-
Kiwi North
Five kilometres west of Whangarei, this complex includes 19th-century buildings and a museum displaying Māori and colonial artefacts. A gecko and kiwi house offers a rare chance to see the countrys feathery fave in a darkened nocturnal house.
-
Wrinkly Rams
A regular stop for tour buses, Wrinkly Rams stages 30-minute shearing and sheepdog shows, including lamb-feeding in season. Phone ahead to tag along with a tour group, or book your own one-off show. Attached is one of Omarama’s better cafes .
-
Motuti Marae
The Motuti Marae offers marae tours and stays, including a traditional Māori welcome and, on the longer tours and overnight stays, the opportunity to take part in flax-weaving, carving and stick games. Note that booking ahead is essential.
-
Motuara Island
This DOC-managed, predator-free island reserve is chock-full of rare NZ birds including Okarito kiwi (rowi), native pigeons (kereru), saddleback (tieke) and King Shags. You can get here with water taxi and tour operators working out of Picton.
-
Christ Church Cathedral
The enduring symbol of Nelson, the art-deco Christ Church Cathedral lords it over the city from the top of Trafalgar St. The best time to visit is during the 10am and 7pm Sunday services when you can hear the organist and choir on song.
-
Stardome
Near the excellent children’s playground, this observatory offers regular stargazing and planetarium shows that aren’t dependent on Auckland’s fickle weather (held usually 7pm and 8pm Wednesday to Sunday with extra shows on the weekend).
-
Hairy Feet Waitomo
Detour at Pio Pio northwest to the Mangaotaki valley and Hairy Feet Waitomo, one of NZ’s most interesting Middle-earth–themed film location attractions. Scenes from The Hobbit were filmed here with a background of towering limestone cliffs.
-
Speight’s Brewery
Speight’s has been churning out beer on this site since the late 1800s. The 90-minute tour offers samples of six different brews, and theres an option to combine a tour with a meal at the neighbouring Ale House (lunch/dinner $58/65).
-
Parnell Rose Garden
These formal gardens are blooming excellent from November to March. A stroll through Dove-Myer Robinson Park leads to peaceful Judges Bay and tiny St Stephen’s Chapel , built for the signing of the constitution of NZ’s Anglican Church (1857).
-
Ngarua Caves
Just below the summit of Takaka Hill (literally) are the Ngarua Caves, a rock-solid attraction karst in stone, where you can see myriad subterranean delights including moa bones. Access is restricted to tours – you can’t go solo spelunking.
-
Icon Gallery
On the edge of Upper Moutere Village, this 12-acre park features peaceful sculpture gardens and a series of small art studios, although most satisfying are the two formal galleries housing exhibits from local artists working in a wide range of media.
-
Government Buildings
Across the road from Parliament House and the Beehive , the Government Buildings are the largest wooden building in the southern hemisphere, doing a pretty good impersonation of stone. Check out the history displays on the ground and 1st floors.
-
Dunedin Botanic Garden
Dating from 1863, these 22 peaceful, grassy and shady hectares include rose gardens, rare natives, a four-hectare rhododendron dell, glasshouses, a playground and a cafe. Kids love tootling about on the Community Express train (adult/child $3/1).
-
Victoria Battery Tramway & Museum
Across the river from the Waikino train station, the Victoria Battery Tramway & Museum is the former site of the biggest quartz-ore processing plant in Australasia. There’s a dinky tram ride and regular guided tours of the underground kilns.
-
Sunshine Brewery
Sunshine, Gisborne’s own natural brewery, has a fab new tasting room near Waikanae Beach, bottling-up a clutch of quality craft beers including the flagship Gisborne Gold lager. Tasting paddles (five beers) are $15. You can get a bite to eat here too.
-
Botanical Reserve
Walking tracks ascend Botanical Hill, where a spire proclaims the Centre of New Zealand . NZ’s first-ever rugby match was played at the foot of the hill on 14 May 1870: Nelson Rugby Football Club trounced the lily-livered players from Nelson College 2-0.
-
Trevor Griffiths Rose Garden
Rose fans should visit the Trevor Griffiths Rose Garden, with almost 1200 romantic blooms set around arbours and water features. The finest displays are from December to February. Its a fragrant place to sit and contemplate on a balmy afternoon.
-
Te Ana Māori Rock Art Centre
Passionate Ngāi Tahu guides bring this innovative multimedia exhibition about Māori rock paintings to life. You can also take a three-hour excursion (departing 2pm, November to April) to see isolated rock art in situ; prior booking is essential.
-
Lookout
The lookout on the Tirohanga Track has beautiful, wide-ranging views of Picton and Queen Charlotte.
-
Mills Reef Winery
Stately Mills Reef, 7km from the town centre at Bethlehem, has tastings of its award-winning wines (dig the chardonnay) and a refined restaurant (read: great food but not much fun) thats open for lunch daily and dinner by reservation (mains $25 to $39).
Total
840 -travel
FirstPage PreviousPage NextPage LastPage CurrentPage:
23/42 20-travel/Page GoTo Page:
