Waikato? Why not?
Mike Yardley heads to the North Island’s magical Middle Earth and finds there’s plenty to see and do
THE MIGHTY WAIKATO is tailormade for free-roaming, a proud province chock-full of enticing towns, villages and striking natural attractions, from Middle Earth to wonderland underground.
There are so many colourful, distinctive and quirky towns and villages, which fiercely strut their own personality, within a 45-minute radius of Hamilton.
Kia ora, Otorohanga. Strung along the Ed Hillary walkway, the Kiwiana walk showcases the full spectrum of pop culture icons from Bonus Bonds to the Buzzy Bee. Then you’ve got all the street murals, lamp post installations and Steve Clothier’s giant corrugated kiwi in the heart of town. Otorohanga is seriously kitschy but seriously cool.
Speaking of Steve, another landmark Waikato town is Tirau, his hometown, where the main street is bedecked in his corrugated creations. No longer a drivethrough but drive-to town, travellers flock to see those giant farmyard sculptures, such as the dog, the sheep and the ram’s head. I love how the local isite is housed within the ginormous sheepdog.
East of Hamilton, Matamata has become synonymous with the movie magic of Hobbiton. Interestingly a third of all visitors have never read a Tolkien book or watched an entire movie — including myself.
Pre-covid, more than half-a-million people were visiting the 44 hobbit houses strung around the hillside, before drinking amber ale at The Green Dragon Inn. New family pass rates and Super Gold Card discounts have been recently introduced to encourage more Kiwis to enjoy a slice of this magnificent movie set, sprawling across the Alexander family sheep farm.
Another effervescent Waikato town is Te Aroha, founded as an Edwardian spa town and proudly home to the world’s only hot water soda geyser, the Mokena Geyser. Treat yourself to some silky-smooth indulgence in the mineral water spas, which are just the tonic after some outdoorsy pursuits.
I called into the spas after chalking up 37km on the Hauraki Rail Trail, between Te Aroha and Matamata, which is the last section of the full 197km route. Like most of the trail, this final section is a gentle, flat ride, whizzing across the patchwork quilt of fertile plains, passing prized horse studs, goat farms and sprawling groves of scented trees.
A must-stop is the Firth Tower, built in 1882 by Josiah Clifton Firth, the unofficial Duke of Matamata. As a champion of the use of concrete, his tower in Matamata and his Auckland residence, Clifton in Mt Eden, are among the oldest concrete buildings in New Zealand.
His sons went on to establish the Firth Concrete Company, which continues to operate today as a division of Fletcher Building.
Serving up commanding views across the pastoral landscape, wrapped in tranquil gardens and venerable oaks, it was constructed as a fortified lookout across his colossal Matamata estate.
I hooked up with Steve and the team at Lake District Adventures, a family-run South Waikato business, based on the shores of stunning Lake Karapiro. Steve got me sorted with bike hire for the Hauraki Rail Trail, whether you want a standard bike or e-bike, at excellent rates. They also offer a shuttle service across all points of the Hauraki Rail Trail, in addition to other trails.
My final port of call was Cambridge, stately, graceful and underpinned with impeccable horsey sensibilities. Exuding an unmistakable Old English charm, with its magnificent canopy of ageing oaks draping across the main street and rich trove of antiques and homeware shops, it’s easy to see why people linger in Cambridge to shop and nosh.
Understandably dubbed the town of champions, its gold medal-winning Olympian residents and its illustrious heritage of thoroughbred racing are vividly showcased. Wander along Duke St to find 25 plaques honouring the achievements of local stars in the Sporting Walk of Fame, and as you turn into Victoria St, look for 18 mosaics set into the footpath of prominent locally bred horses, including 13 Melbourne Cup champions and counting.
Dining? A Cambridge favourite is Alpino, housed in the town’s original Post Office. Built in 1908, the clock tower was dramatically removed in 1934 (after the Napier earthquake sparked fears it could topple) and it now stands in Jubilee Gardens. Alpino specialises in modern Italian cuisine, with a salivating range of pizza, pasta and share plates. Make some room for dolce. My top tip for dessert? White Toblerone Chocolate Mousse, Strawberries and Shortbread. Bellissimo.