Tag Archives: Special events

Events, Waikato

2025 Dethleffs Get Together in Cambridge

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Cambridge has become another favourite place and with the Raceway providing such amazing facilities for an event like this.  It makes it really easy to organise.

Click on any Image to enlarge

Looking pretty good.

Having a separate area to park, the Restaurant and normally a Burger shop along with the excellent Waikato River Bike Trails along the river means you can’t really go wrong 🙂

The Raceway

This was to be my last Rally as chief bottle washer, so it had to be a good one.

Peter and Judy’s Esprit with us behind. The two oldies!

We arrived just after midday to find Peter and Judy and Joss and Ben had already made themselves comfortable. They had left some room for us right next door 🙂

Peter and Judy’s Motorhome is a 2013 Dethleffs Esprit Low profile which was imported privately from the UK. It has the same 3 litre Iveco motor and associated running gear that we have in Rafe so it goes really well 🙂

It wasn’t long after that before everybody started arriving. Over the course of two days, we ended up with 21 Vehicles. We had quite a few more who were going to come but the over booked diary got in the way 🙂

It wasn’t long before the 4pm happy hour rolled around and with the wind whistling in the driveway, our usual spot under a big tree would have been unpleasant so we all setup up in a big area between two Motorhomes.

Click on the Gallery below for an Enlarged Slideshow

On the bikes – pic by Liz Tahana
On the bikes – pic by Liz Tahana
On the bikes – pic by Liz Tahana
Downtown Cambrideg
In the Restaurant
In the Restaurant
In the Restaurant
The Taem photo
The bike riders
Ben with his van behind at Happy Hour
some of the cars on their way to Frankton

Fiona and I had missed provisioning Rafe as we were depending on the Burger Bar, but it was closed so the only thing to do was join Peter and Judy and others for tea in Restaurant went down well as it was Steak night 🙂

The next morning was when we normally do the bike ride, and I hadn’t really organised anything, but I got our reasonably early to find many were setting up their bikes.

Liz volunteered to take the reins and lead everyone safely down the Waikato River to Tamahere and back with a stop for a cuppa on the way. Fantastic.

While they were busy doing that Fiona and I walked into downtown Cambridge with Peter and Judy for lunch and a look a general look around. 12000 steps odd! And about 3k’s round trip, good for the weight loss program 🙂

The bike riders
Liz leading the charge

We had a few hours after that to catch up with everyone and swap notes on our vehicles.

The Team photo
And an extra team pic

Happy hour came around again along with the team photo and it was nice to be able to introduce the Richard to everyone.

Richard is keen to arrange the next event in the Wairarapa so we’re really looking forward to that.  Richard has lots of experience in organising things and people so I sure next year’s event will be one not to miss!

Click on the Gallery below to see enlarged Happy Hour photos.

Happy hour Saturday
Ben with his van behind at Happy Hour
Happy Hour on Saturday

After the happy hour and photo, we all headed to the restaurant and had a great night there. Great food, great service and good company, what more could you want 🙂

In the morning, we were greeted with the arrivals of some Hot Rods and Motorbikes who briefly met in the carpark then headed off towards Frankton while we were saying goodbye to everyone before we headed for home.

The bikes on Sunday morning setting off for Frankton
some of the cars on their way to Frankton

A fantastic weekend and it went really well.

Rafe’s tracker map to Cambridge Raceway – Armada GPS
Events, Waikato

Paeroa Scottish Games

Early in the morning in Te Aroha, Fiona woke up showing some interest in the Paeroa Scottish Games. With the event kicking off at 9 AM,  20 odd kilometers away, it was time to get moving!

Click on any Image to enlarge

At the Racecourse Rally

We quickly serviced Rafe, topping up the water and emptying the tanks, then hit the road to Paeroa.

The racecourse Rally

Arriving at the racecourse rally site, we checked in before taking the car over to the Paeroa Domain, where the games were already in full swing.

The Opening

We started by checking out the Clan stalls, where Fiona, being a proud McLeod, picked up some ribbon for her hat. With that sorted, we grabbed a cuppa and sat back, taking in the atmosphere.

The opening ceremony was next, and we made our way to the grandstand to watch the Clans march in behind a lone bagpiper, a truly stirring sight.

In the Clans area.
Lady K from Hamilton showing her Steampunk costume.

From there, I wandered over to the wood chopping competition, always an incredible display of strength and skill.

