Tag Archives: Small Towns

An amazing Little Town Called Takapau

January 23, 2026 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 1 Comment

…and an equally amazing little park-over-property to go with it.

At this time of year, when you ring up at short notice, you tend to hold your breath as you ask if there’s any room at the inn. This time, luck was on our side, and we managed to secure a couple of nights in Takapau.

Click on any Image to Enlarge

Lovely spot and although it rained, it was solid underneath.

Some years back, during one of the Dethleffs Owners Group gatherings I organised, I got chatting with a couple who mentioned they had once run the campground here. Their advice was simple: if you’re ever in the area, you must stay there. So, we were doing exactly as we were told 🙂

On the way through, we couldn’t help but stop at Norsewood, just north of Dannevirke. There’s an amazing woollen wear and general clothing shop there, full of beautiful jumpers and yes, I bought one. Really nice people running it too. The weather wasn’t playing ball, so we didn’t linger, but we’ve been here before and there are plenty of photos from previous visits.

When you head into a small regional town and pull into a park-over-property, you’re never quite sure what to expect. What we found here was an absolute gem, run by two wonderful people, Pauline and Russell, who couldn’t have been more welcoming or helpful.

The setup is essentially a house on a large section, with several powered sites out the front. Visitors have access to two well-appointed bathrooms inside the house, complete with showers and toilets. There is also a large communal lounge and a kitchen area, which makes it feel very relaxed and homely.

Downtown Takapau with the 4 Square on the right

Best of all, it’s only about a ten-minute walk into the centre of town, where there’s a well-stocked Four Square supermarket and an excellent fish and chip shop. Really, what more could you want??

While we were there, Fiona was keen to visit nearby Ongaonga, where she spent time as a child visiting her grandparents, who ran a small farm in the area. We had a good look around the road she remembered but couldn’t quite find the house. It turned up later on Google Maps as is always the way! The weather was a bit hit and miss with showers, but we’ve travelled through this area before in better conditions and it’s still a lovely part of the country.

Click on the Gallery below for an enlarged Slideshow of Ongaonga

Ongaonga

At the Ongaonga Museum

Ongaonga

We stopped in the Ongaonga township for a cup of tea at the café and a wander around the historic buildings. It really does feel like stepping back in time. The locals have done a fantastic job preserving the town, and everything is beautifully maintained.

All up, we had a great couple of days here and really enjoyed our time with Russell and Pauline. It’s one of those memorable POPs that’s now firmly added to the must-visit-again list.

Rafe’s tracker map to Takapau and Ongaonga – Armada GPS

Wairarapa 26

The Clareville Bakery

January 18, 2026 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com Leave a comment

The rain had well and truly set in, and it was time to move on from Masterton as Fiona only had a small window before work called again.

Click on any Image to enlarge

As we headed out of town detouring slightly south to hit the truck stop for diesel. Fiona started telling me about an amazing café on the northern outskirts of Carterton, only a few kilometres away. Apparently, it was not to be missed. Well, that was all the encouragement I needed.

While we were so close, it would have been rude not to stop… and what a find it turned out to be.

The Clareville Bakery was set up by the current owners in 2013 after they renovated an old church that had previously been a café. They’ve taken it to a whole new level. Having won numerous awards for their seriously scrummy breads, cakes, and pies, it’s no surprise there’s almost always a queue at the door.

I was impressed straight away by the large car park, complete with a dedicated motorhome area tucked away in the corner and even more impressed that we managed to snag a spot. Always a bonus.

Full carpark in the middle of the week 🙂

Inside, the place was buzzing despite the weather. The cabinets were packed with tempting options, and the smell alone was enough to make choosing difficult. I honestly can’t remember exactly what I had, as Fiona ordered for me while I wandered around taking photos, but I do remember it being very good!

We spent a relaxed hour or so here before heading north again, well fed and very content.

We’ll definitely be back next time we’re in this neck of the woods.

Rafe’s tracker map to Clareville Bakery – Armada GPS

Wairarapa 26

Over the Hill to Woodville

January 14, 2026 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 2 Comments

With the sun still shining, we were up and out early, heading down to the river to see the wind turbines up close.

Click on any Image to Enlarge

There are hundreds of them, and with a decent breeze blowing they were really earning their keep. The walk down is a great little trail that winds its way to the water’s edge and, once there, we sat for a while listening to the wind, watching the blades turn, and just soaking it all in.

