and European alike. Information panels relating the history and mythology of the area can be found beside the path.

The next section of the loop walk took me over a footbridge, Kotuitui Whitinga, which is sculptural in itself and studded with paua. This bridges the Raumanga Stream, which empties into the river at this point. On the right, the Pocket Park is another entrance to the loop. The Pocket Park, and Bascule Park close by, have been recently developed and feature murals and attractive plantings. Bascule Park has motorhome parking and a pop-up cafe.

Mural on the loop

One of the most photographed parts of the loop would be the award-winning Te Matau ā Pohe (the fish hook of Pohe) bridge. The design is inspired by the shapes of Māori fishhooks and waka prows. This bridge across the Hātea River opens to let yachts pass through on their way to the Town Basin Marina.

The loop walk continues along the far side of the river, past the site of another upcoming project, the camera obscura. This 8-metre structure will be an interactive sculpture which promises to give visitors unique views of the surroundings.

The final stretch of the walk passes beside the William Frazer Memorial Park, home to a skateboard park and a BMX track. The park is also the venue for the circus and the Gypsy Extravaganza Fair when they make their annual visits to Whangarei. On Hatea Drive walkers pass a small marina and cute boathouses, before coming to my favourite coffee stop. Tiny Kafe, tucked at the back of a surf shop by the marina, has a courtyard shaded by a huge old pohutukawa. It’s a great spot to watch all the activity on the other bank before wandering back beside the river and over the Canopy Bridge, its awnings designed to look like sails.

Pocket Park

FURTHER INFORMATION

There are two places for motorhomes to park beside the loop. Bascule Park has eight designated places for non self-contained vehicles (there are toilets at the park). Self-contained vehicles can stay at the car park on Reyburn House Lane. There is a maximum of three nights at both spots.

Te Manawa The Hub Information Centre is open seven days: Monday-Friday 9.00am-5.00pm, and 9.00am-4.30pm on weekends.

Five free and fun things to do in Taupo

My latest article in Motorhomes caravans & Destinations magazine

Heather Whelan leaves her wallet at home to explore some of Taupō’s great inexpensive attractions

Whakarewa Point

1. Walking and cycling

Nothing beats just strolling along Taupō’s waterfront admiring the lake. On a clear day, the views of the distant mountains complete the picture: they are often snow-topped. The shared walkway that goes alongside the lake as far as Waitahanui at Five Mile Bay is called the Lions Walk.

We cycled the route (voted New Zealand’s favourite urban ride a couple of years ago) almost as far as Waitahanui, stopping to test the water temperature (hot) near the Taharepa Reserve, and on past the Two Mile Bay Sailing Club.

From here, the track takes you beside sheltered bays where you get the same fabulous scenery as the folk in the big holiday homes. There’s freedom camping for self-contained vehicles at Waitahanui and, from there, it would be an easy, mostly flat ride into town.

Water rushes from the Aratiatia Dam

Another great cycle ride is from Huka Falls to the Aratiatia Dam. Huka Falls is well known, and deservedly so. At the falls, the mighty Waikato River narrows sending a mass of water gushing down the 11m drop at the rate of 220,000 litres per second. It’s awe-inspiring to stand and admire the power of nature.

The Huka Falls Loop is a grade 2–3 ride, so it’s slightly harder than the Lions Walkway but well worth doing. We started from the Hub Café (with the helicopter outside) and, after fortifying ourselves with morning tea, set off on the cycle trail.

The first part of the track takes riders through regenerating forest beside the Waikato River to the dam. From here, the route loops to the opposite side of the river, then back to Taupō through impressive scenery, including the steamy area around Wairakei.

In one place, we came to a narrow, sulphurous-looking and scorching stream that we cycled beside for a while. The loop is almost 17kms in length, so when you’re finished, head back to the Hub for lunch and a long, cold drink.

2. Ragin rapids

Four times a day during the summer months the Aratiatia Dam gates open for 15 minutes, filling the ravine below with surging white water. Since the gates were firmly closed when we cycled past on the loop ride, we made another visit to check out the spectacle. Taupō’s full Māori name is Taupō-nui-aTia, which means the 'great cloak of Tia'.

Tia was the discoverer of the area, and the ravine below the Aratiatia Dam is also named after him. Aratiatia translates as the ‘stairway of Tia’. When we got to the viewing platform downstream from the dam, the rocks in the narrow gully were fully exposed, and there were only puddles of water in small pools at the low points. 

A warning siren sounded before the gates opened, then gradually the ravine began to fill with thousands of litres of water. First, the water rose almost imperceptibly before rocks started to disappear below the surface.

As more water rushed down the channel, it began to churn and seethe, until eventually all the rocks and the cliff sides that had been above water just minutes before were hidden beneath the rushing current. Unlike the Huka Falls, where the rate of water crashing past is constant, the rising water of the Aratiatia ravine was strangely different: a unique experience.

3. Hot water

Wairakei Terraces

Taupō’s geothermal nature means the area is alive with hot water and steam. Being great fans of heated pools, we always head for a soak when we’re in Taupō. Perhaps the most famous of Taupō’s spa resorts is DeBretts, where visitors have been taking the waters for more than 100 years.

The early rustic, stream-fed pools were first upgraded in 1958, and continuous improvements have produced today’s complex with its outdoor mineral and spa pools, plus indoor pools and treatment rooms.

