Te Paki... Northern-Most New Zealand

 I went with a group of friends to stay here... At Te Paki...

In this house owned by the Department of Conservation for it's

workers and rangers. My friends work for DoC so for a small

payment we were able to stay here. It's about 21km south of

Cape Reinga... We got there, lit the fire and settled

in for the night.

 The surrounding countryside is so green... It rains a lot that's why!

 The next morning I went for a walk while waiting for my

friends to do their 'family' thing with a small child.

 I just wandered along the road... Now a lovely sealed road.

It was only in 2010 that the last 21km of State Highway 1...

The last 21km before Cape Reinga was sealed. Before that

it was a narrow, rutted, pot holey, gravel road that produced

clouds of enveloping dust... You can now drive 2022km north

to south... All sealed.

 

 Spring seemed to be in the air... The gamboling lambs...

 I walked to this stream and the tall leaning Kanuka trees...

A tree endemic to New Zealand that can grow to 30 meters tall.

 It was lovely just dawdling along in the cool early morning sun.

Then it was home for breakfast and onto other places...

The Cape... Te Paki sandhills... Tapotupotu Bay...

Te Paki straddles the northern most tip of the north island

of New Zealand, on the small narrow Te Aupouri Peninsula.

It is one of the most intact and diverse ecosystems in New Zealand.

It extends from coastal dunes and wetlands through extensive shrubland

to tall forest. Te Paki provides habitats for a wide range of native 

plants and animals, all moulded together to form a unique and

dynamic area... Now 23,000 hectares in all.

It consists of the Te Paki Station bought by the Crown in 1966

but was originally a wedding gift made by Maori to Sam Yates

and his new bride, Maori chieftaness Ngawini... Read

the history here... It's fascinating...

The crown bought the Mokaikai Block in 1973 and a number

of dunes which adjoin the Te Paki stream in 1983. This

whole area is set aside by the Government for permanent reserves.

Managed together with North Cape, a scientific reserve and Motuopao
Island, a nature reserve, this whole area is known as Te Paki Farm Park,

managed by the Department of Conservation whose objectives

are to provide recreational opportunities and to protect

both the natural and cultural environment...

It's a  great area of New Zealand to visit.

Rarangi... Exploring The Coast From Picton...

 I have been in Picton a week or two but while I have 

been here I have gone off exploring round the coast

along the road from Waikawa to Rarangi.

I started at Rarangi and here I am parked at the

DoC camp...

 I was surprised at how popular it was... Apart from

buses and caravans there were vans and cars...

 All parked under the trees and being slept in.

 This is the DoC camp from the top of the hill.

It's an odd shape but because the shingley sand is

soft the areas for heavy vehicles have been

compacted so we don't get stuck.

 I went for a walk across the soft shingle...

 Through the beautiful wild sea coast weeds...

And up the steps of the path in the background of 

this photo that goes over to Monkey Bay.

 

 I got to the top... Slowly. It was all concrete steps,

but I couldn't get down the rough track going down

the other side. But it was a real achievement getting

that far. As  you can see it was cool and misty rain.

 

 Looking down on the rocks, the bull kelp thrashing

around in the rough tide.

 The view along the shingle beach to the hills and

the Wairau Bar which has developed from shingle

washed by the tides from the Awatere River...

All on an information board at the top of the track.

The view of Rarangi and Cloudy Bay from the

top of the hill the next day on the way over to 

Whites Beach... My next stop.

 My next stop as I headed south was

A small DoC reserve

 It was deserted when I arrived  but

another bus joined me  later in the day.

             Here I am parked on the edge of the 
                  southern end of Lake Taupo

 It was a bit dry and dusty but a great

overnight stop. Plenty of space...

 Because, I found out from the local
people who visited... I shouldn't have been
parked there. The information in the
NZMCA travel book I have is incorrect.

Beautiful views of this large lake

All along the edge of the water was

an abundance of pumice. For those not

in New Zealand, pumice is a volcanic

rock that is thrown out of errupting volcano's.

It's smoothness denotes how old it is.

The pumice I picked up is totally smooth...

It's been buffeted for a long, long time.

Lake Taupo is the crater of a dormant

volcano that first errupted 26,500

years ago

An overview of the area...

Lots of room for buses, motor homes

and tents... It's a great base for
swimming, kayaking, boating, fishing,
walking and tramping. Also not far
from the hot pools at Turangi. 

This is the DoC  sign... Presumably the

correct information... Apart from spelling mistake...
For those thinking of parking here.

Dickey Flat, Kaimai-Mamaku Forest Park...

When I left Miranda I drove through Ngatea then Paeroa and onto
the Karangahake Gorge. I had met a couple earlier in the day who
told me they were going to Dickey Flat, DoC, for the night...
So I decided that was a good place to make my way to.


After being parked  on the Shell Banks and the tidal mud of the
Firth of Thames... I was met by this green oasis.

It's a basic Department of Conservation camping area... A toilet block...

Beautiful green trees...

Licorice Allsorts parked for the night...

My neighbours over the way... There were a few tents among the trees
but vehicles are confined to the parking area. It was quiet and still...

The only sound the river... The fresh water supply... That was across the
car park and the grassy field in front of where I am parked, and the birds.
This photo is looking north...

This photo to the south.


The next morning after the mist cleared and the sun came over the hill
 I decided to explore one of the walks... The Crown Track...

Through the camping ground...

Along the track to...

The suspension bridge in the previous photo.

Over the other side...

And through the lush green ferns and bush.

It was a good track...

The 2nd suspension bridge...

Much more 'swingy' than the 1st one...

Beautiful views of the rivers and crystal clear water...

Some deep swimming holes...

And slow quieter areas. This river flash floods, there are several warning
signs, then it would be a raging torrent. I wandered on...

Until I came to this tunnel. It did say on the information board
that there was a 150 meter tunnel and to take a torch...
But I didn't feel like venturing into such a dark hole with only a pin-prick
of light at the other end. It was very wet underfoot and
water dripping from the top.
I hadn't taken a rain coat and was only wearing sandals...
So another day.

So it was back the way I had come to sit in the sun with coffee
and a mag. It was magic... So quiet... Listening to the river...
And the birds that had woken me up. I was reluctant to leave...
But there was no cell phone reception and I hadn't told anybody
where I was going. If I know I am going to be out of phone range
I tell a friend and my anticipated length of stay there...
Just to be safe.

 
This is the road out... And in of course. But I took these
photos on my way out.


I had the road to myself and could stop and start.


It really is a beautiful area.


I could spend a week there... Time out from my busy 'Life On The Road'.


Over the hill...  Slowly does it...



Back to farmland and civilisation.




And on my way to... Well I don't know till I get there!