THE MECCA OF THE MOTORIST

Ladies' Mirror, Volume 3, Issue 7, 1 January 1925, Page 37

THE MECCA OF THE MOTORIST

TARANAKI

TTNTIL last year the far-famed ~ tarred roads of Taranaki that wind through a wealth of mountain, river, gorge and bush scenery were inaccessible from the north, except to the venturesome motorist. The dreaded Taumatamaire Hill cunningly laid its seas of mud, and lucky were the tourists who did not spend hours, if not a night, in its famous Honeymoon Bend. Now a modern road ■ deviates through the beautiful Awakino Gorge and opens to even the moderate driver the marvellous Mokau River, flowing amidst scenic glories through the once forbidden country of the Maori King. There is still a twelve-mile gap unmetalled, but it is rapidly being completed, and, once past this at Tongaporutu (it presents no difficulty in the summer), the motorist glides in almost every direction over an even asphalt surface. The drive from Waitomo Caves through Mokau to Mount Egmont is unique, even in a country so famous for its scenery as is New Zealand. The road has truly earned its position in the recent Gazette as the "Number One Main Highway." Just the other day the chairman of one of the county councils, aghast at the rush on his roads that must ensue when the attractions of Taranaki are better known, publicly reprimanded those who are revealing them to visitors. The great majority of the people do not share this selfish feeling, and in New Plymouth a tourist bureau is kept open by voluntary subscriptions from its citizens. There is a paid staff who gladly answer enquiries, book accommodation, and in other ways try to help and encourage others to share in the bounties Nature has bestowed on the "Garden of New Zealand." ; Particulars are given of a few trips with New Plymouth as a base, but the local Tourist and Expansion League will gladly send booklets and assist the visitor in every way. It does not take any commission or accept any fees. No. I—MOUNT EGMONT (about forty miles, return) TpROM G.P.0., Devon Street W., ■V to Eliot Street, follow main road to Egmont Village (nine miles), turn to right, thence further seven miles to gate of National Park. Get

key from house adjoining and ascertain by telephone that there is nothing on the track. (Traffic permitted one way only). From gate, road leads through four and a-quarter miles of magnificent virgin bush to a mountain hostelry (altitude 3200 ft.) Panoramic view of North Taranaki; side trips to Humphries Castle, Bells Falls, Dawsons Falls, etc.; top of mountain (8260 ft.) easily reached, even by women and children. No. 2 MOKAU, via MT. MESSENGER TpROM the G.P.0., follow Devon J - ■ Street East through Waitara and pretty little Urenui, with its fine fishing and bathing beach, to Uruti. Then over the winding gorge road of Mount Messenger (now a firstclass surface, and being bitumen sealed). The cliffs drop sheer down from the steering wheel to the bushclad gullies, hundreds of feet \ below. The road then winds along the Tongaporutu River to the main bridge crossing it near the mouth. Up to this point the surface is in really good order, but there is then an unmetalled gap of seven miles to within a mile and three-quarters of the Mokau River.

Though a start has been made with the bridge, in the meantime the ferry must be used. The Mokau River, 55 miles from New Plymouth, seriously rivals the Wanganui for scenery, and the visitor should not fail to take launch trip. Between Mokau and Awakino there is an unmetalled strip of four miles, when the Awakino Gorge is entered. Metal continues to TeKuiti (110 miles from New Plymouth). On this route, between Uruti and Awakino the motorist should watch the turn for public works lorries, as the department is actively engaged in completing the metalling. Just on the north side of Mount Messenger a small bridge marks the boundary of the Maori King Country. Alcoholic liquor in excess of 40 fluid ounces must not be taken in, except with a permit. No. 3 CIRCLING MOUNT EGMONT (About 120 miles) "PROM G.P.O. down Queen Street, T turning to left at Cenotaph, and follow the main road, which skirts the coast for forty miles to Opunake, passing through Oakura and Okato. A turn to the left between

