Reality about NZ you didn’t find out about

From our Netflix watch queue to the kind of meals we wish to eat, we’re bombarded with choices, however not often any options.

However relating to journey, Australians ought to look no additional than our neighbours throughout the ditch in fixing our journey conundrums.

After I search for a vacation, I search for most leisure. For others, it’s all concerning the seashore or snow, some need journey, some wish to be wined and dined, and the record goes on and on.

Lately, I used to be fortunate sufficient to spend every week in regional New Zealand, travelling between Taupō, Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti Gisborne – three cities in the midst of the North Island.

And what I noticed was three utterly distinct areas a stone’s throw away from one another — and also you’d hardly even realize it was the epicentre of the most costly tropical cyclone in Southern Hemisphere historical past simply over 12 months in the past.

Hawke’s Bay: Foodie mecca cast in catastrophe

If New Zealanders – and particularly Napier – know something higher than most, it’s disasters.

It’s a metropolis actually cast by catastrophe.

In 1931, Napier was a small virtually island, related by skinny land and sand bridges to the mainland surrounding the Ahuriri Lagoon, which lined about 40 sq. kms.

Then the earthquake hit.

On the late morning of February 3, 1931, Hawke’s Bay was rocked by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake – equal to 100 million tonnes of TNT – flattened many of the metropolis and began fires that burned almost uncontrolled, destroying most of what was left.

256 folks died within the earthquake together with 161 in Napier, which stays in the present day the nation’s deadliest pure catastrophe.

It was an earthquake so large the coastal areas of Napier have been raised by as much as two metres, draining a lot of the lagoon and turning the ocean mattress into dry land.

There have been reviews on the time the tremors have been felt in Timaru on the South Island, over 700km away.

And it’s the land that Napier at present sits on.

Different cities could look to maneuver on from the disasters of the previous, however in Napier, the catastrophe has formed the town in additional methods than simply its footprint.

Regardless of being in the course of the Nice Despair, Napier shortly rebuilt itself within the model that was well-liked on the time.

Between 1931 and 1933, 111 new buildings have been constructed within the coronary heart of the town within the Artwork Deco model.

In the present day, Napier is named the Artwork Deco capital of the world, even holding an annual Artwork Deco pageant every February, drawing round 40,000 contributors to the area.

Though some trendy buildings have moved in, the guts of the town has retained the model and change into a calling card to the remainder of the world.

It’s an instance of the resilience of the nation, one which it’s needed to lean on in latest instances as properly.

In February 2023, Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle devastated the North Island of New Zealand, in addition to components of northern Australia and Vanuatu.

However it was New Zealand that copped the brunt of the catastrophe.

Eleven folks died – eight in Hawke’s Bay – because the harm invoice was forecast at $NZ13.5bn ($A12.5bn), the most costly tropical cyclone on file within the Southern Hemisphere.

The Hastings District, which is about 20 minutes away from Napier, suffered about $NZ2bn ($A1.86bn) value of injury alone.

The town was lower off for weeks because the harm hit the town laborious.

However simply over a 12 months later, as you drive into Hawke’s Bay, the scars of the horrific catastrophe are few and much between.

A tree graveyard about 20 minutes out of Napier and a few roadworks because the area returns to all however regular are the one exterior scars you’d see coming into the town.

My information on a Classic Automotive Tour across the metropolis, John, stated that the tourism had bounced again over the previous 12 months.

And it’s not laborious to see why.

The town’s world-famous Artwork Deco Competition, which was cancelled in the course of the Covid pandemic, was set to return proper earlier than the cyclone hit, was cancelled once more because the cyclone hit, with organisers needing to ship handwritten notes as any connection to the surface world was lower off.

However it was again with a bang in 2024 as hundreds flocked to the return of the occasion.

Whereas the pastel colors of the structure will deliver followers of the model or these trying to a throwback increasingly scarcely seen, many extra will come to the area for its different nice calling card – wine and eating.

Hawke’s Bay is a mecca for wine connoisseurs with a few of New Zealand’s finest wineries calling the area house.

In 2023, Hawke’s Bay was named a Nice Wine Capital of the World, becoming a member of the likes of France’s Bordeaux, Napa Valley in San Francisco and Adelaide in Australia amongst others on the unique record of simply 12.

However Hawke’s Bay can also be the second greatest winegrowing district in New Zealand with greater than 35 cellar doorways.

Arguably the jewel of the area’s winegrowing crown is Craggy Vary.

Established in 1998 within the shadow of the Te Mata Peak, Craggy Vary was named The Actual Overview’s Prime Vineyard of New Zealand for 2023 and had beforehand ranked within the prime 4 for the reason that record was based in 2018.

For the file, there have been 4 Hawke’s Bay wineries within the prime 10 of the record.

Although I’m not probably the most discerning of wine connoisseurs, there’s no higher approach to enhance your curiosity within the topic than studying off those that know every part about topic.

