Cruising to the 2006 Dethleffs Get Together

March 3, 2026 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 2 Comments

I was really looking forward to this one. After about five years of being chief bottle washer organising these events, it was nice to simply turn up and enjoy it. Richard and Carol were now in charge, and they had a reputation for being well organised having run a few of these before, so I knew we were in good hands.

Click on any Image to Enlarge

We stopped in at Turangi on the way down and parked up in the corner. The sun was shining, and we were already starting to slip into party mode.

The next morning, after topping up with diesel, we headed down the Desert Road towards Waiouru.

Being from a staunch Army family, you can’t drive through Waiouru without popping into the National Army Museum Te Mata Toa and café. I always love the signs along the Desert Road: “If your kids are giving you trouble, drop them off here” and “Stop for Rations.” Very clever.

A bit further down the road we stopped at Hunterville. What an amazing little town. There’s been a fantastic community effort to help the local publican rebuild the Argyle Hotel on the corner. Spare bedrooms have been converted into boutique retail shops, each accessed from a new verandah facing SH1. What a brilliant way to regenerate business and bring life back into the building. We also heard it’s soon to be set up as a Park Over Property for motorhomes.

After coffee and cake, we were back on the road towards Feilding, arriving at our park by the Coach House Museum just after 2pm. Richard and Carol were there, along with several other Dethleffs motorhomers we knew. It was shaping up to be a fun few days.

The rest of the afternoon was spent catching up, and later we all sat in the sun with a few drinks in hand and plenty of laughs. Richard and Carol had everything sorted: name tags, brochures, and lots of information about things to see and do in the area.

Watching these drivers back these trailers in was something else..

Top of the list was visiting the museum, only a few steps away and we also discovered the Feilding stock sales were happening just over the road.

Click on the Gallery below to see an enlarged Slideshow

Cambridge

Hunterville

Saleyards in Fielding

Fielding Square

At The Market

Saleyards Auction

The next morning, we wandered across to the saleyards. They were huge. I was seriously impressed by the skill of the stock truck drivers backing their big truck-and-trailer units into tight spots in one smooth move without blinking.

With the sales due to start in about an hour, we headed into the market in the square. After bumping into Brendon and Helen from our group, we decided to try a well-recommended café called the The Rosebowl Cafe just off the square. With so many options, we certainly weren’t going hungry. We met a few more from our group there, then all wandered back towards the saleyards together.

What an amazing operation. With so many animals involved, it could easily be a logistical nightmare but it ran like a well-oiled machine. Watching and listening to the auctioneers and their assistants was fascinating as the sales rolled along.

After an hour or so, we drifted back to the museum and our motorhomes.

At 4pm, we gathered in a room at the end of the museum for a glass of something and a debrief of the day’s adventures.

A fantastic day in Feilding and a great start to what was shaping up to be a memorable get-together.

Rafe’s tracker map to the Coach House Museum – Armada GPS

Wairarapa 26

Fun with Friends in Napier

January 28, 2026 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com

We were sitting at Takapau on our last night there, winding down and thinking about what the next day might bring, when the tablet suddenly whistled into life. A message had come through from our friends Steve and Rosemary, saying they’d enjoyed a nice bike ride in Napier. I was sure they were still in Wellington, so it caught my attention straight away.

Click on any Image to enlarge

Knowing we were heading to Napier the following day, I replied to let them know where we were. As it turned out, plans quickly came together and we were set to catch up with them the next day, along with Steve’s sister Helen and brother-in-law Graham. Funny how these things just fall into place.

Steve and Rosemary’s Esprit, Helen and Graham’s Cathargo. A new model they imported into NZ. ….and Rafe.

The next day we headed off through Waipukurau and into the back of Hastings, keeping an eye out for a vineyard to stop at for lunch. Being New Year’s Day, though, most places were closed, so that idea was quickly shelved. Instead, we carried on to Eriksen Park, where we met Helen and Graham and caught up with Steve and Rosemary. It was great to see everyone again, catch up properly, and enjoy a glass of wine together.

