Westcoast of Northland

In Maori legend Tane is the god of the forest, the creator of all the birds, insects, and plants. 'Tane Mahuta' is regarded to be where all forest life originated. It could well be, after all, this tree was here 800 years before the first man arrived on these shores. There's also an impressive stand of Kauri's in the Puketi Forest Park on SH 1 about 60km form Kerikeri. If you have an extra day, a trip to the Waipoua forest is very rewarding.

Drive through the Kauri forrests of Northland

You can drive back to Auckland via the Kauri forest, however the road from Waipoua back is a little tedious. If you choose to head back this way, stop in and check out the Matakohe Kauri museum. It features a collection of restored machinery, the highlight being an operating steam powered sawmill. It also has a tribute to the pioneers who settled in the area and etched a survival from logging these monsters of the forest. There's also some great information about the diggers of the Northland kauri gum fields. Kauri has long been an integral part of the kiwi way of life, for the Maori it was the creator of all things, for the European settlers it was the provider of all things new. It's long straight trunks proved excellent as spars and masts for sailing ships and it's value was soon realised. It provided income and shelter to our pioneers and was a much sought after commodity on the world market. Much of San Francisco was rebuilt with Kauri from Great Barrier Island. Its deep golden colour makes kauri ideal for exquisite furniture and ornaments, today it is prohibited to fell kauri trees, you can however, dig them up. Swamp kauri is kauri that has been submerged beneath swamps for hundreds and even thousands of years. The trees may have been victim to a violent storm, fire or just been over the hill. What remains, usually the trunks, is dragged from the swamp, dried and then worked in outstanding pieces of art.

Paihia to Auckland

The drive back to Auckland from Paihia is around 3 ½ hours if you drive direct. If you didn't get the chance on the way North, get away early and stop of at Kawau Island (facing page) on the way.

Ngawha hot springs

The Ngawha hot springs are about 8km off SH 1 past Kaikohe. They are perhaps the smelliest hot springs in New Zealand, that just means they're pretty damn good!! The therapeutic properties in the minerals are said to be some of the best in the world!!

The pools are a great place to have a chat with some real, genuine Kiwi's. The aroma from the pools is also something pretty special but don't worry, you'll get used to it! The drive from Ngawha to Paihia is about ½ an hour.