Hobbiton Movie Set and Waitomo Caves Tour Preview

Introduction

Kia ora and good morning.Welcome aboard this Great Sights journey to Waitomo Caves and Hobbiton. Today’s journey will take us south out of Auckland City, over the Bombay Hills and into the Waikato, one of the most productive dairying regions in the world. Prior to dairying however, during 1863 and 1864, the once-peaceful hills and plains of Waikato rang with battle cries, musket fire and cannons.

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Auckland to Waitomo Caves

At stake was some of the North Island’s most fertile farmland around the Waikato and Waipa rivers. When the smoke cleared, the British had seized more than one million acres of tribal territory, and the door open to Pākehā or white settlers’ control of the Waikato. As we venture deeper into the Waikato, we will pass through the town of Ngāruawāhia, home of the Māori King Movement (Kīngitanga). From Ngāruawāhia, we turn off the main highway, passing by Mount Pirongia, an ancient volcano and one of the most distinctive features in the Waikato District, before reaching Ōtorohanga, home to the world-famous Kiwi House & Native Bird Park and New Zealand's official Kiwiana Town. From Ōtorohanga it’s a short drive to our first destination, Waitomo Caves.

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Auckland to Hobbiton

At stake was some of the North Island’s most fertile farmland around the Waikato and Waipa rivers. When the smoke cleared, the British had seized more than one million acres of Māori whenua (land), and the door open to Pakeha or white settlers’ control of the North Island. Turning off State highway 1, we venture deeper into the Waikato passing through the small settlements of Mangatāwhiri and Maramarua before travelling across the Hauraki Plains alongside the Kaimai Ranges to Waharoa and Matamata. From Matamata it’s a short drive to our first destination of the day, Hobbiton.

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Waitomo Caves to Hobbiton

After departing Waitomo Caves, we travel past Ōtorohanga the Kiwiana town, past Lake Karapiro.After Lake Karapiro it’s a short drive to our next destination of the day, Hobbiton. After visiting Hobbiton, we travel north through the Hauraki Plains and fertile farmlands of the eastern Waikato making our way back here to Auckland, the city of sails. We invite you now to sit back, relax and enjoy today’s adventure to Waitomo Caves and Hobbiton.

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Hobbiton to Waitomo

After visiting Hobbiton, we then travel west to past Lake Karāpiro and turn inland to travel via Ōtorohanga. From Ōtorohanga, the Kiwiana town it’s a short drive to our next destination of the day, Waitomo Caves. We invite you now to sit back, relax and enjoy today’s adventure to Hobbiton and Waitomo Caves.

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Safety

It is with pleasure that we provide commentary direct to you as we share today’s journey. We hope you will relax and enjoy your day. Please feel free to ask the driver any questions you may have. Your comfort and safety are important so here are some tips as we begin the day. Please ensure your personal headphones are connected to your phone while listening to this commentary, so you don’t disturb others who may be listening to the driver’s commentary. For those with mobility concerns please enter and exit at the front of the coach where the driver attends the door offering assistance to those who require it. Your seat reclines for maximum comfort. While the coach is moving, please remain seated and if the coach is fitted for seatbelts by law these must be worn at all times. Failure to do so may result in a fine that is payable by you as the passenger. For your convenience there is a toilet on board. In the unlikely event of an accident, follow the instructions of your driver and remember exits are at the front, side door and rear doors, and emergency exit windows at the rear. For the comfort of others, we ask that you don’t eat messy food on board, smoke cigarettes or use electronic vapes as we have plenty of rest stops for that. Just pay attention to the time the driver gives you to return to the coach.

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Spaghetti Junction

As we travel along the southern motorway, if you look around us you will see Auckland is built on an area of volcanic cones known as the Auckland volcanic field. The field's 53 volcanoes have produced a diverse array of maars or explosion craters, scoria cones, and lava flows. Each volcano has erupted just once however the eruption has lasted from weeks to several years. Although most Auckland volcanic cones have been given the term “mountains” such as Mount Eden, Mount Wellington and Mount Hobson, they are all low in altitude and have suffered considerable erosion both natural and manmade and are now scarcely more than low hills. As we cross over the Newmarket Viaduct and looking out to our left is the Waitemata harbour where we see the volcanic cone of Rangitoto Island, the youngest and most recent of Auckand volcanoes to appear, around 800 years ago. The eruption was observed by Māori who gave the new island the name Rangitoto which translated literally means “Blood Sky”; where Rangi is the Māori word for the sky and toto is the Māori word for blood.

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Southern Motorway

As we continue down the southern motorway out of Auckland towards the Bombay Hills, we will soon see that the motorway passes through the areas of Papakura, Drury and Bombay. In the late 1850’s, these areas were small settlements that were relatively isolated from Auckland. In the early 1860’s, as Government troops pushed south out of Auckland to wage war with the Māori tribes of the Waikato in the period in New Zealand’s history known as the “Waikato Wars”, these settlements began to gain prominence as strategic military outposts. To understand the reasons behind the battles of the Waikato requires an overview of the European settlement of New Zealand. Organised settlement of New Zealand was slow, various ships visited the country including traders and the sealers and whalers who were hunting quarry in the southern shores of New Zealand and the outer-lying sub-Antarctic islands. Goods were traded with Māori in return for food, and in the case of settlers, land and protection. The Māori wanted what the Europeans had to offer in terms of goods and in particular, muskets. At this point in New Zealand’s history, European numbers were small so co-existence and trade was generally peaceful. The balance of early trading relationships relied on mutual respect—if either Māori or Europeans were mistreated, Māori might seek redress according to the principle of utu, while Europeans could choose to withdraw from trade. As long as reciprocity and trust were maintained, trade and relations remained largely peaceful. The increased pace of colonisation during the 19th century however, resulted in increasing conflict between the indigenous Māori and the New Zealand government. The basis for this conflict requires us to look back to 1840.

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Southern Motorway Continued

Back in 1840, Māori chiefs and representatives of the British Crown signed an agreement called the Treaty of Waitangi, which laid the foundation for modern New Zealand. There are two versions of the Treaty: The English version says Māori gave up sovereignty to the British Crown. The Māori version, called Te Tiriti o Waitangi, says the Crown would govern, but Māori would keep full authority—tino rangatiratanga—over their people and treasures, or taonga. The Treaty promised: Partnership between Māori and the Crown, Participation in decision-making, And Protection of Māori rights and property. While the Treaty helped establish British rule, Māori leaders have always emphasised its importance. Today, the Treaty is recognised as a living document—central to New Zealand’s identity and guiding how we move forward together.

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Southern Motorway Continued

The Crown reserved the exclusive right to purchase land that the Māori may wish to sell in the future, at prices agreed between the Māori and the Crown. The interpretation of the Treaty became the basis for all future conflict between Māori and the Crown. To the European arrivals from countries seemingly overpopulated and intensively farmed, the use that Māori made of the land could not readily be comprehended. As the European population grew, so did the pressure on the Crown to acquire Māori land which could then be sold to the new settlers. At the same time the issue of sovereignty became a source for Māori resentment. With land demand rising and Māori resistance growing, confrontation between Māori and the Crown became inevitable.

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Southern Motorway Continued

In a bid to regain control over their rights and sovereignty, several iwi (tribes) of the Waikato and Taupo regions elected a “King” Pōtatau Te Wherowhero and formed the Māori King movement, or Māori Movement, who would protect their lands from sale and restore order. However, the colonial government viewed it as a direct challenge to British rule, and tensions escalated. The Government refused to acknowledge the Māori King or the movement and attitudes hardened on both sides. Eventually mutual suspicion and distrust culminated into war. Some of the most dramatic and strategic battles were those of the Waikato in the 1860’s. Most sites where the battles between the Māori and the Imperial forces over land and sovereignty took place are unmarked. As we progress through the Waikato, we will point out some of the battle sites and provide an overview of the events that occurred at each site.

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Ōtāhuhu

Ōtāhuhu, the area which we are now passing through is on the narrowest part of the Auckland isthmus which separates the Waitemata Harbour on the east coast and the Tasman Sea on the west coast. In the middle of the 14th century, the first Māori that sailed from Polynesia in the ancestral canoes or waka to settle in Aotearoa, entered the Waitemata Harbour. The first waka to reach the isthmus was the Tainui canoe which anchored at Ōtāhuhu while its captain, the great Māori Chief Taikehu, carried out reconnaissance from a nearby hilltop. Chief Taikehu saw the waters of the Manukau Harbour and a decision was made to drag the canoe overland to the Manukau Harbour to explore the west coast. In later years, canoes were frequently taken across the very same portage route here at Ōtāhuhu. The transporting boats and small vessels over this portage route between harbours was still a method being used by early Europeans less than 100 years ago. Today the old portage track is known as Portage Road and at less than 800 metres or ½ a mile in length, is believed to be the shortest road between two seas anywhere in the world. As you heard earlier in this story, the first Māori arrived in New Zealand as part of a fleet of ancestral canoes. The following Māori legend is how New Zealand was discovered and how the Māori came to settle here.

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Ōtāhuhu Continued

According to Māori mythology, Aotearoa was first discovered by Māui, a legendary figure who was half-god, half-man. Māui used a magical fishhook made from his grandmother’s jawbone and caught a giant fish that became the North Island of New Zealand and was called by the ancient Māori, Te ika a Māui, the fish of Māui. The South Island was known as Te waka a Māui, “the canoe of Māui” and is regarded as the canoe in which Māui was sitting when he caught the great fish that became the North Island. Stewart Island, below the South Island, was known as Te punga a Māui, the anchor of Māui. Stewart Island was the anchor that held the canoe as Māui hauled in the great fish, the North Island. While Māui discovered the land, it was Kupe—a great Polynesian navigator—who is credited with its first exploration. Kupe left Hawaiki, escaping revenge, and was led by a giant octopus into unknown waters. He arrived in Aotearoa and named it “the land of the long white cloud.” Kupe returned to Hawaiki and shared news of the new land, leading to further voyages. Around 1350, seven great waka (canoes) arrived from Hawaiki. These were Tainui, Te Arawa, Mātaatua, Kurahaupō, Aotea, Tokomaru and Tākitimu—each forming the foundation of many Māori iwi (tribes) across New Zealand.

