31 Mar 2018 Northern Advocate, Whangarei Northland Author: Mike Yardley • Section: General - Section B • Article Type: News Item Audience : 10,968 • Page: 9 • Printed size: 586.00cm² • Market: NZ Country: • ASR: NZD 761 • words: 491 • Item ID: 933740343

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GOING NORTH

EING a South Islander, foreshore, backed by handsomely vigorous but manageable one jaunting to Northland maintained holiday cottages and hour climb through lush native always feels like a glorified quirky homes. forest to reach the summit. The Boverseas holiday, McLeod Bay is a family Hen & Chicken Islands and Bream bordering on a South Pacific mini- favourite for its sheltered Head, that great fixture of the break. The weather and foliage is swimming, nestled beneath the Auckland weather forecast, fabulously subtropical and the mighty presence of Mount Manaia. loomed large. sun-kissed beaches are achingly The quaint white wooden St Short on time, I glanced by gorgeous. James Church, gracing the Scenic Reserve’s On my latest visit, I set my foreshore since 1858, completes spoil of walking tracks, en-route to sights on some of those supremely the picture. McGregors Bay is the end of drive, which climaxes at scenic short drives from another family crowd-pleaser, Ocean Beach, a powerful Pacific Whangarei. Striking out from with clear waters for snorkelling sweep of big surf, bounded by Onerahi, the Whangarei Heads Rd offers such a dramatic scenic and fabulous rock pools to keep hulking sand dunes. After the medley of saw-toothed mountains, the kids enthralled. sweet tranquillity of those inner beaches, walkways and craft At the base of Mt Manaia, a harbour coves, Ocean Beach galleries, strung along the plaque pays tribute to the district’s seems all the more raw and wild. peninsula’s pencil-thin road, early European settlers, Scottish Tracking back to Whangarei, I wrapped around the indented Highlanders, who as you might sauntered south for a quick northern shoreline of the harbour. have guessed, gave their names to rendezvous with , Every princess-pretty bay, like many of the area’s beaches. before surrendering to the seaside Munro, McLeod, McGregors and Towering above the harbour splendour of ’s McKenzie reveals new watery entrance, majestic Mt Manaia’s sprawling arc of white sandy vistas framed by gnarled jagged peak, crowned with toothy beaches and laying over at pint- pohutukawa trees on the pinnacles, dominates the skyline. sized Waipu Cove. Steeped in It’s a thousand steps up on a 31 Mar 2018 Northern Advocate, Whangarei Northland Author: Mike Yardley • Section: General - Section B • Article Type: News Item Audience : 10,968 • Page: 9 • Printed size: 586.00cm² • Market: NZ Country: New Zealand • ASR: NZD 761 • words: 491 • Item ID: 933740343

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Scottish heritage, the Waipu Museum showcases the great migration of the town’s original 940 settlers via Nova Scotia. I stayed at the beautifully landscaped Waipu Cove Resort, verdantly ablaze in subtropical gardens through Booking.com. With nearly 6000 New Zealand accommodation options listed, the diverse array of options spans hotels, apartments, holiday homes and campsites. Whether on the website or via the app, Booking.com is super easy to navigate with incredible deals. www.booking.com TOP TIPS I zipped my way up north to Auckland with Jetstar. Score even sweeter deals with a Club Jetstar membership. www.jetstar.com From Auckland, I picked up a trusty Avis rental car at the airport for my Northland roadie. www.avis.co.nz PICTURED: Whangarei Heads (main picture), Mount Manaia (above), seaside home around Whangarei Heads (above left), mural in honour of the Scottish settlers (above right).