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ARRIVE I have travelled the road from Rotorua to Lake Waikaremoana before, but on this trip we take the eastern approach.
Having spent the previous night in Gisborne, we travel south to the town of Wairoa. The outskirts look rather ramshackle to start with, but crossing the wide brown Wairoa River our opinion improves. There is a green grassy picnic strip alongside the river,
then a street with a pleasant row of shops. We look at the relocated Portland Island lighthouse,
before enjoying a tasty bakery lunch. Then we stock up on our provisions and head inland, following the Wairoa River up to Frasertown, and then up a tributary, the Waikaretahake River. This is a delightful drive: green hills, the river, toitoi (pampas grass), and many trees with golden autumn leaves.
We just drive slowly and enjoy it!
About half way up, an unmarked rushing stream comes in on the right (the Mangapapa Creek),
and shortly after, two unnamed waterfalls appear on our left. We are impressed by these falls on the way up, but think them rather ordinary on our return trip! At this stage we start driving on sections of gravel, but the road is in generally good condition. We call in briefly at the Tuai Power Station, where three great long straight pipes funnel water down a hill through the generators and into a man-made lake.
Soon after this we come out above Lake Waikaremoana, looking a little sombre under gathering clouds, but still impressive. Marg comments that she hasn’t been expecting an inland sea!
The road winds around a bit for the last 10 km, following above the lake, and then we come down to the camping ground close to the shore. |
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