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Manukau

We are now travelling through Manukau. Manukau is the heart of Auckland’s south, a vibrant cosmopolitan centre and home to the largest Polynesian community in the world. This region in Auckland’s south is framed by magnificent coastline and dotted with beautiful parks and heritage sites. Translated literally, Manukau means “place of the wading birds” where “manu” means birds and “kau” means wading. It refers to the many wading birds that once gathered along the shores of the nearby Manukau Harbour, which is currently out of view to our west. Manukau Harbour is one of New Zealand’s largest, covering around 388 square kilometres with over 386 kilometres of shoreline. Despite its size, it’s relatively shallow, making it ideal for wading birds and a rich source of kai moana, seafood, for Māori communities. But the harbour’s entrance is notoriously dangerous. The narrow mouth between the Manukau Heads, combined with strong tides, shifting sandbars, and unpredictable waves, creates a turbulent zone locals call “the washing machine.” Waves can come from four directions at once driven by wind, tide, ocean swells, and rebounding off cliffs and sandbanks. It’s easy to see why this harbour was never chosen as Auckland’s main port. In fact, early planners originally considered placing Auckland’s city centre at Cornwallis, on the northern side of the harbour. But after multiple shipwrecks, they shifted the city’s focus to the safer Waitematā Harbour. Manukau Harbour is also the site of New Zealand’s worst maritime disaster. On 7 February 1863, the Royal Navy ship HMS Orpheus ran aground on a sandbank while carrying troops for the New Zealand Land Wars. Of the 259 people on board, 189 lost their lives. Long before European arrival, the harbour was a vital waterway for Māori. It connected villages and pā (fortified settlements), and provided access to the Waikato River, the Pacific Ocean, and other inland routes via ancient portages. The harbour was abundant with snapper, flounder, mullet, scallops, cockles, and pipi—essential food sources for local iwi.

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Papakura

As we mentioned earlier, travelling towards the Bombay Hills, we will pass through the areas of Papakura, Drury and Bombay which were influential settlements during the Waikato Land Wars of the 1860’s. The first of these settlements, Papakura is coming up very shortly. Papakura was first settled in the 1840’s as a farming village. At that time the principal access to the settlement was by sea up the Pahurehure Inlet from the Manukau Harbour. As you will see, the motorway passes over the Pahurehure Inlet. If the tide is flowing, you will see quite a current on either side of the road as the tidal flow rushes through a narrow gap as it enters or exits the Pahurehure Inlet. When the potential outbreak of war with the Māori tribes of the Waikato began in the 1860’s, the Great South Road was constructed providing a road link to Auckland. The road was a designated military road and constructed to transport supplies to the soldiers fighting in the Waikato. In 1862, the first of a series of Selwyn churches was constructed in the district called the Selwyn Chapel. The fear of invasion by Waikato Māori from the south turned Papakura from a farming village into a frontier settlement. With the constant threat of being attacked by Māori raiding parties, many of the settlers would crowd in at night to sleep in the comparative safety of the tiny Selwyn Chapel and in the nearby fortified Presbyterian Church.

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Papakura Continued

The Presbyterian Church, originally built in 1859, was fortified against attack by Waikato Māori in 1863. The fortifications included “bullet-proofing” its walls with sand packed between the external weatherboards and interior linings, and loopholes were cut so that rifles could return fire in the event of an attack. Unlike many other churches, the Presbyterian Church and Selwyn Chapel were spared attack. But it was actions like the fortification of the churches that changed the Waikato Māori view of the missionaries from being largely neutral in the land wars conflict, to now believing that the missionaries acted as agents for the government. Once the wars had ended, Papakura progressed less rapidly than its founders had expected, largely staying as a small village. From 1945 however, Papakura began to transform into a bustling area of light industry and commerce. Today, the settlement of Papakura has been absorbed into Auckland and many of its residents commute daily to their jobs in the central city. The Māori name Papakura translated literally means “Red Earth” and refers to the areas of flat land dominated by red volcanic soil.

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Drury

Before the 1860s, Drury was a small settlement on the northern edge of dense bushland stretching south to the Waikato region. From 1863, Drury became a forward base for British Imperial troops during the Waikato Wars, a campaign against Māori tribes of the Waikato. A redoubt was built on the highest point of the settlement, marking Drury as the last protected stop on the Great South Road. Māori raiding parties, or “taua,” used the Drury Hills to monitor British movements and launch attacks. A monument now stands in Drury to honour eight men from the 1st Waikato Regiment who died in the 1863 Battle of Mauku. They are believed to be buried in a mass grave beneath the memorial. In October 1863, the tiny settlement of Mauku had two stockades: one at the river landing for supply ships from Onehunga, and the other at St Bride’s Church, which had been fortified with split logs and rifle loopholes. The church was garrisoned by local settlers under Lieutenant D.H. Lusk. On 23 October, heavy gunfire was heard early in the morning. A Māori party was spotted shooting cattle on Wheeler’s Farm, 2 km south. Lusk ordered Lieutenant Percival to join him at St Bride’s, but Percival instead led 12 men directly to Titi Hill and was quickly overwhelmed. Lusk and 60 men rushed to assist, engaging around 150 Māori in a fierce 10–15-minute battle in felled bush. Percival was killed after repeatedly exposing himself to enemy fire. The fighting included close combat with long-handled tomahawks. Private William Worthington was killed while reloading, and another soldier died withdrawing his bayonet. As Māori reinforcements arrived, the militia retreated to the church stockade. Two officers and up to seven men were killed. Māori casualties remain unknown. The militia dead were found the next day, tomahawked, stripped, and laid out side by side. Seven were buried at St John’s churchyard in Drury. A memorial was proposed immediately, with officers and men from the Waikato Regiments donating a day’s pay to commemorate their bravery.

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Bombay Hills

We are now climbing the Bombay Hills. Although only a small and seemingly insignificant range of hills, they lie at the southern boundary of the Auckland region and serve as a divide between Auckland and the Waikato region. Aucklanders and other New Zealanders have a mostly light-hearted "love-hate" relationship. Stereotypically, Aucklanders view parts of the country "south of the Bombay Hills" as provincial and unsophisticated, while the rest of the country sees Aucklanders as brash and arrogant. For this reason, the boundary between Auckland and its southern neighbours bears great significance. People on both sides of the boundary are as likely to use the phrase "New Zealand stops at the Bombay Hills".

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Bombay Hills Continued

The Bombay Hills are geologically quite distinct as they are mainly of volcanic origin. The hills are overlain by volcanic ash which has weathered over time to create some of the best soils for market gardening in New Zealand. Known as the vegetable bowl of New Zealand, the commonly grown crops in the Bombay Hills region are potatoes, onions, lettuce and cover crops such as barley, oats and mustard. These crops are sold both as fresh and processed to markets across New Zealand and abroad. As we travel through the Bombay Hills you will be able to see the rich red volcanic soil so highly valued by the local market gardeners on either side of the road. See if you can guess which vegetable crop might be being grown.

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Bombay Hills Continued

The Bombay Hills are named after the ship Bombay that brought immigrants from England in December 1863 to settle in this area. The Bombay was reported in Auckland’s Southern Cross newspaper as having sailed from Gravesend in England on the 26th August 1863, bringing the long-expected uniform for the Auckland Volunteers and also a portion of the plant for the Auckland Gas Works. The Bombay also brings a full cargo of merchandise and nearly 180 passengers. A good passage of 98 days from her final start.

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Entering the Waikato

Shortly we will cross the Mangatāwhiri River that traditionally marked the boundary between the Auckland and Waikato regions. Waikato Māori saw the Mangatāwhiri River as their northern boundary. The second Māori king then, Tāwhiao (Tūkāroto Matutaera Pōtatau Te Wherowhero), had declared it an “au-kati” or a boundary not to be crossed. A military incursion across the river by the British would be seen by Māori as a formal declaration of war. On 12 July 1863, British forces under Lieutenant-General Duncan Cameron crossed the Mangatāwhiri Stream, a boundary (au kati) set by the Kīngitanga to mark their territory. This act was seen by Māori as an invasion, and it marked the beginning of the Waikato Campaign. Like the 65th Regiment, once we cross the Mangatāwhiri River, we have officially left Auckland and are now in the Waikato region.

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Entering the Waikato Continued

The Waikato is one of the most fertile farmland areas in New Zealand. As we pass through the region you will see plenty of rolling lush farmland which supports New Zealand’s extensive and highly valuable dairy industry. The first Waikato settlement that we will pass through is Mercer. Mercer’s beginnings were that of a military settlement at the end of what was called “The Great South Road”. The government decided that the Great South Road was to be constructed and used as a defensive front to protect Auckland from invasion or attack by Waikato Māori. Interestingly the road was constructed North-South which would not provide Auckland with any real means of a defensive front. If the road was to provide a truly defensive line to protect Auckland, then it would have been constructed running East-West. Therefore, the Great South Road had no real defensive function but was constructed as a supply route for the soldiers sent into the Waikato to wage war. The first attack in the invasion of the Waikato took place on 17 July 1863, when about 15 Māori defenders were killed by members of the 65th Regiment at Koheroa about 1km north of Mercer. With the river mouth only 30kms downstream from Mercer, gun boats and supply barges were able to sail up stream to this settlement to collect and re-arm soldiers for anticipated battles further south.

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Entering the Waikato Continued

Mercer became a river way port in 1866. A fleet of paddle steamers used to travel up the Waikato River through the southern town of Ngaruawahia and on to what is now the city of Hamilton. Mercer was named after Captain Henry Mercer of the Royal Artillery, who died at the battle of Rangariri to the south of Mercer in 1863.

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Entering the Waikato Continued

If you look to the right side, the Waikato River is the longest river in New Zealand at 425 kilometres. The source of the Waikato River is Lake Taupo in the centre of the North Island, and it empties into the Tasman Sea on the west coast at Port Waikato. The Waikato River was once the main highway through the Waikato Province, moving people, freight and livestock from here to other inland towns and settlements. The Waikato River was eventually superseded as a transport and supply route by the formation of major road links between Auckland and the surrounding districts. The name Waikato originated during the voyage of the Tainui canoe, which had journeyed from Polynesia. Arriving just off the mouth of the river, the crew remarked upon the kato or the pull of the river current in the sea and thereafter the name Waikato, “wai” meaning water, “kato” meaning pull or flow was given to the river.

