Tag Archives: Extra Value Parking

Coromandel 24

Downtown Colville

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How does the song go? “Well, I’ve never been to Spain”!  this was our first time to Colville and what a neat little place. I’d only been here a few minutes when I checked in to the General Store and the lovely person serving recognised me from having the Camera… we worked out it must have been in Coromandel.

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Lovely spot

This is the home of a newish POP Hereford N a Pickle. Great name! It is basically a fairly upmarket Cafe with lots of outdoor dining and lots of Motorhome parking in a rural area.

Colville Parking

There are some outdoor loos close to the Motorhome parking and a few minutes up the road is the General Store. Just along from the town is Colville Bay/beach which is a fairly shingly beach with some sand.

Click on the Gallery below for an Enlarged Slideshow

Downtown Colville
The Cafe and outdoor area
Entrance to Cafe
The Outdoor Dining
Character Loos
Post Office
Oamaru Bay where we stopped for a swim
Omaaru Bay

We parked Rafe and checked in for a Coffee and a Scone each.

General Store

There is also a Tennis court in the middle of the town as well if you’ve got your racquets with you.

Tennis anyone?

After a couple of hours, we headed back towards Coromandel and stopped at Oamaru Bay for a swim. The water was almost tepid. Just lovely.

General Store

We headed back to the Pub and again we decided the food deserved another sampling. this time it was Pork Belly for me and a Seafood Sensation that was unbelievable.

Oamaru Bay where we had a swim.

That was us for the day.  Well worth the trip 🙂

Rafe’s tracker map to Coromandel – Armada GPS
Taranaki 2024

Small world stuff at Ohakune

With all the trips we’ve done over the last 10 years or so up State Highway 1, I thought it would make a nice change to head across to Ohakune and check out the other side.

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The Ohakune Club

We arrived in the middle of the day and with the door to the Ohakune club shut, we walked into the town for a look around. We checked into a Bar there for a sly Gin and Tonic while watching people come and go, and bought some of Ohakune’s famous Eclairs to take back to Rafe…. and they didn’t disappoint 🙂

Downtown Ohakune

Later, we checked into the club and bought a drink at the bar.  While we were having tea, we met some nice people at the next table who it turned out, grew up in Devonport! They also owned a house in Devonport too, in Roslyn Tce.. “What number?”, asks Fiona. The reply was .. jeepers that’s our old house that we sold four years or so ago.

The back lawn Ohakune Club

It turns out that Rob and Jane bought it as a bit of a wreck as it hadn’t had anyone living in it for a few years. I had scrim on the walls, no light fittings and no taps on the plumbing! It was also smaller at the back and downstairs.

Amazing… it then turned out that we both knew someone from Taupo where they now live who parked in our driveway once… crazy 🙂

We spent another very pleasant half hour or so more with them before heading back through the rain to Rafe.

Rafe’s tracker map to Ohakune – Armada GPS
Taranaki 2024

Those lovely white cliffs at Mangaweka

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We’ve popped in here a few times over the years with friends Dianne and Gary. I even had visions of buying a building here, but it wasn’t to be but fun dreaming and talking about it 🙂

Argyle Hotel in Hunterville

After leaving Wanganui, we headed across the back of Marton and stopped in Hunterville for lunch. Hunterville is another one of those towns you tend to whizz through on your way somewhere.  All the cafes here seemed to be going gang busters which was nice to see.

Parked at Mangaweka.. those cliffs!

After an hour or so here, we cruised up the road a bit to Mangaweka. Since we were last here, they’ve built a new bridge for vehicles which has taken a chunk of the campground, but I think from memory, its actually easier to get into now with a new access road.

The new Road bridge.

We parked Rafe and plugged in and then walked over the bridge to Awastone to pay for the night and have a cup of coffee.

Click on the Gallery below for an Enlarged Slideshow

The Village in Hunteville
Close to nature
enjoying the water
Parked at Mangaweka.. those cliffs !
The old bridge, now pedestrian only
People camped on the grass by the river.

Awastone is the full featured, big brother campground, owned by the same people across the bridge.

Awastone over the road

After that we cruised back to Rafe to check out all the people playing in the river. The place was pretty busy with people opting to park right down by the river with their Caravans and Motorhomes. It’s a lovely spot

We met the people next to us too … nice people. One lot of their way home from Auckland to Nelson and some others who used be locals come back to their old stamping ground.

Hot and wet!

We only had time for one night here this time, but it was lovely to be here and see those amazing cliffs again. The chap who used to live here was telling me that every time a plane flies over the cliffs, bits fall out of them so that wasn’t good news. It seems they quite soft.

Rafe’s tracker map to Mangaweka – Armada GPS
Taranaki 2024

Charming Stratford

One of the great discoveries here was the wonderful A&P Showgrounds parking for Motorhomes. Great level parking an easy walk from the town and the local Countdown supermarket. This is usually a town I drive straight through, usually in too much of a hurry to get somewhere.

