Back Home On The Coast

On Tuesday morning we said goodbye to our friendly hosts at the Heartland Airport Hotel and headed to the Auckland Airport in the Shuttle Bus, where we boarded the Virgin plane for the three hour flight back to the Gold Coast and home. We had all enjoyed ourselves immensely trekking around the North Island and were moved by the genuine warmth and kindness shown to us by the New Zealanders we met on our travels. I have written this blog mainly for myself as I find over time the places I visited, what I did there and when tend to blur and blend into each other. However to those who took the trouble to read my simple musings I hope they were of passing interest. Also, because of family and work commitments, not everyone has the time to travel so perhaps to some extent the blog allowed them to walk with us in Aotearoa

                                                                      CIAO

                                                              

Cornwall Park

We left the Waihi Beach Holiday Park fairly early on the Monday morning. This was our penultimate day in Aotearoa and we were heading back to the Heartland Airport Hotel in Auckland for our last night. On the way we stopped for a ramble around Cornwall Park. This verdant expanse of land with its manicured lawns and seemingly infinite variety of trees was gifted by Sir John Logan Campbell to the people of New Zealand in 1901 following a visit by the Duke of Cornwall and has been a haven of natural beauty and recreation ever since. One could spend all day strolling and relaxing in this idyllic setting as many of the Auckland residents and visitors do. Some of the highlights are the Huia Lodge, which was built around 1903 in a mixture of Queen Anne Revival and Australian Federation styles from  kauri timber. Directly opposite is the Acacia Cottage,  built by Sir John himself in a Colonial Georgian style using pit-sawn kauri timber in 1841 and re-erected in the Park following Sir John's passing. On the very summit of Cornwall Park, known as One Tree Hill,  stands a magnificent 100 feet high Obelisk erected as requested by Sir John in his will to honour and make known his admiration for the achievements and character of the mighty Maori race. The Obelisk fittingly was constructed in 1940, the Centennial Year of the Signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Our walk concluded along a gorgeous avenue of Norfolk Pines and red Pohutukawa trees. In the evening we took ourselves over to Mission Bay for a farewell dinner and final get-together at a superb Mexican restaurant. We had arranged to meet up with a group of bike riders from the Bushies who were cycling the North Island. These intrepid riders had had a marvelous and very energetic time cycling up and down the mean hills of Aotearoa, racing along mountain trails and doing what must be one of the most thrilling adventures and adrenaline rushes for cyclists ever by riding along the sands of the famed Northland 90 Mile Beach with the rolling surf on one side and a lofty mountain range on the other. So it was a most enjoyable finish for all hands as we swopped tales and downed a few coldies. It was a sort of collective Mission Accomplished and what better place to do it than at panoramic Mission Bay.

Karangahake Gorge

Due to a WIFI outage my post on the Waiotemaramo Loop Track experience evaporated into cyberspace, but I have been able to piece together the gist of it from my notes and thus it finds itself out of context on the previous page. Our group would have walked this track on Tuesday, March 17th. We arrived and settled in nicely at the Waihi Beach Holiday Park on the Saturday evening. On Sunday we headed up to the Karangahake Gorge for a very scenic and historic walk alongside the Ohinemuri River. Karangahake is the site of a former gold mining settlement, where the ore containing the gold and silver particles was transported from nearby mines in the towns of Waihi and Paeroa by rail. The  standard 3'6" railway track was built in 1905. We walked beside a section of this track through a one kilometre tunnel lined with concrete and up to 5 layers of bricks and which had been gouged and blasted through a bluff. The tunnel was was an oval arch shape and, for its time, was an engineering masterpiece. We crossed the gorge via a suspension bridge, which was a delight and which gave us wonderful views of the stream below. We continued on to the former Victoria Battery complex, where the ore was crushed and fed into a series of large leaching tanks. A weak solution of cyanide was then added to separate the gold and silver content. The name "Battery" comes from the extremely loud reports by the stamping presses used to crush the ore and which sounded like a volley of cannon fire. We finished by visiting the mining museum and having a fun ride along this historic railway line on a miniature train. An enjoyable end to our day.

