WITH TENT AND MOTOR.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20173, 27 February 1931, Page 5

WITH TENT AND MOTOR.

GO NORTH THIS EASTER. COMING PLAYGROUND OF NEW ZEALAND. [By Tbip.] (All Bights Reserved.) Readers who intend going motor-oamping during the next few months may obtain inforttl6tion regarding roads, camping places,' ote., from "Trip," P.O. Box 1178, Wellington. ito charge is made for the sirvlee, but a stamped ftddtoßßed envelope niufet iccom - * puny all queries. If itinftrariw are given these will be criticised constructive lines and alternatives suggested.

The suggestion o[ a motor-camping holiday in. the North Auckland district conjures up various visions 5 m the mind of motorists, according to the district in which they live. The Auckland motorist remembers, the pictures ho has seen of cars slogging their way through the mud, while the man in the sotlth, imagining that North Auckland extends north of Auckland but a little distance, considers there would be nothing to see or do there. Neither of them has the right outlook about the district which, to my mind,- is destined to become one of the most popular of the Dominion. Wonderful scenery, a glorious climate (at the right time of the year), great beaches with fishing at every turn, all combine to make it ideal from the motor-oamper'a point of view. The only drawback lies in those mud roads mentioned above, and they can be avoided quite easily at small coat} moreover they] are bad only after heavy rain and during much of the Bummer provide a gloriously smooth surface. Roading improvements have been the order or the day for the last two years up north, the road to Rusfiell is open and only a comparativelv small stretch of main highway is still unmetalled. The late summer is the. ideal for holidaying there, for the weather is usually settled then; it is in the early; summer and round about Christmas time that the north has a habit of turning on. a week or more tain to dampen the spirits of the camper.

Great Fertile Area. .The popular idea ; that the north, is a desolate -waste except, for a, kauri forelt here l&d there is all wrong; and; so' is the- «»tion that it's merely a suburb of Auckland., Those who have never thought anything about, it will' perhaps be' surprised r to know that yotf • can travel nearly*. 309 miles northwardsL from, Anckland-Hyf yon arp venturesome, enough towant'to visit Spirits, Bay* The couiitry itself is patchy, very good dairying land' being interspersed , with" useless , shingly .qountrfr, bufc ! ,>g < the district produces < more butter Taranaki, -it cannot ..b'6^calfofl|.| , Wh«t 'the, weathers northfelt ; li' and early* April nasally is t god4< s There' i are many^dilEerent*»tece»ryoitfi: ! 'Meing' when-north, presents the greatest, attraction ' for those %kdilhe 1 ft' tluHnm' to Spiritffißay, at-ihe very,tip'.#f' tableland. There-is a spipe^of l adVftntUW: attaching.'to'-that run where else in New- ,55ei^i^'.":$£n<I I «|Mf Ninety Mile BeSw?hib|MS jftojed top for manv a car that ; wa4"\CßT6lesaly:

handled. . •*'" There is a good network"of toads In the north, and it is possible now to make up the east coast, 1 go aorta to Spirits Bay. hAve a round trip, and,see Eussell, before returning to Auckland. At ChrißtfljU*! this wa® » popular route; at* Easter will be ihueh more so because of 4he improved, tjhanceS for good •weather. i•" * / / - v Bay. ' /*> ■' The of Spirits Bay has a' L glamour jo# 'finance about it«.(Maori legend t&)faWUb the spirits of the dead depart iotjMhe ocean here) and the journcfy ie&n be quite thrilling, especially -if tides are not watched carefully oa tWjM&ftty Mile Beach. For the touringrindtorist the best wartfsWillbe up through Helflfißville (good SA<ttbt.. camp . here), JO, rMhungaturoto, thence across to BtisWM -land up to DargaVille. That is an easy day's run >in good weather, but if heavy rain ha'd' been experienced, it would be ad- ; vißable to ptit the car on the train between Kaipafa Flats and Maungatttrqto (20 miles). If, chains are not carried it• will,be essential to do this,.as the' -road Tory soon becomes greasy, and at holiday time turns into a veritable (JUtfgmire. v . From" DargaVille you make north i through the Ti'ouaaon Park-kauri for j est which is small, but very wonderful, and the Waipoua State, forest, the largest ana 1 greatest kauri forest now, xe*. mgining 'in the Dominion, to Eawene, where there is a good motor camp. .From "'here you go to Kaitaia, where two routes are available to Spirits Bay, one Of which can bo taken north, and the ' Others- south. Assuming that you take •the "Ninety Mite Bea«h route north, • ybu make out to Ahipara, and then, get on to'the beach. Even those who have ' never "been .north have heard of- this beach, but it is well not to take it too lightly. Information as to the best time to'tackle it can be obtained, for sit --is ' "necessary 'to. hftve the tide ' right, so that you travel over' hard - sand., '' Oars have had to be abandoned before to-day .'.through getting too noa* the sea ?md linking itf the soft sand while the tide Was coming-in. Taken properly is really nothing difficult in the beach. "At the end of the beach you make up the TO Paki. stream and have some 'pretty tough driving, before you land oat »t, Spirits Bay, where ypu can •secure accommodation in comfortable bunkhouse. You_ a.re in the midst of "wild : cittfe f Couhtry, with splendid beach facilities, and can have some wonderful tramps, or rides in the vicinity Of the Noytlj Cape. • Beautiful Russell. . TUo return journey can be made ' down tlie road which runs inland and which passes through typical "far north" country. .This r,uns through Waipapakauri to Kaitaia. The second main item in a tour ot "the north will b'e Busscll, New Zealand's most historic town, famed ;for its deep sea fishing, the access to which' has been maw more easy this last year through the opening up of a road giy* "ing -direct bttptoaqh. Previous to this Russell• had no direct-road access, [ launches being needed either from Paior Opua. The-most satisfactory I route from Kaitaia. provided yon have sufficient time,, is to make across to t.Mangonui, and thence to /Whangathe most beautiful har-bour-in the north, a country of wonderful harbours —and to fcaittp at .Whangaroa a day ,or two. From here you Kseo to .OhaeftWai and"then down to ,th« jead# off to BtweeU. When I wa«

in Russell this road was not completed so I have never been over it, but 1 understand it is in good prder and now metalled allHhe way., Russell itself is a dreamy little place, delightfully situated, with historic associations and buildings that alone make a visit worth while, while for those with deep-sea fishing inclinations, it is the hoppiMgoff place. Whangarei, further south; is also a delightful place for the holidaymakor, and its harbour is well worth exploring. There are dozens of places in the north where the harbours run inland for- many miles, and as most a re bush-fringed they are great places for the camper —as Aucklanders h ave found to their delight. Apart from the beaches and the kauri forests, there is some thermal activity in the north which will interest many, the principal outlets being at Helensville, Kamo (near Whangarei), and Ohaeawai. I have made no attempt to describe the , beauties of bush-Clad _ harbours when the.; nohutukawas are in bloom, or the wonders of Whangaroa with its pinnacled heights, or I j might lose myself in a masse of superlatives. The fact remains that this North Auckland district offers a month of glorious lease and splendid camping to those fortunates .who can go and take it.