Tag Archives: Motorhome friendly parking

Wairarapa 25

Parked in Parkland at Masterton

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On previous trips to Masterton, I’d always struggled to find decent parking for 8m Rafe anywhere near the main shopping area or even close.  It was a real treat to discover there’s now a new NZMCA park that solves all that!

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Lovely park

This was our first visit to the relatively new Masterton NZMCA Park, and it’s an absolute cracker. There’s a raised walking track built on a bund beside the river that leads to a swing bridge and right into a park that’s basically in the heart of town. It’s an easy 15-minute stroll into central Masterton.

Neighbours at Masterton

The park itself is well set up with a dump station, fresh water, and huge parking bays. It has to be one of the best we’ve stayed at.

The track with the river beside.

The next day, we wandered along the river into the park for a look around. My two-year-old grandson has recently developed a big fascination with trains, and sure enough there was a ride-on, small-scale diesel train doing loops through the gardens. I couldn’t resist grabbing a quick video to send to him. He’ll love it!

The lake around the train.
Looking along the river from the swing bridge.

After that, we explored the local museum, which is actually part of a wool shop complex. Tucked in alongside it is the Fire Museum, which turned out to be a real gem. Some of the displays were created by Peter Jackson’s crew, which added a bit of cinematic magic to the experience.

Click on the Gallery below to see more Images of Masterton

The ride on train
Looking along the river towards the suspension bridge.
Horse drawn Fire Appliance
In the wool display
Shearers in the Wool area.
Masterton

Right next door was a lovely little café, perfect for a relaxed lunch, and then straight next door again was the supermarket, so we stocked up the pantry too. Everything was super convenient.

We both found ourselves wondering whether we should just stay an extra night, but the wine trails of Martinborough and the boutique shops in Greytown were calling… so it was time to keep moving.

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

Showtime – 2024 NZMCA Motorhome Show

There is always a feeling of excitement when you are driving down the hill to Mystery Creek for the Park and Stay at these shows. You never quite know what is coming next.

Click on any Image to enlargeI was very lucky to get a spot not far from the gate thanks to the efficient parking from the Counties parking team.

I arrived in the middle of the afternoon on the Thursday, and it seemed like most of those staying was there too. Apparently, they had 900 registered stayers and another 150 odd for power… a great turnout.

People queuing to get in on Friday Morning

On the Friday morning, I went in for my first look and the thing that struck me most was the number of Ozzie Caravan manufacturers here with their raised Caravans. They’re built like Tanks 🙂

Inside the Urban Caravan

Perfect for the rough Ozzie outback. I had a quick look at one of them from a Melbourne company called Urban. Apparently, they’re Tig welded which they emphasised as a selling point.

Click on the Gallery below to enlarge the Urban Caravan

Nicely appointed and they look bullet proof but for a medium sized Caravan, available at $189,000.

One of the first Liteweight caravans

So, from there I was off to see the old Cars and Caravans and with their Art Deco decorating they looked stunning. These guys put their heart and souls into these.

Click on the Gallery below to see the vintage Cars and Caravans

I was lucky enough a few years ago to catch up with an old mate from the Herald who I worked with at a Liteweight Caravans get together at Cambridge and it was fabulous. We also met some of the well know members of the family who built them too. See that here.

My next stop was one of the most popular Dethleffs at the Zion stand, the Grand Alpa which is a beast. This comes in at 855cm and is 5.4 Tons and was going as a show special for $341,000. There is also a smaller version of this available which possibly suits NZ roads being 748cm long.

Click on the Gallery below to enlarge the Grand Alpa

This the outside of the XLI as the Grand Alpa was jammed in but they look identical from the outside.

I really enjoyed catching up with some old friends on the Dethleffs stand, some that I caught up with later for a cold one as you do 🙂

The Team at the NZMCA stand
The crew at Kiwi fuels

I popped over to the NZMCA stand and checked in there. Nice to see the happy faces there too.

The UCC stand

I also checked out the new Rockwood’s and they’re massive insides with all the slide outs. Very nice and nice seeing a smart bunk layout for the kids.

Click on the Gallery below to see the Rockwood 5the Wheeler.

In the Gallery below is a general roundup. I saw the new Weber Traveller Barbeques which look great. Apparently, they have a complete set of extra bits and bobs just for these new models.

Click on the Gallery below to enlarge ..

No 1 Reo NZMCA
The Weber Traveller
Trailite Caravan
The Galley area inside Trailite Caravan
Inside the Trailite Caravan
Looking through the Trailite Caravan
The bedroom – Trailite Caravan

It was off to the tented pavilions then. From floating sunglasses to Gin, it was all here.

Click on the Gallery below for the outside exhibits.

Outside in the Park and Stay, it was fun, and I bumped into quite a few people I knew. By the Saturday though, there were some big holes opening in the parking which was interesting. People getting in early and going.

Click on the Gallery below for lots of white Motorhomes

This was the first one I’ve been to where there was a Stay and Eat area too for those parked so that was fun. A great show and lots of friendly faces.

