Dawdling along in Dargaville
More than a day’s worth of sightseeing in the kumara capital of the north
It was supposed to be a day trip — there and back, stopping off wherever and whenever a whim sent us. We should have allowed a week. The drive to Dargaville from Auckland takes no longer than three hours, even with generous coffee-stop time. But first we were diverted by a waterfall at Pohuehue, then the colonial architecture and cement ruins of Warkworth. In Wellsford, it was the Albertland Museum in Port Albert Rd and the utterly charming Minniesdale chapel.
Just when we were wondering where the history of the Ma¯ ori was, we came across the Te Hana Te Ao Marama Ma¯ ori Cultural Centre. Built in the former dairy factory town of Te Hana, a village that was slowly dying along with the railway, the dairy factory and the forestry that once provided employment, the cultural centre is a recreated 17th century Ma¯ ori village where you can see how Ma¯ ori lived before Europeans arrived. Walk through the fortifications, fighting towers and learn the love story behind how the town of Te Hana got its name.
On we go to Kaiwaka, a community that seems to be trying to distinguish itself with fantastical architecture. A large bird — is it a dove? Is it a kereru? — greets you near the entrance of the village and then there’s the Eutopia Cafe´ .
Built by local artist and “wizard” Peter Harris, the building is an ode to sculptural art and just about every inch is a journey through magic. You’ll stop off for coffee and leave entranced.
The mighty kauri once dominated the flat lands on the northern shores of the Kaipara Harbour. In some ways this god of the forest still does. Matakohe’s kauri museum is dedicated to the magnificent Agathis australis. Lovingly restored examples of the machinery used to mill the huge trees stand alongside great slabs of kauri almost unbelievable in scale. It’s macabre in a way to see the saws and steam engines that massacred the forests alongside the timber that fell to greed.
Gumdiggers flocked to bleed the trees of what was known as New Zealand amber, carving the kauri gum into jewellery and other works of art. The labour was hard; the living conditions primitive as seen in a recreated gumdiggers’ nikau hut. Fine furniture shows off the warm golden tones of the beautiful wood — it’s no wonder it was so popular among early Europeans that only isolated pockets of kauri remain dotted throughout Northland.
But the kauri have left another gift. Prehistoric trunks preserved in peat for tens of thousands of years are a buried treasure for wood turners and carvers, yielding beautifully crafted and exquisite pieces of art.
The Woodturners Kauri Gallery and
Working Studio in Dargaville is turning out unique pieces from kauri unearthed from a single swamp. The circumference of the log is broader than woodturner Rick Taylor is tall and the gallery also tells the story of trees that quietly disappeared from view before humans even discovered string.
Dargaville thrived with the kauri industry but it is now kumara that dominates its headlines. You can pick your own at the many farms around here and try a bowl of kumara and bacon soup at Te Kauta cafe´ in the centre of town.
The town is on the banks of the Wairoa River, a huge muddy ribbon that winds through the metropolis. A pleasant walk traverses the banks and continues on through the town to the museum on the hill. It’s about a two-hour walk but the view at the end of it is worth the effort. Dargaville Museum tells the story of the district in beautifully laid out exhibits and is a lovely way to spend an hour or so. Outside is a replica gumdiggers’ camp — complete with frankly terrifying replica gumdiggers. On the point of the headland are the masts of the tragic Rainbow Warrior, a reminder of an act of terrorism on New Zealand soil.
Like many Northland towns Dargaville has experienced the booms and busts of industries that came and went but also like many Northland towns Dargaville has repurposed what was left behind: converted golf cars now take tourists along disused railways. Travel either to Tangowahine (about two hours) or Waiotira (all day), through rural land along the river or native bush. You drive yourself and up to three others on a delightful trip across bridges, through tunnels through parts of the country you can only see from rail.
As we headed to the Kumara Box to pick up some of the local produce, we came across the most delightful little garden of whimsy we had ever seen. In a corner of the Kumara Box garden is what calls itself the world’s tiniest chapel. I can’t swear that’s true but at only about four square metres, it would certainly be up there. But the little garden has become the graveyard for old farm machinery, there are bird houses, a tiny little elf house and a hilariously puerile little seat shaped like buttocks standing on black gumboots. The tiny chapel was built using swamp kauri excavated from nearby Kai Iwi Lakes, about half an hour’s drive from Dargaville.
You’d be lucky to find yourself a tent site in the hugely busy summer months but in winter you just about have the picturesque lake to yourself. Numerous walking tracks thread through the sand dunes or edge the lake shallows so popular with families on hot days.
But the day was drawing to a close and we were regretting only allowing a day for Dargaville.