Waiotemaramo Loop Track - Tuesday 17th March

Today we had two walks.The first was one of great beauty while the second, through dense forest, called on us to utilize our scrambling skills to the utmost. The Waiotemaramo Loop Track took us through a very pretty forest area full of tall palm trees and fantail like silver fern. Occasionally we would come across a towering kauri tree. We continued alongside a gurgling stream and slowly descended to the very beautiful 20 metre Waiotemaramo Falls. Waiotemaramo itself means "Water of the Moon". We had decided to keep going on what is known as the Hauturu Highpoint Track, which involved a steady and almost vertical climb. There had been constant quite heavy rain all morning and  the falling wet forest leaves had turned the trail into mulch making it extremely slippery, but with the help of tree roots and the assistance of our trekking poles we reached the summit and were rewarded with some stunning if somewhat damp landscape views. The Hauturu Highpoint is marked by a large wooden pyramid mounted on a tall frame and we crowded beneath it like smiling drowned rodents, pleased at our mild triumph before making our way off the bluff, this time thankfully in descent.  By this time we had been walking in excess of six hours in inclement weather with only two ten minute breaks and were keen to get home and reward ourselves with a hot shower and an apéritif.

Waihi Beach

From Mi Camp we headed north-east to Waihi Beach, which is situated right on the stunning Bay of Plenty, where we would stay for two nights at the Waihi Holiday Park. Our route took us through Rotorua and Tauranga, where we stopped for a coffee and a stroll around this lively town. Before arriving at Waihi Beach we deviated to the Kaimai Mamaku Forest as we wanted to have a look at a 600 year old kauri tree located there on the Tuahu Track and which was well worth the 20 minute walk. We looked up at this magnificent tree with a tinge of sadness as we recalled how the European settlers began logging in 1772 and this devastation continued until the 1950s thus decimating the kauri forests to a great extent. Following this stop we continued on to the holiday park.

The Arapuni Swing Bridge

We departed from the very friendly Juno Hall Backpackers on Friday morning and headed for the Mi Camp Adventure facility at Whakamaru, where we would stay overnight. The Mi Camp is a Christian Services enterprise situated in an idyllic lake setting where men and boys learn teamwork through activities such as horseriding,  kayaking, abseiling and such. On the way we stopped at Arapuni Village to have a look at the Arapuni Swing Bridge. It was a joy to walk across this 152 metre bridge,  which spans across a deep gorge and is suspended by two huge self lubricating steel cables. The bridge leads to the 1929 Arapuni Power Station on the other side, which is also of great historical interest. From the Swing Bridge there is a pleasant 6 kilometre bush walk alongside the Waikato River, which we did before continuing on our way to Whakamaru.

Tawarau Falls

We took it easy on the Thursday after our energetic Tongariro tramp the previous day. About mid morning we drove to Otorohanga,  a charming farming town nearby for a coffee and stroll around.  Otorohanga is internationally renowned for its Kiwi House,  where for the first time the general public could view this unique flightless bird in captivity. In the afternoon we took a walk through the Tawarau Forest to see its small but very picturesque waterfall. Tawarau is of particular interest as it is a virgin forest growing in karst or limestone and is the habitat of a variety of exotic birds such as falcons,  grey warblers and bell birds. In the evening a group of us dined at the rather exclusive Waitomo Hotel, where we were met by a tall statuesque African Hostess and escorted to a pannelled high ceiling dining room, where we enjoyed a gourmet silver service meal. A really pleasant finish to our day.

