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.

Discover Our Local: Climbing Mt. Putauāki

You know, I’ve lived in Whakatāne on and off since 1996, and I told myself that this is the year I will finally climb Mt. Pautauaki in Kawerau (also known as Mt. Edgecumbe). It took two attempts, but we got there in the end. The first time we chose not to go because there was a heavy rain warning, and even though the second time was still fairly wet, it was nothing a rain jacket couldn’t handle. It’s times like these that owning more hiking jackets than heels comes in handy.

Mt. Putauaki is an igneous volcanic cone that lies 3km east of Kawerau in the Bay of Plenty. It’s 820m above sea level, and can be seen from the Eastern Bay coastline. It’s English name, Mt. Edgecumbe is said to be named after John Edgecombe, a sergeant of the marines on the Endeavour in 1776. The official name was changed to Pūtauaki in 1925. The town of Kawerau is about 40 minutes drive from Whakatāne, and the start of the track is actually through the forestry road before you get to the town. Permits cost $10 per vehicle, and requires a minimum of four hikers as part of the permit (check on their website for updates). You can only get permits through the Māori Investments website - take note that permits are only processed Monday to Friday, so plan ahead for a weekend adventure.

#GotToGetOut: Rock Climbing At Castle Rock

When you’re just starting out in rock climbing, finding a regular climbing partner is no easy feat. Our climbing crew all live busy lives and I’ve given up trying to convince friends on the merits of embracing your inner spider climbing walls. Then one day I figured, there has to be people like me, right? People who want to embrace an active lifestyle, hang out with like minded individuals or simply to meet others outside their bubble.

After a quick search on Google, I found Got To Get Out - a social enterprise that not only encouraged people to embrace the outdoors, but their paid trips also come with a ‘buy one, give one’ philosophy. It means that for every paid trip, a child gets the chance to experience the outdoors. Volunteer leaders around the country regularly organise free group outings, as well as paid trips. Walking, running, hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing and snow trips are just some of the activities they offer.

Discover Our Local: Explore Ōhiwa with KG Kayaks

My loud cackle broke the silence at Gees boat ramp on Ōhiwa Loop Road. It was so good to be able to laugh like that again. It was Friday and there were only four people at the boat ramp that morning - a lone fisherman and our group of three getting ready to set out on our kayaking tour. After a couple of minutes getting to know each other, Teresa (the other woman on the tour) and I just realised that we actually work together, although we had only communicated by email previously. Talk about two degrees of separation.

It was only mid-morning and there was still a slight dew in the air, the kind that tells you that you’re just far away enough from town life. The harbour was so flat that you thought you were looking out at glass. Kenny told Teresa and I to paddle around while he locked up the truck. A few minutes had passed when Kenny called out to us to come back closer to shore - it turned out we had floated quite far out and were heading in the opposite direction. We soon realised how strong the current was, especially in the flat conditions.

A New Zealand Must-Do: A Supreme Zip Lining Experience With Rotorua Canopy Tours!

My first zip lining adventure was way back in 2017 (also with Rotorua Canopy Tours), with my friend Tamizan. It came at a time when I wanted to face my fear of heights, and face it I did! It would be another two years before the Ultimate Tour was built and after seeing their teaser video, I knew I just had to do it. I bought the voucher in 2018 just before I left for Peru, so I guess you can say that this adventure was two years in the making.