Wellington to Gisborne Long Weekend Roadie

Just over a bridge at the north end of the gorge (check to see about alternative routes if the gorge is closed) is a lunch spot where you can kick the shoes off. Set in gardens, the café is in an old house creaking with character. There isn’t a huge selection but the food is tasty and varied from Turkish poached eggs to burgers. And the peppermint chocolate cheesecake is a must.

Te Paerahi is the best old school beach. It’s vast with golden sand and is sheltered by headlands at either end. Freedom camping here is fantastic as it’s big enough to cope with everyone, even at busy times around New Years (due to it being an hour twenty off the main drag which puts some people off). There are good loos on the beachfront for campers plus there’s an old-fashioned dairy and pub that serves up country style home cooking. Test out your tent putting up skills, wake, swim in the ocean and get cracking on the next leg.

A slight detour south of Te Paerahi/Porangahau township will take you to this tiny coastal community, famous for its hospitality (that’s what they say) and more famous for its name. You won’t be able to say it quickly but you will get a good snap by the sign. Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu. (Taumata for short)

But if you’re more inclined towards grapes than hops, why don’t you pop along to Milton Vineyards, less than 15 minutes west of Gisborne. Not only was Milton New Zealand’s first certified organic vineyard but they’ve won numerous international awards and their Chenin Blanc is a bucket list wine, being included in Neil Beckett's, "1001 wines to drink before you die". Go straight to the cellar door for a guided tasting and then pick up a bottle, and a cheese and charcuterie boards and sit yourself in the gardens to sup, munch and reflect on the beautiful Gisborne countryside.

Eastwoodhill Arboretum, 30 minutes’ drive from Gisborne is New Zealand’s National Arboretum. On it’s 135-hectare site there’s a massive array of Northern Hemisphere’s trees, the largest collection south of the equator apparenytly. The Arboretum was founded by a rather eccentric chap in 1910 called William Douglas Cook. Cook apparently used to wander around, watering and talking to the plants dressed only in his gumboots and sunhat. Well thank goodness he was sunsmart. Ish.

Today there is a more conservative feel to the dress code, so you can wander amogst the 25,000 exotic and native trees, shrubs, climbers and flowers dressed in your normal roadtrip kit - although we reckon you should at least adopt Cook’s sunhat policy. It’s great to visit at any time of the year, but we reckon visiting in autumn is ideal as you’ll get those jaw dropping insta shots of all the autumnal leaves in their golds, reds and orange shades, as well as not getting too hot wandering the grounds. And for the bird spotters amongst you, there are more than 40 species of native and exotic birds who also come to feast on the seeds, insects and berries within the arboretum.

From the peace of the Arboretum, it’s only a 15 minute drive to the whoops of joy coming from Rere Rock’s 60 metres long, natural waterslide. But hell, you only live once. The slide has been pummelled smooth by the relentless Wharekopae River, so grab yourself an inflatable mattress, boogie board or inner tube and go for it (just remember to take them with you when you leave!). The brilliance of this is that there’s nothing commercial about it, just people having a wild time in a natural wonderland and the rockslide is a one-minute walk from the parking lot. While you’re there you might as well have a gander at Rere Falls too.

The Waingawa River runs from one of the highest peaks in the Tararua Ranges, comes down through Masterton and flows into the Ruamahanga River. It’s cold on the hottest of days and Kaituna has been a local swimming fav since the 50’s because of the massive swimming holes. Check the river safety report (for algae) first, and just remember, if you turn up around two in the afternoon it will be busy.