Take the time to explore all the fantastic things on offer in Whangārei this winter
Northland’s only city, Whangārei, is easy to overlook.
Conveniently located on the route north to the Bay of Islands and other beautiful spots further up the east coast of the peninsula, Whangārei is easy to whizz by but it’s so much more than a pass-through destination.
With summer quickly wrapping up and as the days get colder, Whangārei is a destination you don’t want to miss. From museum tours, top-notch dining, nature walks, and multiple indoor activities, there are good reasons to pause on your trip north. Or to just hang out in Whangārei for a few days.
The Wairau Māori Art Gallery is the home to some of the best contemporary Māori art in Aotearoa. Photo / Hundertwasser Art Centre and Wairau Māori Art Gallery
Art buffs are in for an adventure. Both local and national artwork fills Whangārei almost to the brim. Embark on a museum tour, visiting three of the most popular museums in Northland’s city: Hundertwasser Art Centre, Wairau Art Gallery, and Whangarei Art Museum.
The building also houses the Wairau Māori Art Gallery, the world’s first Māori dedicated public gallery: home to some of the best contemporary Māori art in Aotearoa. The exhibitions often change to spotlight various Māori artists, and the gallery aims to guide the next generation of Māori arts professionals.
Both museums are governed by the Whangārei Art Trust, which also oversees the Whangārei Art Museum. The Whangārei Art Museum is Northland’s premier public art gallery, and it embraces heritage and local contemporary artworks through exhibitions and collections.
Discover unique clocks at the Claphams National Clock Museum. Photo / Claphams Clock Museum
Make time to visit Claphams Clock Museum
Our next stop is a whimsy walk through the history of time. The Claphams Clock Museum in Whangarei is a bucket list destination for clock lovers. Originally a personal collection of Whangārei local, Archibald Clapham, this unique museum has transformed into one of the largest and most historically significant collections of clocks in the Southern Hemisphere, and the collection is truly a showstopper.
Home to all varieties of clocks—from ancient sun, sand and water clocks to rare antique clocks, and wacky, zany, unbelievable clocks—this is the perfect place to spend your time (pun intended) relaxing indoors, and maybe even fulfill your time traveler fantasies. The museum also offers guided tours every day from 9am to 4:30pm.
Ace a hole-in-one at the indoor Extreme Mini Golf in Whangarei. Photo / Extreme Mini Golf
Play indoors at Extreme Mini Golf
Don’t let winter stop you from making the most of your time in Whangarei. Enjoy Whangārei’s Extreme Indoor Mini Golf. The 16-hole mini golf course is divided into six fantastic themes and in complete darkness. Using locally created ultraviolet-reactive artwork, the mini golf course is a unique spot to enjoy some quality time with your whole family or a group of friends.
Enjoy delicious food at the Town Basin. Photo / Whangarei District Council
Dine at the Town Basin
The pretty Town Basin located at the marina is always a fun place to take a stroll and identify the far-flung places the yachts have sailed from. It’s also home to the city’s best food. Whether you’re after a sweet treat from the NZ Fudge Farm Cafe, brunch from Mokaba, or dinner from No 8 or The Quay Kitchen, there’s an option to suit every taste bud at the Town Basin, all with marina views. The boutiques and art galleries shouldn’t be missed either.
Official opening of the Camera Obscura interactive sculpture in Whangarei. 20 November 2020 Northern Advocate photograph by Michael Cunningham
Admire the Camera Obscura
Camera Obscuras have been used to study solar eclipses for centuries. They became popular with European artists studying perspective in the Renaissance, and in November 2020, Whangarei got its own. The Camera Obscura Timatatanga Hou was designed by photographer Diane Stoppard, architect Felicity Christian, sculptor Trish Clarke and artist Poutama Hetaraka, and placed beside the Hātea River, near the distinctive Te Matau ā Pohe Bridge.
To see the projected images, visitors must brave the dark, curved tunnel to arrive in the inner chambers of the small building. It’s best visited on a bright, sunny day. The scene outside the Camera Obscura — yachts sailing along the river, cars crossing the bridge and its intermittent opening to let boats pass underneath — are projected onto the walls, in greater or lesser detail depending on the light conditions of the day.
Go on a refreshing nature walk at the Hātea Loop Walk and River Walk. Photo / Whangarei District Council
Go on a nature adventure at Hātea Loop Walk and River Walk
If you enjoy the great outdoors, go and explore Whangārei’s nature walks. Near the Camera Obscura, the Hātea Loop walkway is a great way to combine some exercise with admiring the city’s landscape, including the river, harbour, mountains, and mangrove forests as well as interesting pieces of public art.
If you prefer your walks to be of the bush variety, check out the Hātea River Walk. Walk from the Town Basin to 26m-high Whangārei Falls (or vice versa) via the beautiful native kauri forest in the A H Reed Memorial Park. This walk is in the opposite direction from the Hātea Loop Walk but it can be connected to it. The walk to the falls takes about two-and-a-half hours one way.
Hike up and take a dip at the Otuihau - Whangarei Falls. Photo / Whangarei District Council
Enjoy the local waterfalls and beaches
No trip to Northland would be complete without spending time on the local beaches, whatever the season. Whangārei itself is set on a river and harbour, but it’s also not far from some of the finest white-sand beaches and surf in the country.
If you’re looking for a bracing cold dip in nature, Otuihau - Whangārei Falls is a favourite among locals and tourists. This picturesque 26.3 metre-high waterfall is easily accessible and is the perfect spot to enjoy a chilly plunge (if you dare!), a small picnic, and nature walk.
If you’re more of a beach enthusiast, Bream Bay (including Ruakaka Beach and Waipū Cove) sits just to the south. The Tutukaka Coast to the north, and Ocean Beach is located on the east, at the end of the Whangārei Heads peninsula.