LtoR. Rosemary, Steve Fiona standing, Helen and Graham.

As Steve and Rosemary were heading off to Wellington the following day, Fiona and I decided to head into Napier in the van. We had lunch in town and then wandered back along the waterfront. The place was absolutely buzzing, lively, and full of holiday energy.

One of these is a really nice cafe except it was shut.

There was plenty happening along the foreshore, with people everywhere making the most of the sunshine.

The view out to Cap Kidnappers in the distance

After a quick stop at a local supermarket to stock up, we headed back to Eriksen Park and settled in for what would be our last night in Hawke’s Bay before heading home.

A really nice break away and, as always, far too short

Rafe’s tracker map to Eriksen NZMCA park in Napier – Armada GPS

Wairarapa 26

An amazing Little Town Called Takapau

January 23, 2026 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 2 Comments

…and an equally amazing little park-over-property to go with it.

At this time of year, when you ring up at short notice, you tend to hold your breath as you ask if there’s any room at the inn. This time, luck was on our side, and we managed to secure a couple of nights in Takapau.

Click on any Image to Enlarge

Lovely spot and although it rained, it was solid underneath.

Some years back, during one of the Dethleffs Owners Group gatherings I organised, I got chatting with a couple who mentioned they had once run the campground here. Their advice was simple: if you’re ever in the area, you must stay there. So, we were doing exactly as we were told 🙂

On the way through, we couldn’t help but stop at Norsewood, just north of Dannevirke. There’s an amazing woollen wear and general clothing shop there, full of beautiful jumpers and yes, I bought one. Really nice people running it too. The weather wasn’t playing ball, so we didn’t linger, but we’ve been here before and there are plenty of photos from previous visits.

When you head into a small regional town and pull into a park-over-property, you’re never quite sure what to expect. What we found here was an absolute gem, run by two wonderful people, Pauline and Russell, who couldn’t have been more welcoming or helpful.

The setup is essentially a house on a large section, with several powered sites out the front. Visitors have access to two well-appointed bathrooms inside the house, complete with showers and toilets. There is also a large communal lounge and a kitchen area, which makes it feel very relaxed and homely.

Downtown Takapau with the 4 Square on the right

Best of all, it’s only about a ten-minute walk into the centre of town, where there’s a well-stocked Four Square supermarket and an excellent fish and chip shop. Really, what more could you want??

While we were there, Fiona was keen to visit nearby Ongaonga, where she spent time as a child visiting her grandparents, who ran a small farm in the area. We had a good look around the road she remembered but couldn’t quite find the house. It turned up later on Google Maps as is always the way! The weather was a bit hit and miss with showers, but we’ve travelled through this area before in better conditions and it’s still a lovely part of the country.

Click on the Gallery below for an enlarged Slideshow of Ongaonga

Ongaonga

At the Ongaonga Museum

Ongaonga

We stopped in the Ongaonga township for a cup of tea at the café and a wander around the historic buildings. It really does feel like stepping back in time. The locals have done a fantastic job preserving the town, and everything is beautifully maintained.

All up, we had a great couple of days here and really enjoyed our time with Russell and Pauline. It’s one of those memorable POPs that’s now firmly added to the must-visit-again list.

Rafe’s tracker map to Takapau and Ongaonga – Armada GPS

Wairarapa 26

The Clareville Bakery

January 18, 2026 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com

The rain had well and truly set in, and it was time to move on from Masterton as Fiona only had a small window before work called again.

Click on any Image to enlarge

As we headed out of town detouring slightly south to hit the truck stop for diesel. Fiona started telling me about an amazing café on the northern outskirts of Carterton, only a few kilometres away. Apparently, it was not to be missed. Well, that was all the encouragement I needed.

