Cape Reinga/Ninety Mile Beach (Part 2)

Te Paki Stream

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Vinicius Massuchetto

Gumdiggers played an important part of Te Paki history. That history more or less follows the history in other parts of Northland. The Aupori tribe came to Te Paki when other tribes wanted their land and a few more slaves to work that newly acquired land. Just when things weren’t stirred up enough, the whalers and missionaries arrived to complicate history. The first European landowners were Stannus Jones and Samuel Yates, a young English lawyer. Yates married a local Maori princess and became a husband, farmer, storekeeper and gum trader. Called “King of the North” he homesteaded at Paki– now called Te Paki. Dalmation gum diggers settled just south of Te Paki and hunted for kauri gum, fossilized resin from kauri trees used in varnish. They left their coins in that money tree for good luck.

Fur Seals

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petite lilas

In 1966, the Crown bought Te Paki Station and took over management. Te Paki Farm is now much smaller and most of its grassland is returning. Part of The Farm can be seen from the road. Working dogs keep the cattle and sheep from misbehaving. Six Santa Gertrudis bulls were brought in to meet the Angus-Hereford cross cattle in hopes of producing a higher quality lean meat. Horses are used to roundup the cattle. Dogs do most of the work keeping the sheep moving in the right direction. If you’d like to visit a working farm, there are two public access tracks. Just don’t turn your back on those Santa Gertrudis bulls.

Te Paki is not just wind swept sand dunes, rocky cliffs and grassland. At one time the hills and gullies were covered with totara, rimu, and kauri trees. Those trees disappeared for some unknown reason, but some survive in the deeper valleys. A short walk takes you to a grove of kauri trees just below Te Paki trig.

Te Paki Beach

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nzcalling

If you want to explore but don’t fancy hiking and packing your own supplies– ride a horse. You can book a short half day trip or pack in and spend two or three days camping and exploring.

On your way out of Te Paki, you’ll find Rarawa, the third DOC campground I mentioned. Near Sh1 on Great Exhibition Bay, A few kms north of Ngutaki, it’s a sheltered campsite in the pines behind the beach.

Take time to visit Te Paki even if it’s only a day trip up Ninety Mile Beach to Cape Reinga– or try a dune buggy trip along the sand. Once you see Te Paki, you’ll want to return and spend more time off that tourist track.

Mad Kiwis

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strange ones

We started in Kaitai and we’re ending in Kaitai, so I’ll suggest some low cost places to spend the night. There’s a small amount of parking at Ninety Mile Beach. Turn west at Houhora Heads into Settlers Rd then right into Hukatera Rd which runs through the pines to the beach. Houhora Heads also has an inexpensive motor camp if you need a shower. Back on the Tasman Sea side at Waipapa Kauri, The Park Top 10 Ninety Mile Beach is another inexpensive motorcamp.

If you’re looking for a motel in Kaitai, it’s easy enough to find one on your own. If you have a self-contained movan, several businesses in Kaitai allow overnight parking. Liquor King, The Warehouse, Farmers, Pak-N Save all allow overnight parking. They just don’t want you to hang around taking up space during the day– always ask first.

Ninety Mile Beach

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only an idiot

Save time on your next trip to New Zealand to explore Te Paki or another part of New Zealand off that tourist track.

Lyn Harris

RV in NZ: How to Spend Your Winters in New Zealand

Back in the Bush

Kauri Tree

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Photo By:

Black Diamond Image

Pohutukawas, those fancy New Zealand Christmas trees, aren’t the only unusual native trees you’ll find when you RV or travel by auto north of Auckland. You’ll soon notice New Zealand’s bush– a dense indigenous forest. In Northland, with its warm climate and moderate rainfall, you’ll find conifer-broadleaf forests and many tropical shrubs and plants.

In lowland forests, rimu, a red pine and the broadleaf tree, taraire are among the forest canopy that protect the many tropical trees, shrubs and flowers. New Zealand’s palm tree lives in this protected tangle of growth as well as several kinds of tree ferns, colored fungi and ground orchids.