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Meremere

We are now in Meremere. The Māori name Meremere means “Evening Star”. During the Waikato Land Wars, Meremere was the site of a large hilltop Māori pā (fortress), while nearby stood the British Alexandra Redoubt. Māori warriors were renowned for their courage and skill in guerrilla warfare. Using carved close-combat weapons, they excelled in ambush tactics. Small raiding parties, known as taua, moved through the bush, camping by day and travelling at night—often attacking at dawn. They targeted British messengers and sentries, drawing troops into the bush and inflicting heavy casualties. One such incident occurred in late 1863. Irish soldier Jack Murphy was on sentry duty outside the redoubt when he spotted what appeared to be a large pig rooting in the fern. Suspicious, he challenged it and fired. He missed—and the “pig” threw off its hide and lunged at him with a tomahawk. It was a Māori warrior using a pigskin disguise to sneak up on the sentry. Murphy had no time to reload his Enfield rifle. He tried to deflect the blow, but the tomahawk struck his left hand. The camp turned out, but the attacker had vanished. Murphy was left shouting for a lantern—his thumb had been cleanly severed.

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Hampton Downs

Coming into view, you will see the Hampton Downs Racetrack. Hampton Downs is a 450-acre motorsport park, based around a new international race circuit. It boasts a convention centre ‘Hampton’s Pavilion’, hospitality facilities, purpose-built skid pan and industrial units. Within the circuit’s park-like surroundings you can try your hand at car and motorcycle experiences ranging from ‘hot lap’ thrills to advanced high-speed and driver training.

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Te Kauwhata

Te Kauwhata lies at the centre of one of New Zealand's smaller wine-producing regions, which stretches from Pukekohe, just south of Auckland, across to Thames and Paeroa at the foot of the Coromandel Peninsula. The region is particularly notable for its Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc wines. In 1895, Romeo Bragato a viticulturist and visionary who had been trained at the highly regarded School of Viticulture and Oenology in Conegliano, Italy came to NZ as the Government viticulturalist, contracted to advise on the future of wine growing in the colony. Bragato fell in love with the soft climate, sedimentary soil and gentle slopes of north Waikato, reminiscent of his native Italy. In 1903, at his insistence the Government Viticultural Research Station was built at Te Kauwhata, overlooking Lake Waikare. The first wines from Te Kauwhata were produced in 1903. The research station is no longer, but vines are still grown, and wine is still produced in this important place in New Zealand's winemaking history. In February 2016, Invivo Wines, producer of Graham Norton the Irish television and radio presenter, comedian, and actor's own Sauvignon Blanc, announced their securing of a 10-year lease of this winery.

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Rangiriri

We are now passing through Rangiriri, translated literally Rangiriri means “Angry Sky”. One of the fiercest battles of the Waikato War was fought here at Rangiriri on 20 November 1863. The pa built here by Māori to block the British advance was exceptionally strong and a carefully hidden trap with concealed firing positions. The British troops were commanded by General Duncan Alexander Cameron, a Crimean war veteran who had come to New Zealand at the request of the Government to assist in the Waikato Land Wars. Although only 500 warriors were here, the Māori defence line was well protected by trenches, 20-foot earth walls and swampy ground. The front-line running East-West consisted of a long trench, a parapet of banked up earth and then another long trench. The trenches varied in depth from nine to fourteen feet and were so wide that they could not be jumped. The earth parapet was between 14 and 21 feet high from the bottom of the trench. The trenches were also equipped with excavated fox holes in which the warriors could shelter from incoming bombardment. From these fox holes the Māori warriors could quickly move up to steps cut in the trench walls that allowed them to return fire. On 20th November 1863, the British began their attack. After substantial artillery bombardment, they then launched a frontal attack on the defensive line. With bayonets fixed, the troops charged the trenches to capture the outer-lying earthworks. The Māori rapidly found themselves retreating to the central redoubt. The Māori fired heavy volleys into the British who were repulsed with heavy casualties. The British again ordered further assaults on the redoubt, but these too ended in disaster. A detachment of the Royal Artillery, armed with revolvers and swords, was ordered late in the afternoon to storm the fort. Captain Mercer who you will remember the settlement of Mercer we passed through was named after, led thirty-six of his men in the assault, but they were repelled by the Māori; Mercer fell mortally wounded, shot through the mouth. That night, while the British troops lay encamped in front of the central redoubt, the majority of Māori warriors evacuated the pā across Lake Wairere. Shortly after daybreak on November the 21st, the remaining Māori raised the white flag of surrender.

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Rangiriri Continued

Māori intended to discuss the terms of surrender, but their intent was wrongly interpreted by the British and the remaining Māori were captured without further bloodshed. The British considered Rangiriri to be a decisive victory over the rebellious Māori. In all, 132 British and 41 Māori lost their lives in that day of furious fighting. The main highway crosses over the original battle site. The bang of the double-barrel gun is still a familiar sound around Rangiriri, but nowadays it is the wild duck and not the Pākehā or British soldiers that is the target.

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Huntly

The two large chimney stacks that you see with the orange tips are part of the 953 MW Huntly Power Station, New Zealand’s largest power station by capacity. The Huntly power station was commissioned in 1982 to run on gas and coal. As Māui natural gas supplies in Taranaki on New Zealand’s west coast began to run out in early 2000s, coal increasingly became the major fuel. Up to 50% of the coal used in the older section of the power plant is imported from Indonesia, the remainder is mined in New Zealand. The gas for the newer turbines again comes from the Māui gas field in the Taranaki. The station uses water from the Waikato River for cooling. However, in order to protect aquatic life, conditions are imposed specifying the quantity of water that can be removed by the station along with the maximum temperature of the water when returned to the river which is 25 degrees Celsius or 77 degrees Fahrenheit. These conditions mean that on very hot summer days the station cannot operate at maximum capacity and has sometimes effectively been shut down. The Huntly Power Station chimneys are 150 metres high; the reason they are painted orange on the tips is to serve as a visual warning to low-flying aircraft.

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Huntly Continued

Originally a Māori settlement called Rāhui Pōkeka, Huntly was a military post during the Waikato wars and a Pākehā settlement afterwards. Huntly expanded when commercial coal mining began in 1874 and developed as a tight-knit working class community. Many miners came from the South Island’s West Coast and the north of England and Scotland. Local Māori also entered the industry in large numbers. The settlement of Huntly was named after the town of Huntly in the Grampian region of eastern Scotland by Alexander Henry, who originally owned the land on which the present town stands.

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Taupiri Range

As we pass over the Taupiri range, coming up on our left side. You will see eight 20-metre-tall carved poles made from treated Radiata Pine. These represent the fairy people of Patupaiarehe and their connection to this part of New Zealand, named ‘Te Kaahui Hakuturi’. Each one looks in a different direction guarding all that come through the whenua (land) Mount Taupiri, the small mountain to the right-hand side is a sacred mountain and burial ground for the local Tainui people to whom this ground is Tapu. Tapu means something is sacred or not allowed. It can be a place, a person, or an object. When something is tapu, it must be respected and certain rules must be followed. Taupiri Mountain is also considered by the Tainui people to a “maunga-hiko-nga-uira” or a lightning peak of omen, where “maunga” is the Māori word for mountain, “hiko” means lightning, and “uira” means “flash. If lightning was seen flashing downward immediately above the mountain, the spectacle was taken to be a warning or omen that the death of a notable man or woman of the tribe was imminent.

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Taupiri Range Continued

Mount Taupiri is the resting place of the past Māori Monarchs, two of whom were prominent leaders during the Waikato land wars. One of the recent members of the Māori royal family to be buried there was Dame Te Atairangikaahu, Māori Queen in August 2006. Dame Te Atairangikaahu was the Māori queen for 40 years, the longest reign of any Māori monarch. Her full name and title was Te Arikinui Te Atairangikaahu. Her title Te Arikinui means Paramount Chief and her name, Te Atairangikaahu means “the hawk of the morning sky”. In the New Year Honours 1970 Te Atairangikaahu was the first Māori to be appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, "for outstanding services to the Māori people". On 6 February 1987 Te Atairangikaahu was the first appointee to the Order of New Zealand and her badge of the order bears the number 1. Her death sparked a week of mourning for the Māori people leading to her funeral on 21 August 2006. She is buried on Taupiri mountain in an unmarked grave, as are her ancestors, as a sign of equality with their people.

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Taupiri Range Continued

Following her death 2006 she was succeeded by her son Tuheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII, (Tuheitia Paki) who passed away in late August and buried in early September 2024. As the Māori monarchy is not hereditary by right. After the death of a Kīngitanga monarch, the leaders of the tribes associated with the Kīngitanga gather to elect who the next monarch will be. On the funeral day the leaders voted and King Tuheitia’ s daughter was anointed Queen Nga Wai hono i te Po Paki, in September 2024 at the young age of 27 years. She is the second Queen of the Kīngitanga movement.

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Ngāruāwahia

Ngāruāwahia is a small township located out in the distance. The name Ngāruāwahia means "the opened food pits" and derives its name from a great Māori feast and celebrations that occurred here in the 17th century.Te Ngaere, a Ngati Tamainu-pō chief and Heke-i-te-rangi, a Ngati Maniapoto woman, had eloped and settled at Ngāruāwahia causing a rift between their tribes.When their first child was born, Chief Te Ngaere invited his wife’s Ngati Maniapoto people here to the celebration in an attempt to reconcile the tribes.Chief Te Ngaere's father named the new boy child “Te Mana-o-te-rangi” in honour of the Ngati Maniapoto, where “Te Mana” means the respect and “o- te –rangi” means at the place of the Sky god Rangi.With this proclamation, formal peace was established between the tribes; Te Ngaere then shouted "Wahia ngā rua" which translated literally means “break open the food pits”; and marked the commencement of the celebration feasting.

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Ngāruāwahia Continued

Ngāruāwahia is home to the Māori Kingi-tanga or the Māori King Movement. The first Māori King, Potatau Te Wherowhero, was crowned at Ngāruāwahia in April 1857.The current Māori Queen is Ngā Wai hono I te Po, who obtained the throne at Turangawaewae Marae immediately following her father King Tuheitia’s passing in 2024 who we talked about earlier at Mount Taupiri.

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Ngāruawāhia Continued

Shortly we will be leaving State Hwy 1 and the Waikato Expressway, then heading right towards Waitomo Caves by passing the city of Hamilton, the only city in the Waikato province.

