Author Archives: Ross

Another Magical Mystery Tour – Whangaruru North Head

Posted on September 20, 2015 by Ross

While we were at Bland Bay last week we wanted to walk the walk around Whangaruru North Head. The harbour entrance is at the southern end of the harbour and so North Head was to the south of Bland Bay. But … Continue reading →

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Bland Bay – Anything But

Posted on September 19, 2015 by Ross

Bland Bay is a strange name for a beautiful bay adjacent to the Whangaruru Harbour at the top end of the Tutukaka Coast in Northland. We’d been at Oakura at the south head of the harbour last week, and moved around … Continue reading →

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Magical Mystery Tour At Mimiwhangata

Posted on September 17, 2015 by Ross

While we were staying at Oakura Bay on the Whangaruru Harbour last week we went in the car for an explore south, to Mimiwhangata Coastal Park which is at the upper end of the Tutukaka Coast.  It is at the … Continue reading →

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Off Out Back For a Bit – To Cape Brett

Posted on September 13, 2015 by Ross

We’re off for a walk tomorrow; bit of a big one for us. We’re walking the last part of the way to the Cape Brett lighthouse. And staying the night there at the hut which used to be the lighthouse … Continue reading →

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The Sun Comes Up Again – Oakura Bay

Posted on September 12, 2015 by Ross

From SH1 north of Hikurangi we headed east again, over the hills back to the coast. Near the top of the last hill we stopped at the Helena Bay Hill Cafe and Gallery. we managed to park out on the … Continue reading →

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Weekend of Two Halves – Sandy Bay

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Ross

Last weekend was a weekend of contrasts; stormy on Saturday and sunny and calm on Sunday. The rain was predicted so we’d moved to Sandy Bay after our big walk on Friday to Whananaki. The rain came in the night and … Continue reading →

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In Search of a Bridge We Find a Memorial – at Whananaki

Posted on September 9, 2015 by Ross

Last week while we were at Woolleys Bay we wanted to walk the Whananaki Walkway. [Only 4 words in that sentence didn’t start with ‘w’; unintended and interesting?] The walkway is between Sandy Bay and Whananaki South and mostly follows farm … Continue reading →

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In Search of a Tree – Tane Moana

Posted on September 7, 2015 by Ross

Up this way in Northland they have names for trees. I don’t mean like Rimu or Pohutukawa. I mean like Tane Mahuta. And Tane Moana. Tane Mahuta is the big Kauri guy over on the west coast. The biggest and … Continue reading →

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Back To The Sea – Tutukaka Coast

Posted on September 5, 2015 by Ross

On Wednesday we left Whangarei, heading north-east towards the Tutukaka Coast. We’d been there back in 2009 and were looking forward to returning. We remembered the lovely beaches and the clarity of the sea. We’d picked out a couple of … Continue reading →

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The Whangarei Bridge That Can – Te Matua a Pohe

Posted on September 3, 2015 by Ross

There is a lot to like about Whangarei. Lots of walks and lots of lovely forest. Nice river. Cool new bridge. Friendly for motorhomers including a dump station made by people who care. We hung out in car parks

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Whangarei Falls and the Hatea River on Gloomy Saturday

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Ross

Saturday was a gloomy day but the rain held off mostly. Whangarei City does a good job with tourist information with plenty of help on where to go for walks. The Hatea River Walk links a lot of them together and … Continue reading →

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Where Natural Meets Nautical – More of Marsden Point

Posted on August 31, 2015 by Ross

It was a lovely morning last Friday; waking up down by the wharf at Marsden Point – beside the oil refinery. Too nice for sitting and looking; time for a walk to make the most of it. We headed off … Continue reading →

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Marsden Point – Where Natural Meets Industrial

Posted on August 30, 2015 by Ross

Last Thursday we moved on from Waipu; less than 20kms to Marsden Point. Marsden Point is on the south side of the entrance of Whangarei Harbour. It is the location of New Zealand’s only oil refinery. It is a large-scale industrial … Continue reading →

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Underground in the Waipu Cave

Posted on August 28, 2015 by Ross

After our slippy-slidy muddy walk up and down the Waipu Caves Track (which didn’t go to the Waipu Caves) Wyn was no less keen on going into the cave. (It is called Waipu Caves but so far we have only … Continue reading →

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The Track From Waipu Caves

Posted on August 27, 2015 by Ross

Yesterday we went in search of Waipu Caves and the Waipu Caves Track. They are between Waipu and Whangarei. We were staying in Waipu and we found the best map in the Waipu butchers shop. along with some nice sausages … Continue reading →

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