The last stop on our way home from Te Paki was Paua...
On the Parengarenga Harbour. I had heard about
this place but never been there.
Parengarenga is a large shallow harbour that extends inland for over
10 kilometres, almost severing the northern tip of the island from the
rest of the peninsula. The harbour mouth is in Great Exhibition Bay.
The brilliantly white sand of Kokota Sandspit, at the southern head of
Parengarenga Harbour, has provided a source of high purity silica sand for
glassmaking. Dredging continued here until 1997. While smaller or
lower purity deposits are found elsewhere in Northland,
the Parengarenga area holds the region's largest silica sand resource by far.
The water is a habitat for Green Sea Turtles, Dolphins, Killer Whales
and Pilot Whales.
The harbour is home to thousands of Godwits between February and March,
as they congregate before their lengthy migration to Siberia and Alaska.
Parengarenga is a large shallow harbour that extends inland for over
10 kilometres, almost severing the northern tip of the island from the
rest of the peninsula. The harbour mouth is in Great Exhibition Bay.
The brilliantly white sand of Kokota Sandspit, at the southern head of
Parengarenga Harbour, has provided a source of high purity silica sand for
glassmaking. Dredging continued here until 1997. While smaller or
lower purity deposits are found elsewhere in Northland,
the Parengarenga area holds the region's largest silica sand resource by far.
The water is a habitat for Green Sea Turtles, Dolphins, Killer Whales
and Pilot Whales.
The harbour is home to thousands of Godwits between February and March,
as they congregate before their lengthy migration to Siberia and Alaska.
Parengarenga from a distance as we drove down the gravel road.
The
white sand dunes seen in the distance are the planet’s purest
source of silica, exported worldwide from Whangarei.
The white is silica sand... Not waves...
The tide was out which left an expanse of sand... Excellent for fishing!
An old jetty...
Not safe for fishing from...
But a sandy boat ramp gives beach access...
This is a freedom parking area. The key to the locked gate
is available from the Te Keo shop... $10 a night.
Nothing but a grassy paddock... But good fishing.
Hi Angela, great photos im actually from Te Kao/Parengarenga I was wondering if I could use your photos to show other family members who actually haven't yet visited or been back home in many years. Thank you.
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