The whole country will see some sunshine this Labour Weekend. PHOTO/Alan Gibson
The whole country will see some sunshine this Labour Weekend. PHOTO/Alan Gibson
It's been four months since we've been able to soak up a long weekend - and there's plenty to keep us entertained as we luxuriate in this one.
Car and culture shows and New Zealand's bigggest Lego display top the list of events over Labour Weekend.
And regardless of where you live in New Zealand, the weather will be kind at times, allowing you to have a special family outing or an opportunity to take to the water and snag a big fish to throw on the BBQ.
WHAT TO DO
Kids •NZ's largest Lego display - October 22 to 24, 9am to 5.30pm, $7 at The Trusts Arena, 65-67 Central Park Dr, Henderson, Auckland. •Auckland Jaguar Club Display - October 23, 10am to 3pm, $16 or $8 for children at MOTAT, 805 Great North Rd, Western Springs, Auckland.
Concert •Modern Maori Quartet - October 22, 3pm to 7pm, $35 at Kainui Road Vineyard, 15 Conifer Lane, Kerikeri. •Kingsland Folk Club - October 23, 6pm to 8pm, free at Flight 605, 605 New North Rd, Kingsland, Auckland.
Culture •Taiwan Day - 10am to 8pm October 22 and 10am to 6pm October 23, free at Aotea Square, Queen St, CBD, Auckland. •Diwali Festival of Lights - October 23, 11am to 10.30pm, free at Te Pai Centre, 31-35 Te Pai Place, Henderson, Auckland.
PICNIC SPOTS
•One Tree Hill - Ride your bike around the hill or take photos with the spring flowers then utilise the park's barbecues for a classic Kiwi sausage sizzle.
•Mt Eden - Make the mission up to the top, the views from the peak are amazing.
•Grey Lynn Park - After a picnic lunch, bike around the park, play on the flying fox or shoot a few goals on the basketball court.
•Silo Park Playground - Let your little ones go mad on the industrial-style slides, massive sandpit or water feature. Eat lunch at a picnic table or nip into a nearby cafe for a meal.
BEACHES
•Rotoroa Island - This island used to be off-limits to all but those going for drug or alcohol rehabilitation in the care of the Salvation Army. Catch a 75-minute ferry from downtown Auckland to explore the island's old chapel, jail, school and beaches.
•Awhitu Peninsula - Head out to Manukau Heads to check out the historical lighthouse before exploring Awhitu Regional Park on your way back. The lighthouse is one of the few in New Zealand open to the public.
•Whale Bay - Set your sights on one of New Zealand's most idyllic beaches with a drive to the Tutukaka coast. Allow yourself time to get down the gravel track from the carpark and relish the turquoise waters and white sand.
•Pt Chevalier Beach - This is one for the whole family as you get the beach, Coyle Park and playground all in one place. It's a great place to take the dogs too.
The ITM Fishing Show star Matt Watson shares some of his top tips for fishing this long weekend. PHOTO/FILE
FISHING
The ITM Fishing Show star Matt Watson shares some advice on where to fish this weekend.
Shellfish - Collecting tuatua, pipis and cockles is a great family activity everyone can do. Head out to 90 Mile Beach, Kawakawa Bay, Muriwai or Maraetai at low tide to search through the sand. Just make sure you stick to the limits, they can differ from beach to beach.
Surfcasting - While you're looking for shellfish, try your hand at surfcasting. You can use tuatua for bait, just tie it to your hook with a bit of bait cotton. This will give you a chance to nab trevally, kahawai, snapper and gurnard.
Wharves - It's much easier to teach kids the basics of fishing on a wharf rather than a bobbing dinghy. Orakei Wharf is family fishing-friendly and at Cornwallis wharf in Manukau harbour you can catch everything from sprats to kingfish.
Dinghy fishing - The Hauraki Gulf is going insane with fish at the moment. Snapper can be found all the way into the shallows. In the middle of the Gulf at around the 40m mark there are big snapper work-ups with the odd kingfish. The snapper are there to spawn, so consider releasing the larger fish for breeding so our kids can catch some in the future.
Further afield - Find kingfish and hapuka in depths of 70m to 100m off the Coromandel Peninsula.
Matt's top tips •Follow the birds to the fish •Bait fishing is best in the shallows, use a lure in the deep •Only take what you need - don't overfish •Carry a venting tool or needle to puncture a fish's swim bladder, this way when you release them they can swim back down •Check the forecast before you go
WEATHER
The whole country will see sunshine over the long weekend.
Saturday is set to be the best day for the South Island while Sunday will be finest for the North Island, says Met Service meteorologist Stephen Glassey.
"Nearly everyone's going to be in for a spell of dry weather."
Glassey says a southerly front is moving over the country that won't clear the North Island until Saturday afternoon with Gisborne and Hawke's Bay the last to clear.
Another front approaches from the Tasman Sea on Monday and will bring showers for the west of the South Island and scattered showers over the North Island
Holiday hot spots •Bay of Islands, Auckland, Coromandel, Mt Maunganui and Taupo Saturday starts with showers moving to fine spells. Sunday is fine with light winds and Monday cloud increases with the possibility of showers. Weekend high 20°C
•Wellington Saturday morning cloud and southerly dissipating throughout the day. Sunday fine with light winds before northerlies develop on Monday with a chance of rain in the afternoon. Weekend high 18°C
•Nelson and Queenstown Saturday fine with light winds. Mainly fine on Sunday with cloud increasing before showers develop on Monday. Weekend high 18°C
