01/02/2024
Success! Hamilton RV Super Centre had replacement batteries in stock which we fitted and left. Upon reaching Te Awamutu we called it a day and checked into Hump Bridge Milk, park over property. Hump Bridge Milk is a small dairy farm specialising in the production of raw A2 milk fresh daily and available to the public.
02/02/2024
Taumarunui bound still, we were on our way south again passing through Otorohanga then shortly afterwards turning off towards Waitomo. The Ruakuri Bushwalk and Caves had been so good when we visited in November that we decided to revisit them as we were so near. The end of the day found us at Aramatai Gardens and Farmstay for the night. A stopover we had previously visited and enjoyed.
03/02/2024
Aramatai Gardens to Taumarunui. Enough said.
04/02/2024
Preparation for our next adventure activity and we were joined by our long time friend Karen, from Auckland.
05/02/2024 - 06/02/2024
Two days travelling the historic Stratford to Taumarunui railway line in rail carts with Forgotten World Adventures. A separate post will follow later.
07/02/2024 - 08/02/2024
Back from our two day rail cart journey we wanted to show Karen some of the places we had discovered along the Forgotten World Highway. After driving through the stunning scenery of the Tangarakau Gorge our first stop was the Bushlands campsite at the settlement of Tangarakau where we had stopped two days earlier for morning tea on our rail cart adventure.
Little remains of the once busy past when Tangarakau was a railway construction town with a population exceeding 1200, but rusting railway tracks, derelict vehicles and the dilapidated railway bridge over the Tangarakau River.
The weather was near to perfect as we escorted Karen up the Tangarakau River to Fossil Canyon with high hopes of finding a fossil of our own. But alas our efforts were unrewarded.
09/02/2024
An hour spent at Whangamomona looking at the old buildings including the iconic pub, observing a local artist working on a large mural and of course the girls went shopping at Dolly Gray's store.
Our time was limited by our need to be in Ohakune on the 11th of February for our next guided adventure so we turned back towards Taumarunui. Through the Moki tunnel again then a left turn onto the Moki Road leading us to the Mount Damper Falls walkway. Along the way we came across a collection of old steam milling equipment rusting away beneath a carpet of blackberry vines at a clearing by the roadside.
Upon reaching the Mount Damper Falls viewing platform we were presented with the impressive view of the 74 metre high waterfall, one of the North Island's tallest, complete with it's own rainbow.
As the Tangarakau Gorge road was fully closed for road works for several hours that afternoon we decided to carry on along the Okau Road to Ahititi, Waitaanga, Ohura, then finally along Mangaparo Road to join the Forgotten World Highway, Route 43, again to finish our day at Ohinepane DOC campsite on the banks of the Whanganui River. Had we known what a long and arduous detour this would prove to be I suspect we would have chosen to wait for the road through the Tangarakau Gorge to open again. However we found this long, winding, up and down, dusty circuit route to Ohura through very steep native forest almost as impressive and beautiful as the Tangarakau Gorge.
10/02/2024
Feeling like treating ourselves this morning we stopped at Lauren's Lavender farm for fresh muffins and coffee on our way back to Taumarunui.
After picking up Karen's car in Taumarunui we proceeded to Ohakune and on to Mangawhero DOC campsite at Ohakune adjacent to the Mangawhero River on the lower slopes of Mount Ruapehu.
11/02/2024
After checking into the Ohakune Top 10 holiday Park, our focus for this day was all about preparation for the next few days. Sorting out our belongings we would need over the following four days with no outside contact and securely packing them into dry bags and water tight barrels. Contacting and organising a rendezvous with the other members of our party who had travelled from Christchurch, Jane, Lynley and Tonya. And finally after an evening meal together discussing our pending encounter with the Whanganui River, an early night.
12/02/2024 - 15/02/2024
Four day Whanganui River Journey with Canoe Safaris. A separate post will follow later.
