After getting the new Lithium Phosphate batteries installed, I was busting to get out and see how they went. Fiona was at work for the next few days, so she suggested I head away and check them out.
Click on any Image to enlargeI was thinking of heading up to the NZMCA park at Dargaville as I haven’t been there for a while but after checking the cold weather forecast and looking at some of the off-peak deals, I thought I’d check out Sandspit. Not too far and I could plug in for the freezing temperatures to come 🙂
First thing in the morning
I was right on the waterfront and with only two other Motorhomes or Caravans there, we had the place to ourselves… but being plugged in, I wasn’t checking the batteries. next time!
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Down towards the wharf
Restored schoolhouse
The campground
Looking out to the wharf
Sunset
In one of the old storage sheds 🙂
Ye Olde Laundry, there’s a new one too!
Boat Parking
Baches you can stay in
Couldn’t really get closer
Nice parking
We’ve been here several times before, but it is such a magic spot and being right on the waterfront was amazing. I went for several walks over the couple of days I was there to both the Kawau Yacht club and up to the top of the hill above the campground.
Down towards the wharf
It’s a great place to come if you want to do the Kawau Mail Boat trip. We did that a few years ago and it’s a fun day out.
The View from the topThe big chair on the top of the hill
The top of the hill is great as you can see for miles out beyond the Marina and there is one of those huge chairs up there where you rest and take it all in 🙂 Stunning view but it’s a steep walk!
Nice walking along the waterfront
I also went for a bit of a trek along the beach past the cabins on the waterfront which is nice too.
There used to be a lot of old historic shop fronts and artefacts which due to maintenance have gone but the artifacts remain in glass cases by the Dining room.
One of the old cottages you can stay in
A lovely place and very good value with nice people.
It’s a great area here but being spoilt for great food, we decided we’d better be sensible and make an effort on our last day here to walk off some calories, so after stopping in Downtown Coromandel, we carried on around the corner to the wharf.
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The last notable time we came here by boat. Two 12 metre launches with friends and while we parked out in deep water off the wharf, he was determined to get into the wharf for some fuel.
They got in ok but getting out again with the water running away was amazing with him sliding along the mud until there was enough water. I don’t know how he did it, but he was always a clever in this department and there must have been just enough water under him to slide with 🙂 Great yarn anyway but it is true. If it was me, I would never have made it 🙂
There were no clouds, no wind and little traffic so it was blissful just walking around looking at the boats. The wharf itself is tidal too so they sit on the mud when they’re in.
A great Bar and great food too
We dawdled back to the town and checked in for lunch.
As the sun goes down
After a quick look at a very clever Copper sculpture maker. We headed back to the Rafe for a G&T.
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.
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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.
We let Kaiaua reasonably early and started heading over towards Thames and onwards up the coast to Coromandel. After stopping at Kopu for fuel and the Supermarket for some last-minute provisions, were off up the coast.
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The sun was shining, and the wind had dropped off nicely but there still a few puffs.
The Pub
After about 40 minutes of easy driving, we stopped briefly at the Mania seafood shop for some Oysters and other amazing seafood.
The Coromandel Hotel has a very small Motorhome facility at the back which is just delightful. Don’t come here though if you’re expecting flash loos and showers! While they’re quite functional, they would best be described as very Rustic 🙂 Their business though is selling Meals and Drink, and they do this very well. The food is sensational. The Gin and Tonics are great too 🙂
A Great Bar in Coromandel
After checking in and setting up Rafe, plugging in and opening vents, we set off to downtown Coromandel which is only 10 minutes or so walk.
Coromandel shops
After a Coffee and a look at some of the shops, we slowly headed back to the pub and checked in for Tea. The food was something else… see the images below. I had a Roast Pork and Fiona had a Seafood Chowder. Sensational.
One of the nice things about going a different way is seeing new things or seeing them differently.
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Makatote ViaductRafe next to the Viaduct
After leaving Ohakune, we headed up towards National Park, stopping in at the new Kiwi Camp there by the old Historic Railway Station. The cafe was shut so after half an hour of walking around, we headed up the road until we came to the Makatote Viaduct. What an impressive structure and given when it was built, it wouldn’t have been easy.
National Park Railway StationFiona at the Historic Railway Station
Another half an hour and off we went again, this time we decided to head up and see the old Chateau. What a shame it has become a casualty of its upkeep. We stayed here with friends Gary and Dianne a few years ago in the campground there and had High Tea in the Lounge with all the service… most impressive. We still have the memories. 🙂
The Chateau with some rain coming through
The building is still impressive though. I hope someone can find a way to make it pay its way.
Turangi NZMCA park
We left there and headed for Turangi and stopped in at the mall for a Coffee and Lunch opposite in a Cafe then we checked in at The NZMCA park there.
Rain coming through in waves.
The park is looking fantastic. The forecast was for heavy rain and thunderstorms which we were all waiting for but didn’t happen. A great night there anyway.
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.
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 ArohaOne of the corner sculpturesA 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 BuildingThe 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 behindNZMCA park
It’s a neat wee town and perfect for the bike trails up and into the Karangahake Gorge.