There is a camping area, and RVs are welcome. Up the road at Wairakei, there’s a different hot pool experience. Where DeBretts caters for families, the Wairakei Terraces are a thermal experience for adults only.

The pools sit below silica terraces and a waterfall, creating an ambience that recalls the famous pink and white terraces. There are no waterslides or giant mushroom showers here - all is peaceful and calm, the only sounds are bird calls and the gently flowing water. But for free hot soaks in Taupō head to Spa Park.

In the past, bathers just found an excellent spot to soak in the Otumuheke Stream, but in 2018 the area received an upgrade, and there are now changing rooms, toilets, seating and signboards explaining the history of the area. You can relax in natural rock pools while taking in views of the Waikato River.

Steamy landscapes

Craters of the Moon

The Craters of the Moon are not free to visit, but at only $8 per person, the admission is super-cheap. At this strange attraction, just down the road from the Wairakei Terraces, you can wander around the steamy landscape and gaze at lunar-like craters. Vents disgorge clouds of steam, while the craters plop and bubble with hot mud.

We spent over an hour wandering around the area, including taking a path up to a lookout, which gave us great views of the surrounding area. The tracks and boardwalks are well marked to protect the fragile ecosystems and also to safeguard visitors - the landscape changes without warning as new craters are created. 

4. Beautiful bush walks

Towering bush at Opepe

There are lots of pretty walks around Taupō, but the best we’ve found are at Opepe, where there are loop walks on both sides of SH5. We started by walking the northern track and were amazed by how many big trees there were in this mature forest.

Although it’s so close to the road, we were soon walking through bush that gave us an idea of what New Zealand’s forests were like before so much was lost. At the far point of the loop, we could no longer hear traffic, just birds.

Historical surprises

Opepe Cemetery

A sidetrack took us to a small clearing where we were surprised to see wooden grave markers. A nearby sign explained that there had been an attack by Te Kooti’s forces during the New Zealand Land Wars. Nine soldiers were killed in the battle and later buried in this spot.

It was a peaceful place, and I found it hard to imagine the bloody scene 150 years previously. There is more history to discover on the southern track. The scenery is more open because of settlement and development in the days when Opepe was a township,

rather than just a name on the map. We saw the remains of a pit-sawing operation dating back to 1869, where timber was cut for telegraph poles, and also the site of a redoubt and a stock-watering trough.

A historical pit saw at Opepe

What made this interesting was a long story on the adjacent information board, recounting the tale of a soldier’s escape from Te Kooti’s men. A man named Cresswell, who was a member of the armed constabulary, was spotted by one of Te Kooti’s scouts. Cresswell fled naked across the Kaingaroa Plains (in winter), taking two days to reach safety.

Years later, while working on the Waioeka Gorge Road, a fellow labourer recognised him. This man had been Te Kooti’s scout and told Cresswell that he’d refrained from shooting him because the sound would have alerted the Constabulary to the whereabouts of Te Kooti’s force.

5. Town and around

L'Arte Café and Gallery

Taupō is full of interesting shops and galleries. If you’re in Taupō over the Queen’s Birthday Weekend, pick up an Art Trail Guide and check out some of the artists and craftspeople who work in the area.

Whenever you visit, you can take a walking tour of the downtown streets and admire the many walls adorned with eye-catching murals, created during last year’s Graffiato event. Lava Glass (where we stopped for lunch after watching the Aratiatia Dam opening) is a fascinating place to visit.

Funky fish at L'Arte

It has a gallery, shop, café and sculpture garden, showcasing the colourful glass art of Lynden Over. There’s a fee to watch the glass blowing and to enter the sculpture garden, but part of this can be used towards a purchase from the gallery.

A mosaic living room at L'Arte Café

We were short of time when we visited, so we didn’t spend time in the garden, though we plan to do so next time we’re in Taupō. However, we did spend ages wandering around and admiring the garden art and sculpture at L’Arté Café and Gallery at Acacia Bay.

This place is a wonderland, where the flowers and trees are enhanced by colourful and quirky creations scattered among them. Judi Brennan is the ceramicist here, and her work includes an outside living room created from mosaics.

More mosaics at L'Arte

Intricate mosaics are everywhere. There’s a working pottery studio and a shop to browse, where Judi’s ceramics are for sale as well as artworks in a variety of mediums by other artists.

We finally sat down to enjoy coffee and cake in the café, named by Lonely Planet as its No1 café pick for the central North Island. We had spent a great few days in Taupō, enjoying what the town had to offer, and so much of it had been free. I had several other things on my to do list, but they’ll have to wait until next time. Taupō, we’ll be back. 

Plenty of fun for families

• There are plenty of places to stay in Taupō. The NZMCA has a park at Taupō Airport, there are several holiday parks, and freedom camping is allowed in designated areas in the town centre. There are several DOC campgrounds, including Five Mile Bay, Aratiatia Dam and Reid’s Farm. Details can be found at: taupodc.govt.nz/recreation/ freedom-camping. DeBretts has powered campervan and RV sites. Information about this and the hot pools is at taupodebretts.co.nz
• Information about other places mentioned in the article can be found at cratersofthemoon. co.nz; lavaglass.nz, larte.co.nz; wairakeiterraces.co.nz
• The Aratiatia Dam gates open daily at 10am, 12pm, 2pm and 4pm.

Our sentiments exactly