Rafe’s tracker map to Mystery Creek – Armada GPS

 

Bay of Islands, Northland

Rainbow Falls and the Packhouse Markets.

After the Hustle and Bustle of Paihia with the festival, we decided to head for some peace and quiet at the NZMCA park at Rainbow Falls. A nice location away from it all where we blobbed out. I went for a look at the Waterfall .. it would be rude not to 🙂

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The NZMCA park at Kerikeri
Rainbow Falls

We ummed and ahhed about walking down to the Stone Store but decided after our Paihia walking, we’d have a quiet day instead.

The NZMCA park at Kerikeri

Early the next morning, we set off towards Kerikeri to visit the Markets and the Packhouse Cafe. The markets are on every weekend and we had the most amazing lunch in the cafe.  I would have to say would be one of the Bay’s easiest and safest parking areas for Motorhomes around. I call them “Motorhome friendly Parking” places!  …. with a great Cafe and Markets as well 🙂

The Packhouse Cafe and Bakery

I parked right next to a Grader at the back to the carpark, a lovely spot.

The Parking !

We wandered around enjoying talking to some of the stall holders. A very friendly place 🙂

Click on the Gallery below for an enlarged Slideshow

The NZMCA park at Kerikeri
The NZMCA park at Kerikeri
The NZMCA park at Kerikeri
The Packhouse Cafe and Bakery
The Packhouse Cafe and Bakery
The Packhouse Markets
Hats at the Packhouse Markets
The Parking !

I bought a dress for my 2-month-old Granddaughter with advice from Fiona 🙂

The Packhouse Markets
The Packhouse Markets

We worked our way through the huge building towards the cafe with the bakery attached where they make the most amazing breads and pies. There is also an attached Butcher and Delicatessen that had everything including the amazing local Cheese from the Mahoe Cheese factory.

The Packhouse Cafe and Bakery
The Packhouse Cafe and Bakery

As the day went on, the wind picked up and the rain came down as forecasted so we decided to head for home. We had a fantastic weekend in the Bay… back next year 🙂

Rafe’s tracker map to Kerikeri – Armada GPS
Coromandel 24

Enjoying great hospitality at Coromandel

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.

Roast Pork
Seafood everything 🙂

A great part of the world!

Rafe’s tracker map to Coromandel – 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.

Click on any image to enlarge

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!

Click on the Gallery below to enlarge

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
South Island 2022

Lovely Arrowtown

In the morning we left left Gary, Dianne and Ian to continue their journey and headed off towards Arrowtown with the intention of possibly staying the night. When we arrived, we couldn’t raise anyone at the only campground in town so decided that after a look around, it was probably better to head back to Creeksyde in Queenstown which is closer to Arthurs Point where Fiona’s cousin lives.

Click on any Image to Enlarge

Arrowtown never disappoints and its one of the few towns around that really knows how to welcome Motorhomes with its amazing parking down behind the town.

Great parking for Motorhomes
The River behind

We arrived mid morning and the sun was shining and it looked fantastic. It was time to do shopping so Fiona was in heaven. After a couple of hours of cruising up and down the main street, we stopped in at a Café for lunch.

Can’t get enough of these buildings!

Arrowtown has a fantastic Museum which is well worth a look and is one of the few towns in NZ that still has a cobbled kerb. The main street also still has the proportions designed for the old horse and cart days so it really shouts out its Heritage and History. The buildings also make great images and they’ve done a great job of keeping it well maintained and making it work as a Tourist destination. I still think though that this is definitely one of the towns that is missing visitor numbers due to Covid which is a real shame.

We set off early mid afternoon to check back into Creeksyde in Queenstown.

Cobbled Kerb

Fiona got in touch with her cousin Jan and she came down to pick us up for drinks at their lovely home in Arthurs point for drinks. It was really nice seeing Rob and Jan as we haven’t seen them for a while. After a few hours, Jan dropped us back at Creeksyde.. a great day out!

Rafe’s Tracker map to Arrowtown and to Creeksyde – Armada GPS
Bay of Plenty

Berry’s for everyone !

As we drove into Whakatane from Awakere to get some provisions from Countdown, Fiona spotted Julian’s Berry Farm and Café on the way. A perfect stop off for us on the way back for lunch.

Click on any Image to enlarge

Outside eating
The Berries

Its a huge farm on many acres doing all the berries under the sun. At the moment they’re just about out of Strawberries but there was plenty of everything else 🙂

Under the Pergola

The café is great and they’ve got the Berry Ice creams too.

Parking was easy with a big parking area for Motorhomes and Caravans so easy there too.

Easy parking

It was stinking hot so we chose to sit outside under the shady pergola and the food was perfect.

Popular Mini Golf
Fun and Games

We had these amazing strawberry sundaes. They were $9 something each but just the best, we even came back the next day to do it all again.. 🙂

The ice cream sundae

A must do if you’re in the area.. on the way to Whakatane on the Tauranga side on the main road in, about 3 k’s before the Hub in Whakatane on the left.

