The North Island's Highest Waterfall - Wairere Falls

The best views always come from some gut-busting hikes and Wairere Falls didn’t disappoint. It’s the highest waterfall (153m) in the North Island after all. Even though it was less than two hours to the top of the falls, the 400m elevation made the last 30 minutes (from the lower lookout) a challenging hike in the 30C heat.

Some parts of the track are only wide enough for one person, and add to that it was Waitangi weekend, there was a lot of giving way. The steepest section comes after the lower lookout and I didn’t have to use my poles until then. I saw plenty of families with younger children at the top, so I guess with a bit of time it’s still fairly accessible as a family track. I even saw some people walking in jandals, though I wouldn’t recommend it.

Bay of Plenty: Sunshine, rock hopping and cinnamon pinwheels

This was an unplanned, random adventure - unplanned because we had actually planned to go in the opposite direction, yet it turned out pretty cool in the end. Sunshine, rock hopping and cinnamon pinwheels at McLaren Falls was an awesome half-day adventure with my friend, Jem, her daughter Amelia and Vlado (Jem’s flatmate).

I know what you’re thinking, why go rock hopping when you can chase waterfalls, right? It turns out that rock hopping in the sunshine is good for the soul, not to mention a great workout for your quads! It certainly brought out Amelia’s sense of adventure, who was still to be convinced that road trips with adults (particularly with her mum’s friends) can actually be fun.

Bay of Plenty: Learning about te ao Māori in the Ōtanewainuku Forest

The connection I feel when I’m in nature, be it in the bush, on a mountain, lake or coast isn’t something I find easy to describe in words. It’s a language we are all born with, yet will lose over our lifetime unless we continue to build on that connection.

Up until a few days ago, I had never heard of the Ōtanewainuku Forest. It's just over an hour's drive from Whakatāne, tucked away in Oropi, just inland of Te Puke. Basically, right on my doorstep!

For my Sunday hike, I was lucky enough to be joined by Te Reiroa, a local whose knowledge of
Te Ao Māori exceeded his years. This was his hau kāinga (a forest he grew up in) and I felt privileged to be given a personal guided tour, learning about various Māori folklore. He took me to Whataroa Falls, where it's believed to be a gateway between 'noa' or the land of the living, and the spirit world. It's a rare sharing of old world knowledge and insight into Te Ao Māori that most people may never experience in their lifetime, and for that I was most grateful.

Bay of Plenty: Exploring Te Rerekawau (Kaiate) Falls

I like exploring the Bay of Plenty, and last Sunday’s mini-roadie took me to Te Rerekawau Falls (also known as Kaiate Falls). It’s in Waitao, about 20 minutes south of Tauranga. From Whakatāne, it’s an easy hour drive along the Tauranga Eastern Link (SH 2) until the turn off to Kairua. The drive is surrounded by farmland - I read that there used to be a gravel section leading to the car park, but now it’s sealed. The car park isn’t that big, so if it’s full you just have to park down the hill and walk back up.

Before the car park, there’s a track that runs along the river, don’t use this as the section that connects to the main track is now permanently closed. The track starts at the car park.

Escape To The Beautiful Karaponga Reserve

Bill Clark and I go way back to my musical theatre days - he is indeed a man of many talents and passions. Today he is my guide to what he describes as the Onepu Project, a collective of activities and experiences in a village just 20 minutes from Whakatane. It’s a place us Eastern Bay locals should know about, or maybe we do and don’t use because of the perceived inconvenience of getting out there. Some people in cities sit in traffic longer every day, I feel pretty lucky to be living here.