Activities

Diving - The Poor Knights Islands - One of the top ten dive sites in the world!!

Cliff faces that soar hundreds of feet up to a vertical forest and plunge sheer Blue Mao Mao Arch

through the surface to depths over 300 ft broken by ledges, fissures and underhangs. Tunnels, archways, clefts bring together silhouettes and colours that are a photographers dream. The photo on the right has been taken by NZ's expert underwater photographer, Darryl Torckler, at Blue Mao Mao Arch.

The Poor Knights are a cold water dive so a wetsuit is a must but they can be dived all year round with varying degrees of visibility from 8m to 30m plus!

The following photos have been taken by one of our guests, Patrice from British Columbia who has chosen to dive during October and only had 8-15m visibility. Brilliant photos for such poor visibility but his subjects are very clear - Scorpian fish, Banded Coral Shrimp and my favourites - nudibranchs.

An excellent day trip for sightseers, kayakers and snorkellers. Boats are often escorted to the dive sites by dolphins or migrating whales on their journey to and from Hawaii or if you are one of the lucky ones, share your dive site with an Orca as three of our guests were lucky enough to have experienced!

Bookings can be made direct, or Pete and Noell can book for you. All dive companies pick you up and return you to our door. Being a diver herself, Noell can give you first hand information and will share your elation when you return!

Dive Tutukaka have the largest fleet of dive boats with the benefit of smaller diving groups that match your level of experience and the added option of diving the Tui and Waikato wrecks. They also have kayaks available.

Yukon Noel and Jo know the Poor Knights inside out and will anchor you right over the favourite dive sites.

Learn to dive in Whangarei! Three to choose from: Dive Tutukaka, the Dive Connection or Dive HQ. All will qualify you as a PADI diver which includes diving the Poor Knights for your sea test - excellent value for money.

Adventure - NZ's Specialty!

Abbey Caves

Glow worms, Potholing - Venture into the depths of the earth - where time stands still and the accresion of millenia will confound you!

Named by Nathaniel and Amelia Clotworthy, early pioneers from Ireland, these huge limestone caves will take your breath away with the beauty of the underground world. The silence is broken by gentle waterfalls and trickling rivulets which reflect a fairyland of blue light from the thousands of glow worms.

Abbey Caves supply an ecosystem filled with the wonder and magic of glow worms, stalgmites, stalactites and more!

Noell has compiled a photo album to guide you through the caverns and crevices of Organ Cave - wading through underground streams, scrambling over rocks, squeezing through the "mouth of the dragon" - it is an unforgettable experience! You can explore them on your own!

The Bushwacka Experience - Two or four hours of fun, laughter and mud. A real NZ working dairy farm with 400 acres to enjoy -crazy 4wd, abseiling, bush walk, billy tea, steak and bangers BBQ. Squeeze through rock crevices and wonder at nature! Round up the cows with the quad bikes - even try your hand at milking - just let them know your desire and they will arrange it if they can. Their summer twilight tour is a must with a magical display of glowworms along the banks of the stream. Bunkdown Lodge highly recommends this tour - not only is it brilliant value for money but the Duffy's excel in kiwi hospitality.

Adventure Forest Challenge your balance and enter the most exciting forest in Northland. Grab a rope, jump, roll or swing in the air ... It's awesome!

Other Activities

Rosvall Indoor Rock Climbing Wall - they also organise white water abseilling down the Whangarei Falls over the summer holidays!!
Golf - Several courses to choose from - funny but the "pro's" prefer a different course to the one I love!
Fishing - surfcast off the rocks with your host Peter, line fishing from a boat or go for the big ones through the Whangarei Deep Sea Anglers Club.
Northland Flightseeing - enjoy a birdseye view of beautiful Northland.
Whangarei Harbour Cruises - explore the bays and inlets that encompass our expansive harbour.
North River Horse Treks - beautiful scenic river,bush, farmland trails with friendly experienced hosts, Ian and Anna. All you need is transport there and a smile! Heard of the " horse whisperers"? Look at the bridle - novice proof - do they love their horses and what they are doing or what? Ian also does a four hour trek that incorporates going through Waipu Caves (not on horseback!) with a picnic lunch.