Then it was on to the rotunda, where the Hamilton Caledonian Pipe Band was warming up for the competition. There were several other bands as well, each one filling the air with that unmistakable Scottish sound.

During their Practise under the trees.
During the competition.

With a long break in the program and Fiona needing to head back that afternoon, I decided to wrap things up too. I was running low on clean clothes, food, and general supplies, so it seemed like the right time.

Click on the Gallery below for an enlarged Slideshow

Lady K from Hamilton showing her Steampunk costume.
During the comptition with the judge.

Unfortunately, that meant missing the evening Tattoo, which was a bit of a shame, but we’ll be back next year, better prepared and ready for the full experience!

A fantastic event well organized and a great day out.

Rafe’s tracker map to Paeroa – Armada GPS
Close to home, Events

Matakana in the Sun

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After leaving Dargaville, I made my way back towards Matakana, where Fiona was driving up from Devonport to meet me at a new POP (Park Over Property) called Willow Park. The drive into Matakana was a test of patience—traffic from the Warkworth motorway turnoff to Matakana took over an hour. Apparently, that’s par for the course. Thankfully, the destination was well worth the effort.

Click on any Image to Enlarge

Fiona had already arrived by the time I got to Willow Park. After parking up, we sat down with a cuppa and started planning our next moves.

Willows Park

First on our list was the famous Sculptureum just around the corner. The Matakana markets were also in full swing, so of course, we decided to check those out too.

Looking back at Willows Park

Willow Park, located on Totaranui Road, is run by NZMCA member Gary Pallett. It’s situated on a gentle slope, but the 10 or so graveled sites are impressively level. The farm setting offers fantastic views, which you’ll see from the photos. There are showers available, though we stuck to using our own facilities.

Although the Sculptureum is within walking distance, we opted to drive down the hill. The place is massive, complete with a vineyard. The experience is split into four main sections, and they recommend allowing at least two hours to fully explore. There’s also a restaurant for lunch and plenty of parking.

We started in the indoor gallery, which was packed with fascinating and unusual art pieces. From there, we ventured into the Palm Garden, famous for its whimsical giant snails. The landscaping is immaculate, perfectly complementing the sculptures on display. (Check out the photos!)

Click on the Gallery below to see Enlarged Images

Fiona admiring a Pergoda
Amazing sculpture with Fiona.
The Snails

After a couple of hours in the sun, we retreated to the verandah for a much-needed coffee.

Across the road, the Matakana Country Park was buzzing with market activity. We moved the car to their carpark and wandered through the stalls for about an hour. Even near closing time, the place was still packed with people!

At the Markets

Before heading back to Willow Park, we stopped into Matakana itself to grab some supplies and have a quick look around. Unsurprisingly, it was still incredibly busy, so we didn’t linger too long.

It was a fantastic day out, with the Sculptureum being the highlight. The art and sculptures are absolutely stunning, and the entire experience is amazing. A great couple of nights away and not too far from home 🙂

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

Cathedral Cove is Open!

Tim and Annette, my younger brother (not so little anymore!) and sister-in-law, flew over from Melbourne for a well-deserved break. It has been a while since their last visit, so when Tim shared his packed itinerary, we were really pleased to be able to join them for two nights in Hahei.

Click on any Image to EnlargeInitially,  Cathedral Cove wasn’t on the agenda, but with Annette being an avid kayaker and the iconic spot just reopening after the cyclone damage, it quickly became a must-do.

Hahei Beach

They had booked one of the Beachfront Villas at the Hahei Resort, and the team there gave us a motorhome park conveniently almost right behind them. Perfect!

The Villa’s

We arrived on a sunny Thursday afternoon and wasted no time setting up the awning and settling into deck chairs for some shaded relaxation. Tim and Annette arrived later after visiting an old friend in Tauranga. Luckily, Fiona had packed one of our trusty Bargain Box meals, which turned into a lovely, shared dinner, complemented by a few G&Ts.

The next day was all about enjoying Hahei. We wandered into the shopping center for a leisurely lunch before Tim and Annette geared up for their kayak adventure to Cathedral Cove. After a short safety briefing, they were off. Fiona and I opted for a swim back at the beach, enjoying the calm, sunny weather.