Tramping The Tongariro Alpine Crossing

At 7am on the Wednesday morning we left the Plateau Lodge and piled into the Shuttle Bus, which would take us to the Mangatepopo Car Park, our starting point for the Tongariro Crossing. We did so with what could only be described as anxious enthusiasm as we were mindful of how weather conditions could abruptly change bringing possibly poor visibility, sudden storms or high wind chill. The World Heritage Tongariro National Park is dominated by three active volcanoes,  Mount Ruapeka, Mount Ngauruhoe and our own particular challenge,  the 1968 metre Mount Tongariro. The whole region itself is the result of multiple volcanic eruptions over 300,000 years. We commenced the walk on a fairly low gradient at approximately 1400 metres until we reached the foot of the steep Tongariro saddle and the numerous ascents and descents began as we made our laboured way up to the rim of the Red Crater, the highest point of the trek. The views from the Red Crater are surreal. There is no vegetation whatsoever and one sees such incredible sights as moonscape basins, steaming vents, hot springs, old lava flows, treacherous scree slopes on which slithering rapidly in semi-control is the only way down and, of course,  the brilliant colours of the aptly named Emerald and Blue Lakes. The Red Crater gets its name from the stunning red colours caused by the oxidation of iron in the volcanic rock. The smell of sulphur dioxide or "rotten egg gas" as we used to call it emanating from the steam vents was very pronounced there. The lower slopes before reaching the finish of the Crossing at the Ketataki Car Park are covered with a welcoming leafy forest,  which is also the habitat of many native birds including short and long tailed bats. We had started this trek, which took us seven and a quarter hours, with some trepidation but with determination, will power and, of course, teamwork and encouragement we had not only completed one of New Zealand's premier mountain walks but we had done so with style. Tired, but with a great feeling of accomplishment, we piled into our own van and drove back to our digs at the Juno Hall Backpackers where we would stay for a couple of nights.

National Park Village

We left Waitomo reasonably early on the Tuesday morning and headed south to the National Park Village in the Whakapapa District where we were staying overnight at the Plateau Lodge prior to our Tongariro Alpine Crossing. We had plenty of time so we drove past Lake Taupo and were enthralled with its deep blue colour and mountains backdrop. However before leaving we decided to do the three hour Ruakuri Walk which left from the Waitomo Glowworm Caves as we wanted a little exercise. This lovely loop walk took us through a forest covered gorge alongside the gurgling Waitomo stream and passed numerous small caves. These caves and the amazing sculptured rock outcrops and tunnels along the path were formed over millennia by the powerful and relentless action of water on limestone. At one stage we walked over a fabulous little suspension bridge, but the real highlight of the walk was the Ruakuri Natural Tunnel with its spectacular high ceiling cave and the Waitomo Stream flowing into it. When our eyes adjusted to the darkness we could see quite large stalactites and stalagmites. This reserve has strong spiritual and cultural significance to Maoris and was a very pleasant way to begin our drive south.

Heading South

We departed the Kauri Park Holiday Park on the Sunday morning and headed south on the Southern Motorway to the beachside town of Raglan, only stopping briefly in Auckland. Raglan is one of New Zealand's premier surfing and kayaking spots and a very relaxed and laid back town.We were only staying here at the Raglan Holiday Park overnight and the next morning were off again, this time to the Juno Hall Backpackers at Waitomo. We went via the Ruakuri Scenic Drive, which was filled with constant undulating bends on the road but very picturesque, especially the immense Kawhia Harbour, which was on our right for most of the drive. On the way we passed the Te Uku Wind Farm, Aotearoa's first. The wind farm genetates 64.4 megawatts of power and is enough to service 30,000 average NZ homes.There are about a dozen units, each 80 metres high with an aerofoil span of 49 metres. The Waitomo Glowworm Caves were quite close so we took the opportunity to pay.them a visit. We admired the limestone stalactites and stalagmites and took a boat ride in the watery depths of the cave to see countless glowworms radiating in the luminous light, an experience we all enjoyed immensely.

