EXPLORING THE KAURI COAST AND HOKIANGA

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Northland's Kauri Coast and Hokianga is really worth exploring!

There is stunning scenery, forest walks, fishing, surfing, quad bike rides, tramping, and isolated beaches. There are some excellent campsites to stay in, as well as great locations where you can stay for free or low cost.

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The small Northland town of Kaiwaka boasts a large sports complex which is located away from the main road. Parking is available alongside the tennis courts and has been made available for free overnight parking for self-contained motor caravanners. Check with Jaques Four Square Store for availability and keys for the showers.

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Paparoa is a small country town on State Highway 12, roughly halfway between Brynderywyn and Dargaville. The Motor Camp is off the main road, and offers a quiet rural setting that is just a short stroll from the shops, cafe, pub, and an award winning restaurant. There is 5 km walk to an ancient Maori Pa Site to help with the exercise.

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Pahi is a small rural community on the banks of the Kaipara harbour and is well known for its huge Moreton Bay Fig tree and good fishing. The council-owned campsite is very busy over summer, but would make a nice seaside getaway in Spring and Autumn.

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The Matakohe Kauri Museum is one of Northland's iconic attractions, attracting busloads of visitors all year round. It is easily our largest museum focussed on our early pioneering history, with the emphasis on logging and digging for kauri gum. This is a must see attraction for history buffs, and self-contained motor caravanners can park overnight.

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Matakohe Holiday Park is located in a quiet rural environment, overlooking the river, and just a short walk from the Matakohe Kauri Museum.

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Tinopai Motor Camp is at the entrance to the tiny country community of Tinopai, about 30 minutes drive along a sealed road from Matakohe. It's a beautiful country seaside location, with a long walk to the pier, and great fishing.

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Ruawai is a small country town just south of Dargaville and sited alongside the Kaipara harbour. The wharf carpark is a large metaled area adjacent to a reserve with clean toilets, picnic tables and with a children's playground nearby. Self-contained motor caravanners can stay overnight.

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Dargaville Holiday Park is next to Selwyn Park and the swimming complex, making it an excellent location for a family camping holiday while still in a town environment.

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The Dargaville Parkover is part of the local Information Centre and Woodturners Gallery. They also provide low-cost parking for self-contained vans.

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The Dargaville Museum provides an excellent collection of pioneering history as well as a PDS and overnight parking for self contained vans. You get a great view over the town and the Northern Wairoa river.

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Aratapu Tavern is located just before the small rural town of Te Kopuru on the Pouto Peninsula. A good location for a country pub meal, it offers free overnight parking for self-contained motor caravanners.

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Glinks Gully is a small seaside community on the Ripiro Coast. Typical of the west coast, it has a long, surf beach and is a popular holiday location for the 'townies' working in Dargaville.

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Kellys Bay is a small rural seaside community with a beautiful beach, great fishing, and a basic campground just across the road from the beach. While the campsite is basic, the location is stunning. A great place to enjoy the real New Zealand.

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The Pouto Marine Hall Campground overlooks the Kaipara harbour at Pouto Point. Famous for its fishing and stunning views, the campground is very popular over the summer holiday season. This is one of the few places where it really is worth driving along 22 km of gravel road to get there.

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Baylys Beach is a large seaside community on the Ripiro coast not far from Dargaville.The holiday park has plenty of on-grass powered sites and good facilities.

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The Kauri Coast Top 10 Holiday Park provides a luxurious camping experience close to both the Trounson Park forest and the Kai Iwi Lakes.

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The Kai Iwi Lakes are one of Northland's iconic attractions. The campsite at Pine Beach offers provides on grass parking set back a little from Lake Taharoa, and is a great location for water sports, fishing, and going for long walks. There is another campsite at Promenade Point.

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Trounson Kauri Park Forest is a special place, with 586 hectares of forest reserve and farmland have been managed as a 'mainland island' by the Department of Conservation. Experience walking through our native forest, and listening to the regenerating bird song There are only a few places like this left in New Zealand..

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The Waipoua Forest is one of our iconic attractions, featuring some kauri trees that are over 2,000 years old. There are well maintained walking tracks through the forest, and bus loads of visitors arrive all year round.

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The Waipoua Visitor Centre is run by the local Iwi and has a nice cafe where you can relax and organise forest walks. It's just a short walk from the Campground.

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Labyrinth Woodworks, Maze, and Puzzle Museum has been one of the key attractions in the Hokianga. Louis Toorenburg has been making wooden puzzles since back in his hippie days and you can spend hours looking through his collection, or trying to find your way through his hedge maze. There is also limited overnight parking for self-contained motor caravanners.

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This rest area provides a stunning view over the Hokianga Harbour. You need to be travelling northwards or you are likely to miss it. It is well worth stopping for a break to enjoy the view, and also to explore the Arai-Te-Uru Recreation Reserve a little further along.

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Opononi Holiday Park is a large campground that is spread out into a number of areas and is directly across the road from the stunningly beautiful Hokianga Harbour.

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Rawene Holiday Park is tucked away at the back of Rawene town. From the town centre you can also take the ferry across to Kohukohu, or you can spend some time exploring the art gallery, mangrove board walk, or the cafes in Rawene.

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The Horeke Tavern the first tavern ever built in New Zealand, and is an historic icon in a stunning location on the Hokianga Harbour. Overnight parking overlooking the harbour is allowed in self-contained vans.

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The Mangungu Mission House was established in 1828, two years after the tavern. It was the site of the largest gathering to sign the Treaty of Waitangi.

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The reserve at Mangungu Point is alongside the Hokianga Harbour, and is available for overnight parking in self contained vans.