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Far North Sights
Kaitaia, Hokianga, Awanui
Doubtless Bay, Houhora, Te Kao, Cape Reinga
Carrington Resort
Northlands Far North offers a sub-tropical climate lush
with pohutukawa trees & drenched in long summers and mild winters.
The north island's Far North offers a diverse landscape of pohutukawa lined groves, extensive beaches and quaint kiwi towns. The expanse of Ninety Mile Beach will keep you occupied for days if trekking is your desire, while the kauri forests of Hokianga and Kaitaia amaze with the grandeur of the magnificent Kauri.
Māori heritage states that Kupe’s people (the great polynesian navigator and bringer of the Maori people to New Zealand) settled in Cape Reinga (in the far north) and sprawled to Pārengarenga harbour (in the south). It is Kupe that many Northlanders trace their ancestry back to, and it is the far north where you'll find some of New Zealand's oldest traces of settlement.
Cape Reinga "Te Rerenga Wairua" or "Te Rēinga", is one of Māoridom's most sacred places. It is here that Māori custom dictates that the spirits of the dead travel two pathways to Cape Reinga before leaping in to the water and heading home to Hawaiki, their spiritual resting place.
Two of New Zealand's longest drivable beaches 'Ripiro and 90 Mile Beach" on the west coast, offer ever-shifting sand formations and the opportunity to view many varieties of sea birds as well as the feeding holes of the endangered Toheroa shellfish.
The region delivers a beauty of contrasting parallels, kiwiana townships, crossed with majestic nature and wild coastal terrain. The combinations of climate, history and shared culture offers you an memorable holiday in the Far North you won't forget.
"Northlands Far North offers a sub-tropical climate lush with pohutukawa trees & drenched in long summers"
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Photo courtesy of Scott Cook
AHIPARA VIEWPOINT/ SHIPWRECK BAY - Ahipara
The viewpoint is undeveloped and doubles as a hang-glider launch, if your car is rugged enough your able to drive right up to the edge. The viewpoint offers supurb views from Shipwreck Bay’s golden dunes all the way up to 90-Mile Beach.
Shipwreck Bay is renowned for its surfing and named after the multitude of shipwrecks the bay has encountered over the centuries, the wrecks can be sighted at low tide. From the viewpoint you'll be able to watch surfers below, and the expanse of 90-Mile beach .
Its best to sight the view on a clear day.
Location: Ahipara Bay, 17.2km's from Kaitaia.
Price: free
Hours: 24
Web:
RARAWA BEACH - GREAT EXHIBITION BAY
- Aupouri Peninsula
Rarawa Beach on the east coast offers dazzling snow-white silica dunes. This sand is so white it looks like snow so bring some good sunglasses. You'll have to walk there since there is no public road access. Some tours pay a koha (donation) to cross Maori farmland, you can also approach the sand by kayak from Parengarenga Harbour.
Location: From Kaitaia, follow State Highway 1 north. The turn-off for Rarawa Beach from SH 1 is signposted, 3 kilometres north of Ngataki.
Price: free
Hours: 24.
Photo courtesy of Cyndi and Rich, two at sea
Photo courtesy of Te Ahu Community Centre
TE AHU COMMUNITY CENTRE - Kaitaia
The Te Ahu Centre is a community project designed to provide a variety of community activities. At present the centre has a cafe, cinema, information centre and library. The centre has regular events for the community to take part in such as a book club & chess, with events varying depending on the season and holidays active at that time, visit the website for current events and cinema times and prices.
Location: Matthews Ave, Kaitaia.
Hours: free, cinema has a charge.
Price: free
TAPOTUPOTU BAY - Te Paki Reserve, Cape Reinga.
Tapotupotu Bay is a popular white sand beach with minimal facilities and camp ground near by. The bay is situated in the Te Paki Scenic Reserve and is a protected area. Popular in summer the beach has no life guarding service.
Location: Te Paki Reserve, Cape Reinga.
Price: free
Hours: 24.