While we were so close, it would have been rude not to stop… and what a find it turned out to be.

The Clareville Bakery was set up by the current owners in 2013 after they renovated an old church that had previously been a café. They’ve taken it to a whole new level. Having won numerous awards for their seriously scrummy breads, cakes, and pies, it’s no surprise there’s almost always a queue at the door.

I was impressed straight away by the large car park, complete with a dedicated motorhome area tucked away in the corner and even more impressed that we managed to snag a spot. Always a bonus.

Full carpark in the middle of the week 🙂

Inside, the place was buzzing despite the weather. The cabinets were packed with tempting options, and the smell alone was enough to make choosing difficult. I honestly can’t remember exactly what I had, as Fiona ordered for me while I wandered around taking photos, but I do remember it being very good!

We spent a relaxed hour or so here before heading north again, well fed and very content.

We’ll definitely be back next time we’re in this neck of the woods.

Rafe’s tracker map to Clareville Bakery – Armada GPS

Wairarapa 26

Over the Hill to Woodville

January 14, 2026 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 2 Comments

With the sun still shining, we were up and out early, heading down to the river to see the wind turbines up close.

Click on any Image to Enlarge

There are hundreds of them, and with a decent breeze blowing they were really earning their keep. The walk down is a great little trail that winds its way to the water’s edge and, once there, we sat for a while listening to the wind, watching the blades turn, and just soaking it all in.

At the top of the hill looking towards Woodville

Eventually it was time to move on, so we headed back and found the road that climbs over the hill to Woodville, passing right through the turbines. We stopped a couple of times to grab some photos — the scale of them is impressive, and the views from the top of the hill in both directions are well worth the pause. Rolling hills, wide skies, and turbines stretching as far as you can see.

Click on the Gallery below for an enlarged Slideshow

At the top of the hill looking towards Woodville

Amazing Turbines

At Masterton

Downtown Masterton

At the Tui Brewery

Th lake in Queen Elizabeth Park

From the swing bridge.

Deer next to the park.

On the way through we called in at the Tui Brewery, which now welcomes motorhomes overnight as a POP and also has a dump station, always handy to know. We’ve stopped here before, but the place has had a real upgrade. More outdoor tables, a great setup, and the food was absolutely spot on.

From there we decided to head down towards Masterton. It’s only about 50-odd k’s, making it an easy run for the afternoon and a good excuse to stay at the NZMCA park and have a wander through town.

The park has a really nice layout and almost always has plenty of space. The walk into town follows the river and is a really pleasant stroll, with birds about and the water flowing quietly alongside. The final touch is a neat little swing bridge that drops you right near the centre of town.

By the time we were back it was looking like rain was on the way, so we called it a day, poured a G&T, and settled in to watch a bit of TV.

The next morning, we were up and ready to head into town for a look around. Great minds think alike as we weren’t the only ones doing the same thing.

We headed for a café opposite the supermarket and settled in for a nice cup of coffee each before wandering down the main street to check out the shops.

It’s a good shopping area, though it’s easy to see that times have been a bit tough for some of the retailers. After a decent look around town and a bite to eat, we picked up a few things at the supermarket and headed back to the park to blob out for the afternoon.

Feeding the ducks at the Park on the way back.

A lovely day in Masterton.

Rafe’s tracker map to Masterton- Armada GPS

Wairarapa 26

Heading South for the New Year

January 10, 2026 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 1 Comment

Happy New Year! It’s 2026 and we’re heading off southwards. We’re winging it a bit this time as the weather isn’t expected to be too flash, and we’re keen to check out some new places along the way.

Click on any Image to Enlarge

We headed off early after Christmas, leaving at 6am to beat the Southern Motorway traffic and it worked perfectly. The traffic was calm and sedate, the sun was shining, and it felt like we were off to a great start.

Our plan was to head towards Turangi, with the GPS telling us we’d arrive before lunch. We stopped briefly at Tirau for a cuppa and a slice of cake, then about 20 minutes later we were back on the road.

