Attractions

In Whangarei

I'd begin with a browse around the Town Basin. This is where you'll find, among other things, the world's largest sundial and Clapham's Clocks, The National Clock Museum (tel. 09/438-3993; www.claphamsclocks.com), a rather zany collection of timepieces, clocks, and music boxes; an in-house Austrian clockmaker; and a gift store. It's open daily 9am to 5pm (closed Dec 25) and costs NZ$9 (US$6.40/£3.25) adults, NZ$5 (US$3.55/£1.80) children ages 5 to 15, and NZ$16 (US$11/£5.75) families.

Whangarei Museum, including the Kiwi House, Heritage Park, and Clarke Homestead, is on State Highway 14 (the road to Dargaville), 3 minutes from downtown (tel. 09/438-9630; www.whangareimuseum.co.nz). It's open daily from 10am to 4pm and costs NZ$10 (US$7.10/£3.60) for all attractions. The Native Bird Recovery Centre (beside the museum) (tel. 09/438-1457) is open Monday through Friday 10am to 4pm.

The Whangarei Art Museum, Cafler Park Rose Gardens, Water Street (tel. 09/430-7240), features local and national exhibitions and is open daily 9am to 5pm. If you've ever wondered how paper is made, check out The Paper Mill, 300 Otaiki Rd. (tel. 09/438-2652), which offers 40-minute papermaking tours (9:30am-2:30pm). The mill is open Monday through Friday, 10am to 3pm.

Gardeners meanwhile will get a special joy out of The Quarry Gardens, Russell Road (tel. 09/437-7210; www.whangareiquarrygardens.org.nz),which have changed an old quarry site into a lush subtropical display with numerous tracks linking to the Coronation Scenic Reserve.

Get a glimpse of local life at the Whangarei Growers' Market, held every Saturday morning in the carpark beside the Shell Service Station on Water Street, 6am until 10:30am.

In Warkworth

You'll find a nice little cluster of activities in the Sandspit and Matakana areas just a few minutes out of Warkworth. There are several crafts outlets, among them Morris & James Country Pottery & Café, 48 Tongue Farm Rd., Matakana (tel. 09/422-7116; www.morrisandjames.co.nz), makers of quality terra-cotta and glazed pots, tiles, platters, and decorative ceramics; it's open daily with free guided pottery tours Monday through Friday at 11:30am.

Don't miss Zealandia Sculpture Garden, 138 Mahurangi West Rd. (tel. 09/422-0099; www.zealandiasculpturegarden.co.nz). Created by leading New Zealand sculptor Terry Stringer, it features a sculpture park surrounded by farmland. It's open every weekend November through March and every day during January from 10am to 4pm, with guided tours at 11am and 2pm. The Matakana Village Farmers' Market, 2 Matakana Valley Road (tel. 09/422-7503), is staged every Saturday from 8am to 1pm. Look out for the artistic cooking workshops that are held at the market on the last weekend of every month. Refresh yourself afterwards at Brookview Tea House, 1335 Leigh Rd., Matakana (tel. 09/423-0390; www.brookviewteahouse.co.nz).

No trip to this area is complete without a cruise or ferry ride from Sandspit Wharf to Kawau Island. Sir George Grey, an early governor of New Zealand, built the Mansion House 150 years ago. It's now restored and open for visits, and on the grounds you'll find the descendants of his "Australian imports": wallabies, kookaburras, and rosellas. Kawau Kat Cruises (tel. 0800/888-006 in NZ, or 09/425-8006; www.kawaukat.co.nz) offers a fun outing on the Royal Mail Run, which leaves the wharf each day at 10:30am and visits all the bays and Mansion House. It costs NZ$55 (US$39/£20) for adults, NZ$25 (US$18/£9) for children.

If you'd like to stay on Kawau Island, David and Helen Jeffery of Kawau Lodge, North Cove (tel. 09/422-8831; www.kawaulodge.co.nz), offer two rooms (NZ$175/US$125/£63). Their power catamaran is a great way to explore the famous Goat Island Marine Reserve. The reserve, 4km (2 1/2 miles) northeast of Leigh and about 40 minutes from Warkworth, was established in 1975 as New Zealand's first marine reserve and is a mecca for divers. If you'd like to explore the marine life here, the Glass Bottom Boat at Leigh (tel. 09/422-6334; www.glassbottomboat.co.nz) offers a 45-minute trip on Aquador, or an excellent, 30-minute "round the islands" trip.

Into the Deep Blue Sea -- Why stay on land when there's so much to see underwater? I've never fancied myself in a wet suit, but I can see the advantages if you plan to explore the magnificent marine environment off the Tutukaka Coast and the Poor Knights Islands (1 hr. offshore by boat). Tutukaka, 30 minutes from Whangarei, is the gateway to the Poor Knights Island Marine Reserve, where crystal-clear waters near the edge of the continental shelf are bathed in subtropical currents. Sheer cliff faces, sea caves, tunnels, and archways are teeming with a range of sealift, including subtropical fish not usually found in New Zealand waters.

The reserve was rated as one of the top 10 diving spots in the world by Jacques Yves Cousteau and is strictly controlled by the Department of Conservation with regard to fishing zones and restricted areas; make sure you go fishing or diving with a licensed operator. The main operator is Dive! Tutukaka, The Poor Knights Dive Centre, Marina Road, Tutukaka, Whangarei (tel. 0800/288-882 in NZ, or 09/434-3867; www.diving.co.nz), which offers a full range of snorkeling and diving options. Its staff members know all the best places -- there are over 100 to choose from. Some of the team are also award-winning underwater photographers, so if that's what gets your heart ticking, you're in the right place. They have the largest dedicated dive charter fleet in New Zealand, accompanied by fully qualified dive guides and dive masters. They also offer a Twin Wrecks dive adventure on the scuttled ex-naval ships, Tui and Waikato, which were prepared for adventure diving before being sunk to diver-friendly depths.

Meeting the Giants -- Take home unforgettable memories by stepping into the spiritual environment of Waipoua Forest with Footprints Waipoua, 29 St. Hwy. 12, Opononi (tel. 09/405-8207; www.footprintswaipoua.com). Local Maori guides will take you to meet Tane Mahuta (Lord of the Forest), the largest kauri tree in New Zealand. The night tour will make your spine tingle. Admission is NZ$75 (US$53/£27) adults, NZ$25 (US$18/£9) children 5 to 12.

The Kauri Museum, Church Road, Matakohe (tel. 09/431-7417; www.kaurimuseum.com), is south of Dargaville and worth visiting. It's open daily 8:30am to 5:30pm from November to April and 9am to 5pm in winter. Admission is NZ$12 (US$8.50/£4.30) adults, NZ$5 (US$3.55£1.80) children.