Photo courtesy of Surf Lifesaving NZ
Photo courtesy of cringel
TE PAKI RECREATION RESERVE - Waitiki Landing
The best entrance to Te Paki Recreation Reserve is situated at Waitiki Landing. The reserve spans a large part of Cape Reinga and is known for its unusual plants and animals co-mingling together in a dynamic area. There are 7 sq km of giant sand dunes on either side of the mouth of Te Paki Stream which are frequently used to ride and surf down.
Location: Waitiki Landing, Cape Reinga.
Price: free
Hours: 24.
Photo courtesy of NZHPT
CLENDON HOUSE - Rawene, Hokianga
Clendon House is situated on Clendon Esplanade in Rawene. Built in the 1860s by James Clendon, a trader, shipowner and magistrate. Clendon is renowned for his witness to some of the country's and world's turning events, the New Zealand’s Declaration of Independence in 1835, the first United States Consul in 1838, and a witness to the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. The NZHPT purchased the house in 1972 allowing visitors to relive a time of the past.
Location: 14 Parnell St, Rawene, Edge of the Hokianga Harbour.
Price: Adults $7 | Child $3.50
Hours: Nov to Apr: Sat & Sun | May to Oct: Sun only Summer and Easter school holidays: Thurs - Mon | Winter school holidays: Sat & Sun
Web: http://www.historicplaces.org.nz/placestovisit/northland/clendonhouse.aspx
NGA-TAPUWAE-O-TE-MANGAI - Te Kao
Nga-Tapuwae-o-te-Mangai, translates as 'the sacred steps of the mouthpiece' and is a Maori Christian Church for the Maori Sect Ratana. The sect has more than 50,000 adherents and was formed in 1925 by Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana who was known as ‘the mouthpiece of God’. It is said that Rātana received a divine revelation from the Holy Spirit commanding him to unite the Māori people in worship. The temple is built on land where Ratana once stood and the design is said to encompass the churches faith, two domed towers (Arepa and Omeka, alpha and omega) and the Ratana emblem of the star and crescent moon.
Location: Te Kao, 46km's South of Cape Reinga.
Price: free.
Hours: 10am-4pm daily
Web: http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/ratana-church-te-haahi-ratana/page-1
CAPE REINGA POINT'S POHUTUKAWA TREE
- Cape Reinga
Interestingly On the points furtherest Island you'l find a pohutukawa tree jutting precariously from it's side, how it has survived the onslaught of high weather makes you wonder. The pohutukawa is said to be over 800 years and is sacred amongst Maori. The Maori believe that when the souls travel to the northern point on their journey to Hawaiki they climb its roots and descend to the underworld. Out of respect to the Maori it is asked that you refrain from approaching it.
Location: Northern Most Tip of the North Island.
Price: free.
Hours: 24.
Photo courtesy of Sumo.si
CAPE REINGA POINT - Cape Reinga
Cape Reinga Point is situated at the northern most point of the North Island and is the meeting place where the tasman sea meets the pacific ocean. In stormy weather these waves can reach a height of 10m.
Location: Northern Most Tip of the North Island
Hours: 24.
Price: free.
Photo courtesy of WarrenWilliams.co.nz
KARIKARI BEACH- Karikari Peninsula
KariKari beach offers a white sand beach with clear water for you to snorkel and swim to your hearts content. The beach is considered one of NZ's most beautiful beaches. The beach has limited facilities and no lifesaving service.
Location: Between Rangaunu Harbour (west) & Doubtless Bay (southeast).
Price: free
Hours: 24.
ST MARY'S CHURCH - Motuiti
St Mary's Church is where NZ’s first Catholic bishop was buried beneath the altar. Jean Baptiste Pompallier arrived in the Hokianga in 1838 celebrating NZ’s first Mass at Totara Point. He was interred here in 2002 after an emotional 14-week pilgrimage, full of Maori ceremony whilst bringing his remains back from France.
Location: 2.5 km along Motuti Road from the Kohukohu-Mitimiti highway.
Hours: 24
Price: free, donations accepted.
Web: http://www.hokiangapompallier.org.nz/SpecialLocations.aspx