Around Dargaville

This morning we drove south of Dargaville with the intention of climbing up the steep 770 metre Tutamoe Track. Our reasoning was to tune ourselves up just a little more in readiness for one of the highlights of our trip, the challenging 20 kilometres Tongariro Alpine Crossing. Unfortunately for us the Park Rangers had closed the track for safety reasons. Undaunted we set off for two more nearby shorter uphill climbs. On the way we took a side road diversion to have a look at Baylys Beach, another New Zealand coastal gem hidden away in a sandy cove from where one can gain access to the 100 kilometres long Ripiro Beach gazetted highway. From Baylys Beach we continued on to our first walk, the Tokatoka Lookout Track. Tokatoka Hill is itself an interesting geological phenomenon as it is the actual core of a volcano and as we approached it we got the impression of an immense conical rock thrusting itself towards the sky.  The walk started through picturesque native bush and then the vertical scrambling began, but we were able to assist ourselves up by clinging to some friendly vines and tree roots. The view from the rather tiny plateau at the summit was awesome with the wide Wairoa River directly below us meandering its serpentine path through this gorgeous countryside. We reluctantly descended from this magical vista and headed for our proposed second walk, the Maungaraho Rock, which in reality can only be described as a mammoth rocky outcrop. There are two suggested walks here. One can take the path around the base or one can emulate a mountain goat along with the use of ropes and ladders to reach the summit. We settled for the path and were satisfied just to walk next to this massive rock.Early New Zealand settlers were extremely God fearing. As one travels around rural Aotearoa he will come across tiny wooden churches with their distinctive steeples. On our way back from Maungaraho Rock we saw such a one . This All Saints House of Worship had been built in 1882 and then transported from its original site to the hamlet of Mititai by means of three river barges in the mid 20th century. Just another charming aspect of this remarkable country! After this we returned to our last night at the superb Kauri Coast Holiday Park well satisfied with our substituted excursions.

Maunganui Bluff

Our task today was to climb a track leading to the summit of the 459 metre high Maunganui
Bluff and we would start from the Aranga Beach at its base. As we tilted our heads skyward
to view the top the first word which sprang to our minds was "daunting". When we reached the summit that word was "exhilarating". The path began fairly easily across flaxen grass and then began to ascend around the periphery of the hill along a somewhat rocky trail with clear and uninterrupted sea views. As we neared the top the climb abruptly steepened and we passed through an unusual avenue of pine trees with their fronds pointing upwards into more intense bushland, where we glimpsed some very pretty pohutukawa trees. The views from the summit were magic. The rolling  verdant countryside stretched right to the dune lakes in the distance. The tranquility of Maunganui Bluff makes it a safe haven for nesting birds such as oystercatchers and dotterels. We returned to Aranga Beach the same way and decided to have lunch there. The beach itself is a board rider's mecca. It stretches as far as the eye can see. Two or three metre high swells keep rolling in culminating in a row of waves pounding into the shore line. While we were having our lunch we were entertained by a plump seal suddenly scrambling out of the rocks and waddling across the sand before heading out to sea. It was still early afternoon so we headed for the 450 hectare Trouson Kauri Park to have a mini 1.7 kilometre walk there and admire some kauri trees. The walk took us along a dedicated boardwalk through a lovely rainforest of mature kauri trees, some were 1200 years old, ferns of all description, climbing plants as well as a variety of flowers such as honeysuckles and lilacs. One of the unique sights at Trouson was two sets of kauri trees called the Four Sisters, each pair conjoined together from a single trunk. It was a delightful end to our day.

The Dune Lakes

Located near the holiday park are three dune lakes clusteted fairly close together and the group decided to explore them. Dune lakes are formed by the accumulation of rain water in depressions of sand and are quite picturesque. Lake Taharoa, the largest, is sandwiched between Lake Waikare and Lake Kai Iwi. The lakes were a deep blue colour and, with a gentle breeze creating surface ripples, made a really lovely vista. Along the sandy lake margins several species of reeds and rushes added extra colour. Birds are naturally drawn to lakes and we we able to catch a glimse of a variety of ducks such as teal and shoveller as well as kingfishers and heron. We found some walking tracks lined with pampas grass and dark green fir trees along the edges of the lakes, which added to our visual enjoyment. It was a pleasant and very relaxing day!

