Things to do in Northland & The Bay Of Islands
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Hokianga Art Gallery
Sells interesting contemporary art with a local focus.
reviewed
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Ancient Kauri Kingdom
It’s tacky and overpriced, but Ancient Kauri Kingdom is still worth a stop. Here 50,000-year-old kauri stumps dragged out of swamps are fashioned into furniture, woodcraft products and a fair bit of tourist tat. The large complex includes a cafe, gift shop and workshop. A huge kauri log has an impressive spiral staircase carved into it that leads to the mezzanine level.
reviewed
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Waipu Museum
The original 934 British settlers came from Scotland via Nova Scotia (Canada) between 1853 and 1860. Their story comes to life through holograms, a short film and interactive displays at the Waipu Museum.
reviewed
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Kamakura
The flashest option in Russell by a long way, this restaurant has a breezy beach-house feel. The Pacific Rim menu gainfully plunders Asian and French styles to produce beautifully presented, delicious meals. In summer it hosts a monthly artisan market (www.artisanmarket.co.nz).
reviewed
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Pimarn Thai
As gaudy as every good Thai restaurant should be (lots of gold and coloured glass), Pimarn has a lengthy menu featuring all of Thailand’s blockbuster dishes, including a tasty pad thai.
reviewed
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Parua Bay Tavern
A magical spot on a summer’s day, this friendly pub is set on a thumb-shaped peninsula, with a sole pohutukawa blazing red against the green water. Grab a seat on the deck, a cold beverage and a decent pub meal.
reviewed
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Only Seafood
A superb place for local seafood, with dishes ranging from the simple (catch-of-the-day with lemon and parsley) to all manner of creamy, spicy concoctions. The fat Pacific oysters served with soy, wasabi and pickled ginger are sublime.
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Bob
Hey Bob, nice coffee. How would you describe yourself? Deli? Cafe? All that fancy produce spices up the standards – like the kransky sausages in the big breakfast. Nice one, Bob.
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Pear Tree
Kerikeri's best located and most upmarket restaurant occupies an old homestead right on the basin (book ahead for a table on the veranda). Mains run the gamut of bistro favourites, along with the occasional Asian dish.
reviewed
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Waterfront Cafe
It’s a sausage-roll-and-custard-square kind of place, but it’s Russell’s best weekday breakfast option.
reviewed
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Wardy’s
At Wardy’s you can stock up on (mainly) organic fruit, vegetables and meat.
reviewed
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Masonic Hotel
The local pub, with occasional live country-and-western music.
reviewed
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Te Matua Ngahere, Four Sisters & Yakas
From the Kauri Walks car park, a 20-minute (each way) walk leads past the Four Sisters, a graceful stand of four tall trees that have fused together at the base, 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 a substantial girth – he’s the fattest living kauri (16.4m). He presides over a clearing surrounded by mature trees that look like matchsticks in comparison.
A 30-minute (each way) path leads from near the Four Sisters…
reviewed
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Rock
A former vehicle ferry that’s now a floating hostel, the Rock has six-bed dorms, twin, double and family rooms, and (of course) a bar. The cruise departs at 5pm and includes a barbecue and seafood dinner with live music, then a full day spent island-hopping, fishing, kayaking, snorkelling and swimming.
reviewed
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Dive North
Experienced operators based in Kerikeri but offering free pick-ups from Paihia. They cover all the local dive sites and offer PADI courses.
reviewed
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Gumdiggers Park
Kauri forests covered this area for over 100,000 years, leaving ancient logs and the much-prized gum (used for making varnish and linoleum) buried beneath. Digging it out of the mud was the region’s main industry from the 1870s to the 1920s. In 1900, some 7000 gumdiggers (wearing rubber gumboots – the NZ name for Wellingtons) were digging holes all over Northland, including at this site. Start with the 15-minute video telling the story of the trees, their mysterious destruction and the gum industry. Rope paths head through the bush, leading past reproductions of gumdiggers’ huts, ancient kauri stumps and holes left by the diggers. It was a hard life for the workers, who…
reviewed
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Ruapekapeka Pa Historic Reserve
It’s worth stopping at the Ruapekapeka Pa Historic Reserve, off SH1 south of Kawakawa, to see how impressive the fortifications were. Here you can wander the site of the last battle of the Northland War, brought to life through detailed information boards.
reviewed
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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.
reviewed
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Dive! Tutukaka
Deservedly Tutukaka's main operator, Dive! has won an array of tourism, business and environmental awards. It offers a variety of dive courses and excursions, including a five-day PADI open-water course ($799). Perhaps the jewel in its crown is the much-raved-about Perfect Day Ocean Cruise ($149), which includes a commentary, lunch and snacks, snorkelling from a platform in the middle of the marine reserve, kayaking through caves and arches, paddle-boarding, and sightings of dolphins (usually) and whales (occasionally). Cruises run from November to April, departing at 11am and returning at 4.15pm. In the off months, snorkellers can tag along on the dive boats.
Dive!…
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St Paul’s Church
St Paul’s isn’t particularly old (1925), but it stands on the site of NZ’s first church – a simple raupo (bulrush) hut constructed in 1823. It’s an altogether charming building, built from Kawakawa stone. Look for the native birds in the stained glass above the altar – the kotare (kingfisher) represents Jesus (the king plus ‘fisher of men’), while the tui (parson bird) and kereru (wood pigeon) portray the personalities of the Williams brothers (one scholarly, one forceful), who set up the mission station here.
reviewed
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Pompallier Mission
Built in 1842 to house the Catholic mission’s printing press, this rammed earth building is the mission's last remaining building in the Western Pacific. A staggering 40,000 books were printed here in Maori. In the 1870s it was converted into a private home, but it has been restored to its original state, complete with tannery and printing workshop. On the excellent guided tour you get to play with the tools and learn how to ‘skive off’ and become a ‘dab hand’.
reviewed
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Abbey Caves
The budget traveller’s answer to Waitomo, Abbey Caves is an undeveloped network of three caverns full of glowworms and limestone formations, 4km east of town. Grab a torch, strong shoes and a mate (you wouldn’t want to be stuck down here alone if things go pear-shaped) and prepare to get wet. The surrounding reserve is a forest of crazily shaped rock extrusions. If you’re staying at neighbouring Little Earth Lodge, you can borrow helmets and hire head torches.
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Fullers Great Sights
The four-hour Dolphin Cruise (adult/child $95/48) departs daily at 9am and 1.30pm, actively seeking out dolphins and any other marine mammals en route to the Hole in the Rock, stopping at Urupukapuka Island on the way back.
You won't visit the Hole in the Rock on the four-hour Dolphin Eco Experience (adult/child $105/53, departs 8am and 12.30pm), rather the focus is finding pods of dolphins you can swim with.
The full-day Cream Trip (adult/child $109/55) follows the old supply and mail route around the whole of the bay and includes dolphin-swimming and boom-netting (where you can get close to the critters while being dragged through the water in a net).
A glamorous option…
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Footprints Waipoua
Led by Maori guides, this four-hour twilight tour into Waipoua Forest is a fantastic introduction to both the culture and the forest giants. Tribal history and stories are shared, and mesmerising karakia (prayer, incantation) recited before the gargantuan trees.
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Butler Point Whaling Museum
At Hihi, 15km northeast of Mangonui, is this small private museum and Victorian homestead (1843) set in lovely gardens. Its first owner, Captain Butler, left Dorset when he was 14 and at 24 was captain of a whaling ship. He settled here in 1839, had 13 children and became a trader, farmer, magistrate and Member of Parliament.
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