SOUTH TARANAKI’S CHARM

Taranaki Daily News, 24 June 1931, Page 11

SOUTH TARANAKI’S CHARM

DAWSON FALLS HOSTEL HISTORIC MAORI ASSOCIATIONS. BEAUTIFUL KING EDWARD PARK. To the tourist anywhere in South Taranaki the outstanding attraction is Mount Egmont from its southern aspect. Every road in the district leads to the Dawson Falls mountain house, and the tourist will find Kaponga the “jumping-off” place and the last port of call on the way to the mountain. Every one of the main roads is a good one—in fact, the tar-sealed roads have mt de South Taranaki famous through New Zealand—and signboards placed at otherwise confusing corners make the finding of the way easy to the tourist with his own car. Dawson Falls is the common attraction to all the towns that surround the broad base of Egmont, and in. any one .of these towns the tourist will find good hotel accommodation. Within easy range of the centre of Hawera are the water tower, from which an unrivalled view of South Taranaki may be obtained, and Manaia redoubt and watch-tower, King Edward Park, on the western side of Hawera, is the most beautiful artificial park in Taranaki. Wide expanses of velvety lawns divided into the distinctive sections of the park by wonderfully neat hedges, rose gardens, fernery, sparkling, miniature lakes and fountains, flower beds with their constant rotation of bright flowers and many secluded arbors are only a few of the attractions of the park. What has been described as one of the finest playing areas in the Dominion is enclosed in the park, which povides ample space and most perfect eward for all classes of summer sports, including municipally controlled cricket, tennis, bowling and croquet grounds. The cricket field is one of the most expansive fields on toe West Coast of the North Island.

At Kapuni the visitor should spare the few minutes required to run across to Te-ngutu-o-te-manu (the beak of the bird). It was here that the British and colonial forces, including the gallant Von Tempsky, met with a serious reverse. The site has been reserved as a domain, and a .fitting monument erected, and the place is a most interesting as well as a most historical spot. The four ■ miles of bush road up to the Dawson Falls hostel are said to be unexcelled anywhere in New Zealand. Every corner in the road reveals some new beauty of the primeval forest. Giant trees arch overhead and, shelter the tender growth of a thousand species underneath. The road reaches ever upward until the growth becomes less luxuriant and bears the evidences of the rigorous snows of winter. A little more than three and a-half miles from the gate the road suddenly emerges on the brink of a wide yawning gulf, - d there is laid bare to the traveller the most wonderful surprise of the trip, the incomputable Dawson J?Jis. Away across the green-walled chasm the shining silver bow of »uAublinp water leaps over the Lip of the

precipice into the giddy depths below, while across the wide gulf to the wondering beholder comes the diapason the falls have sung for thousands of years. From the Dawson Falls house pathways radiate to numerous points of beauty and interest, the first and most important being the precipitous way that leads down to the foot of the falls. To the physically fit the climb to the summit of the mountain is possible in from three to four hours, and as soon as the climber gets above the bush he finds South Taranaki spread out like a gigantic map at his feet. Stratford has two beautiful parks, and all the smaller towns of Taranaki, such as Eltham, Inglewood, find Opunake, have their particular charm. Sly miles by an easy grade travelling via the Pembroke Road will bring the motorist to the foot of the Stratford Mountain Road, which winds through the best of New Zealand’s bush to accommodation houses high on the slopes of beautiful Mount Egmont. The road has recently been re-established and placed in perfect order for motoring. A longer trip, but one -which will well repay visitors, is that to the Tangarakau Gorge, distant about 35 miles from Stratford. This trip should be made only in the summer, as distant portions of the road are as yet unmetalled, though steady progress is being made in that direction. The road runs in a general easterly direction and takes the motorist over the beautiful saddles of Strathmore, Pohokura, Whangamomona, Tahora and Moki. The gorge itself contains some of the most wonderful scenery to be found in New Zealand, and picnic spots are easily found. Metal has now been laid all the way from Stratford to Tahora, 52 miles. A short three miles along the main road towards Eltham lie the well-known Ngaere Gardens. The gardens abound with lawns, lakes and lovely flowers, and pleasure-seek-ers should not forget to call here in passing. uiiiiiiiiiiiiuuuuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin