5 minute read
ROAD TRIP - A JOURNEY THROUGH TE AWAMUTU
Waitomo Caves to Cambridge
Waitomo Caves to Ōtorohanga via SH37 & SH3 - 12min, 15km
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SIDE TRIP Hangatiki to Te Kūiti via SH3 - 9min, 11km
Ōtorohanga to Te Awamutu via SH3 - 26min, 30km
Te Awamutu to Cambridge via Cambridge Rd/Te Awamutu Cambridge Rd - 24min, 26km
© AA Traveller 2021
Journey along SH 37 and turn north onto SH3 toward Ōtorohanga – New Zealand’s official Kiwiana town. It’s worthwhile stopping there, whether to simply enjoy the Kiwiana display along the main street or to spot the country’s iconic flightless bird at the Kiwi House and Native Bird Park. Continue on to Te Awamutu where, depending on the time of year you visit, you can literally stop and smell the roses. The town has the ideal climate for growing the sweetly scented blooms. Take a stroll through the Te Awamutu Rose Gardens before heading for Cambridge, a lovely town complete with boutique clothing and homeware stores, cafés, restaurants and picturesque rural outlooks.
Cambridge
© Hamilton Waikato Tourism
ADRENALIN ADVENTURES
Have an Indiana Jones moment with The Lost World and their dedicated guides. Dangle 100m into the void on a 20-minute rappel into the gigantic vaults of the Mangapu Cave system, enveloped by dense foliage and stalactites.
‘Lost World’
© Discover Waitomo
SIDE TRIP TO TE KŪITI
This township, a 15-minute drive south of Waitomo, celebrates the sheep shearing industry. Drive down the main street to see a 6m-tall statue of a shearer which pays homage to local man, David Fagan, who won multiple shearing titles and became a world champion in the sport five times over. The town is also home to many others making a living out of shearing.But that’s not all there is to Te Kūiti. The nearby Timber Trail brings many cyclists to the town.
Other drawcards are the Te Kūiti lookout, the idyllic Tatsuno Japanese Garden complete with traditional pagodas, tranquil lakes and greenery,and the Mangaokewa Scenic Reserve. If you’revisiting during The Great New Zealand Muster, an annual event held the weekend after Easter, you’ll get a true feel for the town’s love of sheep by watching or even participating in shearing contests and sheep races. You’ll also enjoy performances from Māori cultural groups and taste a range of delicious kai (food) served in street stalls.
Limestone cliffs, Te Kūiti
© Adobe Stock
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS TRIP
ŌTOROHANGA KIWI HOUSE AND NATIVE BIRD PARK Seeing a kiwi bird in real life is a special experience. Enjoy up close and personal encounters with New Zealand’s icon in specialised nocturnal enclosures. Walk through the country’s largest dome aviary and meet a tuatara, the native reptile which predated the dinosaurs. Entry fees aid conservation work.
ŌTOROHANGA KIWIANA TOWN Bell tea, Sunlight soap, Kiwi boot polish, Edmonds baking soda; most Kiwis will remember these classic items. Take a walk down memory lane on this self-guided art trail down Ōtorohanga’s main street.
ED HILLARY WALKWAY KIWIANA TOWN Such a fun laneway in the heart of town, each display highlights something typically – and wonderfully – Kiwi, such as the All Blacks and world-famous pavlova.
TE AWAMUTU ROSE GARDENS From November through to May, the Te Awamutu Rose Gardens are filled with bright colour and sweet scents. Established in 1969, the grounds were once a military site. With more than 2000 rose bushes and 50 different varieties.
CAMBRIDGE
The town has a long history of producing talented sports people, particularly in the equestrian, rowing and cycling fields. It’s no surprise because Cambridge is home to beautiful countryside, a network of cycle trails including the renowned Te Awa Cycleway, and nearby, Lake Karāpiro. If adventure is on your agenda, hire a bicycle and take to one of several tracks in the area weaving through native bush and alongside the rushing Waikato River. Lake Karāpiro offers kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, fishing and the thrill of jet boating further downstream. Enjoy the town at a slower pace by popping into the Cambridge Museum, the town’s former courthouse. You’ll see pioneer relics, a military history room and other historic displays.
Pick up fresh, artisan goodies from the weekly farmers’ market held in Victoria Square or from the selection of delicatessens in the town centre and enjoy a picnic in Jubilee Gardens. Sit in one of the many cafés dishing up delicious food and coffee, or inside the converted church which is now Good Union – where Hamilton’s Good George Brewing empire has expanded to.
Te Miro countryside near Cambridge
© Adobe Stock
FAMILY FUN
PYO BLUEBERRIES From early December to late February, pick your own blueberries at Blueberry Country in Ōhaupō and then reward your efforts with a blueberry ice cream from the café.
© Adobe Stock
© Mario Mendez
TRAVEL TO JAPAN The Tatsuno Japanese Garden in Te Kūiti is a little pocket of Japan. Established to honour the relationship between the Waitomo District Community and the Tatsuno Town Council in Japan, it is east-meets-west in perfect unison.
Tatsuno Japanese Garden, Te Kūiti
© Waitomo District Council
TE AWAMUTU ROSE GARDENS Inhale the heavenly scent of roses, picnic by the fountain depicting birds in flight and discover a handful of fantastic playgrounds.
AVANTIDROME, CAMBRIDGE Descend here for The Gallagher bike park, a favourite with families, book a ‘Have a Go’ session with an Avantidrome coach or simply sit and spectate.
HANDS-ON LEARNING Te Awamutu Museum’s impressive collections reflect the history of the Waipa District, including significant taonga Māori and Pacifika artefacts. The kids’ activity programme includes some great hands-on experiences.
VOLCANIC WALKS Stretch the legs on a walk to the summit of Mt Kakepuku in Te Awamutu. The track is partly shared with mountain bikers.
SWEET PERFUME From December through to January, a cloud of purple envelopes Alphra Lavender Farm in TeAwamutu. Take a free tour and learn all there is to know about lavender.
JUBILEE GARDENS,CAMBRIDGE Pretty, well established public gardens with a great playground, this one makes a great pit stop.
LAKESIDE PICNICS Near Te Awamatu, enjoy a picnic overlooking the calm waters of Lake Ngāroto, then stroll along the fringing boardwalk.