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Passing Horotiu

Before we leave the expressway, we cross over the Waikato River. The settlement of Horotiu lies out to the right side of the coach. The name Horotiu means “swiftly flowing” or “to break like a wave”; this was the name that the local Māori gave the section of the Waikato River between Ngaruawahia and Cambridge. From the junction at Ngaruawahia where the Waikato and Waipa Rivers met, the Waikato river became swift and turbulent; its waves would often be breaking over the prows of the canoes as the Māori travelled along the river. The name Horotiu reflected the increased speed of the river and the breaking of the waves. The ancient name Horotiu was retained until the time of the Waikato Wars of the 1860’s, during which the name Waikato became applied to the whole of the river.

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Passing Horotiu Continued

For the Māori, the Waikato river was a precious highway, and an even more precious reservoir of food. The hills overlooking the river made superb sites for pa’s or fortified villages. Other villages sat alongside the banks of the river where the sweet potato, the kumara flourished in the silt and the sand deposited by the river. The water swarmed with small fishing and hunting canoes, and the much larger canoes, constructed for war. As we mentioned in Huntly earlier, the name Waikato means “flowing water”, but the full name of the river was “Waikato-taniwha-rau”, “the flowing water of a hundred water monsters”. It was Māori belief that mist on a sacred mountain could disclose visions of the future. In the early 1860’s, Māori living on the banks of the Waikato River are said to have gazed in astonishment as the suns early rays played through the mist on the sacred summit of the nearby mountain, Maungaroa. In this vision they saw battles, a steamboat and European towns. Not long after, the battles began. Not one steamer, but three sailed up the Waikato with gunboats firing shells into the Māori warriors. More vessels followed and armed colonists disembarked. The towns came when conquest of the Māori villages was complete. The 425km long Waikato River and the surrounding river towns such as Horotiu, were soon as British as the Thames.

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Whatawhata

Not much has changed since the 1880’s guidebook described Whatawhata as "six miles from Frankton Junction, along a good, metaled road. Whatawhata was in the early days of the 1880’s an important Māori centre, that at one time had a population of over a thousand. Small steamers owned by the Waikato Steam Navigation Company plied up and down the river from Huntly. They travelled as far up as Pirongia transporting heavy goods such as timber, wire and manure to the growing farming and dairying area. It’s here at the Whatawhata intersection that the road crosses the Waipa River taking both local and international surfers to the coastal settlement of Raglan which became a surfing town since the 1960s. Internationally, Raglan is a surfing mecca for wave riders, with three world-class point breaks. Manu Bay, one of the local beaches offer surfers the longest left-hand ride on the planet.

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Māori Values

Māori responses in the early contact period with Europeans were determined by well-established customs and practices. The notions of mana, tapu and utu were sources of both order and dispute in Māori society. They were practical forces at work in everyday matters. You will recall earlier we explained the Māori concept of Tapu; the other two important concepts in Māori culture that we believe you will be quite interested in are “mana” and “utu”. Mana is often referred to as status; a person with mana had a presence. While mana was inherited, individuals could also acquire, increase or lose mana through their actions. Rangatira or chiefs, recognised the need to keep their mana as high as possible. Mana influenced the behaviour of people and groups and was sought through achievements and successes. Māori vigorously defended their mana in everyday matters and tried to enhance it whenever they could. Often defined as ‘revenge’, utu has a broader meaning: the maintenance of balance and harmony within society. A wrong had to be put right, but how this was done could vary greatly. Utu in the form of gift exchange established and maintained social bonds and obligations. If social relations were disturbed, balance could be restored through utu. One form of utu was muru, the taking of personal property as compensation for an offence against an individual, community or society. Once muru was performed, the matter was ended. The nature of muru was determined by factors that included the mana of the victim and the offender, the severity of the offence and the intent of the offending party. If balance was not restored, a taua or hostile expedition might become necessary. Even here there were levels of response. A taua muru was a bloodless plundering expedition, while taua ngaki mate or taua roto sought violent revenge for a death. Māori were quick to recognise the economic benefits of developing a positive working relationship with Europeans. Trade and other Pakeha practices were accepted on Māori terms with concepts of mana, tapu and utu playing significant roles.

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Pirongia

To our right is Mount Pirongia, the most dominant peak in this region. Its name means “health restoring and purification.” In Tainui tradition, Pirongia was a stronghold of the Patupaiarehe—mysterious, fair-skinned forest dwellers often described as fairy people. Said to live deep in the misty forests, they avoided sunlight, cooked no food, and were known for their haunting flute music. Legends tell of the Maidens of the Mist, Patupaiarehe women who lured Māori men into the mountains, never to return. Patupaiarehe men were also said to have taken Māori women, some of whom returned with new skills—especially weaving and net-making. Remarkably, Māori weaving techniques were unlike those of other Polynesian cultures. Though they didn’t use looms, Māori wove fibres into fine cloth similar to ancient European linen. This has led some to believe that Māori may have learned these techniques from earlier inhabitants like the Patupaiarehe. Even Captain James Cook, during his first visit in 1769, noted in his journal that Māori fishing nets were “woven exactly like our own.” He had seen nets across Polynesia, but none matched the European style until he arrived in Aotearoa. Children born of Patupaiarehe and Māori unions were known as Urukehu, meaning “light-haired.” These stories suggest that other peoples may have lived in New Zealand before the arrival of the Polynesian ancestors of today’s Māori. Some believe the Patupaiarehe were driven into the mountains by more warlike newcomers. And even today, locals say that in the deepest forests of Pirongia, the Patupaiarehe still exist—heard in the mist, never seen in the light.

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Ōtorohanga

We’re now on the outskirts of Ōtorohanga. In the early 1800s, this area was a thriving Māori village with up to 4,000 people living along the fertile Waipā River. Terraced pā (fortified villages) were built on nearby hills, where communities grew food and defended their land. During the Waikato Land Wars, European access to the surrounding King Country was restricted. The modern town began as a railway construction camp in 1880, but progress was delayed until 1885 due to Māori opposition. Once tensions eased, the railway was completed in 1887, and timber milling became the town’s first major industry. Today, the surrounding land is mostly dairy farms, but Ōtorohanga is best known as New Zealand’s official Kiwi Town. The Kiwi House and Native Bird Centre here has played a key role in kiwi conservation. In 1978, it hatched the first kiwi in captivity and has since exported birds to approved zoos around the world. You’ll see kiwi symbols everywhere—from sculptures and signs to costumes and banners. As we leave town, look to your right for the large kiwi sculpture on the raised riverbank. The name Ōtorohanga means “food for a journey,” referring to a chief who travelled inland with only a small supply, sustained by a magic chant.

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Waitomo

Shortly we will reach the turn off to our first destination, the Waitomo Caves. The Waitomo Caves and their glow-worms are one of New Zealand’s major tourist attractions. The caves have been carved from the surrounding limestone hills by underground streams over many thousands of years. Although local Māori knew of the existence of at least one of these caves, the first European to visit the Waitomo Caves is believed to have been a surveyor, Frederick Mace in 1887, who was accompanied by Tane Tinorau, the owner of the land on which the cave is situated. As they entered the caves and their eyes adjusted to the darkness, they saw a multitude of lights reflecting off the water. Looking up, they discovered that the cave ceilings were dotted with the lights of thousands of Glowworms. Jubilant at their discovery, they returned many times to explore further and on an independent trip Tāne discovered the upper level of the cave. By 1889 Tāne Tinorau had opened the cave to tourists. Visitor numbers soared and Tāne and his wife Whariki Huti escorted groups through the cave for a small fee. In 1906 the administration of the cave was taken over by the government. In 1989, almost 100 years later, the land and the cave was returned to the descendants of the original owners. Many staff employed at the caves today are direct descendants of Chief Tāne Tinorau and his wife Huti.

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Waitomo Continued

Today, you will enjoy an escorted tour of the “Waitomo Cave” to see stalactites, stalagmites and the intricate limestone pillars which give the cave an eerie beauty. The tour culminates in boat ride through the Glowworm Grotto. We must stress that any form of photography or video within the caves is strictly prohibited to avoid disturbing the Glowworms. If the Glowworms are exposed to light sources such as a camera flash, they simply stop glowing and the cave will go completely dark. Please ensure that you understand and adhere to the time that the driver requests you to return to the coach. Your lunch will be given to you by the driver to be eaten on board.

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Leaving Waitomo

Welcome back aboard, we hope that you enjoyed your time at Waitomo Caves. This is a complete aside but an interesting little fact about the caves founder Tāne Tinorau and that is his wife Whariki Huti bore him 16 children. Families in the 19th century New Zealand were large, Pakeha women had on average seven children each, Māori women six. In the early 20th century Pakeha women began to marry later and birth rates dropped to around two per woman. Grandparents, parents and children lived together in Māori households. Most Pakeha households were just parents and children, although some included elderly grandparents, other relatives, or friends. Mothers and fathers had different roles, especially in the cities. Men were the breadwinners, who went out to earn money. Women took care of the house and children. In rural areas such as where many Māori families lived, women and children joined men in work on farms and in small businesses.

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Leaving Waitomo Continued

The next part of today’s journey to Hobbiton will see us travelling back to Ōtorohanga and then travelling north to the small town of Kihikihi. In the 1860’s, Kihikihi was the headquarters of the Ngāti-Maniapoto tribe of the Waikato and home of the mighty Māori chief and warrior, Rewi Manga Maniapoto who we will tell you a little more about as we reach the town.

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Leaving Waitomo Continued

From Kihikihi, we head east towards Hobbiton our next stop.

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Kakepuku

A few miles inland to the west from here there is a lonely mountain called Kakepuku. Kakepuku was given his name by Rakataura, the tohunga or priest of the Tainui canoe that settled in his area many hundreds of years ago. It is said that a long, long time ago this mountain was not where he is now; Kakepuku came from the south looking for his father. When he reached the Waipu plains, he saw the soft round form of Kawa the female mountain standing a little to the south. Kakepuku fell in love with Kawa, but he had rivals in the mountains Puketarata and Karewa. Puketarata and Karewa resented Kakepuku’s arrival in the region and they tried to get rid of him, especially when they saw that Kawa favoured him. Puketarata, small and unshapely, was soon defeated by Kakepuku, but Karewa fought fiercely.