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Mt Egmont behind

We arrived here on New Years Day after a great night at Ninia Park, so nothing was open except for the supermarket.

Looking back from the grandstand

After settling down, plugging in and opening vents, I got the bikes down and we went for a bit of a nosey trough the town. We found King Edward Park in the centre of Stratford with the Patea River running through it.

Patea River

There are several bridges and nice tracks through. After an hour or so of finding our way through here we headed back to Rafe via the supermarket for Tea.

Fiona on the bridge in King Edward Park

On the way out to Hawera, I looked at stopping in at The Stratford Pioneer Village on the southern side of the town. I had been here before and done a blog on it which you can see here.

Downtown Stratford

It’s a lovely wee town and very easy parking at the Showgrounds.

Rafe’s tracker map to Stratford A&P Grounds – Armada GPS
Taranaki 2024

New Years Eve Music at Ninia

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One of my all-time favourite park over properties in the North Island is Kevin and Lynda’s Ninia. I came here about 18 months ago for the first time and spent a few days here and it was fantastic.

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The evening’s entertainment in full swing

Kev and Lynda are Country Music specialists, and both have great voices so it was a given that some stage, they would appear, and the music would happen.

Lynda on the right
A happy looking Kevin on his bike.

There are 8 or so powered sites along with a big, newly extended happy shed and all the parking areas are well protected from the wind by huge sheltering hedges. The NZMCA dump station is just around the corner as is water so it’s all here.

The Powered sites with the happy hour shed in the distance.

Fiona and I dropped in pretty much unannounced after a brief phone conversation with Kevin to say there was a hole that we could park in, so we were on our way.

We were met by Mike the friendly caretaker who I met when I was here last time who has his own amazing electric bike with massive grass tyres.. perfect for the job and Mike squeezed us into a nice, protected corner close to the happy hour shed and a hole through the hedge to the stage. Perfect!

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Mike on his amazing Bike.
Us in our wee corner. Behind us was a walkway/tunnel through the hedge to the Happer hour shed on the other side.
The extra Caravan area
On the way to the concert
A hole in the hedge
People enjoying the afternoon music.
Lynda on the right
Nice to see the sun in the morning

New Years Eve was going to be fun, and we were looking forward to it. Kevin and Lynda’s team had set up a Marquee to protect against inclement weather that was forecast but as it turned out, they were just the odd shower and people still got out and danced the night away.

There were various singers and musicians who appeared from Motorhomes and Caravans and had turns on the stage so it an interesting mix of talent with both Kevin and Lynda also getting involved.

Having fun with the audience behind.

A great night, fantastic fun and we all woke up to a lovely sunny morning to dry out the grounds.

A truly fantastic place to stay and there are always good sounds coming out from that stage on most weekends.

Rafe’s tracker map to Ninia for the New Years Eve concert – Armada GPS
Northland

Weekend away at Mangawhai

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After almost a month of sitting in one spot, it was time to blow out the cobwebs with a quick trip away for the weekend. Fiona was keen to go to the markets at Mangawhai so Mangawhai it was.

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Looking out over the Estuary

We found a great wee pop up on the hill above the village close to the markets. Colin has a house up behind the shops and provides power and water and a great view. It is also a very easy walk to the shops.

Looking out at Dusk
The view from Rafe in Mangawhai

We arrived there about 7:30 odd on the Friday night and slotted in on a compacted grass are looking right out over the estuary.

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Us up on the hill
The Pie Caravan !
The Entrance to Bennets Chocolate Shop
The outside of bennetts
The popular shop in Mangawhai.. Sausages in bread 🙂
A new shopping centre
Cove Restaurant where we had lunch
The view down to the Village

The next morning, we woke up to a sunny day and after getting organised walked down to the village and the markets at the primary school. It’s a great atmosphere with everyone having fun and getting into the swing of it.

Arriving at the Markets

The great find for me was a caravan there selling these amazing pies. The owner was a real foodie who used to run a local restaurant and now make the pies and sell them locally. The coffee was something else too. I had a Lamb and Mint pie, and Fiona had a Curried Fish. both amazing!

At the Bennetts Coffee shop
Bennetts Chocolates

After this we walked back to the main shops from the school and after a coffee and a visit to Bennetts Chocolates (who could resist!) we stopped in for lunch at the Cove restaurant.

Cove Restaurant where we had lunch

Then it was back to Rafe. A great day of Sunshine, Great Food and Coffee in a lovely spot.

Rafe’s tracker map to Mangawhai – Armada GPS
Rallies, Waikato

Mystery Creek 2023 – The Rally

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After parking early on Thursday morning, and after a cup of coffee and getting things ship shape in Rafe, I went for a bit of a wander around the parking areas.