Rafe’s Tracker map to the Berry Farm and Cafe. – Armada GPS
Taranaki 2019

Origin at Otorohanga

We were staying in the reasonably newish Otorohanga NZMCA park which is only 800 metres to the Town centre.

Click on an image for Hi Res (iphone images)

Otorohanga’s main street

One of the first shops we popped into was an Art Deco shop which had all sorts of stuff in it including quite a bit section on Steam Punk as well. Lots of Cloche hats and neat things.

Fiona with the poles outside the I site

A walk across the road and down through the Ed Hillary lane was a huge display of Kiwiana including a neatly displayed board of Kiwi slang and its American or English equivalent. Also there were old ads for wringer washing machines and reminders of the half pint of Milk at School. I was a milk monitor at the school I was at in Central Wellington so remember it well. Nice cold milk in winter for morning tea, Yum!

The Railway Station built in 1923 after the original burnt down

As you come out of the arcade at the other end is the railway station. We parked the bikes and went in for a couple of Latees. There we met Roger who owns the Origin coffee company that imports Coffee from their own farm in Malawi and brews it in the Railway Station. The coffee is fantastic. One of the best I’ve had for a while.

Fiona ordering coffees

Roger started Origin in 1999 and has gone from strength to strength since then. When you’re in the Station, don’t expect a big selection of food apart from Toasted Sammies and Cakes. The good news is, you’re welcome to bring you’re own food. Roger is keen to concentrate on the coffee 🙂

Click on the Gallery below for a Slideshow

The original Railway station built in the late 1880’s
The cafe with the roasting gear.
The Roasting equipment
Great parking

After half an hour or so of chatting to Roger and enjoying the Coffee, as we were leaving, the Auckland to Wellington Train pulled in… this is a trip I want to do as well.. looks great !

The Railway station with the North Island train in.

We biked back to Rafe at the park to think about when we can do that Train trip 🙂

Taranaki 2019

Amazing Museum

While we’re still effectively in lockdown  .. here’s a neat place we went to just out of Hawera a few years ago.. amazing place..

After leaving New Plymouth, we stopped in Stratford Countdown for some Milk and a few essentials and after breakfast and a look around, cruised on to the famous Tawhiti Museum.

Click on an Image for Hi Res

The Handsome Cab man

Started by a local very clever Artist, Nigel Ogle with his wife Teresa, they built this up using local friends and aquaintances to make their lifesized models faces and they look amazing. I love the expressions too.  In 1975, they bought the old Cheese factory where Nigel worked as a boy and this was the start of the Museum.

Looks like some I know 🙂

It is split into three Museums being the local history, the Traders and Whalers and the Bush railway.

The Accountant

Fiona and I elected to check out the Local History which took several hours. This could easily take the whole day if you elected to do all three.

Click on the Gallery below for a Slideshow

The Motorhome Parking
Being helped down
Sharpening
At the shop
The Accountant
The Butcher
A sing song
Oops priceless expressions
Outside
In the tractor and farm museum area
Old Military trucks
Our park
That amazing Mountain

The parking opposite is fantastic with plenty of room for Motorhome parking with separate parking for the cars on the sides.

Great Parking

There is also a well stocked Cafe on site with great Coffee too. A neat spot.

Lovely spot

We’ve decided already we will have to revisit and check out the other bits we missed but an awesome display that really is a must see.

Muller park

We went from here to the Muller NZMCA park in Hawera where we recognised several other Motorhomers who were parked next to us at the Museum! Isn’t it funny how great minds think alike 🙂

Rafe’s Track to Tawhiti Museum and onto Muller Park. The Museum is the Green Dot on the right!
Czech Republic, Europe 2017

One the Czech Republics Hidden Gems

We got a rental while we were in Prague so we could leave the motorhomes at the campsite and have a look around. One of the planned outings if you like, was to Cesky Kumlov which is 150k’s southwest of Prague.

Click on the Images for Hi res or a Slideshow

One of the Squares. Gary, Fiona and Dianne on the right

It is now a UNESCO protected World Heritage site.

A weary traveller having a rest.. Gary in the blue on the right

We set off about 9am and after a stop or two along the way, we arrived at Cesky Kumlov. The town was established in the 1400’s and was then German. Most of the buildings in the town were built in the 1500’s due to a discovery of Gold by the castle.

Tourists enjoying the boats on the river
Amazing little shopping streets
Fiona and Dianne on the bridge watching people boating in the river.
The river. The restaurant on the right where we had lunch.
Part of the Castle
The Castle hovering over the village

The town is built on what is almost an island by the course of the fast flowing river that almost completely surrounds it. The castle was closed on the day we were there as it was Monday. I’m not quite sure how that works but never mind.

The Castle above the town

There were a few bus load of tourists there but nothing like other places we’ve been to. We had a great meal in a restaurant by the river and walked around the village.

A stunning wee town and if it wasn’t for the local knowledge of Gary and Dianne, we would never have known about it.  A great day out. Thanks guys.