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Kakepuku Continued

The two rivals hurled molten rocks and streams of lava at each other; the earth shook, and the heavens trembled. Finally, Kakepuku won and Karewa withdrew. Karewa uprooted himself in the night and retreated to the west, pursued by the flaming rocks hurled by his victorious rival. He ran all night but was stopped by the first rays of the morning sun. Karewa settled down in the Tasman Sea off Kawhia Harbour; his pakeha or European name is Gannet Island. And so Kakepuku gained Kawa, his heart's desire and although the Main Trunk Railway passes between them, they are united as ever. If you look around you, even today the countryside is covered with some of the huge boulders that Kakepuku and Karewa threw at each other during their fierce battle.

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Ōtorohanga 2

We’re now back in Ōtorohanga, known not just for its Kiwi House, but also as Kiwiana Town—a celebration of all things uniquely New Zealand. You’ll see a blue building with a mural featuring classic Kiwiana icons: the Buzzy Bee toy, gumboots, jandals, pavlova, Edmonds Baking Powder, a Kiwi, a silver fern, a paua shell, and even Kiwi boot polish. Kiwiana reflects everyday Kiwi life. Think black singlets and gumboots—once the go-to outfit for farmers heading into town. Jandals, short for “Japanese sandals,” became a summer staple in the 1950s. The Buzzy Bee toy has delighted generations, including Prince William during his 1983 visit as a baby. And the Edmonds Cookbook is a flatting essential passed down from mums to their kids. The pavlova, our national dessert, was inspired by Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova’s 1926 visit. Despite Aussie claims, it’s a Kiwi creation! The silver fern, a proud national symbol, first appeared on a rugby badge in 1888 and now represents New Zealand on the world stage. Known as the “Flag of the United Tribes, this flag flew in New Zealand until 1840, when it was supplanted by the Union Jack. The four stars are the four brightest stars of the Southern Cross. The flag was regularly flown until 1902, when it was officially adopted as the national flag of New Zealand. In 2015-2016 the country had two national referendums to decide whether to change our national flag. The first referendum was to decide a design out of a selection of six choices. Once decided, the second referendum was to vote on whether we change the flag to the new design or retain the current flag. When the votes were counted, 47% wanted to change and 53% wanted to remain. As a result, we still retain today, our original flag since 1902. Ōtorohanga proudly showcases these treasures, making it a true heartland of Kiwi culture.

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Kihikihi

We’re now entering Kihikihi, named after the Māori word for cicada. In the 1860s, this town was the stronghold of Ngāti Maniapoto and home to the renowned chief and warrior Rewi Manga Maniapoto. As we pass through, look out for the Rewi Maniapoto Reserve, marked by traditional carvings and the monument at his gravesite. Kihikihi sits near two key battle sites of the New Zealand Wars: Pāterangi and Ōrākau. The Battle of Ōrākau in 1864 is especially famous—it inspired New Zealand’s first feature film, Rewi’s Last Stand. After losing the Battle of Pāterangi, Rewi’s Ngāti Maniapoto tribe and their allies met at the southern side of the Punui River at the village of Wharepapa to discuss their options against the advancing British troops. Despite the recent loss of Pāterangi, the decision to continue the war was unanimous amongst the Māori. Although opposed by the mighty chief Rewi Maniapoto a decision was made to fight the British at Ōrākau, a small village 4.8km from the now British occupied Kihikihi. Rewi’s reluctance to fighting the British at Ōrākau was based on sound judgement. Ōrākau lacked an integral water supply and could be easily encircled, however Rewi’s allies were determined to fight the British at Ōrākau and proceeded to make the best they could of the site’s tactical possibilities. By working day and night, the Māori succeeded in building a pā or fortified village that could be skilfully defended.

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Kihikihi Continued

On the 31st March 1,120 men under the command of Brigadier General G.J Carey arrived at the Ōrākau Pā to face the besieged Rewi Manga Maniapoto and three hundred men and women. On that same day, the first British assaults on the Pā began. The British hoped that an outright victory at Ōrākau would end both the Waikato war and Māori resistance. Despite a shortage of food, water and ammunition, Rewi and his followers withstood the British hail of shot and shell for three days. On the third day of battle, General Duncan Alexander Cameron arrived at Ōrākau with a further 1000 troops and invited the Māori to surrender. The unified Māori reply was “Ka whawhai tonu mātou, Āke! Āke! Āke!”, which means “We will fight on, forever and ever!”. Cameron then offered safe passage for women and children within the Pa, this offer was also rejected by the women who stated that “If the men die, the women and children must also die” and in the renewing of the battle, most did die. The courage of the Māori won the respect of the most hardened British soldier. Rewi led a daring breakout, escaping through the bush and swamps into what became known as the King Country. Though the Waikato was lost to land confiscations, the Māori spirit endured. Ōrākau can be seen as a Māori triumph; the Māori spirit shown at Ōrākau helped persuade the British to press no further down the country. The Waikato however was no longer a Māori domain. In the ruthless land confiscation’s that ensued, the Government took most of the Waikato land as far south as Kihikihi. Later in life, Rewi helped foster peace between Māori and Pākehā. He was honoured by the government in 1879 and given a pension—an ironic twist for a once fierce opponent.

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Heading to Cambridge

Dairy farming is part of a long and proud agricultural tradition in New Zealand. Dairy cattle were first imported by European settlers in the early 19th Century to provide milk, butter and cheese for local supply. As early as 1846, only six years after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, the first exports began. In 1882 New Zealand exported the first refrigerated shipment, a worldwide first, of meat and butter from Dunedin to London. The advent of refrigerated shipping enabled New Zealand to develop a substantial dairy export trade to the United Kingdom, which remained the largest export market until the 1970s, when Britain joined the European Union. Refrigerated shipping, New Zealand's temperate climate and a highly innovative and efficient dairy industry based on farmer-owned co-operative dairy companies enabled dairying to grow into New Zealand's most important industry. Since the 1970s there has been significant diversification in both dairy products and markets.

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Heading to Cambridge Continued

The predominant breed of cow used for milk supply is the Holstein-Fresian; other breeds such as the Jersey and the Holstein-Fresian-Jersey cross, are also popular. The average modern dairy farm usually has some thirty paddocks and during the milking season the herd is rotated around these with a grazing time of 12 to 24 hours in each paddock, depending on the amount of pasture feed present. At times you may see what looks like a small wire confining the cows to a particular part of a paddock. This wire is in fact a portable electric fence and is often used to restrict the grazing area to avoid pasture wastage by trampling, or to ration the feeding of grass or crops. You may also notice that stock may be grazing in concentration in one paddock while surrounding paddocks are empty. What you are seeing is known as “rotational grazing”. Rotational grazing enables paddocks to be grazed quickly and uniformly by concentrating more stock on a given area; pastures can also be rested or controlled to produce more growth by the rotation of stock to different paddocks. Efficient pasture management and use are vital to pastoral farming. Poor grazing techniques result not only in lower milk production and slower growth of young animals but may also lead to a deterioration in pasture quality and diminished productivity. Combined with rainfall spread evenly throughout the year and moderate temperatures in winter, grass grows luxuriantly through a long season, and this makes NZ perhaps the most efficient milk producing country in the world.

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Maungatautari Mountain

On our right is Maungatautari Mountain. Maungatautari can be translated as “suspended mountain”. It is said that the name was given by a revered tohunga or priest called Rakataura, who first saw the mountain rising above the fog that often blankets Waikato making it appear suspended in the sky. Maungatautari Mountain is home to The Sanctuary Mountain project which began with a dream to protect the diversity of plant and animal species living on Maungatautari. Many of the local community, including landowners, local iwi and local residents have a strong emotional connection with the mountain and were spurred into action to protect it. Maungatautari Mountain was first made into a reserve in 1912 after a wildlife service survey found the forest to be of high significance. Nearly 100 years later, another survey of 2,000 Waikato residents found that the majority were supportive of protecting Maungatautari with a pest-proof fence and restoring the area for visitors. Because of its mainland situation, the creation of this ecological island required completely enclosing the perimeter of the 3,400-hectare mountain with a 47 km pest-proof fence. The supportive community raised NZ$14.5m for the fence project. The fence around Maungatautari is the longest pest-proof fence in the world. It has specially designed water gates allowing for the movement of water and freshwater wildlife without allowing pests in. It also has fish tunnels to allow large fish to move freely past the gates. Since the completion of the pest-proof fence in 2004, 14 mammal species have been totally eradicated from Maungatautari. 270 km of tracking lines have been developed to create an intensive network of 2,700 monitoring tunnels which are regularly inspected by volunteers in order to check the status of the eradication programme. Pests that have been eradicated include hedgehogs, cats, Norway rats, ship rats, stoats, ferrets, weasels, rabbits, hares, possums, deer, pigs and goats.

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Karapiro

We are now travelling beside Lake Karapiro. Lake Karapiro is an artificial lake really part of the Waikato River which was widened at this point due to the construction of the Karapiro hydro dam. Beneath its waters lies the Horahora power station, completed in 1913 to supply the Waihi Gold Mining Company in the Bay of Plenty. Construction began in 1940, but because of the shortage of building supplies during the Second World War, the dam was not completed until 1947. The dam was officially opened and commissioned in 1948. The building of the dam raised the water level of the existing river by over 30 metres. Lake Karapiro is 7.7sqkm in area and extends back 24km to Arapuni. The Karapiro dam is the northern most of the Waikato River’s 8 hydro power-stations. The flow of water along the river is regulated by control gates at Lake Taupo which control Lake Taupo’s outflow. The outflow of water from Lake Taupo can be increased or decreased to meet the hydro system’s needs.

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Karapiro Continued

Lake Karapiro is used for both National and International Rowing Championships and is recognised at one of the world’s finest rowing courses. Lake Karapiro was used for rowing in the 1950 Empire Games and again for the 1978 World Rowing Championships. Lake Karapiro is also a popular lake for water skiers, yachtsman, power boating and the more tranquil pursuit of trout fishing. After returning from a battle in the southern Waikato, the Māori Chief Te Waharoa stopped here at Karapiro to burn the bodies of the warriors who had been killed in the battle at the base of a large rocky outcrop, so they would not fall into enemy hands. The burning produced a strong odour. It is from this incident that Karapiro gets its name: Kara means “rock” and “piro” means rotting or rotten.

