Whitianga Scallop Festival and 10 things to do apart from eat!
One of the most popular seafood festivals in New Zealand has its 7th edition in September 2015 and with celebrity chefs, lots to eat and plenty of entertainment it is set for a record attendance.
The Whitianga Scallop Festival runs for a full day on Saturday 19th September 2015 starting at 10am and this year will feature celebrity chefs Ray McVinnie and the Bird sisters, Kasey and Karena.
The town of Whitianga is the main settlement on the east coast of the Coromandel peninsula. Nestled in Mercury Bay it’s surrounded by rugged coastline and beautiful beaches, and not far from picturesque coastal islands.
It’s no wonder it has become a centre for seafood.
Celebrity chef Ray McVinnie will be one of the star attractions. An author, former Masterchef judge and Consulting Food Director at Bite Magazine, he’s one of New Zealand’s most recognisable culinary names and faces.
Another drawcard will be Kasey and Karena Bird the popular winners of Masterchef 2014. Their home is the small coastal town of Maketu where they learned the values of fresh produce and traditional recipes, especially involving seafood.
The chefs will host cooking demonstrations at the New World Stage, in a programme full of entertainment and multiple cuisine stands all producing mouth-watering delights.
And if you also like great wine there will be many vineyards tasting on the day including: Lake Chalice, Volcanic Hills, Marisco, Ohinemuri Estate, Man O’ War, Mills Reef, Sileni Estate, Tohu and Vilagrad. Tickets for the festival are $45 for adults and $10 for 6-17 year olds. But no matter how much you like food festivals when you are tired of scallops and mooching around craft stalls, there’s a lot more to do in and around Whitianga.
Here are ten things to consider whether you want to venture out on the water or stay on dry land.
Boats – kayaks, tours and ones with glass bottoms
Whitianga is a great base from which to explore one of New Zealand’s most breath-taking stretches of coastline.
Just south is an area of pristine beaches, sandstone cliffs, sea caves, blowholes, towering pinnacles, and abundant marine and bird life.
Cathedral Cove
All of this can be best seen from a boat. Tours of this stunning area include Lonely Bay, Shakespeare Cliff, Cooks Beach, Hahei and the spectacular Cathedral Cove (where the Chronicles of Narnia and Prince Caspian was filmed).
The Te Whanganui-A-Hei Marine Reserve is a treat and you may even spot a dolphin or two, and enter the Orua Sea Cave if sea conditions allow. The abundant marine life below the waves can be easily seen from the Whitianga glass bottomed boat.
But if you are more energetic you can also take to the sea in a kayak on a guided tour, often called the backpacking of the seas – no rush, no noise, nature at its best and go at your own speed.
Tours leave from Hahei and you can go at sunrise, sunset, for the whole day, join a group or go as a family.
Diving and snorkelling
Te Whanganui-A-Hei Marine Reserve off Hahei boasts some of the best diving and snorkelling for any skill level – as a protected area the fish seem to know they are safe and there’s lots to see!
There are PADI courses on offer, snorkel and scuba gear for hire, you can have tanks filled and cylinders tested. There’s even snorkel trails with information written on buoys so you can find out what to see under the surface.
Going fishing?
Tired of looking at fish and want to catch a couple? As a coastal town Whitianga has a few charters to choose from. The Mercury and Cuvier Islands off the coast are home to great fishing. Here you can find hapuka, kingfish, terakihi, snapper and dive for crayfish, and of course scallops! There are half and full day charters and even overnight trips to Great Barrier Island, 80 kms to the north.
Beaches Galore
Like many other parts of New Zealand, the area around Whitianga has so many beaches you can never be bored. A little over 30 kms north is Whangapoua, a 1.5kms long safe sandy beach in front of a small settlement of mostly holiday homes. It has a boat ramp, wharf and small shop and the estuary is great to explore by kayak.
Just north over the headland is New Chums Beach, voted as one of the world’s top ten beaches. New Chums is often in the news because of an ongoing debate about development. But for now it remains probably one of the best untouched beaches in New Zealand, and for most of the year very quiet. Be quick to see it before the threat of building becomes reality.
New Chum beach
Matarangi, just 16 kms north of Whitianga, has become one of those developed beaches, although it’s been created as a fantastic family holiday destination complete with shops and recreation including tennis courts and the Dunes 18 hole golf course. The sand is fine and when its holiday time, you can quite easily stay and not go anywhere else – it’s that good.
Just east of Matarangi is Rings Beach, a fairly sheltered stretch with a beach break that’s good for the learner to intermediate surfer. NZ Surf Guide says it needs a bit of a swell to get it going but when it does the waves are punchy and fun.
Kuaotunu beach is next door and more of a family beach, sheltered and with a little creek and pond for the kids to play in. But probably the best thing about Kuaotunu is the size of the ice creams at the local store. One is called the Kuaotunu Killer. It’s huge and reasonably priced too.
