July 24 Museum Day
We took a loop drive to visit 2 museums today. We started at The Dargaville Museum in Dargaville, the epicenter of the once booming Kauri Gum business.
The museum is on a hill above the town of Dargaville, on the bend of the huge Wairoa river.
The museum is chock full of tons of artifacts from all walks of life in the area. This inlaid card table made of kauri wood is one of the many beautiful pieces of furniture on display.
Outside there is a display of the shacks that immigrant labourers lived in while they worked the land, digging up kauri gum (clumps of hardened sap) from the vast kauri forests that once covered the land.
The second museum is The Kauri Museum, showcasing the kauri lumber industry that unfortunately cut itself out of business. The kauri tree grows so slowly it barely escaped extinction and only grows in small groves around the Northland now.
The ‘bushmen’ of NZ reminded me of the lumberjacks of Oregon and California that cut down the old growth Ponderosa and Redwoods.
A hollowed trunk shows how big the trees could get. This one would have been a teenager!
Collections of polished kauri gum are on display, including these, in which hapless animals were caught, probably thousands of years ago!
When we arrived back at Sam’s place, she had a delicious Roast Lamb and vegetable dinner for us!
Yummy!!!!
July 23 North on the Coastal Walkway
Such a beautiful day! We hiked north on the Waipu Coastal Walkway.
A welcome bench to rest.
Expansive views towards the Hen & Chicks Islands and the tiny dot of Sail Rock on the right.
Our destination, Waipu Cove. The tide was out so we could jump across the creek and walk to the restaurant, park and bathrooms. If the tide was in, we would have to wade up to our thighs!
We marvel at the huge Pohutuwaka trees that grow horizontally, clinging to the rocks.
July 22 Piroa Falls
A hike down into the Waipu Gorge to find Piroa Falls, a short car drive away from Sam’s house.
A very short hike to the falls, but this is as close as you can get to the falls, the steep gorge walls and slippery, muddy terrain impedes any further progress.
But thanks to the drone we can get a great view!
A leisurely drive across land to the sea. A nice view of the dairy cow paddocks in the hills above the estuary of the Arapaoa River where the boats anchor near the tiny resort town of Pahi.
July 20 Waipu Coastal Walkway
Hiking down the stairs on the Waipu Coastal Walkway, destination is Ding Bay, about 45 minutes south.
The views between rocks and jungle trees are fantastic. It looks tropical, but there was a cool breeze blowing. It IS winter we have to keep telling ourselves!
We made it to Ding Bay, but the tide is in.
On the return hike we had great views of Sail Rock in the distance, looking like a huge ship sailing in. We also spotted a canoe with two hulls, being rigorously rowed by 4 athletes. Maybe they are training for a competition?
July 19 Bream Bay
We explored the nearby coast and beach.
Surfing in winter!
We visited the Mangawhai Tavern, established pre-1862. The current building was built in 1890.