Kauri Coast

We left Opononi fairly early on Wednesday morning and continued heading south to Kaihu, where we would stay for four nights in the excellent Kauri Coast Holiday Park. New Zealand
landscapes are absolutely stunning and this drive was no exception. Along the way we passed the Waipoura Forest,  where the Tane Mahuta, the largest known living kauri tree, is located and wnich we were very keen to see. The Tane Mahuta stands some 400 metres into the forest along an easily accessible boardwalk and what an awe inspiring sight it is! This ancient leviathan sprang from scattered seed some 2,000 years ago. It has a height of 51.5 metres and its girth is 13.8 metres. Kauri trees get the most attention because of their age and dimensions,  but in reality they play a relatively small part in the Waipoura Forest pantheon as there are over 300 species of scrubs, ferns and other trees growing in abundance there. We all agreed it would have been worthwhile making the trip to Aotearoa solely to see this towering historic wonder. We continued on to our holiday park and settled in for the night.

Opononi

On the Monday morning we left Waitiki Landing and drove south down the West Coast. Our destination was Opononi,  where we would stay at Okapoka Lodge, situated on the side of a mountain,  for a couple of days. We stopped for a break at Ahipara, which is the start of the famed Ninety Mile Beach from its southern end. The group spent a pleasant  hour or so walking on the compact mineral sands of this sweeping crescent shaped beach with the rolling surf crashing over the inside reef on one side and a lofty mountain range on the other. We continued on to Rawene and took the car ferry there across the vast Hokianga Harbour,  named after Kupe, the esteemed Polynesian navigator and father of Maori lore, to our lodge.

Werahi Beach

The top part of Northland, because of its relative isolation, has limited WIFI connection and thus my blog was out of action for a couple of days. Here's an update. Our team departed the Orongo Holiday Park fairly early on the Saturday morning and headed north on the East Coast highway towards Cape Reinga. The drive from Russell was most enjoyable and picturesque. On either side heavily wooded forests literally came down to the edge of the road and gave us the impression we were driving along the bottom of a vast valley. Our destination was Waitiki Landing where we would stay for a couple of nights at a holiday park there. On the Sunday morning we headed up to Cape Reinga some 20 kilometres further north. Windswept Cape Reinga or Te Rerenga Wairua is quite an amazing sight. At this point the Tasman Sea separates from the West Pacific Ocean and Maori legend speaks of it as the jumping-off point for souls on their journey to their spiritual homeland. On its summit 165  metres above sea level stands a rather stubby white light house built in 1941, beaming its bright flashing light far out to sea. As Cyclone Pam, which had just trashed Vanuatu, was heading our way we decided to only do the short Te Paki  Coastal Walk to Werahi Beach. The track took us on a steep descent past sheer cliffs to the beach, which we walked along for some time, scrambling over coastal rocks and admiring the peach-coloured sand dunes and the bright green grasses growing upon them. By this time the wind had picked up considerably and the precipitation was quickly turning to rain. With a certain reluctance we left Werahi Beach, ascended the path back to Cape Reinga and headed for home.

Whagamumu

Today we had an interesting tramp of about 12 kilometers round trip to Whangamumu Bay to have a look at a former Whaling Station located there, which dated back to 1844. The walk began across lush private farmland after which we followed a steep, rather serpentine track through thick bush to the Bay, which housed the remains of the Whale Processing Plant. The huge whales, harpooned by hand, were dragged up a ramp with the fatty layers under their skin minced, placed into one of several giant vats and then processed into oil by a large steam boiler, which is still there although in an extremely rusted condition. After our visit to the Bay we sought a quiet spot to have our lunch and chanced upon Whakapae Bay. With a background forest of tall fir trees, rolling hills in the distance and two or three yachts anchored inshore this secluded, crescent shaped bay was the ideal place to lunch. Afterwards we strolled along the stoney beach and found a dedicated path leading up a nearby hill. On reaching the summit we discovered a small Maori graveyard and respectfully strolled among the colourful graves. The heartfelt love and longing there by Maori families for their departed kin was palpable. It was a fitting and emotional end to our day.

