On the way up the coast to Coromandel is a little village called Tapu. It is roughly 20k’s up the coast from Thames and has two motor camps and a free parking area on the beach.
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The Parking area
I pulled in to the free parking area on the way up the coast and joined with three other overnighters nicely backed into the trees looking out at the amazing beach.
Nice beach
Several of the other Motorhomers had Kayaks and were out fishing off the beach from their Kayaks when I popped in.
A great spot and the price can’t be beaten .. Free!
One of the only holiday parks close to Thames is the riverside Dickson’s Holiday Park and you do actually get to park right next to an amazing river.
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Just behind where I was parked.. Nice spot
I cruised in on my way up to Coromandel and was welcomed by the owner Neil who with his wife Cindy have owned it for 4 years. Dickson’s was set up in the early 1950’s by one of the Thames district councilors and was once a Gold Mine.
Neil and Cindy
Neil was saying that where the toilets, showers and kitchen on the top of the hill are was the stamping battery and it was powered by a huge waterwheel that was alongside and fed from the river. Where the pool is now was access to the mine itself. Amazing history.
The Ablution block that was a stamper Battery. The huge waterwheel was beside it.
I was parked right next to the river where you can walk down to a grassed area with seats. Quite therapeutic just sitting there watching and listening to the water run past.
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The pool that was a gold mine.
Looking up the river.
Neat Mosaics
The memorial rock to Mr Dickson
Just behind where I was parked.. Nice spot
A lovely spot to park with easy access and big flat spaces and with 28 powered sites. There are some cabins and onsite caravans for those without a motorhome or caravan.
I found this quite a magical spot and will be back with Fiona.
Neat Caravans
The park is about 8 k’s north of Thames on the right in Tararu.
The Illume Festival in Coromandel was one not to be missed. The last time I was at this event was in 2016 so a return visit was well overdue 🙂
Click on an Image to enlarge.This year the good folk of Coromandel were also celebrating the 200th Anniversary of the the HMS Coromandel which the town and peninsular are named after.
Neat gear
The Thames Coromandel District Council, local businesses and locals all pitch in to make this a great event. Nearly all the local shops are dressed up with decorations based on lights and there were several stalls selling food.
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Locals manning the food stall
Lit up Trees
Dressed up shops
One of the better dresses
Light and more light
Cute kids in their gear.
Street performers
Bright umbrella
Pedal parade
The main parade
More from the parade
At 7pm the main parade started where there where everyone was dressed up and adorned with led lights. It was a great scene.
A great event which was topped off by a massive fireworks display.
Don’t you hate it when you’ve just filled your LPG bottles up when its a mission to squeeze it back into the Motorhome LPG locker!
Not much room to come and go on.
I was in having some work done on Rafe and Peter the Engineer said “what’s that tape measure doing in your gas locker?” ahh says I. That’s for when you get to an LPG station and you discover that your LPG bottle has expired and you need a new one and making sure it’ll fit in the locker.
The bottles can vary in diameter around the waist by up to 10cm each ! With two bottles in the locker, that’s the difference between getting them in or if you can get them in together, being able to shut the door!! Who would have known !
Bottles in their locker
I found this out the hard way the first time, by just trying quite a few bottles to get two that fitted in the locker together.
Parked directly behind me at Hahei Beach were Patricia and Nacho from Wellington in their new van. They’re a really interesting couple with Nacho a programmer originally from Argentina and Patricia is a teacher from Spain.
Looking in from the backThe view!
They bought the van two months ago and after a few initial tweaks to suit, this is their first time away in it.
The Galley area
Already they have plans for some modifications so they have some seating to shelter from the weather.
That’s Hahei! one of my favorite spots to stay but it has been a while since I’ve been here..
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The Beach
Arriving at Hahei and checking in with Cathy at the front desk was easy and she directed me to a great spot right behind the dunes by the beach. Cathy’s husband Grant is General Manager and it was really nice to chat to them both. With the Covid 19 lockdown, the NZMCA Camp Saver program has given them a welcome boost to their numbers.. You can only imagine the effect the lack of tourists would make to the bottom line for a big park like this so great that its working for them.
Grant and Cathy
The last time I was here was with friends from Taupo and Snells Beach but that was way back in 2017 according to Cathy’s records.. how time flies!
The weather was due to deteriorate but I had the day to check the place out and there is plenty of it.
Great Outlook
Just down the road is Cathedral Cove which you can walk to. Fiona and I did this a few years ago and its well worth doing.
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Things to do
The Beach
Walk to the beach
Looking out
The Spa pool over the bay
Lots of room.. it filled in later
Cabins
New covered BBQ area
Since I was last here, there is a Spa pool available now right on the crest of the dunes next to the beach which looks out over the bay to the Islands beyond. What a nice idea and I bet its popular in the peak season. There is also a BBQ hut with shelter looking out over the bay too..
The spa
Its a huge park with some really nice Tourist flats at one end overlooking the beach. And just acres of parking spots.
The Tourist Flats
With more than 200 powered sites, there is lots of space with room between parks and easy access to them as well.
Just a lovely atmosphere, a fantastic beach and its just over a couple of hours from Auckland.
There is a bit of everything here and with Camp Saver Motorhome parking. Its called Mill Creek Animal and Bird Encounters and is about 3k’s off the main road just south of Whitianga.
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Nice parking
Unfortunately they had just had a big rain event and been flooded so the ride on train wasn’t running but all the animals and birds were there.
The Lorikeets
There is a walk in Aviary where you can go in amongst the Lorikeets which is neat and they’re super friendly as well.
Some Peacocks
There are over 400 birds here with Macaws and Cockatoos along with many farm animals all spread out. Everywhere you look there are peacocks roaming around and down by the Motorhome parking, there are Pigs, Goats, small horses, big horses Donkeys, you name it, its there. You can also get a coffee at the station cafe.
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Train Station
Fun for the kids
The motorhome/caravan parking with the Toilets behind
The cabins
The Lorikeets
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Lorikeets
As I arrived I was greeted by a large duck who chased me to the Farm Animal area 🙂
This Duck had plenty to say for itself
The nice flat parks are generous in size, about 8 metres square with small panels to separate each park. The showers and toilets look brand new as well so a great spot to stay.
Fun for the kids
Even though it was pretty cold and miserable, there were plenty of families there enjoying the park. Well worth a visit if you’re in the area and great for the kids.
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.
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