For some reason we’ve overlooked Kaipara Harbour on previous visits. Interestingly, both Tasman (1642) and Cook (1770) did so too, sighting the coast but missing the hidden yet vast harbour. It formed as sea levels rose following the last ice age, which flooded the river valleys. In 1772 du Fresne noted the entrance and saw that it was inhabited, but Europeans didn’t begin fully exploring here until only about 100 years ago (after 1820). Our own exploration was delayed by ex-cyclone Hale, whose 100kph winds and dumping of a month’s rainfall overnight caused us to shelter in place. Although still breezy, 24 hours later we drove west to Dargaville then south to Poutō. We also spent time on the inner harbour, at Kellys Bay, before passing down the eastern bank of the Wairoa River.
Coordinates
A flight from Auckland to Whangarei provides an impression of just how large an area the harbour occupies (in the below photo, Poutō/ North Head is obscured by cloud):
Poutō
Poutō is around 70km south of Dargaville; the tarmac road ends some 11km before you arrive. Poutō greets visitors with an information board that says “Welcome to the entrance of Kaipara. Kaipara that sinks ships and makes women widows.” Well isn’t that cheery? It also refers to Poutō as the “Place of Hidden Treasures” but isn’t explicit what specific taonga are being referred to (they can be intangible, after all).
Muarangi te maunga
Wairoa te awa
Kaipara te moana
Poutō te wahiMuarangi is the mountain
Te Uri o Hau and the community of Poutō
Wairoa is the river
Kaipara is the ocean
Poutō is the place of hidden treasures
There be treasure!
Perhaps treasure can be a place, not a thing? The wider area around Poutō comprises the largest area of unmodified dune lands in New Zealand, including mobile dunes; stable unmoving dunes; sand flats; wetlands; dune lakes and swamps (over 20 of them); and coastal scrub and forest. These features form unique habitats for threatened native fish, birds and plants. It’s a good thing that this treasure remains largely inaccessible.
🌲 Rewilding
We found treasure straight out from our windshield as we pitched up: a magical pōhutukawa—supported by a rainbow—divided the sky and sea into a murky half (harbour-side) and a clear half (ocean-side).
Poutō is a small settlement, with a track leading onto the beach (which is itself a road) and a wharf under construction. This is sure to please visiting fisherpeople, who otherwise must cast off from slippery rocks.
The beach here is truly first class. As the tide recedes the sand becomes quite firm, allowing those with 4×4 vehicles to drive for absolute miles (it joins with Ripiro Beach, which we’ve mentioned before).
Many such drivers it seems are in transit to a favoured shore fishing spot (the harbour is an important marine nursery). Some towed custom trailers for all their line fishing kit; others made do with less, but all seemed to catch something (we heard talk of sharks, stingrays and snapper). We also noted Fisheries officers taking an interest in one group’s catch (there are regulations regarding size).
B hoped to make it along the beach to Kaipara North Head Lighthouse (built 1884). At low tide this can be cycled, but it was high tide, so offered only soft sand. He set out along the 4×4 path through the dunes, which cut back to the main beach after a few kilometres. Further along the coast afforded better views across the harbour entrance to South Head—8.5km across the water and quite a journey to reach by land. Yet, as he reached what seemed to be a point, then another, there was only more beach and still no lighthouse. It was very exposed, breezy, and hard work trudging through sand, so he turned back still some 3km short of his goal.
It was no wasted journey though, as there was the inevitable beachcombing to occupy the mind (ticking over on low power), plus an amazing variety of patterns in the sand to photograph:
Kellys Bay
There wasn’t any visitor information available at Kellys Bay, as at Poutō—aside from some DOC signs about nesting shorebirds. It’s a quiet, sheltered location ideal for vacationing families and for launching boats to fish for snapper just offshore. Indeed, every camper besides ourselves seemed preoccupied with fishing.
On the evening of our arrival, kind neighbours shared their catch of snapper, which we barbecued in butter, salt and herbs—and enjoyed with gratitude.
The harbour is tidal, so swimming in the shallows was possible and a number of children did so when the tide was in. The water was quite brown though, we supposed due to tannins in the run-off from surrounding forests and swamp.
When the tide was out it was possible to walk along the coast in both directions, as the tidal flats were extensive. A highlight for us on just such a walk was seeing a live seahorse in the shallows, by the boat ramp.
Glinks Gully
Two-thirds of the way back to Dargaville, on the west coast of the peninsula, Glinks Gully is a popular entry point for 4×4 and motorbike owners to access the beach road.
Wairoa River
On the Wairoa River’s western bank, continuing on towards Dargaville on Poutō Road where it intersects Maxwell Road, you pass “The Little Chapel”. This is built from kauri and just 4.4 square metres in area—giving rise to a claim to be the smallest church in New Zealand.
Turning south after Dargaville, there were two landmarks of interest along State Highway 12 as it passes down the eastern bank of the Wairoa River. The first was Maungaraho Rock, an outcrop created by a magma plug in a volcanic vent left exposed as the softer rock encasing it eroded away. A 45 minute base track is the easy option; getting to the summit adds 30 minutes and involves using ropes and ladders. Look out for a rare hebe, liverworts and kidney ferns. Set back from the river, views over the surrounding countryside are pleasant—even from the parking area.
Tokatoka Peak (see also here) seems to be the better known plug, situated further down the road and closer to the river. The last 20m in particular are a scramble, but most of the 25–30 minute track would be challenging in wet weather. Summiting the rock is rewarded with panoramic views, encompassing the Wairoa as it extends north to Dargaville and south emptying into Kaipara Harbour, and looking inland to Maungaraho Rock.
Further along SH 12 (part of the Twin Coast Discovery Highway) is Matakohe, home to the Kauri Museum; we left this for a subsequent visit to the region.
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