Hidden Treasures: Kai Iwi to Pouto

 Heather Whelan and partner Malcolm discover some peaceful and picturesque spots near Dargaville

Shipwreck remains at Pouto

The weather was forecast to be good for a few days, so we stocked up our bus and headed west from Whangarei – first stop the Kai Iwi Lakes. These rain-fed, freshwater lakes are part of a 538-hectare recreational reserve, 35km north-west of Dargaville, and are popular with campers, fishermen and those who enjoy water sports.

There are two campgrounds on the shores of Lake Taharoa, the largest of the Kai Iwi Lakes. One is called Pine Beach – though the pines have been removed in recent years – and the other is at Promenade Point. We didn’t plan to stay overnight, so parked overlooking Marina Bay and set off to walk around the lake. There are tracks around all three of the lakes, and side paths lead to Lake Waikare and Lake Kai Iwi from the Lake Taharoa track. On a hot afternoon we thought the 8km loop would give us enough exercise, so stuck to the main track.

We started our stroll at the boat ramp, where a group were launching jet skis. Visitors can enjoy a whole range of water activities on Lake Taharoa and Lake Waikare, including waka ama, kayaking, sailing, windsurfing, water skiing, fishing and swimming. However, motorised craft are not allowed on Lake Kai Iwi.

Lake Taharoa, Kai Iwi Lakes

Lake Taharoa is New Zealand’s third largest dune lake and the country’s deepest. The lakes were formed 1.8 million years ago when rain fell in depressions of sand that had impermeable ironstone pans beneath them. There are no inlets or outlets so the depth in the lakes can vary, as can the water temperature; extremes range from 12C to 21C.

Kai Iwi Lakes have unique biodiversity and are home to many native species, some endangered. Bird life includes the North Island brown kiwi, white-faced heron, paradise shelduck, grey teal and the Australasian bittern. Rainbow trout were introduced in the 1960s.

Kai Iwi means ‘food for the people’ and early Maori settlers in the area enjoyed catching fish and eels in the lakes. During times of war, injured warriors recuperated at the lakeside. Later kauri gum diggers built huts in the area, however this industry died out in the 1920s, leaving little trace.

There were plenty of campers at Pine Beach, enjoying the shallow waters fronting the campground, the children’s playground, and generally relaxing. One family were unloading bikes as the loop tracks are suitable for cycling as well as walking.

Our path continued beside crystal-clear water and golden sandy beaches, giving the lake a tropical look. There were few walkers on the track as we passed the aptly named Sandy Bay and continued past Deep Water Cove to the strangely named Sin Bin area and on to Promenade Point. The campground here has fewer facilities than Pine Beach and is described as a relaxed kiwiana experience.

We arrived back at our bus after taking just over two hours to walk the Lake Taharoa loop. We stayed for a while longer, and then headed into Dargaville.

Sunset at the Dargaville NZMCA Park

HISTORIC DARGAVILLE

We always enjoy staying at the NZMCA Park, which is situated picturesquely at the junction of the Kaihu and Wairoa rivers. We spent happy hour – actually close to two hours – chatting with other motorhomers in one of the historic boatsheds that once belonged to Thompson Boat Builders.

The NZMCA Park beside the Kaihu River

Swedish-born Erik Thompson was the first of three generations of boat builders to produce craft here. Hundreds of launches, sailing boats and whalers were constructed from kauri over the years, the most famous being the whaleboats constructed for Ernest Shackleton’s 1907-1909 Antarctic expedition. Full-scale drawings of these were discovered sketched out in pencil on the boatshed’s loft floor.

Earlier we’d strolled along Dargaville’s waterfront from the band rotunda, past the Boating Club and through the Riverside Gardens. Prominent at the junction of Parenga Street and Hokianga Road is a statue erected as a tribute to the area’s early gum diggers, who came mainly from Dalmatia (now Croatia).

Dargaville honours the memory of its gum diggers

There’s a brochure available at the information centre that details a 5km walking trail around Dargaville’s historic buildings. We just looked at some of the sites, including the ‘petticoat houses’, six identical cottages built for workers at the Dairy Company. They were built with fireplaces but you had to pay extra for a chimney!

Lake Taharoa with Maunganui Bluff in the distance

The following day we went to discover more local history at the Dargaville Museum. There’s a wealth of information here about early European pioneers, especially the gum diggers. Another section of the museum is dedicated to shipwrecks, as the Pouto Peninsula and Kaipara Harbour entrance were notorious for shifting shoals and a dangerous bar.

