Tag Archives: Waihi Beach

The weather is sunny and warm – perfect for a ‘tramping’ through the bush to neighbouring Orokawa Bay.  The track runs from the edge of Waihi beach up and round the cliffs.  There is a magnificent view looking back along Waihi beach towards Tauranga and beyond .  It’s such a clear day that it’s possible to see the whole sweep of the north coast as far as the horizon.  Further round the cliff walk we get our first glimpse of the deserted white sands of Orokawa Bay down below.  Unfortunately it doesn’t remain deserted for long and by the time we get down on the beach three other people are there too.  The pristine picture postcard beach is fringed with gnarled pohutukawa trees – a coastal tree that bears deep red flowers in December – leaning out at right angles over the sand to provide pools of welcome shade.  It is just idyllic and we stroll to the far end to enjoy our picnic lunch.  The sea is too rough to swim, but we stay a while to sunbathe and watch the dark storm clouds gathering out at sea.   We walk on through dense bush – no tourist walkways here – to the William Wright waterfall, a towering sheer rock face with barely trickle of water falling into a small pool below.  It is no doubt far more impressive after the rains! The clear waters of the stream we have been following are home to some impressive eels. 

We plan to have fish and chips form the local chippie, but when we arrive at 7.15pm it has closed!  This is New Zealand.  So we hop in the car and drive to Waihi which although deserted, does have a chippie open and Corrie on the TV.  The story-line is about six months behind the UK and Andy  can’t resist revealing all the upcoming sub-plots to the woman taking our order.  She is lapping up, noting down the details, presumably with the intention of impressing friends with uncannily accurate predictions!  Good chips, batter is awful!

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