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 HoleThe Cornish Pumphouse next to the MineThe 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.
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One of my all-time favorite places to stay and very good value. It’s also close to a couple of great Restaurants and Bars for later in the evening. I see too that the loos have had a bit of a do up which is great. Nice bright Scottish paintings on the outside.
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On the way back from Whangarei after topping up with fuel, we stopped in to see some of our old boatie friends from Auckland in Ruakaka. After lunch with Chris and then a pop in with Tina and Mark and their family, we decided we would just stay in Waipu in our old favourite park.
The Museum
They had just had a big festival there and some of the trucks had carved up the wet ground quite badly, so you had to be selective about where you parked! I parked on the outside edge closest to the driveway where it was unmarked and pretty dry.
Nice and safe next to the gravel.
It was blowing dogs off chains, so I set Rafe back a bit from the trees just in case and also for a TV signal 🙂 The weather looked iffy too!
The plan was to get something in town to eat but in the end, we snacked in the van and had an early night given that we were heading home the next day.
A great 10 days or so away and nice to do the bits we’ve never seen in Northland.
Rafe’s tracker map to the Waipu Caledonian Park – Armada GPS
This was just such a treat and Fiona and I had been looking forward to it.. the highlight of the trip if you like. We met the bus I was later told; was a 400 HP beast that was once a Petrol tanker but was custom made for its current purpose of ferrying people like us up to the Cape on the sand.
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The driver picked us up outside the Awanui NZMCA park along with a neighbour in the park with his two grandsons and we were off.
Jason the driver and guide was a scream and very good with the flow of interesting information that went all day.
After turning off the main road north at Waipapakauri, we headed a few k’s towards the beach before we got to the sand. The weather for the trip was perfect and once Jason had changed into 4-wheel drive, we were off up the beach… all 56k’s of it apparently 🙂 As Jason said on the commentary “ It’s the only state highway that gets a wash twice a day “:-)
Getting out for a stretch
About half an hour or so of cruising up the beach, we stopped and got out for stretch and a look around. It’s an amazing beach with nothing really in either direction apart from the sandhills behind.
Looking South. the hole in the rock.
There was a rock of the beach with a hole in like the one off Cape Brett.
Jason running the Bus up the Te Paki stream for the sandboarding.
A bit further on, we were heading up the Te Paki stream beside the massive sand hills where we stopped to let to let those younger and more adventurous than us to boogie board down the sand hills. Jason gave them all a few safety lessons and they were off.
Jason doing the safety briefing.Jason doing the safety briefing before they head up the dune.Sandboarding !
They all seemed pretty happy with the occasion and about 45 minutes or so later, we set off again up the stream to rejoin the highway up to the Cape.
After Lunch
Next we were heading up to Tapotupotu Beach for lunch which Jason had stashed away. The road wasn’t for the faint hearted in a big vehicle and although there were a few Motorhomes there, it definitely wasn’t for me.
Looking towards Maris van Diemen
About an 1 hour later with a great lunch by the beach, we all headed back to the bus and Jason then took us all up to the Cape Reinga carpark to walk down to the lighthouse.
The oceans meeting
It’s about a 45-minute walk down to the lighthouse and back and quite steep in places but on a really nice track. As you go down on the left you can see Cape Maria van Diemen where the lighthouse used to be, Cape Reinga in front and the beach that we had lunch at off to the right with North Cape way off in the distance.
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Arriving on the beach
A sandhill in the sun
Looking South.. wonderful.
Jason running the Bus up the Te Paki stream for the sandboarding.
Jason doing the safety briefing.
On the way up.. Jason was saying the escalators were being serviced 🙂
The Lighthouse – pic by Fiona
Cape Reinga
The last time I was here, I think I was 13 years old or thereabouts. We were on a family trip with a 4-wheel drive with a beach buggy on an A frame. It was a trip for a photo shoot with a friend of my Dads who was a specialist Motor Racing photographer for a magazine article. The beach buggy got stuck on top of a sandhill… think all wheels off the ground so I got to learn how to drive it while we got it unstuck 🙂
Back to the trip… it was fantastic to see it all again and all the improvements that have been made for easier access.
At the pub on the way home.
We were all back in the bus heading down the road for an ice cream stop and to the famous Waipapakauri where Fiona and I had a G & T to celebrate the end of a great day. We were only a few K’s north of the Awanui NZMCA park.
Back at Awanui.. great day !
A fantastic day and I’m really pleased we took the option of a guided bus trip. It wasn’t expensive given what was involved and a lot of fun and entertainment. Thanks, Jason, for the great commentary and a brilliant day out.
Rafe’s tracker map to the Awanui NZMCA park – Armada GPS
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.
I was thinking of heading up to the NZMCA park at Dargaville as I haven’t been there for a while but after checking the cold weather forecast and looking at some of the off-peak deals, I thought I’d check out Sandspit. Not too far and I could plug in for the freezing temperatures to come 🙂
There used to be a lot of old historic shop fronts and artefacts which due to maintenance have gone but the artifacts remain in glass cases by the Dining room.
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