And if you wish to know the distinction between Australian and New Zealand wines, our information at Craggy Vary stated the wines are similar to the folks: “Aussie wines are large, brash and in your face, whereas New Zealand wines are pleasant, laid again and approachable”.

However wineries aren’t the one culinary draw for Hawke’s Bay as my journey additionally coincided with the annual Meals And Wine Traditional, or FAWC (pronounced fork), bringing collectively a number of the finest cooks and mixologists from across the nation.

Typically held in June and November, the occasion was pushed to March after the cyclone as occasions rushed to get again on the calendar.

I used to be in a position to catch two of the as much as 30 occasions held round Hawke’s Bay over the week.

On the primary evening, I and 9 different foodies, some even travelling from Australia for the occasion, have been handled to an unbelievable meal from Chilean-born chef Guilio Sturla at Teresa Cocktail Bar.

Together with Andrea Marseglia, who took out the title of Australia and New Zealand’s most sustainable bartender in 2023, and his staff pairing cocktails for every of the 5 programs, it was an unbelievable meal that will properly spoil all who attended for meals perpetually.

Sturla, who runs the MAPU Take a look at Kitchen in Lyttelton simply exterior of Christchurch, is a real artist, utilizing foraging methods to create tastes and textures that defy perception.

Over 5 programs, Sturla delighted us with Magic Noodle created from bananas, watermelon meat that had the feel of meat however the style of watermelon (and despatched my tastebuds via a visit), eye fillet with porcini mushrooms in a black persimmon and black garlic sauce, and topped off with apricot gnocchi for desert.

Paired completely with cocktails for every course expertly made by Marseglia and his staff, it was a meal and expertise.

On evening two, it was a collaboration between The Supernatural Wine Co. and Central Fireplace Station head chef Sam Clark for an elevated twist on the basic Kiwi BBQ.

They’re simply a number of the collaborations that make FAWC a should for any foodie’s bucket record.

Taupō: North Island’s journey capital

When Australians suppose New Zealand, there’s two issues that come instantly to thoughts – Lord of the Rings and Queenstown.

Queenstown has change into a tourism mecca in New Zealand, having surged in reputation for its journey and ski tourism. And as its reputation has grown, it’s additionally change into some of the costly cities in New Zealand.

However nestled within the coronary heart of the nation is Taupō, a hidden gem that’s shortly changing into the Queenstown of the North Island.

Nearly formed precisely like a coronary heart and sitting proper in the midst of the North Island, Lake Taupō is a 46km throughout and is roughly the dimensions of Singapore.

The lake was fashioned within the caldera of a supervolcano eruption over 25,000 years in the past. Often called the Oruanui eruption, it’s the world’s most up-to-date supervolcanic eruption.

And it’s nonetheless energetic.

In 2022, scientists raised the alert degree for the Taupō supervolcano after 700 earthquakes have been recorded within the space between Could and September 2022.

However don’t let that scare you off as Taupō presents the very best of all walks for travellers.

Whereas there are occasions such because the Supercars’ first Taupō Super400 hitting the town later in April, the Taupō Winter Competition in July, Road Artwork Competition in October and the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships in December, there’s loads of issues travellers can do all 12 months spherical.

The volcanically energetic areas supply luxurious scorching springs however with out the sulphur odor because it pulls the minerals from deep throughout the earth’s floor.

An alternative choice is to swim, fish or spend the day on a ship on Lake Taupō itself.

The big lake will not be solely surrounded by picturesque views of each the city and the encompassing countryside but in addition the Whakapapa ski fields, Tongariro Alpine crossing and Mount Ngauruhoe – which is best generally known as Mount Doom within the Lord of the Rings trilogy – to the southwest.

Arguably the spotlight of crusing on Lake Taupō needs to be the Māori rock carvings.

Whereas the carvings aren’t historic – they have been accomplished over 4 summers within the late Seventies and accomplished in 1980 by conventional marae-taught carver Matahi Whakataka-Brightwell – the paintings has change into a vacationer draw and is barely accessible by boat.

The morning I went out, it was uneven and windy on the lake however our guides Dave and Danny from Taupō Crusing Adventures expertly navigated the robust swell on a luxurious Catamaran.

Though the Māori rock carvings aren’t historic, it’s an indication of simply how the Māori tradition is embraced in New Zealand.

Māori phrases are commonplace in New Zealand vernacular and it’s change into a lifestyle.

However for these eager to study extra about Māori tradition, there’s no higher means than at The Haka Store.

Our information Snow and his whanau, who’re affiliated with the native Ngāti Tuwharetoa tribe, cooked a standard hangi meal earlier than wowing our group, which had travellers from Poland, America and Ecuador, with transferring and highly effective songs of their folks and, after all, haka.

Whereas I’d love to enter extra element concerning the evening, it’s one thing everybody ought to expertise for themselves because it’s not my story to inform.

Stress-free and sightseeing isn’t the one approach to vacation both and Taupō presents extra adrenaline pumping motion as properly.

