Category Archives: Taranaki 22

Taranaki 22

Pukekura Park

One of the things I’ve wanted to visit but either ran out of time or was too far away, is the amazing Pukekura Park.

Click on any Image to EnlargeIt was started in the late 1800’s and started as 54 Acres. It is now 128 acres, significantly bigger and is just beautiful. They also have an amazing nighttime display with Lighting which I’ve yet to see.  One day soon.

The old band Rotunda
Through the Ferns

I got a cab up from Fitzroy Motor camp and went for a walk through. There’s a neat Waterfall just as you get in by the lake, a Kiosk which sells everything next to the lake and an old Band Rotunda.

The Waterfall

I walked down around the lake to cross the old wooden bridge and back the other side. With Ferns everywhere you look, it’s a fantastic place to see. It is just stunning!

The Fountain
The small electric Bus

There is a small electric bus which does the rounds for $5 if you don’t feel like walking.

Click on the Gallery below for an enlarged Slideshow

The entrance
The small electric Bus
The Fountain
The Waterfall
Looking back from the bridge
The Red Bridge
The lake with the old wooden bridge

As I walked out, I discovered another lake with a fountain in the middle of it next to another playground and skatepark. New Plymouth has it all!

The Kiosk

What impressed me most was the planting and the scale of it. Well worth the visit.

Looking back from the bridge
Taranaki 22

Ninia Park – Musical Heaven

It is in Bell Block and just 10 minutes from downtown New Plymouth so its handy too.

Click on any Image to Enlarge

Handy to the Happy Hour Pavilion

Just as the first Covid lockdown came on last year, Kevin and Lynda’s Tamarillo crop and others like it, were devastated by a bug that badly damaged their crop.  A real tragedy.  They had several neighbours who also got struck by the same bad luck.

Not to be outdone and being clever Motor homers themselves, they turned their small farm into a lovely big Motorhome and Caravan Park over property and it is a huge success!

Kevin and Lynda
Getting Busy

Keeping the big shelter belts that surrounded their Tamarillos, they’ve added a nice new Happy Hour facility with an outside deck.

Holes in the Shelter Belt

While I was there, there were a few windy days but being surrounded by the shelter belts, you wouldn’t have known!!

I was originally only going to stay a night but there is such a great atmosphere and a sense of community that I ended up being there for 5 days!  There are 8 powered sites and some hard stand parking, but it is so sheltered.

Happy Chat

Kevin and Lynda are both very good musicians and several of the people who stay there regularly are too.

Suzy T
Kevin and Lynda
Close to the Music

On the day I arrived, they had a small concert for an hour or two with their semi-trailer in the next paddock, fantastic. Kevin has setup it up with a neat sound system and what looks like a bit of a “Green room” at the end of the stage. Suzy T as she’s known, was on the keyboards and vocals. She’s a great singer and was staying in her Caravan just across from me.

Between where I was parked next to the Happy Hour Pavilion and the Stage, there was a huge row of shelterbelt trees but in one corner, there was a neatly cut out doorway through the trees… very clever.

Click on the Gallery below for an enlarged Slideshow

Kevin, Lynda and Suzy T
Kevin and Lynda
Suzy T
Cloe to the Music
Holes in the Shelter Belt
On Guard
My neighbours sorting out an electrical issue

Kevin also helped me sort out a small problem I had with a missing screw in my under-engine cover which was hanging down. All done in a few minutes!

On Guard

A fantastic group of people encouraged by great hosts. Thanks again for having me.

Rafe’s Tracker map to Ninia Park over – Armada GPS
Taranaki 22

Ye Olde Luxury Post Office

And it’s a B&B so you can stay there!

A true labour of love .. Dave and Maria bought the Post office building some years ago and have restored what was originally the Eltham Post Office with the Telegraph area upstairs, is now a luxury B&B.

Click on any Image to enlarge

Dave is a retired Photojournalist and worked with me at the Herald in the late 1970’s. David has also provided some images to the Hospice Taranaki Auction happening on the 24th September.

Dave outside the B&B

I was in New Plymouth staying at Ninia Park over so it was an easy trip in Rafe to pop in to see Dave after 40 something years since we’ve seen each other. Unfortunately, Dave’s wife Maria was away in Sydney catching up with friends and family so I get to meet her.

Historical Neighbourhood

I found Dave water blasting some Mould of one of the sheltered walls at the back and we adjourned into the kitchen for a good catchup over a cup of tea.

The main Helena Suite

Later I got a tour of the building which is amazing. They’ve certainly been busy!

Lots of old period things add to the charm

The upstairs has been converted into their private flat but in a thorough Way 🙂 .. as you would expect from these two!

Dave outside the Post Office.

If you want to sample this beauty and have a night away from your Motorhome or Caravan in one of Taranaki’s small towns, check out their website here.

Rafe parked outside with the Post office behind
Lovely old Building

It was lovely to see Dave again after all these years. As I said to him, he still looks the same 🙂

Taranaki 22

Bright Colours by the Beach

With one week to go until the Hospice Taranaki News Photo Auction, I set off to New Plymouth a bit early to have a nosey around the mountain. Mt Egmont.

Click on any Image to enlarge.As I got closer to Mokau, on the coast I thought I’d stop at the Seaview Holiday Park right on the beach which had views down to Mt Egmont.

Bright Colours!

It’s a typical west coast beach complete with Black Sand and the wild water. The ruggedness is what makes it though.

The Beach looking towards New Plymouth

I checked in and was given a park right behind the sandhill facing the beach but still protected from any wind that might come up. Great parking!

One of the many baches along the coast

It’s one of those real old original Kiwi family parks with nice bright colours on slightly older cabins.

One of the Ablution blocks

The ablution blocks are covered in murals… nicely done.

Looking through the campground
Rafe with the beach behind
Mt Egmont on the right

I went for a wander around the park and then along the beach. Lovely spot!

Rafe’s Tracker map to Mokau – Armada GPS