Events

has no shortage of camera-grabbing coastline, the view from the top of the Brynderwyn Hills is particularly majestic.

A golden hook of white sand beach unfurls from

Bream Tail in the south to prominent Bream Head in the north. The striped tower of the Marsden Point Oil Refinery flue is dull in the distance, lego-sized and overshadowed by the craggy emerald silhouette of Whangarei Heads and Mount Manaia.

Just 90 minutes north of Auckland (or half an hour south of Whangarei), this strip of east coast is a holidaymakers’ paradise. Long empty beaches, decent surf, an abundance of seafood – there’s little choice but to switch off and run on Bream Bay time. In the summer months tourists flock to the beaches and campgrounds, all wearing the official uniform of jandals, a singlet tan and a smear of sunscreen. Come February and they trudge back to work, leaving the locals to settle into a calmer way of life.

This is a down-to-earth place where residents are fiercely protective, and proud, of their history. Organised activities, high-octane adventure sports and shopping strips are few and far between. Instead, Mother Nature lays out a sumptuous selection of walks, beaches and natural wonders from which to pick and choose.