We made a couple of stops on the way home just to break the drive up a bit. The first was literally just a few miles down the road at Kawakawa to see the new Hundertwasser building. It really is beautiful and is worth a stop if you are up in the area. Te Hononga which means the joining of cultures is ‘a joining place, a meeting place, a coming together. This is symbolic of the joining together of our Kawakawa community and Hundertwasser, Maori and Pakeha, visitors and residents, our past and future, our places (east, west), of man and the environment.’

We spent some time talking to one of the locals who happily shared her kōrero about the place and how it was a real boon for the community. It’s a living, breathing building that is well-used but is also beautifully designed from the inside out. We didn’t do the tour of the inside as we had already dallied long enough and wanted to get home but maybe next time. Shee also commented how it had opened up a space in the street so that they could now see the whenua beyond and light came in so they felt more connected. It certainly seemed that way on a hot summer day!

We stopped for lunch at Ruakaka. It was probably my last chance for a swim in the sea but by the time we got there, it was bit grey and the wind had got up and I decided not to. I must be getting old or soft! There were plenty of folk in the water though.

It’s an interesting place – quite a nice beach but the view of the Marsdon Point is a bit of a spoiler!

We had our going home heads on now so pointed south and headed home. It turned into a lovely evening and as we came down past Huntly onto the new road, I suggested to Nigel that we stop at the Scientific Reserve. I’ve driven past a few ties in the way home from work or concerts but never had the time to stop. It intrigues me that there is a Scientific Reserve on the side of the motorway!

There is a wee walk that takes an hour or so to wander around. Natives and harakeke have been replanted and there is some wetland and a small lake – Te Iringa Lagoon. A short walk takes you to an information board which explains the meaning of the pou (Te Tihi) which stand high above the motorway on the right-hand side as you drive north. Unfortunately, there is no access to them and I have wondered as I have driven north what they represent.

“Te Kaahui Hakuturi” eight massive pou standing 20m above the ground look down on travellers at the summit of Taupiri Range. The pou acknowledge the path once travelled by the fabled Patupaiarehe and the creatures of the forest. The pou are carved from treated radiata pine and painted white with black detailing to acknowledge the spiritual connection which the Patupaiarehe have to the land. Each pou looks in a different direction across the landscape, guarding over all that drive through this whenua (land). This site was lowered by a 57m deep cutting and removal of 1.3 million cubic metres of earth.“

At Te Iringa Lagoon there are 4 waka standing on their ends;

“Four waka-maumahara (canoe cenotaphs) are an impressive sight. The
waka-maumahara acknowledge the four winds, which blow through
the valley and are a reference to the oral histories of Te Iringa. As with
all oral history there are versions of events told by victor and
vanquished alike, so no two are the same. The two mokomoko (lizards)
are symbolic of the two brothers Tapaue and Wharetipeti who held
domain over this site.“

It was well worth stopping and having a wander to learn about the place and the pou. Next time when I’m driving north, I’ll stop in Huntley to visit Whakataki. It also looks like there are some Pā to explore close to Gordonton.