We left Auckland on the 11th October. Drove out to Kumeu for the cheapest fuel weve had in months then on up Highway 16 through Helensville, a place we hadnt been to before. This road was new to us. We stopped at the Kaipara Garden and Sculpture Park. It was worth the stop. The garden centre was attractive and quirky but the sculpture park attached to it was a delight. We bought tickets and wandered through the trees with sculptures from many different artists. Very engrossing it was. We really enjoyed it but unfortunately couldnt afford any of the sculptures . It was hot; up to 25 degrees. At times we had panoramic views out across the Kaipara Harbour on the road north.
Onward to Kaiwaka and a stop at the Eutopia Cafe, by our neighbour Diane for its quirky architecture. It sure was. Very Hundertwasser meets Gaudi. We enjoyed our coffee and soaked up the shapes, curves and colours around us.
Turned left at the foot of the Brynderwyns, west onto SH12 passing through small settlements - Maungaturoto, Paparoa, Matakohe and Ruawai - before turning north to our BnB destination at Arapohue. It was a farm
BnB, a stand alone building which had been the local schools library and office but purchased, and refurbished for travellers like us. It was great. Spacious, looking out across farm paddocks and about 10 kms south of Dargaville.
Once wed moved in I went out on my bike but it wasnt pleasant on the road with traffic flying by pretty close so I turned around after not a lot of distance and went back. We met the owner of the BnB, Lin, the dogs, the calves, the kingfishers...
Went into Dargaville to have a look around. We both felt the town centre could do with some imaginative a la Greytown, Pio Pio etc. Get the main street organised around a theme, spruce up shop fronts, get the locals on board. There is so much history in the area that it cries out for that sort of treatment.
We drove further north, about 30kms, to Kai Iwi Lakes off the main road. These are dune lakes with very clear water and white sand beaches. They were very pretty with DOC campgrounds as well. We had a picnic. Back south
to the Northern Wairoa Golf Club where the course was in good condition and Lyn and I did 9 holes. An undulating, links type course well kept considering the size of the Club. And that was our day.
I was 77 today. Bloody hell!! Ignoring birthdays from now on. The Dargaville museum was reputed to be quite good so we headed there and were pleasantly surprised by the quality and the expanse of the place. The volunteers who have established it and keep it going have done a fabulous job and the extent of the history covered in it is staggering, as are the exhibits themselves. Well worth spending time in but our time was limited as we were on a mission to see Tane Mahuta in the Waipoua Forest and then go further to Opononi and Rawene.
The road was bumpy and winding. Slow progress. The giant kauri are, in the true sense of the expression, awe inspiring in their massive majesty. We submerged ourselves in the calm of the forest and soaked up the antiquity of the trees. On to Opononi on the Hokianga Harbour. The first sight of the harbour is
eye opening as the white sand immensity of the sand dunes on the far into view. Opononi was a small and with plenty of places to stop and eat or just relax in, right by the sea. There was a lot going on as numbers of tourists were passing through but stopping there for food and drink. One can imagine it really pumping in summer. A few ks on to Rawene where a small vehicle ferry takes traffic across the harbour to Kohukohu from where you can continue north in your car. We had been going to do that but the road we were going to use was closed because of major damage after a storm and it would have meant a long detour to get to where we wanted to go. Rawene was as interesting as Opononi because it had a real vibrant feel to it.
