After Waiheke, there was Covid, and it was not good. But it was an opportunity for getting some rest, for catching up on some life admin, and for ensuring van maintenance was sorted before spending time with family over the Christmas and New Year period. From our home base on the Tutukaka Coast we explored or revisited nearby points of interest along the coast.
Coordinates
Before we talk destinations, here a few images from the festive period. In B’s family Christmas involves a “traditional” barbecue, in recent years hosted in Parua Bay by B’s brother and centred around the “work’s ham” (first photo). Others contribute the likes of salads (second photo) and desert (third photo) to ensure excess catering leaves the whānau muttering something about eating more sensibly next year. The New Year is often marked quietly—with some delay, since everybody is likely to be in bed well before midnight. Glasses will be raised when company reassembles (final photo)!
Whangārei Heads
Whangārei Heads owes much of its distinctiveness to the extinct volcanoes that shape its skyline. Sights include Mt Aubrey at 216m, seen from McLeod Bay (first photo) and Mt Manaia at 420m, seen here from Urquharts Bay (second photo). There’s a WWII gun emplacement at Home Point on Busby Head (third photo), notable for the mural painted inside its battery observation post (final photo).
Busby Head/ Smugglers Bay Loop begins from Urquharts Bay. The well-formed 5km/ 1.5h path has scenic coastal views, culminating in the tropical-seeming vista of Smugglers Bay (all photos below). Earthworks and middens evidence some 500 years of Māori occupation in this area. The English name purportedly relates to stashes of high-excise goods buried in the sand here during the 19th century.
From the car park at Ocean Beach, we walked a short way back up the road to the Peach Cove Track trailhead. A step descent from the ridge involves over 800 steps in an 800m stretch (first photo) to reach the beach at Peach Cove (second photo). After regaining the ridge we joined Te Whara Track, which climbs steeply (third photo). There were views past Mt Lion at 395m towards Marsden Point and Mt Aubrey, seen here from below Bream Head Summit at 476m—since the top was enveloped in cloud (final photo).
Once back below the cloud we had hazy views from Bream Head | Te Whara towards the Hen and Chickens Islands (first photo). After a rough and slippery descent the remains of a wartime radar station can be seen before continuing on towards Ocean Beach (second photo). Lifeguards are on duty here during the summer months (final photo).
The 9.3km loop took us 4.5h:
That evening for the first time in our travels we called on “Plan C” for our park-up (at the first we were too big; the second site was full), but had good morning views from our third-try pitch at Manganese Point on Whangārei Harbour (first photo). On to Pātaua, the two halves of which are linked by a footbridge spanning Pātaua River estuary (second photo). The North side was popular with bathers and people playing on watercraft (third photo). An ocean beach opposes Te Whangai Head, on the South side (final photo).
Ruapekapeka
About 500 northern Māori under Kawiti and Heke opposed around 1,200 British colonial forces under Despard—allied with some 400 Ngāpuhi rivals under Nene—at Ruapekapeka Pā, in 1845–46. The site of the former British camp is an easy 350m north of the car park (first photo); a memorial to the British fallen has been erected here (second photo). Government forces hauled 30 tons of artillery and supplies over 30km of rugged terrain (third photo) to assault the pā—part of a broader strategic picture (final photo).
The pā itself is 640m south of the car park (first photo); it can be reached directly or via a loop walk. Although it was taken (having been abandoned) the battle was inconclusive, but nevertheless marked the end of the Northern Wars—a conflict over interpretation of the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi | Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The “bat’s nest” pā featured tunnels, rifle pits, trenches, huts, wells, gates and palisades; substantial earthworks still remain (second and third photos). Is that the Treaty in hand (final photo)?
Tutukaka Coast
At Ngunguru on Northland’s Tutukaka Coast a sand spit separates Ngunguru River estuary from Ngunguru Bay, creating a sheltered anchorage and water sports environment (first photo). The spit is accessible by water craft or by swimming (second photo). Views can be enjoyed from Tutukaka’s Rehuotane hill lookout inland over Ngunguru River and Bay (third photo), and to the south across the Bay to Pataua and beyond that, to Bream Head (final photo).
Tutukaka boasts a marina servicing fishing and dive charters as well as pleasure boat moorings (first photo). From Rehuotane hill lookout you can look back into the marina (second photo), across the harbour entrance to the lighthouse on Kukutauwhao Island (third photo) and out beyond Rahomaunu Island to the marine reserve of Poor Knights Islands—here only just seen rising above the sea mist (final photo).
Whananaki Coastal Walkway
We made a New Year’s Eve trek north from Sandy Bay, a popular surf beach (first photo), along the Whananaki Coastal Walkway. Cresting the first hill rewards with views down to a gorgeous unnamed beach (second photo). Further along coastal beauty does have a name: Oruaea Bay (third photo). It’s a short (762m) detour to a monument marking lives lost in 1975 when abandoning the French ship Capitaine Bougainville (final photo).
Further along the Coastal Walkway we encountered a bach with a front-row seat to climate change, just south of Pitokuku Point (first photo). We took a brief stroll on Ocean Beach at Whananaki South (second photo). The tide was high in the estuary, so we backtracked via Te Ara O Tunua Road after waving to NZ’s serving Deputy Prime Minister (he was washing his dinghy). We watched jumpers on Whananaki Footbridge (final photo) before meeting parents for a well-earned ice cream.
Our 12km/ 3h track; the main walkway is just 5.7km:
Mimiwhangata Coastal Farm Park
En route from Helena Bay are the coastal community at Ngawai (Teal) Bay (first photo) and Ngahau Bay, with a reserve on Paparahi Point and views across to the Mimiwhangata Peninsula (second photo). At the Mimiwhangata Coastal Farm Park, initial views are of Okupe Beach and Rimaiki Island (third photo). What a frizzy mane this foal had (final photo)! As the name suggests, this is a working farm—mostly cattle.
We took the easy Peninsula Loop Walk. The Poor Knights Islands lie due east offshore here (first photo). Several large ponds on the farm provide refuge for birdlife (second photo). There are multiple opportunities to look down into the clear waters of Mimiwhangata Bay (third photo). On reaching the beach, it was good to once again keep company with the entertaining NZ dotterel/ Charadrius obscurus (final photo).
During the festive period some folk were at anchor in Mimiwhangata Bay (first photo); others stayed over at the Waikahoa Bay DOC Campsite (second photo), where all gear must be carried across the neck of Pā Point. Here we joined Tohumoana Lookout Track, but the bush-enclosed summit was short on views. Those came on the descent—including the curve of Mimiwhangata Bay, with Cape Brett in the distance (final photo).
Our 9.6km/ 3h loop utilising the two routes:
With the change in the weather to a slightly cooler, but definitely less humid climate we got ourselves ready to start touring again in earnest. Thank you for coming with us in 2023. We wish you all a very happy, healthy and curiosity-filled 2024! If you want to share our adventures in central North Island, stay tuned…
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