Around Aniwaniwa Cottage, Devonport and the North Shore

Devonport is picturesque garden village is situated on the North Shore of Auckland on a peninsular surrounded by the Waitemata Harbour, scene of the world's greatest sailing and home of the America's Cup.  It’s only a ten minute ferry trip from Downtown.  It's a great place to relax on holiday or after a hard days business, with excellent beaches, many parks and vantage points, an attractive village, shops, cafés, restaurants, history, houses, gardens, museums, movie theatre, a golf course and almost every other sport and service facility.  You do not need a car, as this is a safe and family fun place to explore by foot, particularly with children.  You have many choices of lodgings including homestay, bed and breakfast - B&B, motel or hotel where you can experience our hospitality.

   This information provided by  Aniwaniwa Cottage Homestay

   Visit the official Devonport-Website

  Visit The Tourism North Shore Website

  The Visitor-Information-Centre (behind the Devonport Library) has much information on what you can do here or around the country. Phone 64 9 446 0677, email: visitorinfo@nthshore.govt.nz

What to do and see in Auckland City

  “The City of Sails” centre of the Hauraki Gulf is home to the America’s Cup and a magnificent place with plenty to satisfy all. By using a daily bus ferry pass to Take the ferry to downtown and then the Link busses you can easily get to the Viaduct Basin / America’s Cup Village, Zoo, Underwater World, Maritime Museum, MOTAT, Sky Tower and Casino, Observatory and Stardome, Rainbows End funpark, Aotea Centre, Art Gallery, Victoria Park Market, War Memorial Museum, galleries, gardens, parks, clubs, restaurants, shopping and many other attractions.

  An all day Bus pass allows you to take any bus and the inner harbour ferries for $7 per adult or $14 per family (up to 2 adults and 4 children).  Call Rideline (Ph 366 6400) for timetable and other information.

  Regional parks you can visit

  What’s on in the Auckland area

  Visit the official Tourism-Auckland website

  Maps of Auckland to help you locate people and places

  Call in at the Harbour Information Office (ph 357 6366) at the entrance to the ferry (Downtown side) to hire roller blades, mountain bikes or take kayaking, horse riding, fishing, the Devonport Explorer and other tours (even to the Bay of Islands, Waitomo, Taupo or beyond.

  Call AWOL Adventures (ph 630 7010) for local canyoning, abseiling and other experiences.

Short day trips we suggest you could take.

These can be done in a self drive car, on a scheduled tour, or as a custom trip (see travel below).

Our recommmended tour operator is Potikiadventures ph Melissa 021 422 773 or 0800 6923836

They will put together unique custom tours for groups

  Rangitoto Island.  Climb (or take a Fullers tractor ride tour) to the top of our region’s largest and most recent volcano. Here you can get magnificent views of Auckland and the Hauraki Gulf, walk into the crater, explore caves and swim before you return.  Fullers Harbour cruise ferries from the city stop off at Devonport wharf at 9.40 am, 11.55 am and 2.10 pm most days and take 30 mins to Rangitoto. Return sailings from Rangitoto wharf are 12.30, 3.00 and 5.00pm and return via Orakei Wharf (Kelly Tarltons Underwater World) and Devonport.

 Tiritiri Matangi Island.  A restricted entry conservation island, replanted in native forest and now singing with many of our rarest native birds. Fullers  Ferries depart from the city ferry terminal at 9.00am on Thursday, Friday*, Saturday, Sunday & Public Holidays.   (See also Waiheke revegetation)

  Waiheke Island, Enjoy a day visiting alternative shops, cafes, vineyards, swimming  or taking a bus trip on this Island to escape from the city.   The first Link Ferry departs city daily at 9.00am calling at Devonport at 9.10am and the last returning via Devonport leaves the Waiheke wharf around 4.00pm on weekdays and 4.30pm on weekends and holidays. There are regular bus services, tours and accommodation on the Island.  