Later in the morning we arrived at the NZMCA park in Turangi. It was only about 25% full, so not busy at all. We settled in and, naturally, it was time for another cup of tea. Out came our trusty old kettle but shock horror, a screw had come off the handle. We both agreed that could get a bit dangerous once it heated up.

Luckily, there was a hardware shop just around the corner. Sure enough, they had what we needed, so kettle crisis averted.

Click on the Gallery below for an enlarged Slideshow

At Taupo for lunch on the way down.

My favourite place to stop for a jumper

The Turbines keepin eye on us.

Somewhere to rest on the way to the river

The walk down to the river

Down by the river

A little rain fell overnight, which cooled the air nicely. In the morning, after our hardware shop visit, we headed off down the Desert Road towards Waiouru, stopping in Taihape for another cuppa and cake. We’ve stopped at the Brown Sugar Cafe a few times over the years and it’s always a good choice. There’s great motorhome parking almost outside, right next to the famous gumboot throwing area.

After a nice lunch in a busy little café, we continued on towards Ashurst, travelling through Utiku and coming out near Palmerston North.

From there we headed on to the lovely Ashurst Domain. It’s largely unmanned but very reasonably priced, and power was included, which was a nice treat.

The domain is beautifully laid out under big trees, right next to the river, with the large wind turbines doing their thing on the hills across the water. We were very lucky to have the help of a regular camper next door who showed us where everything was fantastic.

The place was pretty busy, being an in-demand spot, and it’s super handy to everything, only about five minutes from town. All in all, a great place to stay.

Rafe’s tracker map to Ashurst – Armada GPS

Close to home

A Small Settlement Close to the Water – Leigh

December 8, 2025 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 2 Comments

One of the first places we ever took our motorhome, about ten years ago now was Leigh.

Back then, we were still very new to motor homing, so the plan was to head somewhere not too far from home… just in case we’d forgotten something or if anything went wrong. Of course, nothing did! Instead, we ended up discovering a fantastic little village overlooking the sea.

Looking out over the water from the wharf.

A few years later I came back while Fiona was working to see the village light itself up for their annual light-up event. It made for some great images; you can see those here.

The park before the wee storm with the conference centre and Motel units also part of the campground behind.

Entrance to the Conference-Wedding centre.

Last weekend was another one of those “unsupervised” trips while Fiona was at work. I’ll admit I was a bit nervous on the first day with hail, thunder, and strong winds in the forecast. The weather did arrive, but it was nothing to lose any sleep over.

Once the sun reappeared, I headed off for a wander through town and down to the wharf, only about a 10-minute walk. It really is a magic little place.

Scary driveway !

The Fish and Chip shop near the Camp.

Lots of colour

Really nice cabins too for friends without Motorhomes.

While I was out, I met the owner of Leigh Central who introduced himself and had a good yarn. A really friendly chap, and he mentioned there are some big improvements planned for the future.

The campground itself is fantastic, close to everything, quiet, and super relaxed. On my last night, I tried the fish and chip shop right next door to the camp… delicious and very reasonably priced.

And of course, one of the best things about Leigh: it’s so handy to Auckland. Only about 60-odd kilometres from Devonport, so it’s an easy and super convenient weekend getaway.

Another great stay in a favourite little settlement by the sea.?

Rafe’s tracker map to Leigh Central – Armada GPS

NZMCA Rallies, Waikato

2025 Te Aroha Romp – Lots of Images!

November 4, 2025 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 3 Comments

This is one of those events you just don’t want to miss — and it’s easy to see why it sells out in a matter of days! The Te Aroha Romp is always a highlight on the NZMCA calendar, and once again the Waikato crew pulled off an amazing weekend.