Warea and Pungarehu leads to the big Maori village of Parihaka, once the headquarters of the famous old prophet, Te Whiti. Excellent bathing beach at Opunake, where the coast is left and the road to Kaponga taken. Turn to the left at the Kaponga Hotel and continue to entrance gate of Egmont National Park. (Dawson's Falls Hostel, excellent accommodation, and very attractive side trips). The return journey is made through Eltham. A few miles on are the Ngaere Gardens, thence through Stratford and Inglewood, and back to New Plymouth. All the little mountain streams throughout the journey are well stocked with trout. An idea of the road conditions may be gauged from the fact that the cyclists in the annual round-the-mountain race pedal the course (except the deviation to Dawsons Falls) in a trifle over five hours for the hundred odd miles. This is a beautiful camping tour, but good hotel accommodation is also available about every ten miles. No. 4 INGLEWOOD via AOTEA AND MEETING OF WATERS (About a thirty-mile trip) "C<ROM G.P.0., east, along Devon -*• Street to Eliot Street and turn to right. A mile on, to the left, is Aotea, the beautiful -clad homestead of Sole Bros., adjoining the Henui River. Three miles further is the scenic reserve, where the rivers Mangorei and Waiwaikaoho join in the dense bush, and generally known as the "Meeting of the Waters." Proceed by main road to Inglewood, returning through Lepperton, joining the Waitara-New Plymouth Road at Mahaotahi (the scene of an early battle in the 1860 war between the British troops and the Maoris. The graves on the battlefield may be seen on the hill at the ■ turn). ; No. 5 ROUND NEW PLYMOUTH T EAVE G.P.O. by Devon Street ■— East to Hobson Street; turn to left, and then second turn to right to East End Beach. (Bathing beach, pavilion, paddling pool for children, swings, etc.) Return via Devon Street. Turn to left at Liardet Street to Pukekura Park. By

permission, Brooklands, the home of Mr. Newton King), which adjoins, may be visited. Here is the famous Spanish chestnut tree, covering a quarter of an acre. The grounds are the finest privately owned in New Zealand. Proceed to Marsland Hill, the quarters for the Imperial troops in the Maori War. The Astronomical Society's Observatory may be inspected by arrangement. Beneath is the beautiful old Anglican Church, containing interesting hatchments to the troops engaged in the wars of the sixties. The old graveyard surrounding the church is a veritable history of the troublous times of early Taranaki. Then past Cenotaph to left, and second turn to right to Kawaroa Park and swimming baths.

No. 6—WAIREKA (About twelve miles, return) "PROM G.P.O. down Queen Street, •*• turning to left at Cenotaph, follow tram lines to Moturoa store; then up the hill by Main South Road through Omata, until Viewlands Farm is reached (about six miles from New Plymouth). Below stretches the Pacific Ocean dotted with those old Maori strongholds Ngamotu (the islands), named by Captain Cook the Sugar Loaves. Inland the smiling farms creep up to the Patua Ranges, and behind is Mount Egmont in all its glory. Just on the town side of the road lies the battlefield of Waireka. On

March 28, 1860, the Imperial troops, in accordance with orders, returned at dusk to the weeping town, leaving practically all the male settlers surrounded by the fire of hostile Maoi " c . It was the first occasion when a British volunteer corps was under fire. There is not space here for the story of how Captain Cracroft and his gallant sailors from H.M.S. Niger dashed to the rescue, William Hodges, cutlass in hand, leading a rush ' thr.it not only won his captain's offer of "a tenner for the man who pulls down the Maori flags," but the first V.C. ever won in -New Zealand. The pretty little bush-clad gullies are well worthy of a closer inspection.

No. 7-TARATA ZIGZAG via INGLEWOOD TPROM G.P.0., follow Devon St. x East to Eliot St. Turn to right, and the main road leads to Inglewood Post Office. Instead of then turning to right, continue straight on over railway !ine. The Zigzag winds through native bush. In fine weather the trip may be continued on to th*; Stratford-Ohura Road, traversing the Tangaraku Gorge, through Ohura, joining the New Plytmuth-Te Kuiti Road at Pio I'io. Though the round trip is a lovely one in si miner, reliable information as to road conditions should be first ascertaired, ind it is not recommended that the average pleasureseeker should go past Tarata, or perhaps l J urangi.