Getting instructions.
Tim and Annette at Cathedral Cove.
Pic by Cathedral Kayaks

When Tim and Annette returned from their kayaking expedition, we gathered on their villa’s deck overlooking the beach. The tales of their paddling adventure were as lively as the backdrop was beautiful. The early breeze had settled, leaving behind a perfectly calm day on the water.

While enjoying the afternoon back on the deck, a familiar face appeared at the top of the stairs, Caroline with a friend!  It had been a few years since we last each other, and after a moment of mutual hesitation (the “do-I-know-you” look), and after another old friend Chris, arrived in a car to confirm the situation, we pieced it together 🙂

Tim, Fiona and Annette enjoying a morning coffee on the deck.

Chris and her late husband, Gary, were old boating and motorhome friends, and we had spent many holidays together. It was lovely to see Chris and Caroline again.

The Deck bar area.
The amazing bar and social area.

Hahei Holiday Park has always been a favorite of ours, and this visit didn’t disappoint. A new bar, restaurant, and beach club had opened in the campground’s heart, a fantastic addition. That evening, we headed over for burgers and chips, and wow, those burgers were incredible! Quite possibly the best we’ve ever had.

Annette, Me and Tim at the Bar.

We bumped into Caroline and Chris again at the bar, enjoying dinner with their group.

The Kayaks

After another evening together on their front deck, we set off the next morning back to Auckland. We only there for a couple of nights but it was a lot of fun. Nice to see some old friends too.

Rafe’s tracker map to Hahei – Armada GPS
Bay of Plenty

We’re off to Waihi Beach

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After weeks of family activities, baby sitting and catching up on my volunteer work restoring historic images at the Devonport Museum, it was time for a well-deserved getaway.

Click on an Image to Enlarge

Coming into the NZMCA park
Our little corner in the world at Waihi Beach

We hit the road ad made our way to the NZMCA park at Waihi Beach.

Click on the Gallery below to Enlarge

Waihi Beach
The next door neighbour
Lovely scenic entranceway to the park.

We’ve had several memorable stays here, including covering the ceremonial opening of the NZMCA park, a fantastic occasion. This time, we arrived under a grey sky to a very quiet park, perfectly set up for us to unwind, watch a bit of TV, and enjoy doing very little.

Later in the afternoon, we had a nice surprise when Russell and Lorraine, whom we’d met at a Frankia Get Together in Coromandel, pulled into the park. It was great to catch up with them again.

Waihi Beach Shops

In the morning, we took a short drive down to the Waihi Beach shops for lunch at a cozy café and a browse through the shops. On the way back, we stopped at the beach for a quick look before returning to the NZMCA park.

Our original spot had been taken, so we parked further along beside Harry and Lorraine, full-timers in their Iveco-powered Diamond motorhome. I spent a pleasant afternoon swapping road stories with them both over a glass or two of wine.

Fiona on the beach

The next morning, we packed up and made our way back to Auckland, feeling recharged and grateful for the chance to connect with family and enjoy a couple of relaxing days by the beach.

Rafe’s tracker map to Waihi Beach – Armada GPS
Events, Northland

2024 Dethleffs Get Together at Waipu Cove

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What a fun weekend. Fiona and I arrived in Waipu Cove just after lunch and found our park almost next to the track over the Sandhills. Very handy but it was too cold for me swim yet 🙂

Click on any image to enlarge

That fantastic beach
Fabulous Beach by the doorstep!

Peter and Judy were right next to us with their 2014 Esprit so it was nice to have probably the oldest Motorhomes out of the 24 that had arrived parked together.

The oldies. .. Peter and Judy’s 2014 Esprit and our 2014 Globe 4.

I spent the early part of the afternoon catching up with people and checking in with people I hadn’t seen for a while.

Everybody getting settled
24 Motorhomes.

Happy hour came around and as we were the only ones at right angles to the wind that had a bit of a bite to it, we squeezed in between the old girls, The Globe4 and the Esprit 🙂

Friday night

The next morning, it was about getting ready for the 8k bike ride to McLeod’s Pizza and Brewery bar in Waipu which was mostly on a trail and was about 20 minutes ride away. We started with the customary team photo of all 29 of us and we were away.

29 heading for the Waipu Brewery 🙂 (and pizzas!)

It was a pretty easy ride and was mostly pretty flat. As we arrived early before the Brewery had opened, we headed off for a coffee across the road. Fiona saw one of the girls in the shop sneak off for some more milk 🙂 Great business for them as there were quite a few of us.

