Having helped park a couple of these Rallies, they are a BIG job for the volunteers who put these together and with this one, Neal and his parking team kept the bar high with their direction and parking skills.
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Chief parker Neal with his 3m stick
This year like last year, the parking costs were covered by Covi organisers along with a free bus service which ran in a cycle every half an hour or so… it worked beautifully. There was also a storage area at the Show where you could securely store any goodies purchased and pick them up on the way back on the bus… a great idea.
Plenty of white Motorhomes
I’m not sure how many people were at the Rally but a general estimate I would say it was at least 500 vehicles on the first day all beautifully parked by Neal and his team from the Waikato group with Counties pitching in too as a joint parking effort.. well done guys.
My little place in the world
The best part for me at these events was catching up with friends I haven’t seen for a while who have come for the show.
A great effort and well done to all those Volunteers.
Rafe’s Tracker map to the show Motorhome parking – Armada GPS
With the Covid scare stopping our Anniversary weekend trip dead in its tracks, we headed off to Pauanui for the weekend to catch up with family and friends with our bikes on the back.
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Fantastic Beach
Its a great place for bikes as its all pretty flat and as most of the locals there use bikes to get around, they seem pretty tolerant and used to seeing them on the road.
We checked in at our favourite place for parking there, the Pauanui Sports Club. The Pauanui Club have been offering parking for NZMCA’rs for a few years now and doing a great job of it.
Looking good
The first day we were there, there was a knock at the door in the morning and it was our grandson Ayden who had biked around to say hello. We were later joined by his Dad, Alex and brother Liam.
Alex teeing off
The mini golf course next door was the place to be which was also busy with the long weekend. Granny Fiona went along too. 8 yr old Liam found a water trap within a few strokes of his club. As it was quite hot, he was in no hurry to get out either 🙂
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Liam cooling off !
Liam fishing his ball out of the water 🙂
Fiona and Alex
Ayden at the mini golf
Fiona and Liam at the mini golf
Off to buy a slushy after with Granny.
We had been invited out to tea with one of Fiona’s old school friends Janette and her husband Evan. Always nice to see them so we were off on our bikes to their place for a great night.
Busy busy
The next day we spent meeting the neighbours. Paul and Ruth on one side from Auckland and Peter and Wendy from Tauranga on the other. Small world stuff too. It turns out I’d met one of Peter and Wendy’s good friends involved with the Motorhome industry who we met again later in the weekend. I also used to work with Paul’s brother in Auckland 30 plus years or so ago in the newspaper industry..
We took the boys to the village to get some lunch.
We finished off here by having fish and chips with the grandkids around at their place. A nice weekend.
I’ve been a great supporter of the Pauanui Club. They’ve been great supporters of the NZMCA and its members and provide a great facility. It is run with little human intervention meaning, no booking, no sites are marked out.
Due to its popularity now, I think time has come for the sites to be marked out and a limit placed on the numbers like the NZMCA sites.
Over the weekend, we ended up having 14 vans in there with only half having some reasonable fire gaps between them.
An extra one out by the Airfield
The general thought here was that it would be a good idea that the club put some “below lawn mower height” pegs in to define some sites and make sure that everyone is kept safe. Cheap and easy and it can continue to be run as it is.
Busy busy busy
Its a fantastic place to stay with great people and long may it continue.
Nice to get away for the long weekend and catch up with everyone at a great spot.
Kiwi North which is about 5k’s out of Whangarei on the road from Dargaville is also the home of the Whangarei Museum and many of the local clubs with an amazing collection of things that clubs have.. Stationery Engines, Medical Museum, Radio operators, Cars and Tractors, Railway enthusiasts and the list goes on.
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One of the Kiwis – pic supplied
The big attraction though is the Kiwi house where you can get up close with them. This is the first time Fiona and I had ever seen one this close and with one of the volunteers close by telling us all about them was amazing.
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Octagonal Chapel
Car ethusiasts
Stationery Engines
Niagara Lifeboat being restored.
Another well know homestead
Ride on minature trains.
