By the numbers
Car Distance unknown
19,158 steps
13.26kms
Today was the second day of the tour with my Maori
guide, Tom. I actually forgot his name yesterday and he is still pretty knowledgeable.
He did mention that yesterday by the end of the trip he felt a shift in me with
my knowledge and awareness. I cant remember the word he used off hand, but I
think it was tekoto, but I could be wrong. It was like a form of Whakapapa /
family tree type thing and that I could have Maori blood in me as it was as
though I did in his eyes. It seems to be my strong link to New Zealand so I do
find that to be interesting. I did correct him with his dates with the land
marches and the Tribunal. One of the farm lands we passed was the site of a
Maori massacre of some sort and they were growing crops over that particular
site. We started the day by heading to Waitara for coffee before heading out to
the Three Sisters which is a rock formation off the beach. The sand is black
and to get out to them, you had to walk so the tide had to be right and today
the tide actually was. I was lucky so my Forgotten Highway experience would
start from here though the location was really in the Waikato region.
It was an interesting walk along the beach as it had
to be timed by the tide. Part of the walk was over where the river flowed in so
on low tide the sand could be slippery and there were steps cut into the rock
to help with your journey. The rock formations were separate from the cliff
face as there had been erosion over time and kind of like the twelve apostles
on the Great Ocean Road. One of the sisters had fallen down so there was now
only two, but the third could still be seen in the water. Nearby was a rock
that was known as Elephant Rock quite unlike the one at Currumbin as this one
looked like an elephant walking along. The caves in the area were also significant
for the local Maori as they would roll their Waka into the caves for shelter
using logs to help bring them up further. The next places to visit was more for
the surprise factor than anything as we visited the town of Mokau. We were
going to have Whitebait fritters and Tom shared half with me as we were having
an omelette and the other was just a fritter. You could see the little white bait
eyes and everything though you ate them whole unlike the Australian white bait
that I had thought of. It was an interesting meal and I did not mind that at
all. The nearby bridge had something to do with being a highway that went over
a water way, but I cant quite remember as it did turn a corner.
Off we headed to the destination of Damper Falls
that was part of the Forgotten World Highway tour, which was also one of the
recognised waterfalls sites that people recommend visiting in New Zealand
including Huka Falls in Taupo. So far I think I have visited 3 of the top 10 in
NZ so that is pretty cool. The drive out there was on a narrow unsealed road,
which was one of the feeder roads into the Forgotten World Highway. We stopped
at the Waitaanga Conservation area where the waterfall is located though I
could have gone for a 7 hour walk to the Te Rerepahupahu Falls that was 14.5
kms away or 7 hours. Tom joked that I could always go that way and I said
people would actually believe me that I would end up doing that. The Damper
Falls was only a 20 min walk away so it wasn’t that bad and the steps easier
than they day before as those ones were pretty steep at times. The waterfall
was amazing though there wasn’t a huge amount of water, but there were other
walkers out that way too.
A hot walk back where we would make it back to the
car to head towards the road that would join onto the main highway. The
Forgotten World Highway ran between Stratford and Taumarunui. It is a major
highway, but is not well used and several kilometres are actually unsealed. We
headed to the Moki forest, which have relics of the forestry past where logging
occurred and then we headed to the grave of Joshua Morgan who was a surveyor in
the area and his grave is where he died in 1893 on the Tangarakau River. You
can see the grave from the bridge too. After this stop we headed to the Hobbit
tunnel otherwise known as the Moki Tunnel that was really one land and while
watching two guys on pushbikes we were hoping no one else would race through
and not see them. The tunnel happened to be one of the few that was in the
surveyor’s plan during Joshua Morgan’s time surveying.
We knew about a ghost town that had been mentioned
the day before at Tangarakau, which had camping and accommodation. The drive
out was interesting in itself as the area became really remote and on the turn
off for the town there were pig skins on the fence. We joked about rednecks who
would appear around the corner who were all related in some way like say
Tasmanians. We were expecting a whole row of empty buildings and there was
really nothing there other than a railway line. There was a group who were
doing the rail tours on the converted golf carts and the information booths
seem to really be tailored towards them. The area once was part of the soldiers
settlements after the Great War. There was a population of 1200 people with a
bank, pub and all that goes with society there and now nothing remained other
than what I found to be the raised ground of a railway station. The golf carts
told us both that the tour was not an explore yourself tour at all and the
locals would be there selling their wares to people. I did find it interesting
to see the local postie van with flashing lights on the roof to be running
around the area. The lights were for people to be able to see them.
On our way to the Republic, we went over the first
of the saddles and this one was known as the Tahora Saddle. The road on this
saddle was sealed in 1989, which for a state highway is pretty incredible. The
hill side is pretty steep and you really would not want to go over the side.
Not long afterwards we reached the Republic of Whangamomona. We stopped for
something to eat where I got a shirt and my passport stamped so I now have
voting rights in the town when they have their Republic Day once every two
years. It was a donation and I put my donation into the wrong pot, but it was
all cool. We did a quick explore of the township though after our pie we did
not stick around very long. Down towards Stratford we headed and the road
conditions did improve a bit better as we headed into town. Near Whangamomona
there were some very twisty turns with pieces of the road that had given way at
the edges so they would only be one way. We were stopped by a New Zealand
roadblock with sheep on the road, Douglas School or what was a school sign had
a small display. We did head into Stratford and back to New Plymouth.
Once we went into New Plymouth I was asked where I
would like to be dropped off and I did say the cemetery as I knew there were
some people I wanted to look up. I just couldn’t at the time remember who. Tom
said he enjoyed our time together and would love to do it again in the future
this time doing the Surf Highway. I laughed and said I would love to and that I
will have a list of places to visit. That would be the truth though and I think
it has been really useful to have a driver who is very understanding and happy
to part with Maori knowledge on different Iwi and explain the tribal balance.
It is something I would like t learn more about and I will choose the tours by
Tom again though tomorrow he heads towards Auckland. I was dropped off at the
Te Henui Cemetery to wander around. Tom showed me the traditional Maori
farewell with the noses touching and we breathe in each other’s air with a hand
shake. Then we both were off.
I wandered the cemetery for an hour or so as I knew
it would get dark sooner or later. I found several people who were involved
with the Taranaki wars and another memorial to do with the New Zealand Wars. I
seem to be finding these memorials wherever I end up even though I am not
looking for them. I did happen by accident stumble upon the man who I knew to
be buried in the cemetery, but had forgotten. The man who was the pioneer for Taranaki
dairying was called Chew Chong. The only reason I found it was due to the
boarders to the grave being colourful and then I remembered his name. I know
there are others in the area that I will remember about later on or someone
else will remind me who is there, but I will have another notch on my belt to
mark off. Tomorrow is a different day and depending on the weather though I
have my wet stuff so do not really mind. I will take a bus strip into the other
side of New Plymouth and walk back and then visit the museum. I did have the
washing to be done plan that I bought forward to tonight so that it will be
done and I wont waste several hours during the day in waiting for things to be
done.
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