If you are interested in Nature, botany and birdlife, do not miss the Te A tawhai- Whenua Reserve on the hillside overlooking on the right as you approach the Waiheke ferry wharf. You can enter this across the small footbridge reached by following the waterfront path, There are numerous tracks though the reserve leading to an exit at the top of the hill on the road to Waihehe Island. This is an area revegitated in native plants by the efforts of Waiheke's own "The Man who planted Trees" Don Chappell. Visitors and volunteers who were privileged to spent time with Don on the reserve before his untimely death at age 75 on 25th March 2005, treasure it as one of the richest experiences of their lives.

 Great Barrier and Other Gulf Islands.  Fullers (Ph 367 9102) operate regular ferry services to other places on the Hauraki Gulf. See their timetable

 A wine tasting tour to the farmland and vineyards out West in the Henderson, Waitakere, Kumeu area

 The Scenic Drive on the top of Auckland's Waitakere ranges 40 minutes West from Auckland.  Visit the Arataki Visitors Centre to learn about history, nature, see native bush, then explore wild beaches, coastline and native bushwalks at Piha or other beaches, or visit the gannet colony at Muriwai Beach.  (For guided tours see: bush and beach tours or AWOL Adventures)  

 Piha Beach. A wild West Coast beach where you can swim, surf, fish, Climb to the top of Lion Rock or take walks through native bush to a spectacular waterfall and gorge  There is a daily Shuttle to Piha beach that meets the 8.00am Devonport – City Ferry and leaves Piha to return at 4.00 pm  ($20 per person call Peter Gillespie Ph 627 2664 to book)

  A tour north to the tip of the Whangaparaoa Peninsula (Army Bay) where you can take an amazing cliff top walk around the Shakespear Reserve farm park and swim on its magnificent beaches.  Stop off on the way at 400 Whangaparaoa Rd for the narrow guage steam railway,  (Stagecoach public busses travel to Army Bay regularly)

  Travel North stopping to visit the historic village of Puhoi, then turn right at Warkworth and drive to the end of the peninsular where you can swim or snorkel with the fish in the marine reserve at Leigh.

  A tour south down the scenic Pacific Coast Highway through farmland and native bush to the Miranda Coast, the stopover for many migrating and wader birds. At Miranda you can visit the Shorebird Nature Centre where you can hire an apartment, or relax in hot thermal pools and have lunch at one of New Zealand’s top Fish and Chip shops.

See also these sites:

  Fullers ferries - discover the Hauraki Gulf by ferry

  http://www.aucklandnz.com/ - tourist info about our region

Longer Trips further afield

You may drive yourself or use any of the many tourist operators that arrange these. (We recommend that you first contact Potiki Adventures Melissa at 021 422773

 Start by looking at the NZ Communities Website an index to the diversity of communities and landscape you can experience in this country.

  North to the Bay of Islands. (a long day or overnight trip)

  Northland to Cape Reinga - the tip of the North Island (two overnight stays perhaps at the Bay of Islands, returning via the West Coast where you should visit the Hokianga area)

  South to Rotorua - thermal wonderland and Maori cultural centre (long day or overnight)

  Round tour south via, Waitomo Caves, Taupo and Rotorua, returning via Tauranga and the Miranda Shorebird Coast (2-3 days)

  Visit the Coramandel Peninsular where you will find wild coastlines, and bush embroidered with artists, cafes and gardens.

Tramping, Trekking, kayaking and other outdoor exploration

With a pack on your back you can experience fresh air, magnificent mountains, bush and coastline and ecotourism activities that are lost to the visitor in cars with suitcases. See these sites:

  Te Araroa walkway - Walk the length of both islands on the Te Araroa walkway with author Geoff Chapple.

  Ecotours - Ecotourism experiences you can have.