They are actively involved with a Kiwi breeding program to try and stop the decline in their numbers and their modern Kiwi House makes it so easy to see them right up close. We were inches away from them!
A Nugget in the museum found in Hukerenui
The park is also currently refurbishing the Clark Homestead along with an amazing Octagonal shaped Chapel and other outbuildings.
There is the old Kauri Train station and the old Whangarei Woman’s Gaol there too.
Whangarei Woman’s Gaol
To make it easier for NZMCA’rs who would like to check it out, they also have parking for up to 4 vans with power, toilets and showers for just $15. There is also a discount for access to the Kiwis and the Museum for NZMCA’rs too!
The parking for Motorhomes
I’ve popped in here before but this was Fiona’s first time and its a great place with plenty to see and do.
Every Kiwi should do this and with international visitors being hard to come by due to Covid, make sure you pop in next time you’re up that way 🙂
While staying recently at a Motorhome parking spot in Muriwai we met John who has a massive shed on his 150 acre farm up on the hills. We were parked on his farm.
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John with a 1870 organ made in Chicago
While we were getting set up, he invited me in for a look in his shed. John emigrated from the UK with his wife Jane, many years ago with degrees in both engineering and agriculture. In his words then, “They wanted people like me”! and looking at the stuff in his shed, he’s a really clever guy.
John showing me a Pianola that he had revived.
John and Jane started an Orchard in Kumeu and grew the business to three orchards over several years. He was once of the first, if not the first to export Figs and Feijoas amongst other things too.
John playing an 1896 Clark organ made in Chicago.
Now in “retirement mode” he just sticks to his specialty of fixing Organs and Piano’s! I thought to myself, that’s a long way from being an orchardist but he is an engineer too!
Another Piano key masterpiece.
Amongst many organs in his shed is an old rotary hoe with tubeless tyres with a new petrol motor on which he has rebuilt for a friend.
Looking around the organs, John showed me the latest late 1800’s one he was working on which was a real mess when it arrived but he is slowly restoring it.
Johns bits draw with very fancy organ valve handles 🙂
He’s also a keen woodturner making serving platters and bowls from native timbers and he’s made some really interesting decorations/sculptures out of old Piano keys!
A really interesting and clever guy and you can stay on his farm for just $10.
It was the first long weekend after lockdowns and already the traffic was awful but we wanted a night out of the house… where to go without driving endlessly through traffic.
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Muriwai much later in the day.
Muriwai looked great and we picked a spot I’ve been looking forward to going to for months. John and Jane’s Charges Apply (CAP) parking spot high up in the hills overlooking Muriwai Beach.
We made the mistake of letting the GPS lead the way which was down an unsealed back road up to the road despite the GPS having “no unsealed roads please” loaded. We should have headed straight to Muriwai Beach and then headed up the hill.. still a little bit of unsealed road but only a 1k or so.
Our spot with Muriwai Beach behind
John met us at the electric gates and directed us up to a parking spot where we could get power too for an extra few dollars. Absolutely magic spot looking straight out towards Australia and north over the magnificent Muriwai Beach.
John’s cows with the best view in town.
We were both pretty knackered so just lazed around with some good Jazz on the stereo and I went for a wander around the paddocks to get some piccies.
Parking at Dusk
A lovely spot so close to town and fantastic hosts.
The Gannet Colony
On the way out the next morning, we stopped off for a quick look at the farmhouse Gannet Colony up on the rock on the southern end of the beach.
Rafe’s Tracker map ..The long route we took to John and Janes. – Armada GPS
Seeing 600 plus Motorhomes and Caravans as your first view coming into the top of Mystery Creek is always a nice experience. And the first person I see at the bottom helping with the parking was Noel who I met at Tokoroa a year ago.
The goings on in the parking area 🙂Rafe in the park
Once I’d parked Rafe, who should come rocking past on his electric bike but Neal who was organising the parking both then and now. He was saying that the team had parked nearly 800 vehicles in Hamilton so far. Given the effect of people getting over lockdowns and everything else, that’s a great turnout and a job well done for the parking team. This was just after lunch on Friday with two days to go!