The swamp forests have fewer tree species and the tallest trees are kahikatea– conifers that look similar to rimu. A tall flowering tree, the pukatea has a base of thin triangle flanges to support it in the soft swampy

ground and breathing roots like mangroves to bring air to its soggy roots.

Kauri-broadleaf forests can best be seen when you return down the west side of Northland. We passed the turnoff for SH12 on the Mangawhai Heads post. SH12 swings west, comes up the coast through Dargaville and cuts into SH1 again near the Bay of Islands. If you’ve come this far, you want to visit Tane Mahuta in the Waipoua Forest north of Dargaville. Tane Mahuta– Lord of the Forest– was discovered in the 1920's when SH12 was surveyed through the Waipoua Forest. New Zealand’s largest known living kauri tree, according to Maori legend, Tane is the son of Ranginui the sky father and Papatuanuku the earth mother. It’s a short walk under a forest canopy to visit Tane. And an experience you’ll never forget.

Kiwis call their forest the bush. At one time when the moa, that huge flightless bird, roamed New Zealand, 80% of the land was covered with trees. The Maori arrived from the Society Islands (Hawaiiki) some time around the 14th century eager to escape food shortages and war. They cleared land, planted their kumara plants and used the kauri to make wakas-- war canoes. By the time the Pakeha arrived in the 19th century, 50% of New Zealand was still native forest. A dense tangle, the Europeans compared it to a tropical jungle and called it bush.

Kauri Forest

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Photo By:

linss203

Because kauri floats, it was popular for shipbuilding. The tall straight timber made excellent masts. The gum that oozes from mature trees to repair injury was used in varnish and linoleum. By 1900, most of the forests had been cut down. Today, the kauri forests are protected.

While you’re traveling through Northland, enjoy the bush. Park your RV or auto and wander around. But, stay on the track. If you just have to go bush-bashing– tramping around off the track-- take a Kiwi who knows his way around. Your Boy Scout training won’t help a bit. In the bush, the moss doesn’t grow on the north side of the tree. It grows up and down and all around. If you do catch a glimpse of the sun through that tangle of trees in the sky, it’s not in the south where it belongs. If you really want to get away from it all by yourself, carry enough food for at least a week. The load will slow you down enough you won’t wander far from the marked path. When you’re down to your last Snicker bar and still have no idea where you are, sprawl out in the ferns, gaze up the nearest tree where you’re sure the sun is hanging around up there somewhere and thank your lucky stars there’s no creepy crawly biting things in New Zealand.

Lyn Harris

RV in NZ: How o Spend Your Winters South in New Zealand

Dome Forest Loop

Tuatara

When you travel the loop around Dome Forest in Northland, New Zealand, you’ll find forest hiking paths, working farms, and a marine sanctuary. At Warkworth, where we left off on our tour up SH1, take a scenic loop around Dome Forest. You’ll end up back on SH1 near Wellsford. You’re still not far from Auckland, so this makes a good day trip if you’re stuck in Auckland on business and want to see more of New Zealand than just city traffic.

In Dome Forest, you’ll find a hiking trail that leads to a viewing platform. It’s about a 20 minute, fairly easy hike to the viewing platform. Then, if you’d like to view Taranga Island of the Hens and Chickens, climb through the rocks to Dome Summit. The descent through a Kauri grove is easier. The trail crosses land sacred to local Maori, so keep on the trail.

A side road to Tawharanui Regional Park drops down to the right off this loop around Dome Forest not far from Sandspit—where the boat leaves for Kawau Island. The park road winds through farmland and ends in a gravel section. Once a private farm, the park, with its long sandy beach and grassy pohutakawa shaded areas, covers the end of the peninsula that pokes out into the Pacific Ocean just north of Kawau Island. There’s also a good walking trail that starts near a protected area of New Zealand dotterel birds, continues up the beach, then climbs across farmland to a forest. Points of interest along the trail are marked and trail guides are available for the longer trails. Tent camping sites are available, but book in advance in summer months.

