AUCKLAND BEAUTY SPOTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 184, 6 August 1925, Page 3 (Supplement)

AUCKLAND BEAUTY SPOTS.

ENJOYABLE ONE-DAY RUNS.

PARADISE OF PICNICKERS.

JOLLY JAUNTS FOR MOTORISTS,

Aucklandera are not as a rule lacking in regard for their city, or in impressing upon others the many advantages she possesses as a desirable place of residence or sojourn, but it is astonishing how little the average citizen really knew about his homo town before the advent of the motor car. Take for example the Waitakere hills; a few years ago they were quite a terra incognita to all but a few enthusiastic pedestrians. To-day you will see during the summer months dozens of motor cars chugging away on roads that would make the concrete-road expert's hair stand on end. And in the autumn when the blackberries are ripe you will see the married man take the car, and his kiddies and a supply of kerosene tins, and find his way to some of tho most out of the way spots on these hills— spots that a few years ago would have been considered impossible for anything but a sledge. These adventurers think nothing of a run over to Karekavc for lunch and a dip in the Tasman Sea surf, whereas in the old pre-car days a journey to the West Coast was quite an undertaking for the week-end. And Muriwai, with its glorious hard beach, is another delectable spot which the motor has brought into its own.. This opening up of the West Coast beaches is only one instance of the wonderfully civilising influence of the motor. North, south, east, and west, the story is the same; people did not know what a lovely country they lived in!

It is true that some of the roads out of Auckland are quite execrable, but many of our car-owners don't mind a epice of adventure—and some of the beauty spots round about Auckland are well worth a bit of trouble in getting there and back again. And gradually we will get over the road problem. Already Auckland has made a name for itself by the fine concrete roads which became a feature of Sir James Gunson's mayoralty, and gradually these ideal

thoroughfares will spread. Men are today busy on the Great North Road, and the once-infamous highway of potholes and ruts, will in a very few months bo as smooth as a billiard table all tho way to Henderson. Just imagine 12 or 14 miles of perfectly smooth concrete road! And out in the opposite direction Otahuhu has set the other local bodies an example by concreting the stretch of the Great South Road between the Tamaki Bridge and the Richmond Hills, while Mount Wellington and One Tree Hill are getting to work to bridge the gap between north Otahuhu boundary and the Harp of Erin. These modest beginnings north and south will, of course,' only be the beginning of a policy that will revolutionise motoring out of Auckland.

But even while we are waiting for these ideal roads, there is plenty of good motoring surface on which the car owner can ■skim away to an ideal picnic ground at the week-end. Probably no town in New Zealand has such a fascinating diversity of attractions for the outdoor man and his family. One motoring family the writer knows of makes a practice of starting out in the small hours —four o'clock a.m. is not too early for them—and taking the whole day over some extended run to some of the more distant beauties round about Auckland. They take their own hamper, and with the aid of a primus they are quite independent of anyone for their "kai." When they make these early starts they breakfast on the road, and as you are never so finnicky about al fresco meals as you are at home, they thus always save time. Such a family gets the very last ounce of pleasure out of its car, and you won't find a more- enthusiastic set of "barrackers" for the charms of their home town. Before they got the car they liked Auckland well enough, but to tell the truth they didn't know much about it outside Queen Street, the North Shore, and Ellerslie.

When one starts to enumerate the interesting runs that can be made out of Auckland by the motorist who does not mind having to take things easy over

the rough parts, one has an unlimited | field to detail. About some of these I more distant beauty spots of Auckland there ie all the charm which attaches to places that are not overrun by the "tripper." The speed-hog will, of course, keep to the bitumen and the concrete, but the man who knows how to get the most fun out of his car—especially the family man—will be something of an explorer, and you can rest assured that Auckland is well worth exploring. In every direction there are charming or interesting spots. Helensville with its hot springs, Waiwera with its hot springs and fine scenery and beach, all the West Coast and much of the Waitakere Hills, the beaches down the eastern reaches of the Waitemata as far as Maraetai, the Waikato —and so one could go on making out quite a formidable list of places easily accessible from Auckland in a day's run. For more extended tours there is an even more wonderful field to choose from, and altogether one could not imagine a more delightful place for the man with a motor. Below is a brief description of a few of the most popular runs, with an indication of how they are reached. PANORAMA OF THS CITY. Before venturing further afield the visiting motorist to Auckland can profitably put in a day seeing the sights in the near part of the city and survey as a panorama from several of the vantage points, the wide playground spread before him. The climb up Mt. Eden and One Tree Hill, the drive through the Domain, a visit to the Ellerslie racecourse, generally conceded to be in the most delightful setting of any course in the southern hemisphere, make a delightful first day's outing. The view from Mount Eden is generally acknowledged to be magnificent. Away to the west the growing city extends for several miles toward the distant Waitakcres; southward the eye takes in the Manukau, with the port of Onehunga lying on an arm of it, and further over the old military village of Otahuhu can be seen guarding the city's southern approach, clustering among its own group of extinct crater hills. Roving eastward the eye notes the more open country of West Tamaki, with nearer at hand the suburbs of Ellerslie, Remuera and Newmarket. Northward one looks across the thickly peopled area

