The East Coast - New Zealand - page 578

) is all about the location - right on the beachfront by the little stream where James
Cook once stocked up with water. There's a decent kitchen, showers and toilets.
Back on the highway it's 14km south to Tolaga Bay , East Cape's largest community
(population 765). There's an information desk ( 06-862 6826; [e-mail]; 55
Cook St; 9am-5pm Mon-Fri) in the foyer of the local radio station (Uawa FM; 88.5FM).
Just off the main street, Tolaga Bay Cashmere Company ( 06-862 6746;
www.cashmere.co.nz ; 31 Solander St; 10am-4pm Mon-Fri) inhabits the art-deco former coun-
cil building. Watch the knitters knit, then perhaps purchase one of their delicate works:
call to check they're open.
Tolaga is defined by its amazing historic wharf . Built in 1929 and commercially func-
tional until 1968, it's the longest in the southern hemisphere (660m), and is caught some-
where between rusty decay and dedicated (expensive!) efforts to preserve it. Nearby is
Cooks Cove Walkway ( closed Aug-Oct) , an easy 5.8km, 2½-hour loop through farm-
land and native bush to another cove where the captain landed. At the northern end of the
beach is the Tatarahake Cliffs Lookout , a sharp 10-minute walk to an excellent vantage
point.
Tolaga Bay Holiday Park ( 06-862 6716; www.tolagabayholidaypark.co.nz ; 167 Wharf Rd,
Tolaga Bay; sites from $16, cabins $40-100) is right next to the wharf. The stiff ocean breeze
tousles Norfolk Island pines, and open lawns bask in the sunshine: it's a pretty special
spot. Back in town, the 1930s faux-Tudor Tolaga Inn ( 06-862 6856;
www.tolagainn.co.nz ; 12 Cook St; dm/s/d $25/60/80) has basic but clean pub rooms upstairs,
cheap bar meals downstairs ($6 to $10).
Around 16km north of Gisborne, the DOC-managed Te Tapuwae o Rongokako Mar-
ine Reserve is a 2450-hectare haven for many species of marine life including fur seals,
dolphins and whales. Get out amongst it with Dive Tatapouri ( 06-868 5153; www.dive-
tatapouri.com ; 532 SH35, Tatapouri Beach) , which offers dive trips, surf lessons, snorkel hire,
a reef ecology tour and even shark-cage diving.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Gisborne
POP 34,800
'Gizzy' to her friends, Gisborne (pronounced Gis-born, not Gis-bun) is a pretty thing,
squeezed between surf beaches and a sea of chardonnay, and proudly claims to be the
first city on Earth to see the sun. It's a good place to put your feet up for a few days, hit
the beach and sip some wine.