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July 8 123 km RAWENE MOTOR CAMP ($NZ 22)
Up the Kauri Coast through the Waipoua Forest, walking among the giant trees
One day's drive today (with time out for 3 walks), following a further 2 days of our cycle tour route.
Continuing north on SH (State Highway) 12, the 'Twin Coast Discovery Highway', we took a detour after 30 km, climbing inland for 7 km to the Trounson Kauri Park (past a Top Ten HP soon after the.JPG "NZ1_(138).JPG") turning). The DoC (Dept of Conservation) has a car park at about 800 .JPG "NZ1_(143).JPG") ft, from where we took a one-hour circular walk through the subtropical rain forest which covers large areas of the far north. An extremely poetic display illustrated the history and ecology of the forest and the magnificent giant Kauri trees. Predators (possum, rats, feral dogs and cats) are being eradicated from the Park with poisoned bait, so that the native birds, including North Island Brown Kiwi, can recover here. We did see a Tui bird (black with a white ruff above the chest) – recognised from the emblem on our 'Tui' motorhome! Showery weather, cool, ideal for walking.
After lunch, 8 km of gravel road returned us to the highway, higher up at 1,100 ft, just a few miles before the Waipoua Forest Visitor Centre. We'd spent a night in a cabin here, 53 km from Dargaville, when we cycled – but then the weather was dry. Today, the 2.5 hr track to the lookout, which we might have walked, was closed because of mud; the campervan sites were unpowered.
We drove 13 km fu.JPG "NZ1_(145).JPG") rther on SH12 to the Kauri Walks car park (guarded for $NZ 2), from where the path splits into 3 walks (the Four Sisters – 4 kauris fr.JPG "NZ1_(150).JPG") om the same base; the Father of the Forest – widest girth and 2nd largest tree; the Yakas Kauri – 7th largest). We did the longest walk, about an hour and a half return, to the Cathedral Grove (stand of monumental kauris) and Yakas tree, through dense, vibrantly green forest. For the record, Yakas (named after the Dalmatian gum-climber who found it), is 43.9 m high with a girth of 12.3 m at chest height. Climbers scaled the trees to harvest kauri gum (once exported for varnish). We could hardly see the tops of these magnificent ancient hardwoods, which host a mass of other plant life in the crowded clefts of their upper branches.
Just 1 km along the highway is another car park (with refreshments), for a 5-minute walk to view Tane Mahuta, the God of the Forest, the largest surviving kauri and about 2,000 years old! For more on the forest and the region, see www.kauricoast.co.nz and www.northlandnz.com.
We drove on through.JPG "NZ1_(162).JPG") rain (and mist up at this height – 1,170 ft): a typical NZ road, repeatedly dropping to cross a stream, then climbing again, until the steep descent to sea level at OMAPERE on Hokianga Harbour. Just before the bottom, we turned left on Signal Station Road for the scenic lookout and a short walk round the South Head of the Harbour, with great views of the coastline and the cosy little town below. For publications on Day Walks in Northland (and other areas) visit www.reed.co.nz, and for details of walking tracks see www.doc.govt.nz.
Our road followed the southern side of the wide Hokianga Harbour (no town of that name), through the little resort of OPONONI (with overpriced camping), and on to RAWENE, from where a ferry crosses the Harbour. We found the little motor camp, where we'd taken a cabin on our cycle tour, on a hilltop overlooking the water. (Rawene means 'sun setting'.) A very friendly place, with a welcome laundry and internet access. 'Hotmail' is incredibly slow or impossible at present, however – a mix of an old machine, slow phone connection and the volume of emails following the London transport bombings. Text messages are also busy on Vodafone. Everyone is outraged and many are anxious about friends and relatives in Britain.
July 9 76 km KAITAIA MOTOR CAMP ($NZ 22)
Across Hokianga Harbour and on to Northland
Down to Rawene Wharf .JPG "NZ2_(100).JPG") for the hourly vehicle ferry across Hokianga Harbour, a 15-minute ride (operates 7.30 am – 7.30 pm). We were classed as a 'Heavy Campervan' at $NZ 24 (cars are $NZ 14, foot passengers $NZ 2). On the far side, turn left for 2 km for the Treehouse Backpackers (where we didn't stay on our cycle tour 5 years ago!). Otherwise, turn right and follow the river for 3 km to KOHUKOHU, once the site of a sawmill for the Kauri which were floated down Hokianga Harbour from Omahuta Forest upstream. For tourist information, visit www.hokiangainforxtra.co.nz.