Reconstructed gum diggers’ huts at Dargaville Museum

Among the flotsam and jetsam displayed are portholes, anchors and substantial parts of ships and boats dug up from the sands of the area. These range from a punt used from the 1880s to the 1950s, an American ship built in 1870, and the Mathieu, wrecked in 1885.

PLACE OF HIDDEN TREASURES

From Dargaville we drove south on the Pouto Peninsula. This 55km long spit stretches from Dargaville to Pouto Point, separating the Kaipara Harbour from the Tasman Sea. Described as one of Northland’s best-kept secrets, the peninsula is off the beaten tourist track. Visitors and bach owners enjoy a quiet spot for fishing – Pouto means float for a fishing net – though tourist information describes it as ‘the place of hidden treasures’.

Te Kopuru Church with Maungaraho Rock on the horizon

Our first stop along the road was the little settlement of Te Kopuru. Once a thriving town with sawmills and a shipbuilding industry, in its heyday Te Kopuru had a population of 3000. It had banks, shops, a post office, church, library and cinema, but when the kauri was all gone the town’s prosperity dwindled. Now Te Kopuru has only a school, a post office/ store, a pretty wooden church and a community veggie garden.

The community veggie garden in the tiny settlement of Te Kopuru

It also has what must be Te Kopuru’s most photographed spot. Near the church on the main street there’s an old villa that has its garden decorated with hundreds of fishing floats and buoys. As well as the floats there are old ropes, fishing nets, sails, shells, whale bones and structures made from all kinds of things thrown up by the tide. It’s worth stopping in Te Kopuru just to gaze at this whimsical place. 

Hundreds of floats and buoys decorate this garden in Te Kopuru

The road down the peninsula is sealed until the turn for Kellys Bay. From here the road to Pouto Point is gravelled, as is Kellys Bay Road. We took a short detour to the little community and parked on the grass beside the beach. While we enjoyed our morning tea we watched flocks of terns, oyster-catchers, stilts and gulls advance towards us as the incoming tide gave them wet feet. There’s a campground at the end of the road with some powered sites and lots of room for self-contained campers. Facilities are minimal here with long drop toilets and solar showers, but the beach is safe for children and is a good spot for catching flounder.

Finally we arrived at Pouto Point and parked beside the hall at the tiny campground. We signed in across the road and settled down to enjoy stunning views across the Kaipara Harbour. It’s always been hard for boats to enter the harbour, as evidenced by the remains of wrecks we’d seen at the Dargaville Museum. Maori history tells how the captain of the waka Mahuhu drowned when his ship was wrecked at the entrance. Both Cook and Tasman sailed by, leaving Marion du Fresne to be the first European explorer to identify the entrance, though it was 1836 before the first European sailors made their way into the harbour.

A fine view of the Kaipara Harbour at Pouto campground

 

Although the entrance was known as ‘the graveyard’ (there have been 113 recorded shipwrecks), the harbour offered ease of access to lucrative kauri. Early charts were misleading, and sandbars shifted constantly, but many sailing captains took the risk and entered. By 1884 there was a lighthouse, a signal station and custom house at Pouto. (In fact, the Marine Hall at the campground is the old custom house, New Zealand’s first.)

It’s a 7km walk out to Pouto lighthouse (disused since 1952 and now maintained by Heritage New Zealand) followed by an energetic 10-15 minute climb up steep dunes, but we opted for a stroll along the beach. We were delighted to come across the remains of a boat’s ribs protruding from the sand; another of the ‘graveyard’s’ wrecks coming to light, to be either recovered or reburied by the shifting sands.

FURTHER INFORMATION

• Details about the camping grounds at Kai Iwi Lakes can be found at: kaiiwicamp.nz. There are limited power sites at Palm Beach and it is vital to book sites in both camps in advance in summer and on holiday weekends.
• The NZMCA Park is at 2 River Road, Dargaville. Overnight parking is also available at Dargaville Museum, $15 per night, $12 for NZMCA members.
• Phone 09 4390781 or 0274 509473 to book at Kellys Bay Reserve Campground.
• Pouto Marine Hall Campground is at 16 Signal Station Road, Pouto.
• At Kai Iwi Lakes the Lake Taharoa track is an easy 8km, Lake Waikare and Lake Kai Iwi are both 4km. There is also a walk along the beach from Kai Iwi to Maunganui Blu , 1.5 hours one way.

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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I love to travel, most of the stories on this blog are related to sailing, walking, cycling or travelling by motorhome. This is the story of how I built and sailed a catamaran from England to New Zealand.

Copies of my book, Voyage of the Ika Roa, are available from: http://bigwords-books.com/product/voyage-of-the-ika-roa-heather-whelan/

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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.