Whakatāne is a town in the eastern Bay of Plenty Region in the North Island of New Zealand, 90 km east of Tauranga and 89 km north-east of Rotorua, at the mouth of the Whakatāne River.
This weekend we found ourselves there to participate in the Frazzled Kiwi Adventure Race. While the race was slightly out of town we had plenty of opportunity to walk the town centre, take in the sights, and even have some food.
The town centre is dotted with shops, cafes, and other businesses. It is a very pleasant place to spend a weekend autumn morning.
Mataatua is a large, fantastically carved 1875 wharenui (meeting house) that is the centrepiece of Te Mānuka Tūtahi marae (traditional meeting place). It is situated near the town centre and is open for tours and offers a educational guided tours and educational workshops.
In 1879 Mataatua was dismantled and sent to Sydney, much to the consternation of the local Ngāti Awa people whose ancestors it embodied. Adding insult to injury, it was re-erected inside out, exposing its precious interior carvings to the harsh Australian elements. After a stint in Melbourne it was sent to London and ended up spending 40 years in the Victoria & Albert Museum cellars. After 71 years in the Otago Museum, where it was cut down to fit the space, it finally came home in 2011.
The town centre follows alongside the Whakatāne river, and a walking trail between the town and river follows the river as it flows out to the sea. Along the way, it’s easy to get drawn back into the town.
Fishing boats nestle in the river, safe from the rough sea just a short distance down stream. Behind the town centre sit the hills of the Kohi Point scenic reserve.
On a weekend afternoon it’s not uncommon to see families setting up picnics in the Wairaka Centennial park, a community space that sits astride the walking trail.
As you follow the trail along the river, you’ll finally meet the sea. Here, where the waters miix, you’ll meet the “lady on the rock”. This statue is widely recognised as a symbol of the region, unveiled at the Whakatāne Heads in 1965 as a memorial to the wife of Sir William Sullivan who was a driving force in Whakatāne during the 20th century. The striking bronze statue atop Turuturu Rock lies at the mouth of the Whakatāne River and commemorates the bravery of Wairaka, the daughter of Toroa, captain-navigator of the Mataatua waka (boat).
This day we were destined to take part in the Frazzled Kiwi adventure. Frazzled Kiwi is a fun team adventure race. In teams of 2 – 5 we are given a course map and clue sheet, then sent off to find checkpoints and complete fun mystery activities. It’s 6-7kms of trekking through farmland, mud, native flora, hills, streams, swamps, and other challenges.
Starting off together, soon the families and groups found themselves spread out, and the challenge turned more into an enjoyable nature trek through beautiful farmland.
Below, we are coming down a hill into a valley where several objects were hidden. Our task was to find the objects and record them in our challenge log.
Along the way it was impossible not to stop and simply admire the views.
At the end of the day, a peaceful sun set over the river.