Bikes everywhere. Leaving Waipu for the campground.

Chris and Mary and Ben and Joss bought their vans in and joined in the fun.

Martin and Jill’s new Grand Alpa with Chris and Mary’s Esprit

Although there was quite a bit of wind around, it had dropped a bit, and the sun was shining so it was looking good for the Potluck dinner planned for later that day.

The official team pic 🙂

With the wind in the Southeast but a bit less of it, we decided to have the happy hour between the two oldest vans again to shield from the wind. It worked pretty well and then we shuffled off for our team photo.

Happy hour on Friday night
Saturday Happy hour

6 pm came around and it was time for us to move over the Kitchen where there were several tables available which made life easy.

Click on the Gallery below to enlarge.

Up Early 🙂
Bikes everywhere. Leaving Waipu for the campground.
The official team pic 🙂
Saturday’s Happy hour view from the top of the sandhill 🙂

The queue for the food was out of the door and the food was amazing. Everybody made a real effort. A fabulous night and it was fantastic to see everyone tucking in and having fun.

The Camping Ground is one of our favourites with its 10 metre square parks and we were all literally only steps from one of the best beaches in NZ.

A few of us stayed over for another night and after a nice lunch at the Cove Restaurant down the road a bit, we enjoyed a fun happy hour with Mary and Tony outside their new Baby Alpa.

Happy hour on Sunday at Mary and Tony’s

A lot of fun and thanks you everyone for taking part.

Rafe’s tracker map to Waipu Cove – 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, Events, Northland

The Paihia Blues and Jazz Festival

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Fiona and I came to one of the first of these about 9 years ago, not long after we first got our Motorhome. It was held at the Falls Camping ground which was then owned by Jan Molloy and partner who along with others helped get the festival under way. I remember the band that was there then was Kantuta along with some others.
Jan and her partner later sold that and set up the Bay of Islands Campervan Park which they still own.

Click on any Image to Enlarge

Bay of Island Campervan Park

This year I called Jan who and she was able to squeeze us in for a couple of nights. We’ve been here before, and it is so handy. They’ve had quite a bit of rain this year so the parks were a bit on the damp side so we had to be mindful of parking so we could get out easily.

Rafe in his spot with the Olive Trees

It is such a great location as you can walk pretty much everywhere and there was a Coach doing a regular circuit of the venues so you could see all the bands playing.

Looking bay to Waitangi

We arrived half through the Friday on a lovely fine day with the odd shower and settled in. There is a Countdown supermarket right opposite, so Fiona went over to get some last-minute provisions.

Paihia

The next day, we were up early and walked to Jazz HQ which was about a 25-minute walk at the Scenic hotel in Paihia. On the way along the waterfront, we passed a band playing on the footpath outside the shops with several people dancing and getting into the swing of the festival.

The street band

After getting our day ticket at the Hotel, we sat down to enjoy some of the music by a really good Napier Blues band called DejaBlue. Fantastic sound and we were able to get a really nice Seafood Chowder for lunch. They were followed by The Nairobi Trio who were really entertaining and again, some great sounds.

Here are some more Images from the Festival

Click on the Gallery below for an Enlarged Slideshow

The Street Band on the way
Nairobi Trio
Nairobi Trio
Nairobi Trio
Courtnay and the Unholy Reverie
Courtnay and the Unholy Reverie
Walking towards Paihia
Looking out twards Russell

It was early afternoon then when we decided to head to the Paihia Club where we heard a couple of bands, one of them from Taranaki who were really good. Courtnay and the Unholy Reverie!!….

DejaBlue
Nairobi Trio

They played a Led Zeppelin song and several of their own. Fantastic sound washed down by a G&T and the acoustics there were good too.

Courtnay and the Unholy Reverie
Courtnay and the Unholy Reverie

After a couple of hours, we wandered on to the Paihia Sports bar and then caught the coach to the Twin Pines Manor at Haruru Falls, where we saw another good band, Herbie and the Heartbreakers!

Twin Pines Manor
Courtnay and the Unholy Reverie

About 6pm the bus arrived, and we decided to call it quits and head back to the Campground while the bus was there.

Courtnay and the Unholy Reverie

A great fun day out and lucky with the weather being able to walk to almost everywhere.

