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Published: October 31st 2007
Kerikeri - Stone House
The oldest Stone House in New ZealandCompared with the day time temperature, it was a cold night and sleep wasn’t all that easy in coming. With the coming of the dawn however, all the birds started singing their little hearts out - which, when you’re camping beneath the trees, resulted in sleep disappearing rather quicker than when it came.
Having washed and dried the breakfast dishes and readied the van for departure, I sat down to re-plan the day ahead; the previous evening, a local had suggested three
must see sights although I would only have time for two of them. However, before I reached those sites, I needed to visit a couple of the more local, previously planned, items on the agenda.
Kerikeri
My stop for the night, Kerikeri, is renowned for its subtropical climate and its citrus (mandarins everywhere) and kiwi orchards. However, I wanted to see the other two historic sites for which it is known. The Store House was built in 1835 and is New Zealand’s oldest surviving stone building. Interestingly, it is adjacent to the Mission House, which is New Zealand’s oldest surviving European wooden building. Started in 1821 by the Butler family, it was the Kemp family who completed
the building in 1835 and lived there until 1974. Occupying a picturesque setting by the river, it is unfortunate that the main road runs right past the front of both buildings with the traffic coming to a halt at the single track bridge just outside. Judicial positioning of my camera meant that I could avoid the cranes and diggers!
Having mentioned the traffic, it’s of interest to note that driving has been a real pleasure. There’s so little traffic anywhere and so few roads. Indeed, the local radio station is advertising the fact that it is Northland’s favourite station because
17,000 people each week tune in!!
Returning back to the van, I realised that I’d not stowed the kettle and it was still sitting on the gas hob. That remedied, I continued forwards to my next stop - the Rainbow Falls. Whilst not the world’s highest or prettiest, the 90 foot cascade was quite spectacular in the early morning greyness; although I’m glad I didn’t walk the hour from the village but chose the two minute option from the car park!
Matauri Bay
The next part of my trip was the first of the detours suggested the
Mangonui
World Famous Fush and Greasies previous evening. Returning back to the Pacific Coast Highway, I continued northwards until I could see the Cavalli Islands. Turning from the main road towards Matauri Bay, I began to follow a signposted
Tourist Route. This area is stunningly beautiful and is all owned by Maori who, following the French sinking of the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland Harbour, allowed the ship to be scuttled in the bay to become a haven for fish. This echoed the Maori ancestral waka which is also lying in the bay.
Passing through a number of small Maori settlements, I stopped at the tiny village of Te Ngaire. There, on the beach, I met an elderly Maori lady exercising her dog. I asked her about the employment opportunities in the area now that no one appeared to be fishing. Almost all were employed locally on the roads, or in the canning factory. The conversation moved onto schooling and I learned that, being so remote, each school had a School House in which the teacher lived. She pointed to a private house on the beach and informed me that it was occupied by a retired European teacher, having had to move out from the School
Doubtless Bay
"Doubtless, a bay", said Captain Cook House. It seems that Maori communities prefer to have European teachers if they cannot get a Maori teacher from their own tribe.
Continuing around the peninsula, I came to Whangaroa Harbour. Now a small, scenic, settlement, it was one of the first places to be settled by the Europeans. Indeed, it was the source of a series of skirmishes between Maori and settlers over a 5 year period.
Doubtless Bay
Back on the main road, my next stop was to be Doubtless Bay. This was where Kupe first set foot on Aotearoa and also where Captain Cook declared it
doubtless, a bay. It later became an important whaling station. The first village I came across occupies a sheltered harbour position and is known as Mangonui. Although a very pretty village, reliant upon the summer diving trade, it is still an active fishing village and it was for this reason that I’d stopped at lunch time. Yes, lunch was to be a meal at the best fush and chup shop in New Zealand.
Having dined on fresh bluenose, I continued north through Coopers Beach (where barrels were repaired) and on to Cable Bay (named simply because it was
Matai Bay
Just stunning ... the terminus of the 1902 trans-Pacific telegraph cable). All along this coast are the most stunning beaches and views to the islands just offshore and it was at this point that I needed to visit the second
must see.
Turning up the Karikari peninsula, I wondered whether I’d made the right choice. Rough scrub stretched each side of the road although the sea was (just) visible on both sides. Shortly, the road became a gravel track and the scrub gave way to golf courses (why?), vineyards and stations. However, it was still rather tedious.
Having reached the end of the peninsula, there was nowhere to go but Matai Bay. I parked, put the kettle on and stepped outside - into the most spectacular scenery I have ever seen. Cornwall, the Peak District, Northumberland, the Arabian Desert, the mountains along the Thai/Burmese border - all of these pale into insignificance against the double arc of golden sand split by a rocky knoll and lapped by the bluest sea imaginable. And - it was virtually deserted. I felt like Robinson Crusoe as I explored the first, larger beach before climbing the central knoll. On reaching the top, I was met
Matai Bay
Unbelievable ... by the most fantastic view, which put the first beach to shame - and that was a winner! Dropping to the beach, I skirted the shoreline so as not to disturb the sand until I’d taken a few photographs and then approached the crystal clear sea which was lapping the white sand. I have never seen anywhere so utterly, utterly,utterly beautiful.
There’s little point in continuing this blog because nothing will compare to Matai Bay, however …
The Aupori Peninsula
Approaching the northern tip of New Zealand, I reached the entrance to the Cape. Awanui is a very dilapidated rural backwater where the roads down the East and West coasts meet with the road going to the Cape. Apart from the (expensive) petrol station, the only thing at Awanui is “the best restaurant in the area”. It’s worth pointing out that it’s not only the
only restaurant in the area, it’s probably the only building in the area!
Heading north, towards the Cape, I pulled onto a gravel track indicating Ninety Mile Beach. Whilst not being permitted to drive on the beach, there was no way I was going to miss the sight of all that sand.
Matai Bay
Just checking it's still a sight for sore eyes ... Accordingly, I made my way through the forest and, very suddenly, found myself on the beach. No warning, just straight out of the trees onto solid sand. I walked down to the sea, narrowly being avoided by a speeding coach and buzzed by a helicopter, and looked up and down the tide line - sea and sand as far as the eye could see, at least 30 miles in each direction.
A fine end to a fine day.
Distance travelled: 219km / 137 miles
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