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Cambridge

As you can see from the road signs, we are nearing the town of Cambridge. Cambridge, “the town of trees” is the most elegant of Waikato’s towns, with its tree-shaded streets, village green, clock tower, band rotundas, and Anglican Church. A tradition of planting English trees including Oak, Elm, Plane and Sycamore for which the town is noted, was started by the earliest European settlers. Cambridge is also the centre of the New Zealand horse breeding industry. The town is surrounded by rich pastureland that is ideal for the stud farms; the demand for the land fuelled by the money to be made from horse breeding has elevated rural land values to exceed 30,000 NZ $ per hectare. Cambridge is the hometown of Mark Todd, winner of Gold Medals for equestrian events at both the Seoul and Los Angeles Olympics. Mark Todd is also a recent winner of the Badminton Horse Trials in England.

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Cambridge Continued

Before European settlement Cambridge was the site of the Horotui Pa, a powerful Māori stronghold. During the Waikato wars of the 1860’s, a British military settlement was established here. The site was chosen for the military settlement because this was the farthest point upstream on the Waikato River that the gunboats could bring General Duncan Camerons invasion forces. In 1865, the 3rd Waikato regiment built a redoubt that could accommodate over 1000 men, along with a hospital, and a landing stage for unloading supplies that came up the Waikato River. When hostilities with local Māori ended each man of the 3rd Waikato Regiment was allotted 0.4 of a hectare in Cambridge together with a 20-hectare block of farmland. The town sections were laid out on either side of the river, and the settlement soon became a thriving market town. The town of Cambridge had become established.

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Hinuera

Ahead you will see a sign that says, HNS Hinuera Stone, also in the distance to the left you will see a quarry. This is where they extract the Hinuera Stone. Hinuera stone is Ignimbrite, a unique creamy-yellow natural volcanic stone quarried from the hills here in Hinuera and the only resource of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. Ignimbrite cliffs near the road between Lake Karapiro and the settlement of Hinuera mark the course of the Waikato River 20,000 years ago. Hinuera Natural Stone is a natural resource, born because of a volcanic eruption. Its explosive origin has infused the stone with unique patterns. Sheets of ignimbrite cover large areas in the centre of the North Island. The stone quarry here at Hinuera is one of the largest in New Zealand. The ignimbrite is soft enough that it can be sawn and is cut into blocks of different sizes and mainly used for cladding or decorative stone walls.

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Nearing Hobbiton

Soon we will reach the Hobbiton Movie Set from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies where we will join a fascinating guided tour. The set was completely rebuilt for The Hobbit and will remain as it was seen in these films and The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. During your tour you will see Hobbit Holes, The Green Dragon Inn, the Mill, the double arched bridge, also the fully interactive Hobbit Hole on Bagshot row and other structures and gardens built for the films.

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Nearing Hobbiton Continued

When Peter Jackson spotted the Alexander Farm during an aerial search of the North Island for the best possible locations to film The Lord of The Rings film trilogy, he immediately thought it was perfect for Hobbiton. Nevertheless, a lot of work was still needed to be completed before it was up to the director’s high standards. Site construction started in March 1999, and filming commenced in December that year, continuing for three months. The major components that were needed to create the Hobbiton Movie Set: included contracting the New Zealand Army to build 1.5 km of road into the site and the initial set development. The Army brought diggers, bulldozers, loaders, trucks, rollers, graders and other heavy machinery to the site. Barberry hedges and trees were brought in, and gardens were nurtured throughout winter. Thirty-seven hobbit holes were created with untreated timber, ply and polystyrene. The Mill and double arch bridge were built out of scaffolding, ply and polystyrene, then glued and painted. Thatch on the pub and mill roofs was cut from rushes around the Alexander farm. The oak tree overlooking Bag End was cut down and brought in from near Matamata. Each branch was numbered and chopped, then transported and bolted together on top of Bag End. Artificial leaves were imported from Taiwan and individually wired onto the dead tree. Generators were brought in to run the base camp and filming equipment. Logistics of power, water and sewerage all had to be considered. Catering was organised for up to 400 people a day, with three 2-course meals required for all the cast and crew.

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Nearing Hobbiton Continued

The set was rebuilt in 2011 using more permanent materials for the feature films "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey", The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and "The Hobbit:, The Battle of the Five Armies". As you will soon see, it’s now a permanent attraction complete with hobbit holes, gardens, bridge, Bagshot Row, Mill and The Green Dragon Inn.

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Nearing Hobbiton Continued

The Alexanders who own the farm moved to the 1250 acre or 500-hectare property in 1978. Since then, it has been farmed as a traditional New Zealand sheep and beef farm and is still farmed the same today, run by the Alexander brothers and their father. The property runs approximately 13,000 sheep and 300 Angus beef cattle and as such the major sources of income are mutton, wool and beef. The brothers shear all the sheep on the property themselves approximately every eight months.

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Nearing Hobbiton Continued

Once we arrive at Hobbiton, your driver/guide will advise you on arrival where you need to be, and at what TIME. There is also a commentary to download for the Movie Set tour using their QR code found on their brochure.

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Nearing Hobbiton

Once we arrive at Hobbiton, your driver/guide will advise you on arrival where you need to be, and at what TIME. There is also a commentary to down download for the Movie Set tour using their QR code found on their brochure.

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Hobbiton to Auckland

We hoped that you enjoyed your tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set. We will now make our journey back to Auckland via state highway 27 and 2. There will be more commentary played on our journey home, so sit back and relax.

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Leaving Hobbiton to Waitomo

We hoped that you enjoyed your time at Hobbiton. From Hobbiton, our journey now continues to Waitomo Caves. As we travel to Waitomo Caves, we first pass by Lake Karapiro formed by the damming of the Waikato River and home to National and International Rowing Championships events. After Lake Karapiro we turn off the main highway towards Waitomo.

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Leaving Hobbiton to Waitomo Continued

Some of you may know the name Mark Todd. Cambridge is the hometown of Mark Todd, winner of Gold Medals for equestrian events at both the Seoul and Los Angeles Olympics as well as the Badminton Horse Trials on four occasions and the Burghley Horse Trials five times.

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Leaving Hobbiton to Waitomo Continued

From Cambridge, we head towards the Waikato Town of Kihikihi, an important settlement the Waikato Land wars and the final resting place of the great Chief Rewi Maniapoto. From Kihikihi, we head further south to Ōtorohanga, the Kiwiana town; from Ōtorohanga, it’s a short drive to our next destination of the day, Waitomo Caves.

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Matamata

Welcome to Matamata. Since the launch of the Lord of the Rings movies and the subsequent opening of the Hobbiton Movie Set Tours, Matamata has become a vibrant visitor destination, attracting visitors from all over the world. Translated literally, the Māori name Matamata means “headland”. This was the name of a new pa or fortified village established in 1830 by Te Waharoa, the famous Ngāti Haua chief that we told you of at our previous commentary point. The Matamata pa sits on a ridge of high ground projecting into the swampy valley of the Waitoa River, a few kilometres north-west of our current location. Over the centuries many travellers have passed through the Matamata district and some of them have remained and settled here. In pre-European times Māori warriors paddled up the Waihou River in canoes with trading or war parties, walked over the Kaimai and Mamaku Ranges and crossed the Matamata Plains enroute to the Waikato, Rotorua, Thames, Taupo or Tauranga.

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Matamata Continued

Flax traders, missionaries, government officials, travellers and explorers passed through the Matamata Plains on their journeys and many left records of their visits. In 1833 four missionaries came up the Waihou and walked to the Matamata Pa to preach the first Christian sermon here. Two years later, at Te Waharoa’ s invitation, the Rev Alfred Brown and his wife Charlotte arrived to set up a mission station. However, it was not long before they had to leave because of tribal warfare.

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Matamata Continued

In 1865, after the Land Wars, Josiah Clifton Firth, an Auckland flour miller and entrepreneur, negotiated with Tāmihana for the lease of 22,600 hectares of land including the future site of the town of Matamata. He adopted the name of Matamata for his large estate which he later purchased. He hoped to grow wheat for his Auckland flour mill, but the climate proved unsuitable, and he had to turn to cattle, sheep and horticultural products. In 1885 the Thames Valley and Rotorua Railway Company, of which Firth was a promoter, constructed a railway from Morrinsville across the plains to Matamata. The selection of the site of a small railway station in the middle of the plain began the development of the future town of Matamata from a nucleus of a few houses scattered around the station and the railway line. In 1887 the Matamata Estate was taken over by the Loan and Mercantile Company and then by the Bank of New Zealand. In 1904 it was subdivided into 118 farms which were offered for ballot to farming applicants. Once we near the Matamata i-SITE visitor centre, you will see that it has been transformed into a Gatehouse that looks like it came directly from the set of the Hobbit.

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Waharoa

Coming up is the rail junction and settlement of Waharoa. This area was named in the late 1880’s by Matamata developer Josiah Firth in honour of Te Waharoa, the great warrior chief of the Ngāti Haua tribe of the Waikato. When Te Waharoa was still a small child, the pa where he lived with his mother was attacked by a party from Ngāti Whakaue tribe of Rotorua. Te Waharoa was captured and taken to the Rotorua district where he spent his childhood growing up among Ngāti Whakaue people. When he was a young man Te Waharoa elected and was allowed to return here to his homeland of Ngāti Haua. The Ngāti Whakaue chief who abducted Te Waharoa as an infant later regretted having allowed him to grow to manhood and to return to his own tribe. Although Te Waharoa showed a desire to live in peace and to have a missionary stationed at Matamata, he took the battlefield field against his kidnappers, the Ngāti Whakaue to take utu or avenge his cousin's murder by besieging the Ngāti Whakaue’s tribal stronghold of Ohinemutu. Chief Te Waharoa died at Matamata on 20 September 1838, after which he was succeeded by his second son, Wiremu Tāmihana or as he better became known Wiremu Tāmihana “The King Maker”. Wiremu Tāmihana went on to become one of the most influential Māori leaders during the New Zealand Wars of the 1860’s. Upon his fathers’ death, Wiremu Tāmihana became the chief of the Ngāti Haua and like his father, opposed all Māori land sales and confiscations by the New Zealand Government.

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Waharoa Continued

Tāmihana was an avid supporter of the Māori King Movement, whereby the Māori tribes from Waikato, Taupo and King Country had elected a “King” as their representative to bring about a settlement of the conflicts over land with the government. When the government issued an ultimatum demanding that the Māori renounce their elected King, Tāmihana, along with other Māori chiefs refused. The government decided that this was defiance and both sides prepared for war. In the battles of the Waikato that followed, Tāmihana became respected by both sides as an outstanding figure for his time in terms of his competence, leadership, personal ethics and his statesman-like qualities. In the mid 1860’s Tāmihana travelled to Wellington to plead with the government for the return of the Ngāti Haua’s confiscated lands. Although treated with respect by the government his requests were unsuccessful; he returned home from Wellington in ill-health and died in 1866. Nowadays the community is small, but it is close knit. Most of the residents of Waharoa are from a single iwi or tribe.