Click on any Image to Enlarge

I arrived at the NZMCA park next door on Thursday so I could settle in 🙂 It’s a nice wee park and so close to town too. With the Romp on right next door, the park was really humming. Russell the camp custodian was having a busy day and doing a great job keeping everything running smoothly.

Just after backing into my parking spot, I met Terry and Catherine a couple of vehicles along with their recently acquired Trailite. I joined them later for happy hour, a great crew and plenty of laughs.

The next morning, Russell told me the back gate was open, making it easy to drive straight next door to the event parking. After settling Rafe and opening a few vents, I wandered into the Silver Fern Farms Events Centre to check in. I bumped into Des, the OC of the event, who’s been running it since its early days in Tokoroa. He was in good form and ready to roll!

Click on the Gallery below to enlarge – The Parking

The Entrance

The parkers did an incredible job fitting in over 550 motorhomes and caravans, almost all on the Friday. The horseshoe shaped setup around the main rugby field looked fantastic, a real sight to see.

Over 550 Motorhomes and Caravans! Click to Enlarge!

That night, Coopers Run kicked things off with a great set in the Events Centre. They were excellent, but I was pretty knackered so retired to Rafe for a quiet movie night.

Coopers Run with plenty enjoying dancing to their music.

Saturday morning, the games began! I spent most of it catching up with friends I hadn’t seen for ages, but I did catch the egg-throwing contest, always good fun.

Jean during the Egg catching competition.

Then came the piping in of the Haggis and the whisky ceremony, followed by the pipe bands.

If you’ve got any Scottish blood, it really gets the hairs on your neck standing up, just magic.

Click on the Gallery below to enlarge. – The Haggis

In comes the Haggis

During the afternoon there was a pipe band competition and a march of the combined Pipes bands in the main paddock. Seriously good sound 🙂

Click on the Gallery below to enlarge. – see the Pipe Bands

Coming in for the competition.

The judging grandstand

Disppaly on in the main ground.

Impressive marching and the sound was awesome.

After happy hour, I wandered back to the Events Centre for the Paul Madsen Band — a 70s hippy-themed night with some amazing costumes. For just three musicians, they really packed a punch, and Paul’s voice was something else.

Click on the Gallery below to enlarge – The Paul Madsen Band

Michael and Earl

Paul Madsen

The Paul Madsen Trio

Sunday morning, the rugby was on the big screen, plenty of nervous energy in the first half, but the All Blacks got the better of the Irish after the break. The collective sigh of relief was something to behold!

Later that afternoon, Lisa Lorrell took the stage, performing songs from Phantom of the Opera and more. A relaxed, musical way to round out the weekend, topped off with another cheerful happy hour where I met some lovely folks from Taranaki.

Monday morning came far too quickly. After a quick coffee and a stop at the dump station next door, I pointed Rafe north up the Matamata Road and back to Auckland.

Another great Romp done and dusted, huge thanks to all the volunteers and organisers who make this event so special every year. Can’t wait for the next one!

Rafe’s tracker map to Te Aroha Romp and NZMCA park – Armada GPS

Close to home, NZMCA Rallies

The Stirling Moss Special and Caravan

October 17, 2025 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 1 Comment

Soon after I arrived at an NZMCA Rally in Glenbrook, Gavin and Gladys rolled in with their absolutely stunning Valiant Hardtop complete with a matching caravan. What a gem!

They were living in Australia when they bought this Stirling Moss Special, which was created to promote Chrysler’s Australian designed Hemi Six engine. The car itself started life as a US Dodge Dart, but with an Aussie nose grafted on, a true cross-continental hybrid!

Of the 139 originally built, it’s believed that only 11 still survive today, so this is a pretty special machine.

Gavin and Gladys used it in Australia before bringing it back to New Zealand, where it served as their family car for more than 30 years. After that, it was tucked away in a shed for about 15 years before being completely rebuilt for a family wedding. What a comeback story!

