© Lonely Planet Publications 214 lonelyplanet.com 215 Waikato & the King Country If the colour green had a homeland this would be it. Verdant fields give way to rolling hills in the countryside around New Zealand’s mightiest river, the Waikato. Visitors from southern Eng- land might wonder why they bothered leaving home, especially in quaint towns like Cambridge where every effort has been made to replicate the ‘mother country’. It’s little wonder that Peter Jackson chose the Waikato as the bucolic Shire in his movie adaptation of Lord of the Rings. But this veneer of conspicuous Englishness only partly disguises another reality. Move over hobbits, this is Tainui country. This powerful coalition of related tribes joined with others to elect a king in the 1850s to resist the loss of their land and sovereignty. Although the fertile Waikato was taken from them by war, they retained control of the limestone crags and forests of what became known as the King Country to within a whisper of the 20th century. The back roads along the coast still contain tiny outposts of Maoridom, echoes of an earlier era. Today’s visitors can experience first-hand the area’s genteel/free-wheeling dichotomy. Adrenaline junkies will be drawn to the wild surf of Raglan or rough-and-tumble underground pursuits in the extraordinary Waitomo Caves, while others will warm to the more sedate delights of Te Aroha’s Edwardian thermal complex or Hamilton’s gardens. It’s the Waikato River that symbolises this best – in places idyllic lakes have been cre- ated by harnessing it to hydroelectric projects while elsewhere its mauri (life force) flows fast and free. WAIKATO & THE WAIKATO & THE HIGHLIGHTS KING COUNTRY Seeking subterranean thrills in the Waitomo Caves ( p236 ) Hanging with the bronzed crowd while Te Aroha hanging-ten at Raglan ( p223 ) Raglan Hamilton KING COUNTRY KING COUNTRY WAIKATO & THE WAIKATO & THE Discovering your own bush-framed black- sand beach on the rugged west coast Kawhia Maungatautari ( p240 ) Pigging out on Maori culture at the Kawhia Waitomo Caves Kai Festival ( p235 ) Soaking in ‘the love’ and thermal waters of Te Aroha ( p233 ) Plotting a pub crawl in surprisingly buzzy Hamilton ( p222 ) Tramping through an inland island paradise at Maungatautari ( p229 ) TELEPHONE CODE: 07 www.waikatonz.co.nz www.kingcountry.co.nz 216 WAIKATO •• North of Hamilton lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com ὈὈWAIKATO •• Waikato & the King Country 217 Climate produce exported to the settlers in Auckland 0 20 km WAIKATO & THE KING COUNTRY 0 12 miles and beyond. Rangiaowhia, near Te Awamutu, The southern area around Taumarunui is Waipipi Pukekohe To Auckland Orongo Kopu Glenbrook Mangatangi Pipiroa Matatoki wetter and colder than the rest of the region, became a prosperous farming town – much Glenbrook (44km) Whangamata Vintage Pokeno Taurangaruru Railway Puni Maramarua Puriri to the envy of the new arrivals, who coveted Waiuku Kopoku Waitakaruru Turua which can suffer summer droughts. Tuakau 2 Ngatea Waiharakeke Aka Aka River Mercer the flat fecund Waikato plains. Otaua Hikutaia Meremere Whangamarino Mangatarata Whiritoa Waiuku Wetland Coromandel Relations between the two cultures soured Forest Pukekawa Piako Bay of Getting There & Around Waikato Management Torehape Forest Park 1 Reserve 26 Plenty during the 1850s, largely due