Great show. Click on the image to enlarge.
They did a great job and everywhere you looked, just about completely surrounding the main Pavilion were Motorhomes and Caravans. A great sight. Nicely done Team Waikato !
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
EE aw
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.
From the moment I stepped out of Rafe at Ruakaka Holiday Park, everything about this place is HUGE. There are more than 260 powered sites and the camp is spread out over 13 hectares. The camp is divided into several regions each having their own ablution blocks.
The land that it sits on and its layout and the views are absolutely sensational. Everywhere I looked I could see nice images.
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My view
It also is a participant in the NZMCA’s Camp saver program and owner Anne-Marie says it is working well for them. They also do off peak weekly stays too.
On the waterfront
I was interested to see their information sheet included how to park within your site to ensure that everyone has 3 metres separation. I think this is good news as many Holiday Parks parking is far to close for fire safety.
Great parking
I was a bit lucky to get one of the waterfront sites facing out to Marsden Point and Bream Head even though it was pretty exposed to the easterly nasties that came through, it was really nice to wake up to a great view when the weather played the game.
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On the other side of the peninsular
My view
A bit gloomy then
The weather wasn’t that flash with an amazing thunder and lightning storm coming through with showers before and after but there was enough fine weather to get some nice images.
Old friends Mark, Tina, Gary and Chris all live around the corner in Ruakaka beach so it a good opportunity to pop in and see them too.
And just around the corner
This campground though has it all.. the views and the sites are spectacular with great facilities.
Ruakaka Beach is just down the road and there is a Bird Sanctuary to walk through too.
The last time I went to Pakiri, I was in my teens and it was at the time that we had carless days and huge petrol costs. Two of us went up to Pakiri in a ’62 pillarless Chev Impala and camped with the car and a small tent. Remember those days 🙂
Apart from the horrendous cost in getting there and back with a two stage auto and V8, I still remember it as being a fun weekend away.
Click on an Image to enlarge it.This was to be different and after all those years, the thing that struck me the most was how different it was from my memories from long ago. The office now includes a store for basic provisions and was closer to the beach than I remembered but it is still a magic spot to go to for a break.
Next to the river
When I arrived, I’d just come down a wet and windy Leigh road down the hill and Rafe was absolutely covered in mud.
Manager Rachel couldn’t have been nicer in showing me where to park and although I was given an option of having a view of the river behind some pines, I chose to park a little further away in preference of getting a good TV signal and some winter sun.
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Great Barrier in the distance
Nice Entrance
Very beachy
Lovely spot
Our Neighbours
Being a participant in the NZMCA’s Camp saver program, Rachel said it was working well for them. With power and access to their great facilities, it makes it really worth doing even if it is the middle of winter. Its a really nice place to be and away from all the hustle and bustle and only an hour or so from Auckland 🙂
Outdoor eating
I’d only been there a few minutes when two people from Wellington rocked in with their rented Maui Campervan. They had taken advantage of the Maui discount after lockdown and were out around the North Island. That’s them in the piccy below.
Late in the day
I went for a wander down to the beach to see what was where.. There was a film crew down there doing a fashion shoot for some ads, a great spot for that.
Close to the beach
The park is right on the river and estuary and an easy walk to the beach. The park is probably three quarters occupied by annual semi permanent caravans and cabins but there is plenty of easy parking for motorhomes and casual overnight stays.
I thought he was waving at me but I’m sure I was too far away.
A lovely spot, nice facilities and a helpful crew, well worth the trip and it brought back some great memories. I’ll be going back again but this time on the sealed road from Wellsford:-)
This year like last year, the parking costs were covered by Covi organisers along with a free bus service which ran in a cycle every half an hour or so… it worked beautifully. There was also a storage area at the Show where you could securely store any goodies purchased and pick them up on the way back on the bus… a great idea.
The best part for me at these events was catching up with friends I haven’t seen for a while who have come for the show.