Haruru Falls and Waitangi

This morning I went for a wander around Russell.The town with its laid back ambiance, lovely old houses and superb water views is a delight to visit. I took the time to drop into  the local museum and was richly rewarded with an eclectic display of Maori artifacts and primitive weapons as well as a wonderfull one third size replica of Captain Cook's barque,   "Endeavour", which sailed into the Bay of Islands in 1769. In the afternoon our group went to Haruru Falls some three kilometers inland from Paihai. This town is famous historically not only as Aotearoa's first river port but also as an aramoana or sea road for the more isolated Maori tribes. Adjacent to the town is the Haruru Falls, a breathtaking sight with a deluge of water cascading down in a rare and spectacular horseshoe fashion. Haruru translates as "Big Noise" and Maori legend talks of a tamiwha or water monster lurking in the lagoon below. From the Falls we took the five kilometer hiking track directly to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds for our Maori Cultural Performance and hangi experience. It was a fairly sheltered forest walk alongside the translucent green Waitangi river, where we saw shags nesting and feeding their young as well as other water birds such as heron and kingfishers. Leaving the riverside we walked along a boardwalk over mature mangroves. Mangrove trees have a unique ability to thrive in salt water.When we arrived at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, a verdant vast expanse of headland overlooking the ocean, we all felt a feeling of great tranquility. In the grounds we came across a massive Waka Taua or war canoe. This Waka is 35 meters long, needs 80 paddlers for propulsion and has been clocked at 27 knots.We continued on to the Meeting House or Te Whare Runanga, an impressive carved structure representing the major Maori tribes and built in 1940 to celebrate the centenary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. We were greeted at the entrance by a group of Maoris in traditional dress with a fierce rendition of a war haka, and when we indicated we had come in peace, they invited us in and the cultural experience began with traditional Maori songs and dances  and ended with a ferocious display of weapons formally used in tribal warfare. It was magical entertainment and one left with a greater understanding and appreciation of Maori culture. We finished our evening with a hangi of roast chicken, lamb or pork. Another most enjoyable day in Aotearoa.

Opua to Paihia

Today we a doing a relatively short but very pretty Bay of Islands walk of around 12 kilometers from nearby Opua to Paihia. From Russell we took the car ferry across to Opua, where we joined a scenic and well maintained coastal track. The walk was a delight with really lovely views of the Bay with its passing vista of crisscrossing yachts and other seacraft as well as a variety of wading birds such as oystercatchers, seagulls and heron feeding at the water's edge. Secluded holiday homes perched on high hills overlooking the tiny beaches made us rather envious of their unsurpassed views. At one stage we left the beaches and made our way along a boardwalk through mangrove trees and, a little further on, strolled  through an avenue of tall ferns in a rain forest. As we approached Paihia we felt a sense of history on passing the remains of a former boathouse, which was used to build and repair whalers in the 1880s. I love old architecture and along the Paihia beach front I  came across St Pauls Anglican Church, a magnificent structure with an imposing spire built from local quarry stone in 1925. I had a wonderful lunch of freshly caught grilled blue cod, coleslaw and green salad at a friendly hostelry overlooking the Bay and after a stroll around this charming town it was time to make our way home, which we did by retracing our steps. Not a bad start to a walking holiday!

The Genesis

March 9 came around and our intrepid group of walkers met up at the Gold Coast Airport. Our three hour Virgin flight to Auckland went smoothly and we stayed overnight at the Heartland Airport Hotel. After breakfast we picked up our van and made our way north towards the Bay of Islands, an area of enormous historical significance to Aotearoa and where we would commence our trek. Along the way the scenery was spectacular with scattered azure blue lakes and lush verdant countryside while further north we were greeted with lofty peaks and undulating valleys.We passed through the town of Whangarei to where we would return on the 12th to celebrate Waitangi Day with a cultural performance and hangi or Maori bar-b-que organised for us by local Maoris. 0ur destination was Russell, an idyllic holiday spot a little further on from Whangarei which we reached by car ferry. In the early 19th century Russell became Aotearoa's first European settlement It was formally known by its Maori name of Kororareka or Sweet Penguin..We are staying here three nights at the Orongo Holday Park and thus will have plenty of time to walk and explore this picturesque corner of New Zealand.