to the colonists’ ὈὈKaihere Ὀ 25 Hamilton is the transport hub, with its airport Port Waikato River Te Kauwhata Paeroa Waihi Golden Valley pressure to purchase Maori land. In response, a Opuatia Patetonga Awaiti ( p223 ) servicing some international and ex- Lake Waihi Glen Rangiriri Waikare 27 25 Beach confederation of tribes united to elect a king to Koputal Tirohia Waikino tensive domestic routes. Buses link the city to ᝲᝲMurray Lakeᎊᎊᎊ Limestone Downs Wetland Athenree everywhere in the North Island. Most inland safeguard their interests, forming what became Whangape Management Kaimai Mamaku Ohinewai Reserve Mangaiti Forest Park known as the ‘King Movement’ (see p219 ). Naike Lake Te Hoe Tahuna towns are also well connected on bus routes, Rotongaro Ongare Nikau Cave Lake Kimihia Hoe- In July 1863 Governor Grey sent a huge Waikaretu Te Aroha Mt Te Aroha Point but the remote coastal communities (apart Lake Waahi O-Tainui Kaimai Range Lake Hakanoa Te Puninga (952m) Katikati force to invade the Waikato and exert colonial Matira Pepepe Huntly Waihou Tauranga from Mokau on SH3) are less well served. Otehe Point ὈὈὈWaihou River ᝲᝲ2 Harbour Taupiri (287m) Taupiri control. After almost a year of fighting, known 22 Taupiri Waitoa Aongatete Trains are another option but they are Mountain Hopuhopu Tatuanui Dunmore Walkway Shaftesbury Omokoroa as the Waikato War, the Kingites retreated Morrinsville infrequent and surprisingly expensive on Glen Massey Ngaruawahiaᎊᎊ Te Akau Gordonton south to what became branded the King Ngaura Apata short legs. The main trunk-line between Waingaro Te Puna Hot Springs 26 27 Country. Europeans didn’t dare to venture T A S M A N Matamata Auckland and Wellington stops at Hamilton, Raglan Four Brothers ᝲᝲTo Tauranga Rangipu Scenic Reserve Airfield there for several decades. S E A Beach Harbour (8km) Otorohanga, Te Kuiti and Taumarunui. Ohautira Newstead The war resulted in the confiscation of Ngarunui Beach Raglan Whatawhata Manu Bay Te Uke HAMILTON Matangi MatamataὈὈ Temple View 360,000 hectares of land, much of which Whale Bay Mt Karioi 23 Tamahere 24 29 Kauroa Waipa River Woody Head (755m) Karamu was given to colonial soldiers to farm and Te Toto Te Mata Walkway Karamu Hamilton Te Poi WAIKATO Airport Cambridge Gorge 3 defend. In 1995 the Waikato tribes received a Bridal Veil Falls (274m) Hinuera 1 Karapiro Kaimai Mamaku Ruapuke Harapepe Ohaupo Forest Park History full Crown apology for the wrongful invasion Pirongia Monavale Piarere Selwyn Beach Lake Waiomou Aotea Makomako Forest Park Mangapiko Karapiro By the time Europeans started to arrive, this and confiscation of their lands, as well as a Te Rahu Judge 28 Harbour Pirongia Valley Maungatautari Te Awamutu Tirau Tapapa region – stretching as far north as Auckland’s $170 million package, including the return Mt Pirongia Ecological To Rotorua Te Puiaᝲ Island (18km) (959m) Rangiaowhia of land that the Crown still held. ὈHot Springs ὈὈKihikihi Mt Maungatautari ὈὈ Manukau Harbour – had long been the home- Orakau 5 Urawhitiki Kawhia Ngutunui (797m) Putaruru Kawhia 31 land of the Waikato tribes, descended from Point Tihiroa Arapuni Albatross Te Maika Harbour Hauturu Te Rauamoa Mamaku the Tainui migration ( p218 ). In settling this NORTH OF HAMILTON Point Te Waitere Lichfield Waiharakeke land they displaced or absorbed tribes from Most people blast