  Govt recreation info   - National parks and other recreation

  Tramping info - achipelago hiking info

  Wildlife - Kiwi Wildlife tours

Touring New Zealand using homestay, farmstay or similar accommodation

After you stay with us, it is highly likely you will want to experience more of the Kiwi lifestyle and what the rest of the country has to offer by using a unique homestay, farmstay or bed and breakfast - B&B, rather than a hotel, motel or apartment.   If so, when you arrive we suggest you purchase "The B&B Directory of New-Zealand", or "Boutique Lodgings of New-Zealand", both published by Holdsworth Press and available in most bookshops. See their website:

  http:/www.bed-and-breakfast.co.nz - B&B / Boutique Accommodation.

  http://www.vnz.co.nz - Take a virtual tour of the country

  http://www.purenz.com/ - Tourist Board information

Travel around New Zealand

Rental cars motor homes

Holiday Bookings

Accessing     NZ data or people

The Stagecoach bus company which runs most of  Auckland’s public transport provides bus /city ferry link day passes for $7.00 per adult or $14 per family (2 adults / 4 children)   Contact Buzz a Bus ph  366 6400 for timetable advice.

For local transport or tours, the Colonial Carriage Company run by a family based here in Devonport (ph 445 3200 email: mailto:ccco@xtra.co.nz) will transport you in their Mercedes Limousines anywhere you wish at competitive rates of around  $50 per hour.  They will meet your plane at the airport and return you to here for around $65.

We have a good network of public bus (Kiwi Experience Bus Network, Intercity, Newmans, Northliner), train (Tranzrail) and air travel (Air New Zealand & Ansett-New Zealand) between the main centres, but public bus services can be poor in some cities and towns, often requiring the use of taxis to get to locations remote from town centres. For popular tourist activities, tramping track transport etc, dedicated tourist operators normally provide specialist shuttle transport.

You can get good quality rental cars or motor homes from a number of local operators when you arrive at costs below those of the international operators. Alternately treat yourself to a luxury BMW or other vehicle from Smartcars

For a personal local service email or on arrival visit Kelly Hale at the “Devonport-Travel-For-Less” office.  Also Adventure Tours is an on-line tour company that can help arrange your trip.

Find indexes on the Piperpat  website or use a local search engine Accessnz or SearchNZ

Finding old friends here whitepages

Routes South to Wellington

If travelling south there are three main routes to Wellington our capital.  Here you will find our Houses of Parliament, visit the Te Papa National Museum and find much more see to do.

  East - Following the beautiful coastline down the  Pacific Coast Highway, side trip via Coromandel Peninsula,  visit Tauranga, Bay of Plenty,* then around the East Coast ( rugged unspoilt coastline), to Gisborne (first city to see the new millennium and the sun each day). Side trip from Wairoa to Lake Waikaremoana and the Te Urewera National Park, before reaching  Napier (a city destroyed by an earthquake in 1931 and rebuilt to be the art deco capital of the world).  Visit the Gannet Colony and Te Mata Peak from Hastings, then travel south through the rich farmlands of Hawkes Bay and Manawatu stopping off at the Mt Bruce Wildlife Centre before crossing the Rimutaka Hill to descend into the Hutt Valley and then to Wellington.

·        For wilderness adventurers, trampers, hikers, hunters, kayakers, mountainbikers, horsetrekkers, cowboys, fishermen, or lovers of trees birdlife, nature, ecotourism, Maori culture, spirituality and history, who like to explore unbeaten tracks, take Highway 38 (off the Rotorua – Taupo Road) and wind through the remote, rugged and wild Urewera Country.   Stop at Murupara at the DOC Visitors Centre for information or to fish / raft / kayak the Rangitaiki river.