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Māori Place Names

As you have been travelling throughout New Zealand, you will probably have noticed that a large proportion of the towns, mountains, rivers and lakes are known by their Māori names. Many of these names are similar in prefix and refer to a particular characteristic. We will teach you some of the more common prefixes so that when you encounter a place or name with these prefixes, you will begin to understand the meaning of the regions name.

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Kaimai Mountains

The Kaimai Range you can see is part of a series of ranges, with the Coromandel Range to the north and the Mamaku Ranges to the south. The Kaimai Range separates the Waikato in the west from the Bay of Plenty in the east. The highest point of the range is Mount Te Aroha at 952 m, at the foot of which is the town of Te Aroha. The range's terrain is rough, and only two roads pass over it: State Highway 2, across the northern end of the range through Karangahake Gorge, and State Highway 29 from Tauranga to Hamilton. Mt Te Aroha can be described as the northern head peak of the Kaimai Range. Far back in time Mt Te Aroha gained its name in Māori legend. Arawa chief, Kahumatamomoe was on his way home from visiting a kinsman at Kaipara. As was the habit with this explorer, he ascended to the highest point possible along the way. As he stood on top of the mountain, he was overjoyed to see the familiar landmarks of his tribal home. He decided to name it “Aroha tai; Love to the sea/coast”. The legend continues that in time the spirit of Kahumatamomoe caused a stream of crystal water to flow from the heart of the mountain. Where the stream emerged there appeared hot springs with healing qualities. A clear pool in the cleft of a rock was known as the “Mirror of Te Mamoe” and became a wishing well for newly married couples. The name of the Mountain has since been simplified to Te Aroha meaning “the love”.

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Kaimai Mountains Continued

Gold was found on the mountain in 1880, and prospectors burned the vegetation in a fruitless search for a gold bearing reef. At Tui mine on the northern slopes, lead flux was recovered for gold smelters, but the ore contained too much zinc to be useful. The mine reopened in the 1960s but failed because the ore was contaminated by mercury. The Kaimai Railway Tunnel linking the Waikato to the Bay of Plenty, runs for nearly nine kilometres under the range, making it the longest tunnel in New Zealand. Construction of the tunnel started from both sides of the range in 1969. On Tuesday 24th February 1970 the Kaimai tunnel collapsed trapping 12 people, four of whom died. Six years later in 1976, the digging and excavation crews broke through to finally meet in the middle of the tunnel. The tunnel was opened on 12 September 1978 at a cost of 56 million dollars and was built for the purpose of carrying passengers and freight between the two regions. Passenger travel was provided by the Silver Fern railcar service between Auckland and Tauranga and was named the Kaimai Express. This service operated from 1991 until 2001 when the passenger numbers had dropped so low it was no longer viable to keep the rail car service operating.

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Kaimai Mountains Continued

The Kaimai Ranges were also the site of a flight from Auckland to Tauranga that turned into a disaster that started in 1963 on a stormy morning when the pilot decided to lower the plane for landing, but he lowered far too early and the DC-3 smashed into a gully in the Kaimai Range killing all 23 passengers and crew on board in what is still New Zealand’s worst internal civil aviation accident.. A Court of Enquiry into the crash later concluded that at the time of the accident the winds were much stronger than had been forecast. The plane would have drifted west of the planned route without the crew knowing this. The pilot probably thought he was on the eastern side of the Kaimai Range and began his descent to Tauranga Airport too soon. Caught in a downdraught that was too turbulent to climb out of, the DC-3 slammed into a ridge on Mount Nga-tama-hinerua.

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Kaimai Mountains Continued

Located within the Kaimai Ranges are the Wairere Falls, the highest waterfall in the North Island. At 153m the falls are so tall they can be seen from State Highway 27 and being only a 15-kilometre drive from Matamata, they are a popular spot to locals to visit.

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Hauraki Plains

We’re now entering the Hauraki Plains, a region covering around 80,000 hectares. Originally swampland prone to flooding, it was transformed into fertile farmland through major drainage works starting in 1908. Today, the plains are known for productive dairy farming, part of New Zealand’s proud agricultural tradition. Dairy cattle were first introduced by European settlers in the early 1800s, and by 1882, New Zealand made history by exporting the world’s first refrigerated shipment of meat and butter to London. Refrigerated shipping, combined with our temperate climate and innovative farming practices, helped New Zealand become a global dairy leader. While the UK was once our biggest market, today China and the US lead the way, with growing demand from Japan and other Asian countries. Most farms use Holstein-Friesian cows, with Jerseys and crossbreeds also common. You might notice cows grazing in one paddock while others are empty—this is called rotational grazing, a method that improves pasture growth and milk production. Electric fences are often used to manage grazing areas and prevent trampling. Thanks to good pasture management and year-round rainfall, New Zealand is one of the most efficient milk producers in the world. And just ahead, near State Highway 2, you’ll see a roadside memorial marking the site of New Zealand’s first helicopter rescue, carried out in dense bush where ground access was impossible.

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Coromandel View

As we reach the summit of the hill and the Kaihere Lookout, this is the first real view we get of the Firth of Thames and the Coromandel Peninsula. The highest point on the range is Mount Moehau, standing at 892 metres above sea level. This mountain holds deep cultural significance. It is known to Māori as Te Moengahau-o-Tamatekapua, meaning “the windy sleeping place of Tamatekapua.” According to tradition, Tamatekapua, the commander of the Te Arawa waka, was buried near the summit after leading his people to Aotearoa from their ancestral homeland of Hawaiki around 1350 AD. The Coromandel Peninsula itself has two traditional Māori names. The most widely known is Te Tara-o-te-Ika-a-Māui, meaning “the barb of Māui’s fish”, referring to the legend where the demigod Māui fished up the North Island. Another name, Te Paeroa-a-Toi, translates to “Toi’s long mountain range” This name connects to the story of Toi, a revered Polynesian explorer who lived around 1150 AD. Toi undertook a long voyage to Aotearoa in search of his grandson Whatonga, who had been swept out to sea during a canoe race. Toi eventually settled near Whakatāne, and his journey is remembered as one of the earliest migrations to these shores.

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Working Dogs

The kuri were brought to Aotearoa by Māori ancestors over 700 years ago, aboard great voyaging waka from Hawaiki. These dogs weren’t just pets — they were companions, hunters, and guardians. Small, sturdy, and with thick coats, kurī were well-suited to the cooler climate here. They helped hunt birds, especially ground-dwellers like the now-extinct moa, and their fur and bones were used in clothing, tools, and ornamentation. Unlike today’s working dogs — like the clever heading and huntaways you’ll see on farms — kuri didn’t herd sheep or cattle. Instead, they were deeply woven into Māori life and culture. Their bark, their presence, even their absence, is remembered in waiata (songs), pūrākau (stories), and carvings. Sadly, the kuri became extinct in the 1800s, likely due to interbreeding with European dogs and changes in lifestyle. But their legacy lives on — in museum collections, in Māori oral history, and in the names of places like Te Kuri-a-Paoa, the dog of Paoa, which refers to Young Nick’s Head near Gisborne. So next time you see a working dog bounding across a paddock, think of the kuri — the original working dog of Aotearoa.”

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Maramarua

The Māori name Maramarua translated literally means “two moons” where “Marama” is the name for the moon and “rua” is the Māori word for the number two. The Kōpaku coalfield beneath us holds over 115 million tonnes of coal, just 10–12 metres below the surface. In the 1800s, coal from this region powered British gunboats during the Waikato Wars. Later, large coal-fired power stations were built at Meremere and Huntly to meet Auckland’s growing energy needs. An opencast mine opened here in 1947, supplying coal to Meremere via an overhead cableway. When the station closed in 1991, the mine was abandoned. Maramarua also has a unique wartime history. During World War II, it was the site of a conscientious objectors’ detention camp. These were New Zealanders who refused military service—mainly pacifists and communists—and were a small but determined minority. Unlike other countries, New Zealand treated objectors harshly. While Australia and Canada allowed civilian work, over 200 objectors here were held in camps or prisons for the entire war. The last were released in May 1946, nearly a year after the war ended.

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Mangatāwhiri

As we pass the small rural settlement of Mangatāwhiri, you’re travelling through a place rich in both natural beauty and historical significance. The name Mangatāwhiri comes from the Māori words manga (stream) and tāwhiri (a type of native tree), referring to the Mangatāwhiri Stream, which flows through this area and eventually joins the Waikato River. This stream once marked a significant boundary—both geographically and politically. Today, Mangatāwhiri is a peaceful farming community, surrounded by dairy pastures, rolling hills, and native bush. You might spot the Mangatāwhiri Forest in the distance—a popular spot for hiking and birdwatching, and part of the larger Hunua Ranges.

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State Highway 2

As we travel along State Highway 2, we will pass by the settlements of Mangatāwhiri, Maramarua, and Mangatarata before reaching the Hauraki Plains and Tatuanui, home of the Tatua dairy factory, whose heritage now dates back more than 100 years to 1914, when a group of settlers got together to form a dairy company and build a cheese factory. From Tatuanui it is a relaxing 25-minute drive to Matamata and Hobbiton.

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Miranda

Although not the site of specific battle sites, the part of the Waikato we travel through did not escape the wrath of the British and government troops. The nearby settlement of Pūkorokoro or Miranda as it is now known was the principal headquarters of the Ngāti Pāoa tribe who were settled in several villages along the western shore of the Firth of Thames were shelled by British gunboats, forcing them to retreat to the nearby Piako Swamp. On the bluff above the creek-mouth the troops built a redoubt or fort for 120 men. The fort was named Miranda, after the one of the warships that had shelled the Māori villages.

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Thank you

As we arrive into our final destination, on behalf of Great Sights and your driver/guide we would like to thank you for joining us today. Hopefully, we manage to tick off some of your bucket list activities while here in New Zealand and create some lifelong memories. If you are heading to the South Island, please take the time to check out other fantastic tours on offer when viewing Great Sights online. If you’ve had a great day, we’d love to hear from you—feel free to leave feedback via email or via your booking agent. Please remember to gather all your personal belongings when disembarking the coach for the final time. Thank you for travelling with GreatSights. We hope to see you again. Ka Kite ano – See you again.

