Things to do in Kauri Coast
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Kauri Museum
Matakohe’s a sweet village on one of the Kaipara’s many inlets. Apart from its rural charms, the reason for visiting is the superb Kauri Museum. The giant cross-sections of trees are astounding in themselves, but the entire industry is brought to light through life-sized reproductions of a pioneer sawmill, boarding house, gumdigger’s hut and Victorian home – along with photos, artefacts, and fabulous furniture and marquetry. The Gum Room holds a weird and wonderful collection of kauri gum, the amber substance that can be carved, sculpted and polished to a jewel-like quality. The museum shop stocks mementoes crafted from kauri wood and gum.
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Sahara
Nothing about the cuisine or fit-out screams North African desert, but the incongruity of the name is nothing on the surprise of finding such a stylish restaurant in little Paparoa, 6km east of Matakohe. Housed in a lovingly restored bank building, Sahara offers a small but stellar menu with a focus on local produce.
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Dargaville Museum
Perched on top of a hill, the Dargaville Museum is more interesting than most. There’s a large gumdigging display, plus maritime, Maori and musical-instrument sections and a neat model railway. Outside, the masts of the Rainbow Warrior are mounted at a lookout near a pa site.
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Funky Fish
Brightly decorated with murals and mosaics, Funky Fish is a highly popular restaurant, cafe and bar with a wide-ranging menu, although the fish dishes are the standouts. Bookings are advisable in summer.
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Skydome Observatory
It’s pretty kooky, but Skydome Observatory is a massive, technologically advanced telescope and it’s located on the front lawn of someone’s house. Call ahead for bookings.
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Morrell’s Cafe
Perhaps this is where Hokianga’s hippies ended up. This bright-yellow cafe and craft shop serves up tasty snacks in a former cheese factory near the north end of the forest.
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Blah, Blah, Blah…
The number-one eatery in Dargaville (admittedly that’s not saying much) has a garden area, hip music, deli-style snacks, a global menu (dukkha, nachos, steak) and cocktails.
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Kumara Box
If you want to learn about the district’s knobbly purple claim-to-fame, catch Kumara Ernie’s show at the Kumara Box – it’s surprisingly entertaining.
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Sharky’s
At Sharky’s, a handy combination of bottle shop, general store, bar and takeaway, quick snacks and all-day breakfasts are the order of the day.
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Central Hotel
Pop into the Central Hotel if you feel like a handle of something cold in a straight-up NZ pub.
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Te Matua Ngahere
From the Kauri Walks car park, a 20-minute (each way) walk leads to Te Matua Ngahere (the Father of the Forest). Even the most ardent tree-hugger wouldn’t consider rushing forward to throw their arms around him and call him ‘Daddy’, even if there wasn’t a fence. At 30m he’s shorter than Tane Mahuta, but he has the same noble presence, reinforced by his substantial girth – he’s the widest living kauri (16.4m). He presides over a clearing surrounded by mature trees that look like matchsticks in comparison.
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Taylor Made Tours
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Tane Mahuta
Near the north end of the park, not far from the road, stands mighty Tane Mahuta, named for the Maori forest god. At 51m, with a 13.8m girth and wood mass of 244.5 cubic metres, he’s the largest kauri alive. You don’t so much look at Tane Mahuta; it’s as if you’re granted an audience to his hushed presence. He’s been holding court here for somewhere between 1200 and 2000 years.
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Taha Awa Riverside Gardens
In the centre of town, Taha Awa Riverside Gardens has cool stuff for the kids, including a playground shaped like a tall ship and a whale jawbone. You’ll also find a fernery, and swamp, coastal and scented gardens. The 5km Historic River Walk starts its loop here; pick up a brochure from the information centre and follow the yellow signs up to the museum.
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Matakohe Pioneer Church
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Four Sisters
A graceful stand of four tall trees that have fused together at the base.
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