Whangarei Quarry Gardens Sculpture Trail

Instead of a photo of Malcolm eating, here's me. :-)

It was my birthday so we had lunch at Quail Cafe with friends then wandered around the gardens looking at the plants and the sculptures on the sculpture trail

 

Rangiriri Pa

Beautiful autumn view from the bus windows this morning - last day of our trip. mist was rising off the river.

We drove north and stopped at Rangiriri to visit the pa site. it has been developed with pou, gateways, signage, etc to explain what happened here during the New Zealand wars.

Then home to Whangarei after a great autumn tiki tour.

 

New Plymouth to Ngaruawahia

Beautiful sunshine for the drive back along the coast to Awakino.

We stopped for coffee and a look around...

...and met the locals.

Next we stopped at the Gorge and checked out the old road tunnel that's now by-passed.

There were pou on the new road (detail below).

Then we stopped again at Otorohanga - for lunch - before driving to our summertime haunt, beside the Waikato River at Ngaruawahia.

Summer had definitely moved to autumn but it was still a quiet, pretty overnight spot.

 

Around the mountain

A fine day, with a hazt start, for driving around the mountain.  First stop, the wreck of the SS Gairloch, near Oakura.

It was a short walk from the road to the beach. The wreck is uncovered at low tide.

Next stop - Cape Egmont and lighthouse.

The end of the road- furthest west.

Lunch stop at Hawera -

leaning tower (not really!)

And some murals

We then drove back via Stratford and Inglewood.

 

Under the mountain's rain cloud

Mount Taranaki was wreathed in clouds but we drove up the slopes to visit Pukeiti Gardens.

It wasn't the right time to see rhododendrons in flower, though there were some. Also sculpture and impressive native trees.

One of the 'tree houses'

Sculptural moa...

...and pouakai (Haast's Eagle)attacking them.

In another part of New Plymouth we found Lake Mangamahoe and walked around it.