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Lots of white vehicles

It’s amazing just people watching and taking piccies as I went of things happening.  The parking team did an amazing job getting lines straight and getting everyone in safely.

Talking to some of them later, it’s amazing to hear that there were a few whines from visitors not being able to park right next to their friends etc.

The blurb did say, “if you want to be next to friends or family, come in together”.  It’s hard work for the volunteer parkers getting everyone in safely, let alone stop queues unnecessarily.

As I say, the Volunteer parkers did an amazing job well done yet again…!!

Check out the images of my walk about the parking area.  I can’t get over the number of old friends I bumped into while walking around.  Great fun.

Click on the Gallery below to see enlarged people images.

Reading something that doesn’t need to be plugged in 🙂
Off to the show
The Queue to get in

I’m not sure there were as many people as previous shows, but it was a fun place to be and lots to see.

Rafe’s tracker map to Mystery Creek – Armada GPS
Waikato

Antique Heaven in Paeroa

On the way from Waihi, I saw that the free parking in Paeroa was empty so I figured it might be timely to visit Countdown for some food and a look around Paeroa.

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It was quiet when I arrived 🙂

I parked Rafe, paid for the parking and it was time to check out Paeroa… in the rain. It was pouring down. The Antique shops are amazing, but I had a feeling that there were a few more.

Antique Alley

Peter at Granvilles

It wasn’t until later in the day when I popped into the Pub opposite the parking, The Paeroa Hotel that I found out sadly that several shops had not made it through the Covid lockdowns and the downturn that went with it. Several Antique shops too. Its always a shame to see a business fail especially when its outside your control to some degree like the Covid lockdown.

The Hotel was fun. I met several of the locals, had a few laughs and after a couple of glasses of wine headed back to Rafe.

Downtown Paeroa

The parking is essentially free unless you use power. That costs $5 a night and it’s all laid on by the Hauraki Council. It’s great to see a council that recognises that if you give Motor homers access to where the tills are and something to buy, buy they will so it’s a win win 🙂

Later in the day

Anyway, it’s a fantastic facility and so handy right in the middle of town.

I have always stayed in the Paeroa RV centre. Great folk there and a reasonable price but it’s a good half hour walk from town.

Rafe’s tracker map to Paeroa – Armada GPS
Waikato

Hot Pools, Olde Buildings and Parking.

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One of the nice things about small towns dotted around the Waikato is the ambience of some of the old character buildings and Te Aroha is one of those towns.

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Downtown Te Aroha
One of the corner sculptures
A Great old building

Along with its famous Hot Pools, sculptures on street corners, and nice old buildings, it also now has its very own NZMCA park. The best way to describe it is “long and skinny”, but it also backs on to a track that takes you straight into the town in minutes.

The Museum Building
The Well know old Grand Tavern opposite the Museum

I was last here a few years ago at a rally next door to the park and it was a lot of fun. There was Kayaking down the river, the bike trails were busy, and the cafes did a roaring trade. Here’s a look back at that event here.

The NZMCA park with Mt Te Aroha behind
NZMCA park

It’s a neat wee town and perfect for the bike trails up and into the Karangahake Gorge.

Rafe’s tracker map to Te Aroha – Armada GPS
Bay of Plenty, Coromandel 2023

The Train Town – Waihi

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Waihi has an atmosphere all on its own and it doesn’t matter how many times I come here, there is always a nice historic vibe to absorb. This time it was just nice standing up beside the big Martha hole in the sunshine and taking it all in.

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That big Hole
The Cornish Pumphouse next to the Mine
The Cornish Pumphouse in front of Waihi

After checking out the Goldfields Railway parking to see if there was any room as they have a few of the sites off limits due to the sodden ground. I was in luck. It wasn’t perfect as it was hard getting level, but it was only for a night.

Station just in front

It’s good to support the railway where I can as it’s a charity and they do a really good job of keeping the old Trains alive. Most days of the week, they do trips through to the Waikino station where you can get a coffee and walk the Karangahake Trails and walks. You can also take your bikes on an open carriage and do the trails from Waikino.

Click on the Gallery below for an enlarged Slideshow

Waihi’s main street
Goldfields Railway parking.

We’ve had several great stays with friends in Motorhomes staying here and doing the trails and also taking our grandsons, Ayden and Liam through to Waikino.. lots of fun. After I’d settled Rafe in the park, I walked through to Waihi shops, about 1k and had a coffee in one of Fiona’s favourite Cafes.

A constant reminder of where you are 🙂
Great Sculptures too.
Fabulous old buildings, history everywhere.

It’s a neat town. It must be just about time we brought the boys back for another ride to Waikino.

Rafe’s tracker map to Waihi – Armada GPS