BEAUTIFUL ROUTE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18974, 26 March 1936, Page 4

BEAUTIFUL ROUTE

WAIKAREMOANA-ROTORUA SPLENDID BUSH SCENERY ROAD DEVELOPMENT From the point of view of scenic attraction, one of the most i interesting routes available to motorists in the Hawke's Bay district is the delightful stretch between Waikaremoana and Rotorua. Extensive improvements to the road surface are being carried out by the Public Works Department, and when the route is brought up to the high standard proposed it will undoubtedly prove highly popular with holiday traffic.

As its principal attraction the route has to offer some of the finest .scenerj in the North Island, including large areas of beautiful bush-clad country, which stretches at interval's right up to Murupara. The highest point on the route is 3100 ft. above sea level—Lake Waikaremoana itself, which has a coastline of 100 miles, is 2050 ft. above the sea. The highest point adjacent to the lake is a point known as Puketapu (3905 ft.), while Panekere (3890 ft.) is another lofty landmark. The greatest depth of beautiful Lake Waikaremoana is 840 ft. and the average depth about 500 ft- Running into the lake there are very pretty falls—Aniwaniwa and Mokau—situated a short distance from Lake House.

Mr. W. Harvey, who has just returned to Napier from an extensive northern tour, was greatly impressed with the beauties of the Waikaremoana district. He stated that although the road was narrow and winding, it provided a wonderful view of the lake for the last 10 miles along the lake border, where in many cases the road was almost directly above the water, which could be seen 500 ft. below.

Waikare-iti was described by Mr. Harvey as a captivating spot. Situated 900 ft. higher than Waikaremoana, access was gained to the lake by means of a splendid track through beautiful bush and ferns. The bush-clad islands in the vicinity also pleased the visitor.

There is little doubt that this route will prove vastly popular with Easter tourists, and it is expected that the traffic over tne roaa will be considerably heavier this year than has been the* case at any time in the past.