See New Zealand as it was over a hundred years ago..... remote sandy
beaches, sparkling lakes and rivers and Maori landmarks - the East Coast of
the North Island is a must for nature lovers.
From Whakatane to Gisborne along the South Pacific Highway
If you like driving in the fast lane, need a cappuccino every few
kilometres or so and like swept up restaurants to dine in - this is not the
trip for you!! However if you like wide open spaces, beautiful scenery
and have time to spare, pack your picnic gear and come with me on a
memorable journey around this isolated rugged
coastline... unforgettable!
Getting there
The South Pacific Highway starts in Auckland and finishes in Napier
hugging the eastern coastline. Today I will be travelling on it only
from Whakatane to Opotiki in Part One and from Opotiki to Gisborne in Part Two.
This will add up to around 390km. I'll leave the Coromandel and parts of
the Bay of Plenty for another day.
(If you are planning to travel from Auckland to Wellington and wish to
make a leisurely trip of it as we did, you could travel as far as Rotorua
the first day, then on to Whakatane and round East Cape to Gisborne, and
then head southwards to Napier and on to Wellington. We took seven days
but could have easily stretched it to ten or twelve.)
Details of
Auckland to Rotorua
and
Napier to Wellington
can be found in earlier articles.
Whakatane - so much to do and see
Whakatane is the chief service town for the eastern Bay of Plenty and
was the landfall for the first Maori arrivals. Where else can you walk on
a live volcano, swim with the dolphins or walk in the footsteps of ancient
Polynesian travellers? The area is filled with a wonderful selection of
adventure opportunities from a visit to the active volcano
at White Island to an outback safari to the rivers and bush of the
Ureweras.
Horse trekking is a popular pastime in this region. You can choose
from beach horse riding or if you're really fit (and well padded!) why not
take a five day bush hike - I'm sure you'll never forget it!
White Island - New Zealand's only continuously active volcano
By far the biggest attraction in the area is the volcanic island
Whakaari - or White Island - which is just 50 kms off the
Eastern Bay of Plenty coast.
White Island is New Zealand's only continuously active volcano and is a
truly unique sight. Rain and wind-swept ash covers the crater floor which
extends for more than a kilometre from the sea to sheer western walls.
Piles of jumbled rock litter the area while hot acid streams from miniature
canyons flow through the ash coating. Superheated gas and steam pours
into the atmosphere and inside the giant's belly the main crater holds a
pool of steaming mud and the superheated steam forms huge white clouds as
it rises upwards - incredible!
How to see White Island
There are two types of trips available. You can take a fifteen minute dash
by helicopter for an overall impression of the island before the machine
lands for a closer look at the volcanic activity. Conditions permitting,
landing gives you the opportunity to take a one-hour guided walk where you
can experience the activity close-up.
The other way to travel is by an 18-metre launch which carries fifty people
and takes around eighty minutes from Whakatane. This is the way my family
travelled and enjoyed a fantastic day. "Where else in the world can you
walk on a live volcano?" they said. What an adventure!
Whakatane to Opotiki
Heading southwards we travelled on S.H.35 to Opotiki via Ohope Beach and
Ohiwa Harbour. This is the most direct route but the alternative via
Hillcrest is more scenic though not recommended for vehicles towing.
However Hillcrest provides great views of Whale island and the
Whakatane Heads. The two routes merge and just before the
descent the view is well worth a pause.
Ohope Beach
Ohope Beach (7km from Whakatane) is a great holiday spot with 11km of
beach from the west end to Ohiwa Harbour mouth at the eastern end. There
is plenty of accommodation here including a backpackers hostel, motels and
camping grounds.
Ohope Beach Resort - just step across the roadway to the beach!
If you would like to try a farmstay in the area, the Cheddar Valley Farmstay
is quite reasonable at $80 double and $50 single. Ph 07 312-5007.
We travelled further on to Ohiwa Beach and stayed at the Fantail Cottage
Harbour Homestay with great views of the harbour and ocean - the hosts
Colin and Beryl Jobson were very friendly and welcoming and the home
cooking was great.
Opotiki - Gateway to the East Coast
Opotiki is the sort of township that's easy to pass through but if you
stop a while you will find friendly people and a whole range of activities
such as river rafting, jet boating, paragliding, trout fishing, deer, pig
and goat hunting and more...
Native bush wonderland
We visited the Hukutaia Domain - well signposted just before you drive
into the township. This reserve of native plants is one of the finest in
the country and includes many (easy) walks throughout its five hectares.
You will see splendid specimen plantings of shrubs, trees, ferns and
grasses, many often rare and the majority are labelled so, if you are like
me, and not up with botanical names, it's easy to jot down the name of
something you really like.
Within the Domain is the historic tree named Taketakerau. Burial
customs of the ancient Maori were complex, so in forested areas hollow
trees were sometimes used as a protection from enemy desecration. The bones
buried here belonged to the Upokorehe people but they have now been removed
and reburied in more conventional graves.
Hiona St Stephen's Anglican Church
You cannot miss this beautiful old church if you take a walk or drive
down the main street of Opotiki. The church was built in 1859 by the
Reverend Carl Volkner of the Church Missionary Society . It remains one of
the few remaining links with the missionary period of the area.
Read Part Two of the trip around East Cape.
