Waikato Bop Football
We get a little fruity on day 12 of the tour as we stop off next to a massive piece of Kiwifruit. This local icon stands at the entrance to Kiwi360, an orchard/café/function centre situated a few kilometres to the east of the town of Te Puke. It’s hard to miss really and well worth …
Following our stop by the lake we headed north east to the sunny eastern Bay of Plenty and the pleasant beachside town of Whakatane. Actually, Whakatane is a very pleasant town as it was the sunniest spot in New Zealand during 2012. Where better to head on a spring Wednesday? And what better spot to …
As the crow flies Rotorua is not actually that far from Tokoroa, but as the car drives it’s quite a bit further. It’s a decent drive, however; looping round and heading up and over the Mamaku Range, before descending towards Lake Rotorua. Rotorua has many and varied potential scenic spots and stops, but probably the most iconic is …
The Kinleith paper mill sits just outside the South Waikato town of Tokoroa and became our next stop because of the giant Talking Pole located at the entrance to the mill. This wood carving is named Life Force and is, indeed, a force. It’s tall – much taller than Marko – and an impressive thing to …
Read More “» WaiBOP United Kit Tour: Stop 9 – Tokoroa (Kinleith)”
Just up State Highway 1 from Taupo is one of New Zealand’s most mythical, or maybe mystical, hiding places – Hatupatu’s Rock. Tucked in a rest area right beside the road, this rock is shaped like a small pyramid with a child size depression in the side. Legend has it that one day Hatupatu was …
Read More “» WaiBOP United Kit Tour: Stop 8 – Hatupatu’s Rock”
Taupo sits at the northern end of Lake Taupo, New Zealand’s Great Lake. Our journey here from yesterday’s stop at Waitomo Caves took us south along State Highway 3, then onto State Highway 30 at Te Kuiti, the sheep shearing capital of the world no less. We were in a rush so didn’t have time …
Waitomo is famous for its glowworm caves so we thought it important to pay a visit to one of the region’s key tourist attractions. Unfortunately we couldn’t take Marko into the caves (he wouldn’t fit into the boat) so he was unable to experience to full glory of those funny little bugs. Instead, we stopped outside the Waitomo …
Read More “» WaiBOP United Kit Tour: Stop 6 – Waitomo Caves”
Leaving Ngaruawahia we head south taking State Highway 39, skirting round Hamilton, to Pirongia then head across country to Te Awamutu. The town is often referred to as “The Rose Town of New Zealand” because of its elaborate rose gardens in the centre of the town, so we thought that was a good a place …
A short drive south of Huntly brings us to the town of Ngaruawahia. Located at the meeting of the Waikato and Waipa Rivers, Ngaruawahia is home to the Maori Kīngitanga or King Movement. The first Maori King, Potatau Te Wherowhero, was crowned at Ngaruawahia in April, 1857. The name Ngaruawahia means ‘the opened food pits, which …
Travelling south along State Highway 1 we soon stumble upon the North Waikato town of Huntly. The Huntly Power Station is a large coal-fired power station, sited on the western bank of the mighty Waikato River. It is New Zealand’s largest thermal power station, situated in an area which is New Zealand’s largest producer of coal. …