Under the bonnet now is a 245 cubic inch Hemi with a 350 Holley carb, electronic ignition, and high compression, giving around 240 horsepower. It’s also had upgrades to the brakes, suspension, and gearbox, making it a lot tougher for towing duties.

Having been a Valiant owner myself back in the day, I was blown away when they arrived, it looked absolutely spectacular.

The caravan has its own story too. They found it about three years ago down in the South Island, bought it, and drove it all the way home. The hardest part, they said, was finding one in decent condition that hadn’t been knocked around. They repainted it to perfectly match the Valiant, and now the pair turn heads everywhere they go including at Mystery Creek and other classic shows.

It was fantastic to see them both out there, enjoying their Wheels of Yesteryear. A real treat for the eyes!

NZMCA Rallies, Rallies

Trains and Motorhomes

October 14, 2025 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 3 Comments

The weather was due to brighten up, and with Fiona working for the next few days, it was time to get Rafe off the blocks before the tyres went square!

Click on any Image to Enlarge

There was an NZMCA rally on that weekend at the Glenbrook Model Railway, and I was pretty keen to check it out.

When I was a wee chap, I had my own model railway layout that took up half a room, complete with viaducts, tunnels, and even lights in the buildings, so this was right up my alley.

Nice parking with a bit of sunshine at Kaiaua

After being an NZMCA member for more than 10 years, it was also probably the first rally I’ve been to in the Auckland area… so, it was definitely overdue!

Since the rally didn’t start until Friday, I decided to spend a couple of nights beforehand at the Kaiaua NZMCA park next to the pub. Always a great spot and the meals there are superb. I spent a sunny afternoon walking along the foreshore, checking out the Pink Dairy up the road, and wandering down to the muddy marina.

Click on the Gallery below to see enlarged images of Kaiaua

Kaiaua waterfront up by the pink Dairy

The bar at the pub.

Lovely spot in the corner

Friday rolled around, and after a quick stop in Pukekohe to top up with water, I set off for Glenbrook.

Parked next to the ride on track which wasn’t working due to a broken part.

I arrived at the Glenbrook Leisure Time Centre and met John, who was hosting the event and busy parking everyone up, and Rob, who had created the venue from scratch.

Just as I got settled, a Glenbrook Steam Train thundered past about 10 feet from the motorhomes, what a great sight! Sadly, I was too slow with the camera (not like me to miss that one!).

Checking out Robs huge model Train project.

Rob then gave us a guided tour of the whole model railway setup, and what an amazing place. He’s built everything himself, the buildings, the track, and even a small ride-on train, all beautifully detailed and clearly a labour of love. It’s a fantastic setup and well worth seeing.

Click on the Gallery (Enlarged) below to see who you might know 🙂

As the day went on, more and more motorhomes and caravans rolled in, and by the 4pm happy hour, the place was buzzing. There were raffles, plenty of laughs, and that great friendly rally atmosphere. Later, after dinner, we even had a bingo night, which was a real hoot.

Saturday was all about chatting and catching up with people, some familiar faces from the Dethleffs Owners Group, which was a nice surprise. I was hoping another train might go past, but being off-season, it wasn’t to be.

The weather held up pretty well too, a bit windy but warm, and only a couple of brief showers that barely registered.

All up, it was a fantastic weekend with great company at a fun and fascinating venue. Can’t ask for more than that!

Rafe’s tracker map to the Glenbrook Leisure Time Centre – Armada GPS

Fiona & Chris, two empty nesters put their dreams of doing something different into reality… Now back in a house, they were living in their Motorhome, come along for the ride.

	Warmenhj on Cruising to the 2006 Dethleffs…
	Warmenhj on Cruising to the 2006 Dethleffs…
	Warmenhj on An amazing Little Town Called…
	Phyl Binney on An amazing Little Town Called…

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Fiona & Chris, two empty nesters put their dreams of doing something different into reality… Now back in a house, they were living in their Motorhome, come along for the ride.