All roads lead to Paparoa .. and onward Welcome to the Old Post Office Guest House - come in, settle down and make yourselves comfortable, we promise to look after you whether you want to cosy up and stay inside or venture a little further afield. There is so much to do in the local area as well as farther away. It all depends how adventurous (and energetic) you are feeling! Paparoa can offer you a little bit of everything; the village is rich in history and is a local centre for enjoying the natural beauty and country lifestyle of the surrounding area. With a vibrant local community there are a number of eateries, a farmers' market and other events to take advantage of during your stay with us. Some great, shorter local walks include the Lions Walkway which is accessed from our village green and will take you around the old pa site. About 45 minutes, the walk will take you through a mix of bush, private land along with some mangrove marsh and creek. The pits are to be found around the crown of the pa site and the edges still show the trenches that were used as a defence in war time. Abandoned in haste circa 1750 by the local iwi the bush can feel quite eerie.Drive to Pahi and walk around the headland where you can become an amateur palaeontologist hunting for fossils and geodes. Another must see is the Kauri Bushmans Reserve, Sterling Rd, approx 2 kms west where you can sample the unique kauri forest environment as well and discover the remnants of the old Kauri dam in the river. Piroa waterfall, 20 mins east is beautiful and makes a very refreshing swim!Or if you prefer short and sharp, head up Toka, Toka to drink in the spectacular 360 views and imagine Samuel Masden an early missionary climbing the peak to see what was afoot in the Kaipara. |
Waipu cave walk is another great walk ( about 45 mins drive away) and is only about an hour in each direction, this walk will take down a track to the limestone caves , if you are lucky you may even encounter a glow-worm near the entrance! The caves have some fantastic examples of stalactites and stalagmites and there is plenty of headroom. The caves environment features a karst/limestone landscape. Karst refers to a typography formed over dolomite, gypsum and limestone, it has high natural heritage value in that it offers a habitat to a specific group of species that prefer this kind of calcareous soil. You can access the walk either from State Hiway 1 or from Mangapai and the Mangapai caves Rd ,head to Ormiston Road and you'll find sign posts for the car park. Take a torch and take care. Or at low tide walk out from Whakapirau Beach (15 mins away) to the site of the old cement works. White and grey herons often stalk the foreshore here. A visit to the Matakohe Kauri Museum is a must, no question. And, of course the local Paparoa golf course where the sheep are one of the features. So much more, just ask. |