of the city proper and the marine suburbs of Devonport and Northcote- The tripleconed Rangitoto rears its crest behind, and beyond it the blue waters of the Hauraki Gulf shimmer in the sunshine. Far out, 50 miles or more, can be distinguished' the lofty peaks of the Little Barrier, while if the day be clear the more distant outline of the Great Barrier may also be discerned, with Cape Colville, the extremity of the Coromandel Peninsula, marking the southern portal to the Gulf.

Thus for a circuit of 50 miles or more in every direction, with Mount Eden as centre, the eye sweeps over the whole area of Auckland and its environs, and it is generally agreed that for scope and magnitude, .or the charm of its colouring, and the wonderful variety of its scenic effects tho view from the top of the

mountain, if equalled elsewhere, is certainly unsurpassed on this side of the world. THE FORESHORE DRIVES. The most popular of the foreshore drives, and probably tho, most frequented short run about the city, is that to Kohimarama and St. Uelier's. TheTe are alternative routes, which can be combined into a round trip of about j twenty miles, commencing from Brigh-

ton Road, off St. Stephen's Avenue, Parnell. On the outward trip the route followed is down Brighton Road to Shore Road at the foot of the hill, skirting the mud flats and mangroves, and passing the termini of Portland and Orakei Roads, then following the coastline along Hobson Bay, a climb up Mitchelson's Hill to the foot of Victoria Avenue brings into view many of the beautiful homes of Auckland. A few hundred yards further the intersection of four roads, including Upland, is met, and a sharp turn is made to the left. The road then skirts the Orakei Basin, at high tide an almost land-locked lake, and crosses the outlet of the basin by bridge, and proceeds uphill across the back of

the old Orakei native reserve. This latter is to be modelled as a garden suburb of Auckland when the waterfront railway deviation is laid. A wide stretch of harbour on one side and country pastures and hills is now opened up before the motorist, turns to the left downhill to Kohimarama. Running along the concrete esplanade and through the suburb of Kohimarama there is a fine road to St. Ilelier's. On the return journey the main St. lielier's Boad is followed. A deviation can be made at the top of the hill along the right bank of the Tamaki past the golf links of Glendowie to Karaka Bay, which lies snugly beneath the precipitous cliffs. The view from here is a magnificent one of the lower islands of the harbour. Brown's Island lies immediately in the foreground, and further seaward are Rangi-

toto, Motutapu, _&nd Waiheke, while right opposite is vie seaside suburb of Buckland, with its silvery beaches gleaming in the sun across the blue waters of the Tamaki. Returning to the St. Hclier's Road, a fine macadam surface, the route brings one to the Remuera terminus, passing St. John's College on right and lake on left. Along fdirough Remuera, the most picturesque suburb of Auckland, snatches of the harbour, looking out towards Tiri Tiri, are obtained until Newmarket is reached. The return to

the city can either be made up Carlton Gore Road, to turn off through the Domain, up Khyber Pass, or along Manukau Road through Parnell. Another short run to the westward leads through the suburbs of Ponsonby and Heme Bay, and this reveals the charming stretch of the upper harbour, with Northcote and Birkenhead and Kauri Point on- the opposite shores. On the return journey a deviation to the right leads to the Zoo. MANGERE AND OTAHUHU. Rivalling the waterfront run is the trip through Epsom and Onehunga to the farming district of Mangere and Otahuhu. It is a concrete road to Onehunga, the port fa the Manukau Harbour, the west coast of the island, and a \ fine concrete bridge leads over to Mangere. An excellent road (and one which is usually taken to evade tho atrocious stretch of the Great South Road, on a run to Papakura and southwards) leads to the Mangere railway crossing, past Auckland's premier golf links, Middlemore. .The Great South Road is then encountered at Otahuhu, which district has paved itd portion in concrete. Some day there will be a concrete surface to the city. Another of the' controlling authorities. Mount Wellington,. is lading its portion, but nearer town the controlling authorities are either embarrassed because of the ratepayers' indifference, or their ability to make up their minds as to the merits of concrete or bitumen. But that is by the way. There is one alternative route back, one via Panmure and Ellerslie, and the other past Mount Wellington and the Knox Home, meeting the St. Ilelier's Road near St. John's College. By combining the waterfront trip, a delightful afternoon's outing, contrasting land and seascape, is enjoyed. SIGHTS ABOUT HOWICK. Another pleasant run which gives an idea of the fertile farming country in the vicinity of Auckland, and of the rapidly expanding districts, is that to Howick, East Tamaki, and Papatoetoe. 'Ihe road to Howick follows the route to Panmure, where a turn is made to the left through the Mlistoric village. Across the ferro-concreff bridge the road leads to the fertile "vale of Pakuranga," famous in Maori legend, down to the coast shore to Howick. After passing through this happy seaside resort, the road turns to the right through East Tamaki, and joins the Great South Road, which runs through Papatoetoe. From Howick, too, a trip can be made to Whitford and Manurtwa.