At the top of the hill looking towards Woodville

Eventually it was time to move on, so we headed back and found the road that climbs over the hill to Woodville, passing right through the turbines. We stopped a couple of times to grab some photos — the scale of them is impressive, and the views from the top of the hill in both directions are well worth the pause. Rolling hills, wide skies, and turbines stretching as far as you can see.

Click on the Gallery below for an enlarged Slideshow

At the top of the hill looking towards Woodville

Amazing Turbines

At Masterton

Downtown Masterton

At the Tui Brewery

Th lake in Queen Elizabeth Park

From the swing bridge.

Deer next to the park.

On the way through we called in at the Tui Brewery, which now welcomes motorhomes overnight as a POP and also has a dump station, always handy to know. We’ve stopped here before, but the place has had a real upgrade. More outdoor tables, a great setup, and the food was absolutely spot on.

From there we decided to head down towards Masterton. It’s only about 50-odd k’s, making it an easy run for the afternoon and a good excuse to stay at the NZMCA park and have a wander through town.

The park has a really nice layout and almost always has plenty of space. The walk into town follows the river and is a really pleasant stroll, with birds about and the water flowing quietly alongside. The final touch is a neat little swing bridge that drops you right near the centre of town.

By the time we were back it was looking like rain was on the way, so we called it a day, poured a G&T, and settled in to watch a bit of TV.

The next morning, we were up and ready to head into town for a look around. Great minds think alike as we weren’t the only ones doing the same thing.

We headed for a café opposite the supermarket and settled in for a nice cup of coffee each before wandering down the main street to check out the shops.

It’s a good shopping area, though it’s easy to see that times have been a bit tough for some of the retailers. After a decent look around town and a bite to eat, we picked up a few things at the supermarket and headed back to the park to blob out for the afternoon.

Feeding the ducks at the Park on the way back.

A lovely day in Masterton.

Rafe’s tracker map to Masterton- Armada GPS

Wairarapa 26

Heading South for the New Year

January 10, 2026 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 1 Comment

Happy New Year! It’s 2026 and we’re heading off southwards. We’re winging it a bit this time as the weather isn’t expected to be too flash, and we’re keen to check out some new places along the way.

Click on any Image to Enlarge

We headed off early after Christmas, leaving at 6am to beat the Southern Motorway traffic and it worked perfectly. The traffic was calm and sedate, the sun was shining, and it felt like we were off to a great start.

Our plan was to head towards Turangi, with the GPS telling us we’d arrive before lunch. We stopped briefly at Tirau for a cuppa and a slice of cake, then about 20 minutes later we were back on the road.

Later in the morning we arrived at the NZMCA park in Turangi. It was only about 25% full, so not busy at all. We settled in and, naturally, it was time for another cup of tea. Out came our trusty old kettle but shock horror, a screw had come off the handle. We both agreed that could get a bit dangerous once it heated up.

Luckily, there was a hardware shop just around the corner. Sure enough, they had what we needed, so kettle crisis averted.

Click on the Gallery below for an enlarged Slideshow

At Taupo for lunch on the way down.

My favourite place to stop for a jumper

The Turbines keepin eye on us.

Somewhere to rest on the way to the river

The walk down to the river

Down by the river

A little rain fell overnight, which cooled the air nicely. In the morning, after our hardware shop visit, we headed off down the Desert Road towards Waiouru, stopping in Taihape for another cuppa and cake. We’ve stopped at the Brown Sugar Cafe a few times over the years and it’s always a good choice. There’s great motorhome parking almost outside, right next to the famous gumboot throwing area.

After a nice lunch in a busy little café, we continued on towards Ashurst, travelling through Utiku and coming out near Palmerston North.

From there we headed on to the lovely Ashurst Domain. It’s largely unmanned but very reasonably priced, and power was included, which was a nice treat.

The domain is beautifully laid out under big trees, right next to the river, with the large wind turbines doing their thing on the hills across the water. We were very lucky to have the help of a regular camper next door who showed us where everything was fantastic.

The place was pretty busy, being an in-demand spot, and it’s super handy to everything, only about five minutes from town. All in all, a great place to stay.

Rafe’s tracker map to Ashurst – Armada GPS

Close to home

A Small Settlement Close to the Water – Leigh

December 8, 2025 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 2 Comments

One of the first places we ever took our motorhome, about ten years ago now was Leigh.

Back then, we were still very new to motor homing, so the plan was to head somewhere not too far from home… just in case we’d forgotten something or if anything went wrong. Of course, nothing did! Instead, we ended up discovering a fantastic little village overlooking the sea.