16/02/2024
Before we all drove off in our various separate directions we had coffee with Karen, Jane and Lynley. Particularly farewell to Karen who had been our travelling buddy aboard the motorhome for almost two weeks.
It was a beautiful sunny day for us to drive up Mount Ruapehu to Turoa ski field car park. There was no snow to speak of, certainly not enough for skiing. Breath taking best describes the moonscape like views waiting for us, the like of which we had never seen before. The slopes of this active volcano, New Zealnd's largest, were littered with large, jagged boulders indicating the forces unleashed from within the planet when it erupted. The views out across the southern volcanic plateau and King Country were also very spectacular. Descending Mount Ruapehu we checked in for another night at Mangawhero DOC campsite.
17/02/2024
Leaving Ohakune and the BIG CARROT behind us our adventures in the central North Island were done for this tour.
Our thoughts were now on finishing our North Island Adventure and crossing Cook Strait back to the South Island. Our Island. But due to a family committment in Otaki over the weekend of March the 1st, we would have to slow our progress down. This we would achieve by visiting several campsites in the northern Manawatu and Wairarapa areas. First on the list after passing through Waiouru with it's Military Museum and Taihape with a Gum Boot sculpture to rival Ohakune's giant carrot, we continued to the Vinegar Hill Campground - Putai Ngahere Domain.
This campsite is a well maintained large grassed area with toilets beside the Rangitikei River. This is an ideal family camping spot having swimming holes in the river and no charge to stay.
18/02/2024 - 20/02/2024
From Vinegar Hill campsite to revisit Bartletts Ford campsite, stopping at Stormy Point to take in the panoramic view of northern Manawatu and the Rangitikei River terraces.
Bartletts Ford campsite to Londons Ford campsite.
Londons Ford campsite to Ashhurst Domain campsite.
21/02/2024
We travelled from Ashhurst Domain campsite to Mangatainoka Reserve via the Pahiatua Track in the shadows of the many wind turbines that cover the northern end of the Tararua Range.
With the exception of Ashhurst Domain campsite, all of these campsites are large grassed areas beside rivers with swimming holes, ideal for families and free to stay.
22/02/2024
Across the road from the Mangatainoka Reserve is the famous Tui Brewery which we were visiting when the South Pacific Packard Car Club arrived on a rally. The Packard Motor Car Company was an American automobile company producing luxury motor cars in Detroit, Michigan, between 1899 and 1958. Absolutely exquisitely presented vehicles.
Leaving Mangatainoka Reserve we travelled to Makuri Domain 28 kilometres east through the lovely Makuri River gorge. Another pleasant free camping area beside the Makuri River with plenty of room to spread out on the grassy domain.
23/02/2024
From Makuri Domain we went to the Mangahao River, for fishing, before returning to Mangatainoka Reserve.
24/02/2024
After an enjoyable lunch at the Tui Brewery we took a short drive to the Pahiatua Golf Club for an overnight stay.
25/02/2024
Pahiatua Golf Club to Ashhurst Domain campsite.
26/02/2024
Leaving Ashhurst Domain campsite behind we travelled back to Otaki Beach, our North Island adventure effectively completed.
Our journey from here will take us back across Cook Strait to the South Island and home to Christchurch visiting family and friends at Nelson and Takaka along the way.
Our final entry for our North Island Adventure is to thank our daughter and her flat mates for providing a base for us at their place in Otaki Beach. They welcomed us at their home both before and after our North Island tour and at Christmas.
Many thanks Emily, Rose and Rosa.
After a slow but social journey via Nelson and Golden Bay we arrived home on the 25th of March, 2024. We had been away from Christchurch for six months (184 days) and travelled a total distance of 12,070 kilometres. We had a fantastic time exploring the North Island which in many ways is quite different from the South Island but beautiful as well.
We hope you have enjoyed our North Island Adventure with us. There will be further adventures in the future starting with another 4 Wheel Drive Safari in November 2024. In the meantime check out our archive for previous adventures.
Thank you.
