Still life at the Mill

By KAREN GOA

It's the perfect place for a boat-lover's lie-in. Sunglasses on against the morning light, my boatbuilder partner declares, "I feel like a kid at Christmas," and spends a solid hour watching the yachts bobbing only metres away from his tucked-in tootsies.

Screened by venerable pohutukawa, Mill Bay Haven could scarcely be any closer to the sea without being in it. One of the oldest seawalls in New Zealand holds back the tide at the property's edge.

In the early 1900s the Kauri Timber Company operated a mill on the site. Mill Lodge, our hideaway for the night, was originally the mill manager's cottage. It is so spacious that we consider keeping tabs on each other by cellphone.

French doors in the three bedrooms open seaward. There's a congregation-sized deck and spa surrounded by subtropical gardens at the rear, where I opt for a quick restorative snooze on a sheltered sofa before wandering down the path to watch kingfishers making two-point landings into their cliff-hole nests.

Host and long-time sailor Tony Norman and Swedish wife Anette spent a year refurbishing the three self-contained accommodation options (the Lodge and two cottages) at the seaside property.

The pastel decor, strong accent pieces and stylish, functional furniture reflect Anette's Scandinavian influence and create a sense of the safe, peaceful haven 19th-century whalers found when they sailed into sheltered Mill Bay searching for supplies.

Nearby Rangikapiti Pa, we're told, is the best place to see the whole of the area and get our bearings. We set out to walk up to the pa, but after a couple of blunders up the neighbours' driveways we admit navigational defeat and make the two-minute drive to the top. Doubtless Bay's long, white beaches sweep away in one direction, and the little settlement of Mangonui tumbles down the cliff into Mangonui Harbour in the other.

Historic Mangonui rivals its Hokianga sister, Rawene, for most picturesque seaside village in the North. Our directionless wanderings take us past a few of the restored buildings on the Mangonui Village Heritage trail - the 1892 Courthouse, now an art gallery, the Wharf Store and the 1860 St Andrew's Anglican Church, where stained glass windows record the village's fishing and milling heritage and the gravestones tell their stories of the past. A short, bushy path near the church leads to another scenic lookout, this time back toward Mill Bay and the yachts yawing at anchor.

One of these yachts is the Normans' 13.4m sleek sloop Hinemoana II. It's too breezy to take up Tony's offer of a day out sailing, but in calmer weather the yacht is available for day or overnight charters to some of Doubtless Bay's gorgeous and otherwise inaccessible beaches and islands. Doubtless, we'll be back.

* Karen Goa was hosted by Mill Bay Haven.



WHERE TO FIND IT

Mill Bay Haven, 19 Silver Egg Drive, Mangonui.

Phone (09) 406 1113, fax (09) 406 1130, email anthonynorman@xtra.co.nz

WHAT IT COSTS

Mill Lodge (sleeps six): $175/$250/$340 low/shoulder/peak season per two adults/night. $25/$30 per each extra person/night.

Rose Cottage (one bedroom with separate lounge/kitchen) or Seaview Studio (one bedroom with kitchenette overlooking the beach): $80/$100/$120 low/shoulder/peak season per two adults.

FOOD

Accommodation is self-catering. The nearest supplies are at Mangonui (1km) or Coopers Beach (2km). There are restaurants and takeaways in Mangonui and Coopers Beach.

WHAT ELSE TO DO

Fish from the lawn, the nearby jetty or a charter boat, go sea kayaking, golf, walk the Heritage Trail of Mangonui (pick up a pamphlet at the visitor information centre on Waterfront Drive), visit the Whaling Museum at Butler Point (by appointment), swim at Coopers Beach (2km away). For more visitor information go to www.doubtlessbay.com