Looking out over the water from the wharf.

A few years later I came back while Fiona was working to see the village light itself up for their annual light-up event. It made for some great images; you can see those here.

The park before the wee storm with the conference centre and Motel units also part of the campground behind.

Entrance to the Conference-Wedding centre.

Last weekend was another one of those “unsupervised” trips while Fiona was at work. I’ll admit I was a bit nervous on the first day with hail, thunder, and strong winds in the forecast. The weather did arrive, but it was nothing to lose any sleep over.

Once the sun reappeared, I headed off for a wander through town and down to the wharf, only about a 10-minute walk. It really is a magic little place.

Scary driveway !

The Fish and Chip shop near the Camp.

Lots of colour

Really nice cabins too for friends without Motorhomes.

While I was out, I met the owner of Leigh Central who introduced himself and had a good yarn. A really friendly chap, and he mentioned there are some big improvements planned for the future.

The campground itself is fantastic, close to everything, quiet, and super relaxed. On my last night, I tried the fish and chip shop right next door to the camp… delicious and very reasonably priced.

And of course, one of the best things about Leigh: it’s so handy to Auckland. Only about 60-odd kilometres from Devonport, so it’s an easy and super convenient weekend getaway.

Another great stay in a favourite little settlement by the sea.?

Rafe’s tracker map to Leigh Central – Armada GPS

NZMCA Rallies, Waikato

2025 Te Aroha Romp – Lots of Images!

November 4, 2025 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 3 Comments

This is one of those events you just don’t want to miss — and it’s easy to see why it sells out in a matter of days! The Te Aroha Romp is always a highlight on the NZMCA calendar, and once again the Waikato crew pulled off an amazing weekend.

Click on any Image to Enlarge

I arrived at the NZMCA park next door on Thursday so I could settle in 🙂 It’s a nice wee park and so close to town too. With the Romp on right next door, the park was really humming. Russell the camp custodian was having a busy day and doing a great job keeping everything running smoothly.

Just after backing into my parking spot, I met Terry and Catherine a couple of vehicles along with their recently acquired Trailite. I joined them later for happy hour, a great crew and plenty of laughs.

The next morning, Russell told me the back gate was open, making it easy to drive straight next door to the event parking. After settling Rafe and opening a few vents, I wandered into the Silver Fern Farms Events Centre to check in. I bumped into Des, the OC of the event, who’s been running it since its early days in Tokoroa. He was in good form and ready to roll!

Click on the Gallery below to enlarge – The Parking

The Entrance

The parkers did an incredible job fitting in over 550 motorhomes and caravans, almost all on the Friday. The horseshoe shaped setup around the main rugby field looked fantastic, a real sight to see.

Over 550 Motorhomes and Caravans! Click to Enlarge!

That night, Coopers Run kicked things off with a great set in the Events Centre. They were excellent, but I was pretty knackered so retired to Rafe for a quiet movie night.

Coopers Run with plenty enjoying dancing to their music.

Saturday morning, the games began! I spent most of it catching up with friends I hadn’t seen for ages, but I did catch the egg-throwing contest, always good fun.

Jean during the Egg catching competition.

Then came the piping in of the Haggis and the whisky ceremony, followed by the pipe bands.

If you’ve got any Scottish blood, it really gets the hairs on your neck standing up, just magic.

Click on the Gallery below to enlarge. – The Haggis

In comes the Haggis

During the afternoon there was a pipe band competition and a march of the combined Pipes bands in the main paddock. Seriously good sound 🙂

Click on the Gallery below to enlarge. – see the Pipe Bands

Coming in for the competition.

The judging grandstand

Disppaly on in the main ground.

Impressive marching and the sound was awesome.

After happy hour, I wandered back to the Events Centre for the Paul Madsen Band — a 70s hippy-themed night with some amazing costumes. For just three musicians, they really packed a punch, and Paul’s voice was something else.

Click on the Gallery below to enlarge – The Paul Madsen Band

Michael and Earl

Paul Madsen

The Paul Madsen Trio

Sunday morning, the rugby was on the big screen, plenty of nervous energy in the first half, but the All Blacks got the better of the Irish after the break. The collective sigh of relief was something to behold!

Later that afternoon, Lisa Lorrell took the stage, performing songs from Phantom of the Opera and more. A relaxed, musical way to round out the weekend, topped off with another cheerful happy hour where I met some lovely folks from Taranaki.

