The rainforest reappeared, and eventually I could hear the sound of rushing water. It is Whangarei Falls – not a particularly large waterfall, but a rather picturesque one.
There was a picnic area close by, so I was able to sit quietly for awhile and get my breath back, before heading all the way back.
After meandering for a time amongst Kauri trees, I emerged upstream to find that the Hatea a lot more calmer. Here, it was banked by green, green meadows (with a few more cows, of course), and mature oak trees whose boughs provided some delicious shade.
It is so very idyllic and green that I wish I could have sit under that tree forever – but I have a destination that is just as special.
I left the farmland and the road, and entered the park. Here, the Hatea flowed swiftly through large tracts of preserved rainforest. The air is cool, the light dampened, my ears filled with the sound of rushing water.
I walked for a couple of k’s along a one-laned country road, firstly past some larger properties, and then past one acre blocks. Along the roadside these distinctive flowers grew. I’d never seen them before, or thought I hadn’t. Upon returning home, I began to notice them all over the place, but none were as vibrant as the ones in Whangarei.
One of the first stops on my late 2008 tour of New Zealand’s Northland was Whangarei, the largest town (and technically classified a city) north of Auckland. Whangarei is a pretty non-descript town, but I was lucky enough to stay at a little backpackers about 6km out of town, called Little Earth Lodge. It’s really more of a bed and breakfast in terms of standard of decor, simply but stunningly decorated in the Balinese style. It is also surrounded by cow pastures and typical Northland scenery, and is the starting point of my walk to Whangarei Falls.
I watched a delightful film at the Sydney Film Festival last week called The Strength of Water. It’s about two Maori kids growing up in remote Northland.
It’s wonderful what can be done with non-professional actors, especially children. In this film the film-makers really brought out the best in them and the landscape they inhabited.
It brings to mind all the strikingly beautiful places I visited last October on my journey around Northland, where the film was shot, particularly Hokianga and the West Auckland black sand beaches. To illustrate, here are my two favourite shots from the trip:
At the head of Hokianga Harbour.
Driftwood on KareKare Beach, west of Auckland.
It’s been 3 months since I returned from my holiday in Northland. I took my trusty Olympus OM-2 to NZ – a 30 year old camera that was my dad’s – and yesterday I got the film developed. I miss the thrill that you get upon first glimpsing your photos. Never happens any more in this instant digital age. I like the moodiness of these shots. There’s something about black and white photos that can’t be replicated with a digital SLR – character.
In a secluded corner of Northland, far, far away from the tourist hordes of Bay of Islands, lies the jewel-like harbour of Hokianga. There are no buses – a battered old car is all you need – and no harbour bridges – you can only cross by car ferry.
It is tropical. The bush is actually sub-tropical rainforest, and they can grow macadamias and avocados and papayas and all other manner of tropical fruits there. It is coastal, with a massive dune system that stretches out into the ether.
It is also a very old place. Western civilisation may only be 150 years young there, but the forests themselves are thousands of years old. The trees there can be incredibly old, and when you look at the massive Tane Mahuta, you’re seeing history.
Hokianga has definitely left a mark on my memory.
If New Zealand is on the edge of the world, then Cape Reinga must be where you fall off!
A day touring around the tip of Northland is eye-opening in a lot of ways. From the holiday village of Ahipara to the listlessness of Kaitaia, from the wildness of Ninety Mile Beach to the sheltered harbours of the east coast, from sandboarding down dunes to sedately fishing in calm waters. There’s certainly a lot on offer, and I got a good sample of it.
Just returned from New Zealand. Yes, your honour, I might have a slight addiction to this country. Then again who could blame me. There are so many stunning places. Witness my latest journey to Northland. Might have only been gone a fortnight and driven less than the distance from Sydney to Brisbane, but I saw 10x as many things.
Northland actually reminds me a lot of the NSW North Coast, only much, much more laidback, and with the exception of Paihia, much less touristy. The area around Doubtless Bay is an example. Absolutely lovely place, and thankfully a place where tourist buses have yet to roam.
Static and Silence 