Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Boyd Gallery
(
09-405 0230; Whangaroa Rd;
8am-7pm)
General store and tourist in-
formation office.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Doubtless Bay
POP 6030
The bay gets its unusual name from an entry in Cook's logbook, where he wrote that the
body of water was 'doubtless a bay'. No kidding, Cap'n. It's a bloody big bay at that,
with a string of pretty swimming beaches heading towards the Karikari Peninsula.
The main centre,
Mangonui
(meaning 'Big Shark'), retains a fishing-port feel, despite
cafes and gift shops now infesting its well-labelled line of historical waterfront buildings.
They were constructed in the days when Mangonui was a centre of the whaling industry
(1792-1850) and exported flax, kauri wood and gum.
The popular holiday settlements of
Coopers Beach
,
Cable Bay
and
Taipa
are restful
pockets of beachside gentrification.
Sights & Activities
Grab the free
Heritage Trail
brochure from the information centre for a 3km self-guided
walk that takes in 22 historic sites. Other walks lead to attractive
Mill Bay
, west of Man-
gonui, and
Rangikapiti Pa Historic Reserve
, which has ancient Maori terracing and a
spectacular view of Doubtless Bay - particularly at sunrise and sunset. A walkway runs
from Mill Bay to the
pa,
but you can also drive nearly to the top.
Butler Point Whaling Museum
MUSEUM
(
www.butlerpoint.co.nz
; Marant Rd, Hihi; adult/child $12/2; by appointment)
At Hihi, 15km
northeast of Mangonui, this small private museum and Victorian homestead (1843) is set
in lovely gardens. Its first owner, Captain Butler, left Dorset when he was 14 and at 24
was captain of a whaling ship. He settled here in 1839, had 13 children and became a
trader, farmer, magistrate and Member of Parliament.
Sleeping
There's plenty of accommodation, but most is overpriced in summer. Outside the peak
months things settle down considerably.
