Photo credit: anthrovik - flickr
If you had a dollar for every corner on this route, you could probably fill your tank — and that’s a wise move, because this is back-country, where petrol stations are scarce. East Cape is like nowhere else in New Zealand: it’s further east, for a start, but mainly it’s so remote that life moves at a different pace. It always has. The Europeans were late finding their way here, and the Maori influence is still very strong.
You’ll see this in Te Kaha, our starting point 70km north-east of Opotiki on SH35, the Pacific Coast Highway. With a glorious view over a typically beautiful bay edged by black volcanic rock and a long stretch of soft sand, the tekoteko figure on the roof of the meeting house wears a striking chequerboard-patterned skirt and a challenging expression; but look too at the bargeboards beneath him: the carvings are masterly.
The road curves through kiwifruit orchards and fields of maize; a shaggy white horse stands on a hillside gazing out towards White Island on the horizon under its plume of steam. The bush, beaches, rivers and sea are endlessly distracting, but keep your eyes on the road because all those ‘Wandering Stock’ signs are there for a reason. Keep a tally: sheep, cattle, pigs, turkeys, cats, dogs, chickens, goats and horses are all likely to be sharing the road with you.
Three horses wander across to the beach at Raukokore to sniff at the seaweed; behind them all by itself on the point a pretty little white wooden church stands propped up against storms beside a lone pohutukawa. Inside, the warm kauri furniture is painted red and blue by the sun shining through the stained-glass window over an altar carved with the words ‘Tapu Tapu Tapu’, and there’s a bit of a niff in the air from the penguins nesting under the baptismal font. Pattering past outside is a man in freezing works white gumboots and a bush shirt on his unshod horse: on the Cape they’re still a common means of transport, although the quad bike I’ve just seen ploughing across a river is clearly the 21st century equivalent.
Waihau Bay is where the movie ‘Boy’ was filmed, and it’s a good place to stop for an icecream and a paddle before continuing towards Whangaparaoa. Its other name, Cape Runaway, refers to an unfortunate encounter between hostile local Maori and James Cook’s cannon; but don’t be put off by the name he gave Hicks Bay: it’s a long, lovely sweep of wild beach fringed by silvered driftwood.
The road drops down to little Te Araroa, where a huge and ancient pohutukawa sprawls beside the school. Turn off here for the 40km round trip to the lighthouse at the tip of the Cape: it’s New Zealand’s easternmost point. Take care where the sea has nibbled at the unsealed road, and enjoy the long straight past cattle grazing by the sea. At the end there’s a climb up through the bush to the lighthouse and a view so splendid you’ll forget about the 700 steps back down to your car.
On the main road again, swoop through rolling farming country to the church at Tikitiki. St Mary’s looks conventional, but inside it’s a riot of Maori carving and woven tukutuku panels, from ceiling to floor, including the astonishing baptismal font. Everything wooden is shaped into figures and koru: if the vicar delivered a wooden sermon here, it too would surely end up carved.
That was 117km of scenery, history, culture and loose animals: why not call it a day, here in heartland country?
All images by Pamela Wade except where otherwise noted.
8 Comments
Lovely drive right around the cape. Not so good in the dark though.
ReplyWhen we took this drive several years back we saw quite a few houses that were much the worse for wear but never saw a scruffy church or graveyard. The churches and graveyards were always spotless and well maintained. We decided that perhaps the housing wasn't such a priority to the locals. Very lovely drive none the less.
ReplyITS a beautfull part of the country we camped down their inthe late 70s early 80s the locals are really nice people we lived on seafood crayfish mussels and fish the big thing is you only took what you could eat for one meal but you always get some who have to pillage and rape the sea and that upsets the local people.
ReplyUntouched from the white man. Best to keep it that way. It's beauty is because Ngati Porou take good care of what belongs to them.
Replypretty way back in time but awesome to fly through , did alot of aerial topdressing through out that area ,
Reply