Novel Sights of Northern New Zealand

I went to New Zealand in 2014 and I must admit that it is still one of my favourite countries. New Zealand is a unique island in everything from its fauna, to its geography, to its cultures. It this post we take a look at four of the singular sights you can encounter travelling the north island.

Volcanic craters in the middle of suburbia

Given that New Zealand is a relatively new landmass, born from sub-oceanic volcanic activity, it only makes sense that the island should be dotted by volcanic craters. The fact that the city of Auckland has been built around a number of these is a bit bewildering. On one side of a cliff you have this giant grassy bowl, the grave of a dead volcano. RIP. On the other, you have a schoolyard and people’s backyards.

Giant armless extinct bird species

That’s me, at a museum, after doing a double take, making incoherent sounds, and marching back to this glass enclosure.

Traveller, meet the moa. This 500lb, 12 foot tall bird was endemic to New Zealand 600 years ago, and was hunted to extinction. It’s flightless, 70% legs, and doesn’t have any forward appendages. That’s right, it’s not even that this is a giant emu, this thing doesn’t have any arms at all!!! Check out the wiki page on this guy.

Hobbiton and the Shire

Smack in the center of the North Island is the teeny tiny town of Matamata. Matamata is the gateway to nerd heaven: on a small farm just outside of town lies the movie set for Hobbiton from the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies. This is the main reason to visit New Zealand. It’s so much fun, and does not required an encyclopedic knowledge of Tolkien to enjoy. Plus you get a free drink from the farm’s own brewery at the end of the tour!

Find out more about Hobbiton in this post.

Māori rock carving on a cliff in the middle of lake Taupō

The Māori were the first people to settle New Zealand around 1300. As such, the Māori are a fundamental part of New Zealand history and demographic, and the culture permeates the environment. One of the most recognizable features of Māori culture are the tattoos the Māori people wear, particularly the facial tattoos. Matahi Brightwell, a traditionally instructed artist, was asked by his grandmother to honor their ancestor Ngātoroirangi with a carving. He paddled to this rock face in 1976 and began work on this breathtaking sculpture. Find out more here.

I hope to return to New Zealand soon and add to this list!

Gen