The gorgeous Huka Falls pumps out almost 1 / 4 of 1,000,000 litres of water per second into the Waikato River, which additionally flows into the Ariatiatia Energy Station.

Whilst you can see the falls from lookout factors, one of the simplest ways to see it’s up shut and private by way of Hukafalls Jet.

A half an hour journey alongside the river, travelling at speeds of 80km/h together with 360 spins is one of the simplest ways to see New Zealand’s most visited pure attraction.

Some courageous – or loopy – souls even kayak down the Huka Falls and surrounding rapids on the Waikato River.

Though I didn’t get to strive it out, there are additionally bungee and swing services in addition to skydiving for the true adrenaline junkies.

Nonetheless, I did end off my time within the metropolis with Taupō Parasail – and arguably there’s no higher means of seeing the jaw-dropping great thing about this scenic oasis.

And if you wish to strive your luck, attempt to win $NZ10,000 the Lake Taupō Gap In One Problem, hitting into the lake itself at a pontoon 102m out.

Tairāwhiti Gisborne: Chill out in paradise

The ultimate cease was Tairāwhiti Gisborne. Whereas Taupō brings the journey and Hawke’s Bay is the food-lover’s paradise, Gisbourne is the oasis for these simply eager to calm down and be near nature.

Simply over a three-hour scenic drive from Hawke’s Bay, the Gisborne district makes up probably the most easterly level of the primary islands of New Zealand.

It’s additionally the primary place Captain James Cook dinner landed on mainland New Zealand in 1769.

The primary touchdown of Cook dinner’s males was a catastrophe when Ngāti Oneone chief Te Maro was shot and killed by certainly one of Cook dinner’s males.

Over the following days, extra Māori blood was shed reportedly resulting from a miscommunication regardless of the presence of Tahitian tahua, or priest, Tupaia, who may translate between the Māori and Europeans.

However over 50 metres across the coast to Tologa Bay, Cook dinner and his crew met the Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti tribe, who traded with the Europeans, permitting the Endeavour crew to resupply because the teams traded, whereas additionally gifting the crew the Hinematioro pou.

Hinematioro was chief of the Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti on the time and it was believed to be so holy her toes didn’t contact the bottom on the mainland.

The pou nonetheless exists over 250 years later and is within the assortment of the Tübingen College Museum in Germany, however had returned in 2019 for a tour in New Zealand.

It’s since been returned to Tübingen however the museum and the Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti have fashioned a relationship which can see a co-curation of an exhibition in Germany.

I spent the afternoon with Jock, Tauhi and Jahvarn from Tipana Excursions studying concerning the historical past, and it truly is the one approach to study concerning the space, asking questions and listening to straight from members of the Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti iwi straight.

Gisborne additionally has a lot extra to supply for many who wish to get near nature.

The Eastwoodhill Nationwide Arboretum is a outstanding place which has been deemed an arboreal ark and options over 25,000 species of bushes, shrubs and climber crops from all over the world.

On my tour, I used to be proven a Wollemi pine, the Australian species that is among the world’s oldest and rarest bushes, with solely 46 grownup bushes and 43 juveniles present on the planet.

However it’s not alone, as most of the specimens across the arboretum are uncommon of their homelands.

I stayed on the Tatapouri Bay Oceanside Lodging with clear views throughout the Pacific Ocean to get up with one of many first sunrises on the planet.

With white sand seashores alongside the coast, Gisborne is a surfer’s dream.

However small cities additionally discover methods to distinguish themselves, one thing that Gisborne does properly.

After driving from Hawke’s Bay, the evening I arrived in Gisborne, I caught a film on the Dome Cinema on the town.

In a world the place cinema is making an attempt to rebuild after Covid, the Dome Cinema presents greater than only a place to look at a movie, however makes it an expertise.

Order a pizza and a cocktail from the bar and sit again and luxuriate in in comfy bean baggage – it’s the kind of expertise that the movie business must create to get folks out of their properties.

One other can’t-be-missed expertise is the reef ecology tour with Dive Tatapouri the place you may swim, pat and feed wild stingrays and eagle rays.

Whereas the demise of Steve Irwin is a narrative that rings in many individuals’s heads relating to stingrays, the tour will change how you’re feeling concerning the animals.

And I completed my time in New Zealand with Gisborne Railbike Journey.

With a alternative of an ordinary railbike or e-bike – we took an e-bike – you may take within the gorgeous surroundings of the realm, from open farmland, orange groves, inexperienced tunnels, and a 1.5km tunnel on an all-but deserted piece of rail line alongside the coast of Gisborne.

Whereas there are different choices for an hour, my group went on the 32km journey over 3.5 hours, giving a style of all Gisborne has to supply.

On the midway level, you cease at a lookout picnic spot with jaw-dropping views of the shoreline only a few folks get to see.

As you may inform, our neighbours have lots to supply.

This author travelled to New Zealand as a visitor of Tourism New Zealand