On the eastern shore of the Tamaki lies the beautiful seaside resort of Buckland's Beach, while other spots worth visiting about Howick are Mellin's Beach, Beachlands, Bay. BROOKLYN HUIA.

Directions may be obtained at Titirangi as to the way to Brooklyn, which may be reached after a delightful, winding drive across the estuary known as

Big Muddy Creek. The place is historical, as near Brooklyn, nearly a century ago, 3000 Haurakis were slain in battle and pursuit by the Ngatiwhatua, who had their stronghold on Maungakiekie, or One Tree Hill. From Brooklyn the road rises to Puponga, the great, high peninsula that juts into the Manukau. From the level behind Puponga, the road rises again around the hillside and follows the contour of the coast line, a mile or two back from the sea. This is a particularly delightful portion of the

trip, with its delightful blending of colour effects over land and sea. There is untold beauty of sea and land for the rest of the trip to Huia, which is a drive that should not be neglected. TITIRANGI. Possibly there are few lovelier vistas to be obtained than from the hills of Titirangi, to be reached by way of Avondale and New Lynn. There is an exceptionally fine view from the road just before reaching Atkinson Peak, affording a survey of the Manukau on the one side and 6f the Waitemata on the other, with .wonderful landscape in between. From Atkinson Peak or Titirangi Peak, at a height of from COO to 650 feet the observer can glimpse a large portion of the Manukau and, turning, inspect the whole of the country between the hills, the Waitemata, and the wide Kaipara, whilst at his feet, in glorious gorges, survives tho unrivalled native bush in all its line variety. There is a good tea kiosk, with telephone, at the top of the ridge. DREAMLAND INDEED ! A trip which gives a fine idea of the general beauties of tho Waitakeres is that to Waiatarua, Dreamlands and Nihotupu, along which are encountered fine heights and steep mountain roads, luxuriant forests and magnificent and farreaching views. The railway line should be crossed at Waikumete (Glen Eden), and the road taken to the right towards the Waitakeres. The road goes west, crossing three streams, and begins to scale the rise known as "Gentle Annie." There are several accommodation houses at Waiatarua, reached by a continuation of the main road around the ridge, where it connects with the beautiful Dreamland Hoad. At the top of the ridge above Waiatarua one stands at an elevation of over 1400 feet above sea level, obtaining a view that is at once extensive and remarkable. This is one of the finest scenic panoramas to be enjoyed in the vicinity of Auckland. Past Waiatarua and the Dreamland Ridge, the road to the West Coast takes the traveller into the famous Nihotupu Valley, where Auckland's great water-supply dam is situated. Here some remarkably fine specimens of the kauri survive. There is an alternative clay road which affords pleasant riding in good weather. KAREKARE, WHATIFTJ AND PIHA. Following the same route as to Dreamland, but continuing half way across the Waitakeres, the tourist may cross tho western hills and go down to the shores of the western ocean along a beautiful way. The highest point reached on this route is about 127;~> feet above sea level; thence there is a steady descent to the sea. There is beauty to behold all the way. The Karekare cutting, though steep and somewhat rough, is easily negotiable to a competent motbrist in fine weather. There is good accommodation a quarter of a mile back from the beach, and here fishing, sea-bathing, and interesting explorations may while away a pleasant period. At low tide the motorist may make a perfect road of the beach six miles south of Karekare to Whatipu, just outside the Manukau Heads, where there is an accommodation house also. To reach Piha, with its wonderful blowhole and other attractions, the motorist must return to the top of the Karekare cutting, and then follow a newly formed road as far as it goes, down the side of the Piha Valley. HUNUA AND WAIROA. Delightful scenic effects, including a waterfall with a drop of 80 feet, are to be obtained at Hunua. To reach there the Great South Road is followed to Papakura, then the Clevedon Road is pursued. Sign posts then indicate the route to tho Hunua Gorge. Leaving the gorge the road winds up the ridge of the Wairoa River's watershed, past the falls and along the Wairoa River. The beauty of the bush is still preserved in. many places, which make charming picnic grounds. Tho Great South Road is reached again after traversing the broken hill country about Ramarama, and the return trip is made through Dury, and Papakura.