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Thank you

As we arrive into our final destination, on behalf of Great Sights and your driver/guide we would like to thank you for joining us today. Hopefully, we manage to tick off some of your bucket list activities while here in New Zealand and create some lifelong memories. If you are heading to the South Island, please take the time to check out other fantastic tours on offer when viewing Great Sights online. If you’ve had a great day, we’d love to hear from you—feel free to leave feedback via email or via your booking agent. Please remember to gather all your personal belongings when disembarking the coach for the final time. Thank you for travelling with GreatSights. We hope to see you again. Ka Kite ano – See you again.

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Arapuni Dam

As we come down the hill have your cameras ready as we travel on the side of the Arapuni Dam. Built between 1924 and 1929, the Arapuni Power Station and Dam was the first government built high dam constructed on the Waikato River. It pioneered the development of the Waikato Valley Hydro Electric Power Programme which was carried out between 1929 and 1966. The dam is 64 metres high from its foundations to the roadway we are on. Construction of the dam raised the water 42.7 m above its old level. On the right had side of the coach you can see the lake caused by the dam construction and looking over the left had side, you can see the original level of the Waikato River before the dam was built. Hydro generation requires a reliable source of water and a place where it can fall and drive electric turbines. Much of New Zealand is mountainous or hilly and the rainfall is high, so it’s the perfect country for hydroelectric power generation. The first hydro generation stations were set up by small operators such as gold dredgers, and local councils supplying lighting to towns. In 1888, the South Island West Coast gold mining town of Reefton was the first to have lighting provided by hydroelectricity. After the discovery of gold in the area had bought about a population, wealth and technological boom, the local council elected to install a new technology “electrical street lighting. By “switching on” Reefton had not only beaten the rest of New Zealand to this luxury, they had beaten the fashionable suburbs of London and New York and become the first town in the Southern Hemisphere to have a street lighting system. In 1896 with a desire to control this new technology, the government passed a law that prevented people from building hydroelectricity schemes without their permission. The government itself then began building hydro stations in the early 1900s. Hydroelectric power in New Zealand has been a part of the country's energy system for over 100 years and continues to provide more than half of the country's electricity needs. Hydroelectric power accounts for 11% of the total primary energy usage in New Zealand with imported oil and oil products making up 70% of the primary energy. Hydroelectric power accounts for 57% of the total electricity generation in New Zealand.

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Putaruru

We’re now approaching Putaruru, a town rich in Māori history and once a hub of New Zealand’s timber industry. The name Putaruru comes from a powerful legend dating back to the 1500s. The area was once home to the Ngāti Kahu-pungapunga people, who lived along the Waikato River. A tragic event unfolded when Parahore, a chief of Ngāti Kahu-pungapunga, killed his wife Korokore, a high-born woman from a neighbouring tribe, after she insulted his mana—his status and authority. Korokore’s attendant, Ruru, escaped and carried news of the murder to her brother Whaita, a chief of the Tainui confederation. Whaita gathered a taua—a war party—and pursued Ngāti Kahu-pungapunga across the region. The final battle took place at Atiamuri Rock, where the defenders were starved out and defeated. The victorious Tainui warriors took over the land, including the area we now call Putaruru. The name Putaruru honours Ruru, who hid in the bush and emerged only at night—like the Ruru, or native morepork owl. It means “to emerge like a ruru.” European settlement began around 1886 with the construction of the railway to Rotorua. By 1905, the Crown had surveyed the township, and timber became central to its growth. The Taupo Totara Timber Company built a tramway from Taupo to Putaruru, where it operated a mill. The building of the Arapuni Dam in the 1920s further boosted the town’s population. In the 1940s, new mills processed wood from exotic forests planted nearby. These were later taken over by New Zealand Forest Products, but industry changes in the 1980s led to a decline. In 2008, the major timber mill closed. Today, Putaruru is known for its Te Waihou Springs, which feed the Waihou River and supply bottled water. The town also boasts a boutique cheesemaker and a cheese school, adding a fresh flavour to its legacy.

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Ngongotahā

We are now passing Ngongotahā, a small township just a few minutes north of Rotorua, sitting on the shores of Lake Rotorua. The name Ngongotahā comes from a Māori legend. It’s said the great chief Ihenga stopped here to drink water from a spring at the foot of the mountain. The name means “the drink of Tāhā”, with Tāhā being the gourd he used to scoop the water. The mountain, Mount Ngongotahā, rises 757 metres above sea level and is a significant landmark in the area. Today, it’s home to the Skyline Gondola and Luge rides – where you can take a gondola up the mountain and then race downhill on the luge tracks, a favourite activity for families and adventure seekers. The mountain also has walking tracks through native forest and offers some of the best views over Rotorua. Ngongotahā itself has a strong community spirit and is surrounded by rich farmland. You’ll also find the trout hatchery and streams nearby, as this area is well known for fishing – Lake Rotorua and its tributaries are popular with anglers from all over the world. So while it’s a small town, Ngongotahā is a place of legends, adventure, and beautiful scenery – a real gateway between the lake and the mountain.

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Fitzgerald Glade

Coming up is a real treat – Fitzgerald Glade. This is one of the most photographed stretches of road in the North Island. As we drive through, you’ll notice how the trees on either side of the road grow up tall and arch overhead, forming a beautiful green tunnel. It almost feels like nature has built a grand entranceway just for us. In spring and summer, the canopy is rich and leafy, while in autumn and winter you’ll see softer light filtering through the branches. The Glade was named after early settlers in the area, and it has long been admired as a natural highlight of the Rotorua–Matamata route. Many people say it feels a little bit magical, and you can see why filmmakers and photographers are often drawn to it. It’s only a short section of road, but it’s definitely one to enjoy – a peaceful, almost fairy-tale passage before we continue on towards the open countryside.

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Tirau

We’re now coming into the little town of Tīrau, which proudly calls itself the Corrugated Iron Capital of New Zealand. You’ll spot that right away – with the giant corrugated iron dog and sheep buildings at the entrance to town. These quirky creations have become famous landmarks and make Tīrau one of the most photographed small towns in the country. Tīrau is a classic rural service town, sitting at the junction of the roads to Rotorua, Tauranga, Hamilton, and Matamata. Its name in Māori means “many cabbage trees,” and you’ll often see those dotted around the countryside. Today, Tīrau has become a favourite stop for travellers, with its boutique shops, cafés, and local art galleries. It’s a small place with a big personality – mixing farming heritage with a fun, creative spirit. So as we pass through, keep your eyes peeled for those corrugated iron characters – they’re Tīrau’s unique way of saying “welcome.”

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Dairy Farming in the Waikato

As we travel through the Waikato, you’ll notice the wide green pastures and herds of cows grazing — this is the heartland of New Zealand’s dairy industry. The Waikato has some of the most fertile soils and reliable rainfall in the country, making it perfect for farming. Dairy farming here dates back to the 1800s and has grown to become one of New Zealand’s most important industries. New Zealand is actually the world’s largest exporter of dairy products, and the Waikato region plays a huge part in that. The milk produced here is processed into butter, cheese, yoghurt, and, most importantly, milk powder — which is shipped all around the globe. You may also see large stainless-steel milk tankers on the roads. These collect milk from farms and deliver it to processing plants, many operated by Fonterra, a farmer-owned cooperative and one of the world’s biggest dairy exporters, with its headquarters in nearby Hamilton. Dairy farming is more than just an industry here — it’s part of the culture and identity of the Waikato. Generations of farming families have built their lives around these rolling paddocks, and it remains a cornerstone of the New Zealand economy.

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Matamata

We’re now approaching Matamata, a vibrant rural town in the Waikato region that has become world-famous thanks to the Hobbiton Movie Set. While today Matamata is best known as the gateway to Middle-earth, it also has a proud farming heritage. The land around Matamata is some of the most fertile in the country, supporting dairy farms, thoroughbred studs, and cropping. In fact, horse breeding and racing are a big part of the town’s identity, with Matamata producing some of New Zealand’s top racehorses over the years. The town itself has a welcoming, country feel, with cafés, boutique shops, and even its own “Hobbit-style” i-SITE visitor centre — complete with round doors and grassy roofs, which makes a fun photo stop for travellers. Beyond Hobbiton, Matamata also serves as a base to explore the nearby Kaimai Ranges, which offer bush walks, waterfalls, and scenic lookouts. So whether you’re here for farming, horses, or hobbits, Matamata blends its small-town charm with world-renowned attractions, making it a special place in the Waikato.

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Rotorua Aroma "Rotten Eggs"

As we arrive in Rotorua, you may notice a rather distinctive smell in the air — a strong sulphur or “rotten egg” smell. Don’t worry, nothing’s gone wrong with the bus! What you’re smelling comes from Rotorua’s geothermal activity. Beneath the ground here, there are hot springs, bubbling mud pools, and steaming vents that release gases, including hydrogen sulphide. That’s what gives the air its unique sulphur smell. For locals, it’s just part of everyday life — many say you stop noticing it after a while. This geothermal activity is what makes Rotorua so special. The same forces that cause the smell also heat natural hot pools, power geysers like the famous Pōhutu Geyser, and have provided warmth and cooking methods for Māori people for hundreds of years. So while the sulphur smell might take a little getting used to, it’s actually the scent of Rotorua’s natural wonders — and a reminder that you’re in one of the most geothermally active places in the world.

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Kuirau Park

We’re about to pass Kuirau Park, one of Rotorua’s hidden gems and New Zealand’s only public geothermal park. This area is full of steaming vents, bubbling mud pools, and hot springs – and the best part is that it’s completely free to visit. Locals and visitors alike come here to wander the walkways, enjoy the gardens, and even soak their feet in the hot mineral foot baths. The park is named after a Māori woman, Kuirau, who, according to legend, was bathing in one of the lakes when a taniwha – a mythical water creature – dragged her beneath the surface. After that, the waters boiled with fury, and the area became tapu, or sacred. Today, it’s a popular spot for families, with playgrounds and open green spaces alongside the geothermal features. On Saturday mornings there’s even a market here, where you can browse local crafts, fresh produce, and treats. So Kuirau Park is really a place where everyday life in Rotorua and the geothermal world come together – a reminder that here, nature is always bubbling away just beneath our feet.

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