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Te Whakarewarewa
Rotorua’s main drawcard is Te Whakarewarewa (pronounced fa-ka-re-wa-re-wa), a thermal reserve 3km south of the city centre. This area’s full name is Te Whakarewarewatanga o te Ope Taua a Wahiao, meaning ‘The Gathering Together of the War Party of Wahiao’, although many people just
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Anderson Park
Stretching over 24 hectares, this beautiful park includes landscaped gardens surrounding an elegant 1925 Georgian-style mansion, fringed with an expanse of native bush. The childrens playground is extremely popular with local families and theres also an interesting carved wharepuni
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Eastwoodhill Arboretum
Arboreal nirvana, Eastwoodhill Arboretum is the largest collection of northern hemisphere trees and shrubs in the southern hemisphere. Its staggeringly beautiful, and you could easily lose a day wandering around the 25km of themed tracks in this pine-scented paradise. Its well sign
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Kauri Museum
An excellent reason for visiting Matakohe is the superb Kauri Museum. The giant cross-sections of trees are astounding in themselves, but the entire industry is brought to light through life-sized reproductions of a pioneer sawmill, boarding house, gumdigger’s hut and Victorian hom
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Wallace Arts Centre
Housed in a gorgeous 1879 mansion with views to One Tree Hill and the Manukau Harbour, the Wallace Arts Centre is endowed with contemporary New Zealand art from an extensive private collection, which is changed every four to six weeks. Have lunch on the veranda and wander among the
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Aorangi (Haurangi) Forest Park
A significant wilderness area near Cape Palliser, Aorangi (Haurangi) Forest Park offers backcountry tramping, camping and a DOC cottage for rent. Detailed information is available online or from Martinborough i-SITE . Within the park are the Putangirua Pinnacles , accessed through
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Broken Hills Gold
Located 12km south of Tairua is the turn-off to Puketui Valley and the historic Broken Hills gold-mine workings, which are 8km from the main road along a mainly gravel road. There are short walks up to the sites of stamper batteries, but the best hike is through the 500m-long Colli
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Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Aquarium
In this topsy-turvy aquarium sharks and stingrays swim over and around you in transparent tunnels that were once stormwater tanks. You can also enter the tanks in a shark cage with a snorkel ($124), or dive straight into the tanks ($265). Other attractions include the Penguin Disco
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Volcanic Activity Centre
What’s with all the geothermal activity around Taupo? This centre has the answers, with excellent, if text-heavy, displays on the regions geothermal and volcanic activity, including a live seismograph keeping a watch on whats currently going on. A favourite exhibit with kids is the
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Villa Maria
Clearly the roar of jets doesn’t bother grapes, as NZ’s most awarded winery is just 4km from the airport. The parklike grounds of Villa Maria are a green oasis in the encircling industrial zone. Short tours ($5) take place at 11am and 3pm. There’s a charge for tastings ($5, refunda
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Southland Museum & Art Gallery
Housed in a big white pyramid (a low-rent Louvre?), Invercargills cultural hub has permanent displays on Southlands natural and human history, recounting plenty of fascinating tales around maritime exploits, in particular. The museum’s rock stars are undoubtedly the tuatara, New Ze
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Thames St
Oamaru’s main drag owes its expansive girth to the need to accommodate the minimum turning circle of a bullock cart. Oamarus grand pretensions reached their peak in a series of gorgeous buildings constructed from the milky local limestone (known as Oamaru stone or whitestone), with
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Riccarton House & Bush
Historic Riccarton House (1856) sits proudly amid 12 hectares of pretty parkland and forest beside the Avon River, and hosts the popular Christchurch Farmers Market on Saturdays. Guided tours of the house run from 2pm Sunday to Friday (adult/child $18/5).Even more venerable is the
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Tararua Forest Park
The turn-off to the main eastern entrance of the Tararua Forest Park is just south of Masterton on SH2; follow Norfolk Rd about 15km to the gates. Mountain streams dart through virgin forest in this reserve, known as Holdsworth. A recreation area has swimming holes, picnic spots an
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Cape Reinga
Standing at windswept Cape Reinga Lighthouse (a rolling 1km walk from the car park) and looking out over the ocean engenders a real end-of-the-world feeling. This is where the waters of the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean meet, breaking together into waves up to 10m high in stormy wea
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Ohinemutu
Ohinemutu is a lakeside Māori village (access via Kiharoa, Haukotuku or Korokai Sts off Lake Rd, north of Rotorua Hospital) that traces the fusing of European and Māori cultures. Highlights include the sacred 1905 Tama-te-kapua Meeting House (not open to visitors), many steaming vo
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Hobbiton Movie Set Tours
Due to copyright, all the movie sets around NZ were dismantled after filming of Lord of the Ring s, but Hobbiton’s owners negotiated to keep their hobbit holes, which were then rebuilt for the filming of The Hobbit . Tours include a drink at the wonderful Green Dragon Inn. Free tra
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Redwoods Whakarewarewa Forest
This magical forest park is 3km southeast of town on Tarawera Rd. It was originally home to over 170 tree species planted from 1899 to see which could be grown successfully for timber. Mighty Californian redwoods give the park its grandeur today. Walking tracks range from a half-ho
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Mahurangi Regional Park
Straddling the head of Mahurangi Harbour, Mahurangi Regional Park is a boaters paradise incorporating areas of coastal forest, pa sites and a historic homestead and cemetery. Its sheltered beaches offer prime sandy spots for a dip or picnic and there are loop walks ranging from 1½
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Waimangu Volcanic Valley
This thermal area was created during the eruption of Mt Tarawera in 1886. The downhill stroll through the valley passes spectacular thermal and volcanic features, including Inferno Crater Lake , where overflowing water can reach 80°C, and Frying Pan Lake , the largest hot spring in
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