SH12 continues to Kaitaia via Broadwood (a quieter route with less climbing, which we cycled.) Today, though, we turned off for MANGAMUKA BRIDGE to join SH1 for a shorter drive through Mangamuka Gorge, climbing to 1,280 ft at the summit (50 km from Rawene), before dropping almost to sea level in KAITAIA, NZ's most northerly town.
Most shops had closed at lunchtime (it's Saturday), but the Pak'n'Pay supermarket is open till late, 7 days a week. The only internet outlet was at a pharmacy, where we spent a frustrating half hour, still unable to access hotmail. Stayed on a simple Motor Camp (pay at the nearby 'Dairy' – convenience store), with tainted water and grim showers, but at least it was empty and peaceful!
We recognised the Kauri Lodge Motel, opposite the Visitor Centre/Museum, where we'd stayed before cycling the long finger of land to Cape Reinga. It is 95 km to Waitiki Landing (the last food and accommodation), then 25 km of rough unsealed road to the Cape. A memorable ride, both ways, which we need not repeat this visit! It is possible to drive one way along 90-mile beach, if you have 4WD, knowledge of the tides and insurance cover (expressly prohibited with hired vehicles)!
July 10/12 76 km KERIKERI, Gibby's Place TP ($NZ 24)
Round Doubtless Bay and Maturai Bay, finding a Gypsy Fair and missing the Rainbow Warrior, then waterlogged in Kerikeri (= Dig, dig)
In a steady drizzle, north for 8 km to AWANUI, then right onto SH10. (Noticed a new motel and campervan park here, probably a better base for Kaitaia, had we known.)
After another 15 km, turned left onto the Karikari Peninsula, which forms the west side of Doubtless Bay. .JPG "NZ2_(110).JPG") Huge sandspits connect former offshore islands to the mainland, a desolate area of peat swamps which preserved the kauri gum. Just 2 km along Inland Road is Gum Hole Reserve, where a short walk took us round some of the holes left by gumdiggers, using spears and spades to unearth the valuable kauri gum in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Further along the peninsula is a Top 10 HP at Whatuwhiwhi (don't ask your children to pronounce this) but we returned to the main road, following our cycle route along the south shore of Doubtless Bay.
At the first little resort, TAIPA, a 'Gypsy & Tinkers Market' attracted us. The 'gypsies' .JPG "NZ2_(124).JPG") are akin to what the British call 'New Age Travellers' – a community who live in a rare assortment of home-converted buses and trucks, gathering at weekend fairs and markets to sell their wares and talents. We bought home-made cakes and fudge from one van (Margaret could be that kind of 'Old Age Traveller'), took many photographs of the vehicles and were fascinated to talk with James, 'the Village Blacksmith', working at a travelling furnace, forging wrought-iron work, alongside the truck which is home to himself, partner and two children! For more images, try Travellers Fair
The road left the coast after Cable Bay, meeting water again whe![NZ2_(136)[1].jpg](http://www.magbaztravels.com/images/stories/Northland/NZ2_(136)%5B1%5D.jpg "NZ2_(136)[1].jpg") n we detoured 6 km north to the beautiful little town of WHANGAROA (= long harbour), where a motor camp cabin had been the next stage in our cycle tour. Now, we lunched by the shore, next to the Big Game Fishing Clubhouse. The rain had stopped, the water shone like glass, reflecting the boats, disturbed only by a diving cormorant. It is impossible to exaggerate the beauty of NZ's coastline.
Back to SH10, through .JPG "NZ2_(135).JPG") KAEO, then another detour for 16 twisting km to MATURAI BAY. A steep drop, from 922 ft to sea level (especially the last 4 tortuous km to Maturai Beach). The original Rainbow Warrior was deliberately sunk offshore, in the Bay, to make a reef for scuba divers to explore and a memorial to the ship crowns the headland. Today (10 July) is the 20th anniversary of the bombing and Rainbow Warrior II was here for a dawn remembrance service this morning, but didn't wait for us! The caravan park was overpriced and windswept, but we did spot dolphins leaping as we walked the beach before climbing back to the main road.
On to WAIPAPA, where we turned off to the large town of KERIKERI, a citrus growing centre with plenty of accommodation. The Top 10 HP doubles as a busy backpackers' hostel for fruit-pickers, a contrast with the quiet garden of Gibby's Place, open to motorhomes and campers. Both are a short walk from the town centre.
The next 2 days saw gale-force winds and torrential rain, ideal weather for reading and writing! Letters, postcards and journey log were written up; emails and website updated at an internet centre in a jeweller's shop (cheaper and better equipped than the town library); and Margaret got new frames made for her reading glasses (broken back in Brisbane – but we always carry spares.) Barry replaced his recently-dead 128MB USB gizmo which had carried all our words and pictures between laptop and internet café. The only disappointment was that we could only get one fuzzy channel on the motorhome's TV, when we're eager for news of the terrorist activity in England. For more information on Kerikeri, visit www.kerikeri.co.nz
July 13/14 27 km HARURU FALLS, Twin Pines HP ($NZ 18) - Kiwi Group
From historic Kerikeri to the Bay of Islands, for the Waitangi Track and Treaty
Having checked out of the TP, we spent an hour or 2 in the jeweller's internet room culminating in a wide ranging political discussion with the jeweller himself. Among much else, it seems that the number of Asians in the country now outnumbers that of Maori and causes some concern.
In calmer .JPG "NZ3_(14).JPG") weather, we visited the historic buildings of Kerikeri down by the river crossing. The substantial 2-storey Stone Store is NZ's oldest stone building (1833 - not exactly ancient), while the nearby wooden Kemp House, built as a Mission in 1822, is the country's very oldest surviving house.
From the bridge, we climbed the footpath up to .JPG "NZ_(100).JPG") Kororipo Pa, overlooking the river - the 'whirlpool fort' of the famous warrior chief, Hongi Heka. The ditch and rampart fortifications reminded us of Britain's Iron Age hillforts, built some 2,000 years earlier. Hongi Heka was one of the 2 Maori who accompanied the missionary, Rev Thomas Kendall, to England to help a Cambridge Professor compile a Maori dictionary. On his return voyage, Hongi Heka exchanged many of the gifts he'd received for muskets in Sydney. He sent war parties all over North Island during the 'Musket Wars', which ended when he was shot and killed in 1827 (not wearing the suit of armour presented to him by King George IV).
Lunch on the River Basin car park was shared with dozens of hungry ducks, geese, seagulls and pukako (delightful long-legged purple swamp-hen-like birds). A discussion with a New Zealander (whose Alfa Romeo, lovingly personally imported from the UK, had now punctured) confirmed that the Coromandel is the peninsula of choice
A short drive south .JPG "NZ_(122).JPG") along SH10 to PUKETONA, then east for 14 km on SH11 towards the HARURU FALLS, with no less than 3 caravan parks by the Waitangi River just downstream of the Falls. (We chose the first, a member of the Kiwi Group - giving 10% discount to members, or to those of us who joined the Top Tourist Group in Australia. See www.twinpines.co.nz for the park, or www.kiwiholidayparks.com for the group.) The other 2 campgrounds were linked to motels, more expensive but with a better view of the Falls! Haruru means 'big noise' and the sound of the horseshoe falls is impressive after the recent rain.
Just 5 minutes' walk from ou.JPG "NZ_(103).JPG") r campsite, by the bridge and lookout above.JPG "NZ_(104).JPG") the Falls, is the start of the 5-km Haruru Falls-Waitangi Track, a walk of about 1.5 hours each way through the Waitangi National Trust forest (kiwi habitat - no dogs allowed).The path skirted the shoreline of the river, crossed Hutia Creek on a boardwalk through mangrove swamp, then emerged from woodland onto a golf course at Waitangi (= noisy or weeping river). The river is sluggish, barely moving towards the sea after dropping over the Haruru Falls (195 ft above sea level).
The little settlement at the river .JPG "NZ_(109).JPG") mouth, across from Paihia, is best known for the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi. At this time the Waitangi River was an important trade route and Haruru was a busy port, with a wharf below our campsite. The Treaty is regarded as the founding document of bicultural New Zealand, and commemorations are held in th.JPG "NZ_(110).JPG") e Treaty Grounds every Waitangi Day (6 February) - a national holiday.
For $NZ 10 each, we visited the Treaty House (former home of the British Resident, James Busby, and his family), on whose spacious lawns the thing was signed by 43Maori Chiefs and those representing the British Crown. (The number increased to 500 Chiefs when the Treaty was hawked round the country.) There is also a.JPG "NZ_(111).JPG") carved Maori meeting house, Whare Runanga, and a huge ceremonial waka or Maori war canoe, built from 3 kauri trees - both completed in 1940 for the centenary celebration. We could have paid extra for a guided t.JPG "NZ_(117).JPG") our and/or a cultural performance. The highlight of the experience was probably the view across the Bay of Islands - or maybe the pies, sausage rolls and coffee in the café before the return walk. The rain held off until we got back, then poured all night, making the Falls even better value next morning! See www.waitangi.net.nz for more on the Treaty Grounds and this significant document.
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