Took a drive out with Rean & Sanette today. They have some awesome views over Auckland from here but also a stunning Maori display.
Piha Beach is to the west of Auckland. We were told this is the best beach for surfing because of the waves.
Blue and Green Lakes Rotorua - Māori names are Lake Tikitapu and Lake Rotokakahi. These two lakes in Rotorua sit side by side and yes, one is blue and the other is green.
There is a point in between where it is high enough to view both and on a good day the difference is quite marked.
Lake Tikitapu (Green Lake) to the left & Lake Rotokakahi (Blue Lake) to the right
Lake Rotokakahi or Green Lake, is one of four small lakes lying between Lake Rotorua and Lake Tarawera in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand's North Island. Rotokakahi means the lake of the shellfish "kakahi". Rotokakahi is sacred to Maori and Motutawa island in the middle of the lake is the burial ground of many Maori ancestors. The lake is privately owned by local iwi (tribes) and no swimming, fishing or boating is permitted.
The Green Lake is 21m (69ft) below the level of the Blue Lake. It has an outlet by way of Lake Tarawera (further along Tarawera Rd) which is then 98m (322ft) lower again than the Green Lake.
Lake Tikitapu, the Blue Lake, is the closest to Rotorua and its clear, clean crystal blue water is popular with boaties, swimmers and water skiers. There is an easy walking track which encircles the lake with incredible views towards Rotokakahi, the Green Lake. A perfectly lovely spot for a picnic, there are delightful sandy beaches and grassed areas with barbeques and rubbish bins provided. is one of our more popular lakes that caters for swimming, water skiing, jet skiing, walking, running, biking, barbecues and all sorts of local events. It is one of our more popular lakes that caters for swimming, water skiing, jet skiing, walking, running, biking, barbecues and all sorts of local events.
As a collapsed volcanic crater, it is shallow as lakes go with the deepest section being about 27m. If you're looking at it from above, in certain lights it looks quite blue/aqua/turquoise in colour. This is due to it having a pumice and rhyolite bottom which the sun reflects up. It's roundish (about 5km) and takes about an hour to get around if walking at a brisk pace.
The Karangahake Gorge lies between the Coromandel and Kaimai ranges, at the southern end of the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand's North Island. A sharply winding canyon, it was formed by the Ohinemuri River. State Highway 2 passes through this gorge between the towns of Paeroa, Waikino and Waihi. This road is the main link between the Waikato region and the Bay of Plenty.
The East Coast Main Trunk Railway used to run through the gorge until it was bypassed by the Kaimai Deviation. The Karangahake Gorge section of the line, including a 1100-metre tunnel, is now a combined walkway and cycleway, part of the Hauraki Rail Trail, and together with the natural sights of the gorge, makes it into a well-visited local tourist attraction. The railhead at the Waikino end of the gorge still exists, preserved as part of the Goldfields Railway to Waihi.
At Karangahake, several walks and tracks ranging from 30 minutes to over 2 hours start at the Karangahake Reserve car park and picnic area.[4] One of the most spectacular walks in the area is the "Windows Walk", a loop walk that leads through the old gold mining tunnels of the Talisman Mine, crosses the Waitawheta River over a suspension bridge, and joins the Crown Tramway Track back along the cliffs of the Waitawheta Gorge. The path follows the route of a bush tramway and passes by "windows" in the cliff face at the end of mining tunnels, which were used to tip tailings down into the Waitawheta Gorge. Two of the mining tunnels, which are about 2 metres (7 ft) tall and wide, are safe to enter. They end abruptly after about 50 metres (164 ft) and are home to glowworms and cave weta.
The Woodstock Underground Pumphouse in the Waitawheta Gorge is also still accessible via a short detour from the Crown Tramway Track.
Took a ride into town with Clive so we could explore whilst he went for interviews. In total the boys & I walked close to 15km all over the Auckland Central Business District.
This was our first stop. It is a large paved public area in the Auckland CBD used for open-air public events including fairs, protest rallies, music festivals, rock concerts and the annual seeing-in of the New Year. It hosts a regular arts and crafts market on Fridays and Saturdays.
A number of art works are in Aotea Square:
• Archway 'Waharoa' (Gateway in Māori) was formed in wood and copper by Selwyn Muru, a Māori sculptor. This is an expressionist version of a traditional Māori entry gate.
• Bronze statue of Sir Dove-Myer Robinson, a former mayor of Auckland. This work was made in 2003 by New Zealand sculptor Toby Twiss.
• Bronze figure of a Māori warrior by Lyndon Smith, commissioned in the 1960s for the lobby of the Auckland Saving Bank's new building on Queen Street.
• Fountain by New Zealand sculptor Terry Stringer. This angular bronze ""mountain"" was commissioned in 1979 to form the centrepiece for the new square, and its form echoes the roofline of the contemporary Aotea Centre.
• 19th century bronze statue of George Eden, Lord Auckland, Governor of India, after whom the Auckland is named. This statue was originally erected in Calcutta and was purchased from the government of India by Auckland City Council in the early 1960s.
Victoria Park is a park and sports ground in Auckland City, New Zealand, it was opened in 1905 and named after the late Queen who had died four years earlier. It lies on reclaimed bay land in Freemans Bay, a suburb directly west of the Auckland CBD.
Albert Park is a public park in central Auckland, bounded by Wellesley Street East, Princes Street, Bowen Avenue and Kitchener Street.
Myers Park is a narrow park in central Auckland, New Zealand, running parallel to the upper part of Queen Street.
South African Carnival of Homeschool Bloggers where South African home schoolers share experiences, ideas, philosophies and much more. You can join the carnival too by heading to the South African Carnival of Homeschool Bloggers sign up page. We hope you enjoy the carnival as much as we have!
Timez Attack has revolutionized multiplication games. It's as polished as a high-end real video game, yet as effective as a top math tutor one-on-one. The built-in assessment, adaptation, and post-test research data guarantee total mastery.
My boys just love it!