along SH1 between Taharoa Rotongata ᝲKinohaku Korakonui Wharepapa Lake Kiokio South earlier migrations. Auckland and Hamilton in about 90 Taharoa Otorohanga Lake 1 Piripiri Arohena Arapuni Mamaku Forest Initially European contact was on Maori minutes, but if you’re in the mood to Caves Mangapohue Waitomo Te Anga Natural Arch Caves Tokoroa meander, the upper Waikato has some Awamarino Tokoroa Airfield terms and to the advantage of the local people. ὈὈWaitomo Hangatiki Ὀ Marokopa Caves Mason's Limestone Valley Their fertile land, which was already culti- interesting diversions. Marokopa Waipapa Lake ᝲᝲᝲᝲFalls Oparure 32ᝲᝲKinleith Kiritehere Waipap Tawarau Te Kuiti Forest vated with kumara and other crops, was well Forest Moeatoa Marokopa Pakeho 30 Tirua River Upper suited to the introduction of new fruits and Port Waikato Mairoa Lake Atiamuri WAIKATO & THE Point Eight Mile Waiteti Mangakino Maraetai KING COUNTRY vegetables. By the 1840s the Waikato econ- While the name might conjure up images WAITOMO Junction Pureora Atiamuri Whareorino Forest Park Whakamaru omy was booming, with bulk quantities of of heavy industry and crusty seadogs, that’s Ngarupupu Forest 30 30 Lake ᝲᝲᝲᝲ ᝲᝲAtiamuri Point Waikawau Piopio Rangitoto Ranges Aramatai Lake far from the reality of this petite village at Paemako Kopaki Titiraupenga Whakamaru ὈὈὈὈBarryville (1042m) the mouth of the mighty river. There’s lit- Aratoro Arataki WAIKATO & THE KING COUNTRY tle here apart from an old-fashioned collec- 3 Aria Benneydale Pureora Mokai FACTS tion of baches (holiday homes), a couple of Mahoenui Pureora River (1165m) KING COUNTRY KING COUNTRY ᝲᝲHerangi Range Mokauiti WAIKATO & THE WAIKATO & THE marae, a store, takeaways and a beautiful Mapiu Eat Rotten corn at Kawhia’s Kai Festival ( p235 ) Awakino Tihoi Wairakei but treacherous surf beach. Lifeguards are Awakino Pureora Drink Gut-cleansing soda water in Te Aroha ( p233 ) Forest Park on duty in summer, but only between 10am Manioroa Marae Kinloch Read Potiki (1986) by Patricia Grace Mokau Mangatupoto 32 Taupo Ongarue Mokau River ὈὈὈ Listen to The sacred sounds of Te Awamutu and 6pm on weekends and school holidays; Acacia Bay Matiere Wharawaka strong rips render it unsafe for swimming Tuhua ( p227 ): Crowded House’s Mean to Me, Split Enz’ Kia Nihoniho Taupo Airport 40 at other times. Okahukura Hauhungaroa Range Kaha, Haul Away Tongaporutu Waitaanga Hauhungaroa Waitahanui Watch Waikatoa Surf Lodge (%09-232 9961; www.sunset Ohura (1078m) Lake Taupo Black Sheep (2006) – those Te Kuiti shear- Ahiti 40 4 Lake Okau 1 ers should be very afraid beach.co.nz; 8 Centreway Rd; dm/s/d $25/38/60, tw $50-75) Taumarunui Kuratau 3 Mangaparo Hatepe spoils visiting surfers with smart rooms, nice 41 Swim at Raglan ( p224 ) Moerangi Kuratau Piriaka Junction Tatu Tokirima 41 Te Rangita linen and a volleyball net. To New Plymouth ὈὈὈὈ Festival Running of the Sheep, Te Kuiti ( p241 ) Te Maire Motuoapa To get here, turn off SH1 at Pokeno, 50km (46km) 43 Lake Tackiest tourist attraction The Big Shearer, Tokaanu Kirikau Otamangakau Te Kuiti ( p241 ) south of central Auckland, and head towards Owhango Turangi Wairehu Lake Tuakau (which has some decent cafés) until To Raurimu Spiral (4km); Canal Go green Off-the-grid tepees at Solscape ( p226 ) To Stratford Rotoaira Tongariro National Park (11km); 47 you see the Port Waikato signs.