Monday morning came far too quickly. After a quick coffee and a stop at the dump station next door, I pointed Rafe north up the Matamata Road and back to Auckland.

Another great Romp done and dusted, huge thanks to all the volunteers and organisers who make this event so special every year. Can’t wait for the next one!

Rafe’s tracker map to Te Aroha Romp and NZMCA park – Armada GPS

Waikato

Under the Mountain

August 8, 2025 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 3 Comments

Cruising into Te Aroha was pretty interesting this time. With the weather bomb having just rolled through, there was water everywhere.

I drove down to the area by the river behind town, and the water had completely covered the carpark. Huge parts of the wetlands leading up to the NZMCA park were underwater too. I’ve never seen it like that.

Later, once I was settled at the NZMCA park, I caught up with my mate Des, who was on duty as the park custodian. He explained that there’s often a delay with the water coming down from the Kaimais into the Waihou River, so they were half expecting it to rise like that. Good local knowledge!

Des also runs the Te Aroha Town Romp, which used to be the Tokoroa Timbertown Romp, always a great event, and it’s held right next door at Boyd Park.

The last one I went to a couple of years ago!

Even though it was pretty chilly (but sunny), there were still a few motorhomes around. Te Aroha’s just a great spot, no matter the weather.

The next morning, I was up early to pack up and hit the road. Next stop, Karapiro, just a couple of hours away.

Rafe’s tracker map to Te Aroha – Armada GPS

Close to home, Waikato

Lovely Parkland Parking in Waiuku

June 12, 2025 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com

I was on a bit of a mission. I needed to get some leaky taps replaced out at Zion Motorhomes, and I had to be in Pokeno by 8am on a Tuesday. Anyone who knows me knows… I’m not a morning person! ?

Click on any Image to Enlarge

Solution? I’d been wanting to check out the Waiuku Cossie Club’s motorhome parking and explore the township properly, so this was the perfect excuse.

I left Devonport around lunchtime on Monday and cruised down the Southern Motorway. Traffic was light, and I found myself in Waiuku early in the afternoon.

On the edge of the carpark, in his motorhome, was my neighbour Wizard, doing a few running repairs on his newish Roller Team. He’s a full-timer and a real character.

The setup here is great. There are three blocks of power boards with around eight sockets each. One quirk: when you pay your $25 with power, you also leave a deposit for a key to the power boards so you can switch your socket on.

After I’d paid, I found a spot near Wizard. He was plugged into a board nearby and kindly used his key to power up a socket for me, a great neighbour to have!

Click on the Gallery below for a Slideshow of Waiuku

Lovely Parking

The Historic Church in town

Downtown Waiuku

The Kentish Hotel

The park opoosite the Kentish Hotel looking out towards Glenbrook Steel Mill.

History everywhere

Loveley outlook

I’d driven through Waiuku quite a few times before, but only stopped briefly, so it was nice to have time for a proper wander. There’s a real charm to the place with plenty of older houses being lovingly restored and a tidy, vibrant main street.

The club’s motorhome park is tucked beside a lake, with a walk bridge that takes you straight into town in about 10 minutes. It’s a lovely, quiet spot. If you’re a member of the Clubs NZ network, you can also enjoy meals and drinks at the club, another bonus.

The park opposite the Kentish Hotel looking out towards Glenbrook Steel Mill.

All up, a great place to park up, unwind, and enjoy a charming little town.

Rafe’s tracker map to Waiuku
– Armada GPS

Wairarapa 25

Bulldozers, Boats and Balloons

May 25, 2025 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 3 Comments

There are only a few places in New Zealand where boats are launched by bulldozers, and Ngawi is probably the most iconic. About half an hour south of Martinborough, this quirky fishing village is an absolute must-see if you’ve never been.

Click on any Image to Enlarge

Before we left Martinborough, I tried several times to contact the local campground in Ngawi but never got a reply. As it turned out, the weather had shifted and with strong westerlies predicted, maybe it was for the best, it’s quite an exposed spot. Still, we decided to take a scenic detour on our way back to Greytown to check it out.

The drive south from Martinborough is beautiful. As we cruised along the coast towards Ngawi, we passed through a string of charming, slightly weathered coastal settlements. The kind of places that made me think: “This is Old NZ.”

Easy retrieval. the whole process took minutes.

