Matarangi 2005
Lesley needed a break from trying to complete her Master in Library and Information Studies program, so we asked a lady at church if we could use her bach on the Coromandel Peninsula. She said sure, so we headed out to Matarangi, up near the top of the peninsula, and spent the last full week of February relaxing at the beach. It takes about three hours to get there from Auckland as one has to go around the Firth of Thames and then up one side of the peninsula. The many narrow, winding roads along the way, although paved now, haven't changed much since the horse-and-cart days. The scenery is beautiful but distracting and the "Caution - Wide Vehicles" signs at various stages along the road are a bit worrying. I had a bit of a fright when a big logging truck came barrelling around a blind corner between the cliff and the beach. The perils of the journey aside, Matarangi is well worth the visit. |
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The Firth of Thames Western Coromandel Coastline |
The Coromandel Peninsula is pretty empty. Gold mining and logging (the latter of which continues in a big way) feature prominently in its history. Thames (pop. 7500), the 'gateway' to the Coromandel, is popular with retirees but is also home to some of the last primary industry in NZ, including a Toyota assembly plant. Sleepy little communities line the west coast of the peninsula all the way up to the isolated Coromandel Town. From here you can take the path less travelled out to Port Jackson at the tip of the peninsula or turn east and head over the mountains to Matarangi. Below is a panoramic view looking west across the Hauraki Gulf towards Auckland from the scenic look-out above the town. |
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Click here for a close-up of the town and harbor. |
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Matarangi is situated on a forested, marshy, sandy spit of land running from east to west. The eastern half is a more traditional Kiwi beach community, with older baches and newer middle-class homes intermingled with undeveloped plots littered with caravans and modified utility sheds. The western half is a posh resort complete with an airfield, golf course, and oddly-shaped mansions (some tucked away in a grove of tall trees, others shoulder to shoulder along the fairways). Fortunately, the house we stayed in was in the older section. The community is well planned, with quite a few open areas in amongst the houses with little paths running through so you can get a proper feel for the place and see more than the 'view from the road.' We were only a few minutes' walk from the beach, a nice flat stretch of white sand that we had almost entirely to ourselves ... |
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The Beach |
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Looking West Looking East |
Whitianga (pop. 4000) is the next biggest town on the Coromandel after Thames. It's only about 15 minutes down the east coast from Matarangi. It's a cute little town with lots of room to grow. The town itself mostly just wraps around the edge of the bay, and there's a wide swath of open land between the town and the hills behind. Not far from the center of town is the unique Hot Water Beach. We didn't make it there, but it's supposedly world-renowned for the hot springs that bubble up from the sand on either side of low tide. You can enjoy your own little hot tub right on the beach. If we go back to the Coromandel, I think we'll go stay in Whitianga and explore that area a little better. We only went down there for an hour or so to do some grocery shopping. We ate lunch on the beach and watched a couple teaching their little kids how to play cricket on the sand. |
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Whitianga |
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We decided to go home down the east coast of the Coromandel and cross back over at the bottom instead of going back the way we came via the west coast. This turned out to be a wise decision as the drive contains some of the most beautiful scenery in all of New Zealand. Unfortunately, it's also scenery that's a bit tough to photograph. Further down the coast from Whitianga are the twin towns of Tairua and Pauanui, separated by the Tairua Harbor. To the left you'll find the view of Tairua Harbor with Pauanui on the right and Paku Island to the left. Both towns are quite densely packed with expensive new holiday homes. The drive from Tairua back across the mountains to Thames was possibly the best part of the whole trip. For one thing, the roads sweep majestically through the mountains rather than twist dangerously back and forth, which makes it more fun to drive. |
Well, that's it, folks. The Coromandel Peninsula was
fantastic. I'd rather like to get the in-laws out there sometime, but
we'll have to wait and see about that. There are some interesting little
places, like Whitianga, that I'd like to explore more. I highly recommend
the Coromandel, for anyone thinking of coming to New Zealand for a visit.
Considering that it's not that far from Auckland (in fact, it's visible
from the city on a clear day), there really is no excuse not to check it
out. |