Kauri Coast settlement known as the heart of Kaipara
Maungaturoto there are plenty of things to do. Unearth hidden corners of the Kaipara Harbour. On your way to the Kauri Museum, take time to visit the heart of the Kauri Coast, Maungaturoto. It is a gem. It is worthwhile visiting to view the Nikau Grove. For waterfall devotees Piroa Waterfalls deserves to be ticked off the bucket list. It is one of the few waterfalls where swimmers can wade / swim directly under the waterfall. The drawback is no toilets on the DOC managed site.
WHAT TO DO IN MAUNGATUROTO, HIGHLIGHTS
- Piroa Falls Track. Hiking Trails, Waterfalls.
- Art galleries and craft stores
- Kandiah Alpacas & Farmstay
- Nikau Grove (Whaka Street) hidden gem is glorious fern glory
- Nearby Matakohe Kauri Museum and historic church
NIKAU PALMS
Nikau are a palm species endemic to New Zealand. The fronds create filtered light creating dappled sunlight adding to the charm of the grove.
PIROA WATERFALLS
Picturesque Gorge Road leads to Piroa Falls, Ahuroa River. Park by the side of the road. There are a number of swimming holes making it a great day trip. You can even swim safely under the waterfall. The track is short, steep, 500m from the car park. Best time to visit early summer for maximum water flow.
Location
Waipu Gorge Scenic Reserve is signposted on SH1 at the foot of the Brynderwyn Hills. Follow Waipu Gorge Road for about 7 km until you reach the car park and track indicated by a DOC and AA sign.
No toilets nearby.
WHAKAPIRAU BEACH
A tiny beach settlement on the Kaipara Harbour is a quiet spot for swimming, beach walks and all types of water sports. There are no shops at Whakapirau but there is a church, a playground and a tennis court.
WHERE TO TAKE THE BEST SELFIE IN MAUNGATUROTO
- Piroa waterfalls
- Nikau Grove
MAUNGATUROTO’S MOTTO
Heart of the Kaipara
MAUNGATUROTO’S SOCIAL MEDIA
Maungaturoto – Heart of the Kaipara
MAUNGATUROTO FOR KIDS
- Swim under a waterfall
- A day at at WHAKAPIRAU BEACH where you are the only family group
- Visit the Kauri Museum as part of the day trip around the Kaipara Harbour
MAUNGATUROTO’S NOTORIETY
- Mati Jujnovich, charged with failing to do national service April 3, 1919, Tried: 3 April 1919, Auckland Magistrate’s Court. National service’ work scheme men had to work on national development projects, in rural areas, for low wages. This scheme continued well after the war. Twenty-nine-year-old Mati Jujnovich resented this forced labour and abandoned a public works scheme at Maungaturoto in Northland in early 1919. Chafing under the conditions, Jujnovich returned home and urged his friends to work so slowly they would get fired. The police tracked him down and hauled him before the magistrate, who fined him for.
- Let’s rip off the insurance company scheme. Francis Saville Lough bought a car under the hire-purchase system and decided not to pay the balance owing. The car was insured with the Ocean Accident Assurance Corporation for £300. Lough was under the impression that the policy with the company expired on March 31, but it had lapsed on March 28. Lough decided to push the car over the gorge and then collect the insurance money. He got caught and charged being one of the first individuals to knowingly defraud an insurance company with a vehicle claim Source, Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 103, 5 May 1926
MAUNGATUROTO’S POPULATION
- 1,269
WEATHER IN MAUNGATUROTO
WHAT KEEPS MAUNGATUROTO TICKING?
- Dairy farming service centre
JUDGMENT ON MAUNGATUROTO
- Combined with a Kaipara Harbour tour this is a must visit destination
Every town adds to the richness of things to do and see. For more details about the region check Far North & Northland Region nearby attractions and events.
MAUNGATUROTO’S LOCATION
At the head of the Wairau River, the river flows into the northern section of the Kaipara Harbour.
WHO TURNED UP AND NAMED MAUNGATUROTO?
Maungaturoto is known as the Heart of the Kaipara District. The small rural township was established in 1863 under the Albertland Settlement Scheme. Maungaturoto Country Club offers park over facilities for campervans and caravans, as well as a community walkway which provides easy walking through farmland and bush.
Meaning of Maungaturoto name
Maunga: mountain; tū: to stand; roto: lake. A descriptive name appropriate for many of the volcanic cones of Northland which appear to be standing in the midst of lakes or marshes.
Need an accomodation place in Maungaturoto?
Matakohe – Kauri Museum (unmissable) – where to stay
Matakohe, home of the must-visit Kauri Museum. The small rural settlement offers visitors an authentic New Zealand escape to the subtropical north. Kauri Museum, delve into the story of the Kauri tree.
Book now @Maungaturoto Historic Inn @Maungaturoto Historic Inn @Maungaturoto Historic Inn @Maungaturoto Historic InnBEST BITS TRAVEL GUIDE