If you came up to the Far North from Auckland on Highway 1, you may want to return on a longer, less direct route that takes in the Waipoua Kauri Forest and the Trounson Kauri Park. If you do this, be sure to also enjoy the scenic beauty of Hokianga Harbour.
The kauri is the giant of the New Zealand native forest, and at Waipoua the largest trees are over 1,000 years old. Look for Tane Mahuta (God of the Forest), the largest known kauri in New Zealand, and Te Matua Ngahere (Father of the Forest), by volume the second-biggest known tree in the country. These and other special trees are signposted on the tourist drive through the forest. You'll find the Kauri Coast i-Site Information Centre at 65 Normanby St., Dargaville (tel. 09/439-8360; www.kauricoast.co.nz).
