On previous trips to Masterton, I’d always struggled to find decent parking for 8m Rafe anywhere near the main shopping area or even close.  It was a real treat to discover there’s now a new NZMCA park that solves all that!

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This was our first visit to the relatively new Masterton NZMCA Park, and it’s an absolute cracker. There’s a raised walking track built on a bund beside the river that leads to a swing bridge and right into a park that’s basically in the heart of town. It’s an easy 15-minute stroll into central Masterton.

The park itself is well set up with a dump station, fresh water, and huge parking bays. It has to be one of the best we’ve stayed at.

The next day, we wandered along the river into the park for a look around. My two-year-old grandson has recently developed a big fascination with trains, and sure enough there was a ride-on, small-scale diesel train doing loops through the gardens. I couldn’t resist grabbing a quick video to send to him. He’ll love it!

After that, we explored the local museum, which is actually part of a wool shop complex. Tucked in alongside it is the Fire Museum, which turned out to be a real gem. Some of the displays were created by Peter Jackson’s crew, which added a bit of cinematic magic to the experience.

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The ride on train

Looking along the river towards the suspension bridge.

Horse drawn Fire Appliance

In the wool display

Shearers in the Wool area.

Masterton

Right next door was a lovely little café, perfect for a relaxed lunch, and then straight next door again was the supermarket, so we stocked up the pantry too. Everything was super convenient.

We both found ourselves wondering whether we should just stay an extra night, but the wine trails of Martinborough and the boutique shops in Greytown were calling… so it was time to keep moving.