Goat Island

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Piotr Zurek

New Zealand’s marine reserve, Goat Island , spreads between Cape Rodney and Okakari Point. This is an excellent area to enjoy tide pools at low tide, snorkel, or dive. Although fishing is not allowed in the reserve, boats can launch in Leigh cove. There’s a five knot speed limit within 200 meters of shore or a dive flag and you’re reminded to anchor carefully so you don’t destroy the marine environment. Dive and snorkeling gear can be rented. If you’re not anxious to get wet, try a glass-bottom boat or you can explore the reserve with a PADI certified guide.

You might find your best chance to see a tuatara up close in the reptile park at Ti Point.

If you’d like to spend time on an isolated working farm, ride horseback along the beach and sanddunes, or pack into high country forest for a night or two, Pakiri Beach Horse Rides is just north of Goat Island marine reserve. The first road at Pakiri goes to the beach, the next road brings you to the 2000 acre family farm of Laly and Sharley Haddon. Beach cabins and river cabins are available as well as a beach house on the dunes that sleeps eight. Rides are from one hour along the beach to several days meandering through high country, farmlands and forests with views of the Hauraki Gulf. At night guests sleep along the trail in farm and beach houses– including the ancestral house of the Ngati Wai, while learning about Maori history and legends.

The loop around Dome Forest brings you back to SH1 just 19 km north at Wellsford. The road as far as Cape Rodney is in good shape. Beyond Pakiri, it’s windy, in poor condition, and no towing is allowed. If you’re not in the mood for a windy, dirty, road, just backtrack to Warkworth– or spend the night at Pakiri Beach Holiday Park and return the next day.

Lyn Harris

RV in NZ: How to Spend Your Winters South in New Zealand

North to Northland

The Nippon Clipon

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Bridgepix

If you're heading north from Auckland by auto or RVing, plan your trip to avoid commuter traffic. The motorway cuts through downtown Auckland, then jams all the traffic across a narrow bridge into Northcote. Like most metropolitan areas, road construction often adds to the confusion. The Nippon Clipon, Auckland's bridge, was once four lanes-- now it's eight. The extra four were built in Japan, towed to Auckland and clipped to the existing bridge. From the Auckland Harbor Bridge, you'll have a beautiful view of the Westhaven Marina, WaitemataHarbour and Fishermans Wharf with all the sailboats bouncing in the bay or anchored along the shoreline-- which you'll probably never see if it's your first time driving on the left side of the road in a strange vehicle while you're trying to keep your fenders along for the trip.

The kiwis are polite and friendly-- until they get in a small vehicle. Then watch out! It helps to have a 3500 kg RV with a roo bar. Truck drivers and other movaners stay on their fair share of the road, but watch out for those snappy little sports cars and SUVs. It helps to remind yourself as you're clutching the steering wheel afraid to change lanes and trying to keep yourself lined up in the lane you belong in that New Zealand has no-fault insurance. And, you'll make it across the Northcote and Birkenhead sooner or later, I promise. And when you do, there's a very nice Holiday Park on Northcote Road just over the bridge if you're driving or RVing.

We always like to spend at least a month north of Auckland. Pick up the Jasons Twin Coast Discovery Highway map (free) some where along the line. Northland is rich in history, there's plenty to do, and it's warmer-- remember the sun's in the north. The South Island is beautiful and we usually spend at least a month there, too but our home is in the Cascade Mountains and the South Island is much like home.

You've made it across that bridge. So pull into a motel or campground then find a pub or snap open a brew of your own and toast that Nippon Clipon you conquered and your next adventure in the Northland.

We'll be taking a tiki tour counter clockwise through the Northland. Any questions?

Lyn Harris

RV in NZ