Scenic Short Road Trip - Rawene to Cape Reinga

Kaitaia is a place where visitors are either going up North to Cape Reinga, ‘up the road’ or South to Mangonui, ‘down the road.’  The town has a reputation for being a place where rival gangs compete for territory. Yet the town is very welcoming to visitors as a substantial part of the local economy works in the tourism sector. 

The town has a strong sense of community and family (whanau) and asking where to go and how to get there you will be offered plenty of advise. 

WHAT ARE THE TOP SIGHTS NEARBY KAITAIA?

• Cape Reinga Lighthouse and the top of Aotearoa New Zealand
• Ahipara and Shipwreck Bay where gumdiggers once launched reefers to export kauri gum now surfers experience some of the best swells in New Zealand
• Ahipara arts and craft centre is a mere 14 km away
• Gumdiggers Park, an original 100 historic kauri gum site
• Mangonui and the best fish n chips in NZ
• Fascinating dune lake, Lake Ohia and Lake Ngatu

More about Kaitaia

Ahipara is a natural place to start finding the edges of New Zealand. Ahipara is more than a beach, there is a vibrant local art scene, a picturesque golf course with sand dunes offering challenges and the welcoming vibe of a small community.

Discover a vibrant community nestled among the sand dunes of Ahipara Bay. Ahipara Beach is a safe swimming location and is a local popular spot in summer. 

• Shipwreck Bay, where the kauri gum diggers launched lighters to waiting cargo ships, is now an internationally known surfing beach.
• Golf among the sand dunes, its 18 hole magic and the best place to catch the golfing bug. Full club facilities. All visitors are welcome. Hire clubs and trundlers available.

Towering sand dunes of Tauroa Peninsula are the entrance way to Shipwreck Bay, a well known surf break with consistent rolling swells from the Tasman that are forced to peel a long Reef Point.  Of historic interest is the nearby Gumfields Park. Like other parts of Northland, digging and mining of Kauri Gum used to bring money into the area. Until the Gum ran out.

Ahipara is located on the west coast of Northland and the southern end of 90 Mile Beach.

More about Ahipara

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A great place for families to picnic and enjoy an easy perimeter walk. Lake Ngatu is a freshwater dune lake and recreation reserve. 

Length: 4 km boardwalk and firm gravel

Dogs: on leash 

Lake Ngatu Track – Northland

Lake Ngatu is shallow and a great place to paddle board or kayak. There are manuka groves on the shoreline and raupo beds (flax) creating a fantasy world where dab chicks, herons, shags and ducks populate the lake.

INTERESTING FACT NOTE AFFILIATE PARTNER STATEMENT

The walking track is exposed to the sun. You will need to carry water and sunscreen. There are toilets on either side of the lake. Beautiful big shade trees are perfect for a picnic.

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Extractive industry. Similar other parts of Northland, digging and mining of Kauri Gum used to bring money into the area. Until the Gum ran out. Gumdiggers Park is an attraction based around an original 100 year old digging site for kauri gum. The area is also known as Kaikino Swamp. Gumdiggers Park is  part of the once much larger Aupouri Gumfields; the largest Gumfields in the country. The last kauri gum was extracted in the 1950’s.

Gumdiggers Park top sights:

• Recreated shacks and raupo (flax) huts
• Original kauri gum equipment for extraction and processing
• Gum store for supplies
• Massive swamp kauri logs over 100,000 years old
• Walking through the gumfields
• Northland green gecko breeding programme

More about Gumdiggers Park

CAPE REINGA TOP SIGHTS:

• Tidal tussle between Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean
• Te Paki Reserve with its massive sand dunes and coastal walks
• Cape Reinga lighthouse is about 961 ft (292.9 m) above sea level
• The Pohutukawa tree, at the tip of the Aupouri peninsula is estimated to be 800 years old. The tree is where spirits slide their way down into the sea on their way to their ancestral home
• Cape Reinga sunset or sunrise is stunning 

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Cape Reinga can feel ‘crowded’ with land reduced to a jagged peninsula and a narrow path to the lighthouse. For an authentic solitary experience arrive either before or after the tour buses have disgorged their inhabitants – before 11.00 am for after 3.00pm in the afternoon.

Immerse yourself in a world where the ocean reduces land to a pinpoint creating an end of the world feeling.

More about Cape Reinga

As you travel towards Te Rerenga Wairua (Cape Reinga) you see pou (large posts) indicating places of interest to stop and learn about the specific stories for each pou as you soak up the views. The design of the pou’s panels is accompanied by an information plaque. There are four stops (Pou 1 to 4) as you travel towards Te Rerenga Wairua (Cape Reinga).

Te Paki Recreational Reserve – Pou Trail

For detailed notes about the trail, Cape Reinga to Ahipara section check out New Zealand’s Trail — Northland trail notes. While a PDF or downloaded version is a great idea, remember to check the website for up to date information before you commence each section.

Hills of gold sand beckon visitors to hop on a sand board and career down the slope. Your hair, clothes and footwear will be filled with sand. It is an extraordinary sight, the desert landscape butting up against green pasture dotted with sheep. 

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Sand is surprisingly abrasive and wears long sleeved trousers to protect yourself from the inevitable spills. 

And for those who don’t wish to trudge up the gigantic shifting sand dunes there are great views of the gold dunes, the green pasture fields and sandboarders from the carpark.

Learn more about Te Paki Sand Dunes, getting there and tips for sand boarding.

Te Paki Sand Dunes

Discover a drivable beach that is not 90 miles, rather 55 miles or 88 km in length. The southern edge of the beach is Tauroa Point headland, past Ahipara Bay. The wide stretch of low tidal sand is hard packed and drivable with a 4W4 vehicle. 

• West coast beach characterised by driftwood, rolling surf and sand dunes
• Ninety Mile Beach’s major claim to fame is the enormous Te Paki sand dunes and its route leads to the iconic Cape Reinga Lighthouse

More about Ninety Mile Beach

A surprise at Cape Reinga, Northland is a mere 45 minute walk. Find a quiet empty glorious beach at Te Werahi Beach. From Cape Reinga/Te Rerenga Wairua, a 2 km track follows the West Coast leading you down past steep cliffs to the long, sweeping Te Werahi Beach.

This section makes a nice short walk or half day excursion. At Te Werahi you will notice the coastline is wilder than the secluded north/east coast bays.

Spirits Bay is the home of departed Maori spirits before their journey to their ancestral home. The wide 10 km sandy beach is over 9 km in length creating an otherworldly place where the beach reaches to the horizon.

Behind the beach is Paranoa Swamp, Spirits Bay wetlands home to the rare fernbird.

Remote camp site favoured by bird watchers and visitors after quiet outdoor space. The natural dune ecosystem has native pingao and spinifex plants.

Birds nest among the dunes between August to March. New Zealand dotterel and variable oystercatchers are vulnerable to dogs and people unintentionally disturbing nest sites.

More about Rarawa Beach

Parengarenga Harbour is sheltered from the sea by a 10-kilometre-long promontory of pure silica sand, called Kokota Spit.  Parengarenga Harbour is an outstanding example of a largely unmodified northern estuary with a subtropical climate.

More about Parengarenga Harbour