·        Turn off at Te Whaiti (see www.whirinaki.org.nz) and then right at Minginui to visit the secret  Whirinaki Forest  which preserves New Zealand’s most famous stand of native podocarps and many fine walks.(For example take a twenty minute walk in this nature wonderland, take a four hour return walk to the magnificent waterfall, or if you have a pack and sleeping bag, tramp 6 hours alongside the peaceful Whirinaki River to the Central Hut for the night).  The school and Ngati Whare community here has initiated an exiting project called Kaitiakitanga (guardianship) that will help protect it and the culture of its people to share with future generations  Relax and stay at Hukitawa Country Retreat or Whirinaki Lodge at Te Whaiti, return to Rotorua or Taupo, or better still travel on though the misty rain forests of the Te Urewera National Park (The Maori people who belong here and provided the land to form the park are called Tuhoe – “Children of the Mist”. They retain their traditional values, spirituality, independence and pride and are renowned for their hospitality). 

·        Wind on through the settlement of Ruatahuna, home to the Tuhoe people.  Here Urewera Adventures provide  homestay / maori marae / meeting house visits and take you horsetreking, fishing, tramping).

·        Travelling on you pass the track to Maungapohatu stronghold of the Maori Prophet Rua.

·        Finally you reach beautiful Lake Waikaremoana, The local Kokako school website tells you more.  There is accommodation  and plenty to do here. You must visit the Aniwaniiwa Visitors Centre to see the renowned Te Urewera mural by Colin McCahon. Take some of the magnificent walks, (perhaps to the “top of the world” Panakiri Bluff Hut for the night, the 4-5 day Great Walk around the lake or a day trip to lake Waikareiti). 

·        Highway 38 takes you out to Wairoa on the East Coast between Gisborne and Napier.

  Central – Highway One is the most direct route via Hamilton, and its lush Waikato dairy farmlands, with an optional detour through our thermal and cultural wonderland Rotorua, (* side adventure above) see our largest lake, Taupo, then down the splendidly wild Desert Road past the smouldering central mountains of Ruapehu, and Tongariro  (our North Island Skifields contained within the Tongariro National Park). Visit the Army Museum at Waiouru, travelling then through sheep and cattle farming areas to Levin, before following the coast to Wellington.

  West via Taranaki Coast  - take Highway One to Hamilton, travel via the Waikato dairy farming towns of Te Awamutu and Otorohanga (visit the Kiwi house), divert to Waitomo Caves, enter the King Country with its rugged sheep and cattle farms, travelling through towns of Te Kuiti and Piopio, before following the winding Awakino river to the spectacular west coast with its wild and expansive black iron-sand beaches.  Follow the coast catching first glimpses of cone shaped Mount Taranaki (temporarily renamed Mount Egmont by European settlers) until you reach New Plymouth, (be sure to visit Pukekura Park gardens and see what is on at its native bush lined amphitheatre Brooklands Bowl).  Travel south either way around the mountain though Taranaki Dairy farms to Hawera (Visit and dine at The Kiwi Dairy Company visitors centre on the main road 3 kms south).  Then travel through rolling farmland to Wanganui (take a jet boat or canoe trip up the Whanganui River, before continuing south through Levin to Wellington.

Exploring The South Island

You can travel with your vehicle across Cook Strait to Picton in the Marlborough Sounds using the Inter-Islander or fast ferries.  The South Island is a magnificent place to see and explore with its main cities being Christchurch and Dunedin on the East Coast, and its famous tourist area Queenstown.

If the weather is good enjoy sunny Nelson, then use your good fortune to travel down the scenic West Coast (this is an area of very high rainfall), cross the Haast Pass and you are into the high country farming regions of Wanaka and Otago/Southland.  Here you will find Queenstown and Te Anau (great starting points to enjoy the great walks of Fiordland and the Milford Sounds).

Travelling from Queenstown, the historic university town of Dunedin is a great place to visit before going south via the Catlins nature area in Southland to Invercargil and Stewart Island. 

Otherwise travel north, from Dunedin, perhaps via the Mount Cook region to Christchurch, centre of the Canterbury district, and the informal South Island ‘Capital”.  

Travelling north from Christchurch, you reach Kaikoura (here you can swim with Dolphins or go whale watching), then follow it’s coastline, through the wine growing areas of Blenheim in Marlborough before returning to catch the ferry at Picton.