From here head further east along the Black Jack road, which soon turns to gravel. This winds and twists passed another surf beach at Otama, until you can go no further at Opito Bay. This is another stunning beach and one of the best on the Coromandel.
You can quite easily spend a day here watching the islands in the distance, witnessing the incessant tractor movements along the beach to launch and retrieve boats or send the children out into the small waves to try boogie boarding. At Opito you will feel you are miles from anywhere, because you are.
Become a stargazer
For an unusual evening activity, just 2 kms south of Kuaotunu you will find the Stargazers Observatory, where you will get a full introduction to the southern skies.
Tours include learning about constellations and how the ancient Polynesian voyagers used them to navigate the Pacific. You can try the telescopes and there are even hands-on exhibits of 4.5 billion year old meteorites and 150m year dinosaur bones.
At the end of the tour you will walk through a 25 metre long scale model of the solar system, so you will leave having felt you have been to space and gone back in time. Well worth it!
Coromandel pottery and stoneware
Alan Rhodes
It’s hard to resist the temptation of stopping to see some pottery, especially when on holiday. Pottery and potters abound in New Zealand, creating wonderful unique pieces to use everyday use or put on display.
About 15 minutes’ drive south of Whitianga, near Whenuakite, you will find a treasure trove at Allan Rhodes Pottery. With a clay pit in his backyard, an on-site workshop and kiln, he has been turning out unique pieces of stoneware for decades. All made on-site you will find anything from a plate to a bird bath.
You can even ask for a short tour of the workshop but be warned, you will leave, usually with an unexpected purchase.
Bird and animal encounters
A family friendly farm is always a winning thing to do on holiday. Mill Creek Bird and Animal Park is relaxing, peaceful and has a menagerie of animals and birds including crazy cockatoos, a macaw (the avian version, not the All Black kind), donkeys and mini-horses.
There’s also a miniature train, a playground, the station café where Mum can have a coffee and plenty more friendly animals.
Family farm park
While we are on the subject of farms, another one within a short distance of Whitianga is Whiti Farm Park, just 10 kms south on the main road. This is a beautiful eight acre park to wander around where you can meet, hand feed, cuddle and stroke all sorts of different farmyard and exotic animals, birds and reptiles.There’s farm machinery, and of course, you guessed it, a train! There’s also a fire engine to climb on and some old fashioned games dotted around to inspire, intrigue, educate and entertain the young and not so young.
Take a picnic, explore and enjoy.
Paintball and other combat fun
The peace and tranquillity of the Coromandel can be joyfully disturbed, for good reason, at the Combat Fun Zone. The combat opportunities in this bush and farmland location include paintball, trench-warfare, bush battles and laser tag. And there’s also archery, laser clay bird shooting, quadbike and little digger rides, soccer golf, a water hole for cooling down, a playground, barbecues and some animals to pet.
So whether you want to shoot another team or just play there’s at least half day of fun to be had.
Horse riding in the Coromandel
One of the best ways to experience the breath-taking hill country scenery of the Coromandel is on horseback. This area has a pioneering history including Kauri milling, gold prospecting and gum digging.
Rangihau Ranch near Coroglen runs very affordable horse treks for up to two hours for all levels of rider, even pre-schoolers who can ride lead rein ponies for a half hour trek.
The ranch also runs Day Camps for children aged between 7-16 years. These include games and activities, bush and farm riding, a picnic and even taking a horse swimming in the beautiful Waiwawa River. The day is jam packed with the fun of experiencing farm life, riding tuition and even face-painting your pony – now that’s something different!
The only way is to travel is by car
There’s so much to do in such a short distance around Whitianga, you will probably have to visit more than once, and the best way to explore is by car. At New Zealand Discount Car Rentals our cheap rental cars mean you can tour around at a leisurely pace and you won’t find a better NZ car rental deal.
We are also a very conveniently located Auckland car rental company close to the International Airport. Our cars look like any others on the road, with no bright branding to draw attention. They also come with 24 hour roadside assist so wherever you are you will have support if needed.
And if you hire a cheap rental car you will have the freedom of the open road but also some extra cash to spend on having fun.
Our daily rates start at $14.95 for a short term rental and could be as low as $9.95 a day for a minimum of 40 days. And with a large fleet of high quality vehicles from small hatchbacks to people movers you will find a car and rental period that suits your plans.
Enjoy your time exploring the Coromandel and please take extra care – its remote so there are lots of narrow roads. There is plenty of information about safe and enjoyable driving in New Zealand.
One of the main driving safety initiatives is DriveSafe, a website full of important and useful tips and great advice, and practical hints and videos.
Remember, we drive on the left side of the road.
Have a great time!