Eventually, we rolled into Ngawi, and what a place it is! Picture a circular gravel beach, ringed with bulldozers lined up like soldiers, each paired with a massive fishing boat on a giant trailer with a huge drawbar. No ramps needed here, just clever Kiwi engineering making the most of what’s available.

Our grassy spot looking back towards Wellington

We found a spot to park up right on the beach in one of the grassy freedom camping areas, with views across to Wellington. Just around the corner, tucked in behind some trees, was a trailer café selling the freshest fish and chips, melt-in-your-mouth stuff! They were proud of their food, and rightly so, it was simply the best.

We sat on a bench beside Rafe, soaking up the view and enjoying lunch with a cup of coffee from the van. Pure bliss.

Afterwards, we took a wander past the bulldozers and down along the windswept beach. Such an incredible, rugged spot, unique and unforgettable.

We thought we’d carry on to the Cape Palliser Lighthouse, but a sign a few k’s down the road warned that it wasn’t suitable for long vehicles. With Rafe stretching over 8 metres (plus the bikes on the back), we decided to play it safe and turn around, heading back through Ngawi and north to Greytown.

As we made our way up the coast, the weather started to close in from the west, there were clouds building, the light shifting but we’d had the best of it.

One of the Balloons sailing off above Greytown

Back at Greytown Campground, we caught up with Ken again and parked up. As we opened the vents and settled down for a well-earned G&T, we heard a loud whoosh.

Looking up, we saw a hot air balloon rising up from the domain next door, the burners roaring as it lifted just above the trees, probably no more than 50 metres away. Then another, and another, followed, each one floating eastward over Greytown.

What an incredible end to a brilliant day.

Rafe’s tracker map to Ngawi – Armada GPS

Wairarapa 25

On the Bikes at Martinborough

May 20, 2025 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 1 Comment

Martinborough has a real vibe about it, maybe it’s the vineyards, or the easy, flat roads perfect for biking between cellar doors. Either way, it’s got charm.

Click on any Image to Enlarge

We rolled into the main square a bit early for check-in, so we popped into the local museum. A super friendly guy welcomed us at the door and gave us a tour, which turned out to be fascinating. Funny twist, he was the brother of a journalist I used to work with at The Auckland Star. Small world!

After the museum, the Martinborough Hotel (just across the road) was calling our name for lunch.

We had a quick wander around the square after lunch before heading to check in at the campground.

We’d booked a spot at the Top 10 Holiday Park, the only campground in town. After checking in, we reversed carefully into our site, just big enough at an angle so I could get the bikes off the rack. Plugged in, settled down, and ready for a great day of riding ahead. We had a couple of days’ clear weather before the next front was due.

Click on the Gallery below for an Enlarged Slideshow

Our bikes at Poppies in the vineyard.

Fiona all ready to get started 🙂

People enjoying themselves at Margrains

Other people at Poppies

Us tucked in for the evening.

The BBQ are in front of the showers and loos

Cabins too.

This was the VIP area.

In the main Square

In the centre of the Square getting ready for Anzac Day.

The next morning, the sun was out, so I got the bikes sorted, pumped up tyres, unpacked the gear, the works. While I was sorting the bikes stuff out, Fiona watched a Hot Air balloon sail past just behind Rafe across the sports field behind.

Last time we were here, we had a great lunch at Margrain’s, but this time we wanted to try something new. About 7–8 years ago we’d had a drink at Poppies but never made it back for a meal, I’d heard great things, so that was our lunch destination.

On the way, we stopped at Ata Rangi. I did a tasting and wow, their Chardonnay was like silk ($38 a bottle), dangerously nice! They had a top-shelf one at $70, even more refined, but we walked away with a bottle of the $38, yum!

Then it was on to Poppies. We got a table outside, under a clear blue sky in the shade. Just magic. We shared a big platter full of all sorts of goodies, followed by a shared dessert platter that was just as good. Fantastic service too, such a treat.

On the way back, we stopped in at Margrain’s for a glass of Chardonnay and a coffee. It’s such a lovely spot, overlooking the vineyard with the café perched right on the edge.

After another stroll around the square, we headed back to the campground and packed the bikes away, ready for the next day’s adventure.

A perfect day in paradise
Click on the map to enlarge

Rafe’s tracker map to Martinborough – 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.

	Phyl Binney on An amazing Little Town Called…
	freelygeneral1a93899… on Over the Hill to Woodville
	Warmenhj on Over the Hill to Woodville
	Kath Ingram on Heading South for the New Year

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

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.