Dargaville

A few days of sun so we loaded some supplies onto the bus and took off for Dargaville.  The NZMCA has a new camp in an old boatyard by the river, just outside the little town so we parked there for two nights.  The two sheds are where Thompson's boatyard built the whaleboats that Shakleton took on his expeditions.  Now used for happy hour :-)

It is Autumn and the deciduous trees are losing their leaves.  This was the view from the bus.

We drove out to Ripiro Beach, which stretches for over 100 kms along the west coast.  First we went to Bayleys Beach...

...then to Mahuta Gap, where there was no road, just a track with a stream running down it...

...and finally to Glinks Gully.

The following day we woke to a misty monochrome morning

...but that burned off as we wandered into Dargaville for a look around and a coffee.

We drove north to Trounson Kauri Park where we did the 40 min loop-walk.  Unfortunately some of the trees have succumbed to Kauiri dieback.  Lovely to see the remaining ones though, and nice bush with birdsong.

On the way back we stopped at Nelson's Kaihu Kauri Gallery.  There were piles of swamp kauri outside, including this piece which appears to have a dragon emerging.

Inside the gallery.

A peaceful afternoon in Dargaville...followed by another misty morning.  We drove back to Whangarei watching the river mist rising, stopping to photograph this dragon...

...must check the gallery here sometime.