Rafe’s tracker map to Paihia – Armada GPS
Close to home

First New Home

After 18 months of open homes and saving madly for the 20% deposit you need these days, my son Alex has just moved into his first house. I can remember when Fiona and I first got ours and what a great sense of achievement it was to be there on the first night. Of all the open homes they looked at with his two sons, that was their favourite too.

Click on any Image to Enlarge

Big parking area next door for the busy periods.

After spending the Saturday unpacking boxes and watching the moving guys, we retired to Rafe outside for a tea which Fiona had made and heated up in Rafe. We then left him to it and set off for the NZMCA park at Ardmore where we spent the night.

Magic spot in the middle

Arriving at 8pm and opening the gate at Ardmore, we quietly drove in and looked for a park.

The parking spaces have all be changed since I was last there and there was little or no light at the time, so we popped into a site in the middle.

Front row views of the airfield
Part of the view from the front row

After a visit to the local Cafe for breakfast, Fiona left in the car and headed back to Alex’s to help unpack and set things up in his house. I left in Rafe and headed to Pukekohe for the night for my Monday morning appointment at Zion in Pokeno for new Batteries.

Rafe’s tracker map to Ardmore NZMCA Park- Armada GPS
Rallies, Rotorua

2024 Dethleffs Get Together in Rotorua

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We arrived in Rotorua early in the afternoon after getting a puncture in Fiona’s bike repaired in downtown Rotorua. It turned out that the Tube had completely split inside without any outside intervention. One of those things 🙂

Click on any Image to Enlarge

After checking in slightly later than planned, at the Rotorua Thermal Holiday Park where we were all booked in, many of the team were already there and enjoying catching up with others. There was a great circle of chairs already forming outside Greg and Shona’s Advantage, just across where we were parked and as the afternoon went on the circle got bigger and bigger 🙂

Friday Happy hour

The Holiday Park reckon there were more than 25 Motorhomes in our group that had booked. I could only count 23 so to simplify things we called it more than 25 🙂

Click on the Gallery below to see some of the Motorhomes

Spot the XLI

Fiona and I checked in with a few people and then went for a swim which was literally only meters away from where we were parked which was really handy.

After the mandatory 4pm happy hour where we all came together, it was time for tea. We joined in with the crew at Greg and Shona’s spot. Great fun and nice to see everyone again.

Setting off for the Bike ride

The next day at 10am, we were all setup outside ready for the bike rides. We split the group into two. Steve took the more experienced, fitter riders on the Loop which was 42k’s or thereabouts and included the blue and green lakes.   A decent ride.

Steve’s images from the Loop ride to the blue and green lakes. 42k’s
Steve’s image from the loop ride. An event beside one of the lakes.
Fiona returning on the easier bike ride.

Thanks heaps to both Steve Miller and Neal Butt for making sure we all got there and back and safely.

Neal took the other group up a pathway that he knew along the Taupo Road which was great nice and safe and an easy non tree stump and tree root route with a Cafe stop afterwards.  We got back after 15k’s odd feeling like we had had some exercise 🙂 It was time for a swim!

Click on the Gallery below for some casual expressions 🙂

On time for the second Happy Hour 🙂
Happy hour on the Saturday

It was time for the 4pm happy hour and the Team photo event and it was a full turn out. Great to see everyone and this carried on for the potluck dinner at a nicely placed set of covered tables outside the kitchen. Thanks to Judy and some others who stepped in to give the table tops a bit of a clean which they needed.

The Happy Team – Click on the photo to enlarge.

The food prepared was sensational and we even had some desert too. The weather held out and we had a great night finished off with another swim in the hot pool 🙂

Click on the Gallery below to Enlarge.

The meal !
Steve and Rene having a natter… There must have been some bumps on the bike ride 🙂
Tea time

Fiona and I thought we’d stay on for another night to relax and after saying goodbye to everyone as everyone departed, we jumped on the bikes and rode into downtown Rotorua.

After stopping at a couple of shops, we headed down to a Cafe we’ve been to before down by the waterfront called Lime.  After a great lunch and an Ice Cream later by Eat St, we slowly headed back to the Campground.

A fantastic weekend seeing everyone. There were quite a few people looking at other’s Motorhomes and swapping notes and all I could see was lots of smiles.

Enjoying the Hot Pools

The next Event is at Waipu Cove Campground on the 18th and 19thOctober. A big Campground right beside an amazing beach. Looking forward to seeing everyone there.

Rafe’s tracker map to Rotorua Holiday Park – Armada GPS