No Barrier too Great

Aotea Great Barrier Island

Great Barrier Island (not to be confused with the reef) is the single most unappreciated travel destination for Kiwis I have yet come across. If I can convince you of one thing, it would be to make the trip out. It is startlingly easy to get to and more worth it than you can imagine. The motu has been on my bucket list for years, and after finding out how simple it was to travel to, I am astounded I didn't make it work sooner.

We left Christchurch offensively early on Boxing Day, with our Grant-driven Uber collecting us just before 6 am. Despite despising when our alarm went off, the dawn start was ultimately a great decision, as we had the two flights behind us and were feet on the island by 10:30 am.

We had secured the CHC to AKL flight for a cool $59 each and the Barrier Air 30-minute flight for $114, so not only was the travel short, sweet, and easy, but reasonably priced too.

Great Barrier Island is laid out in an unusual fashion. There are few coastal stretches of road, with the main paved routes cutting across the island like a twisty wonky 'X'. There are no real towns, just denser pockets of houses and amenities in blobs here and there along the roads. This made it a challenge to decide where to base ourselves. Close to the beach, with a view, or by the largest blob of shops? 

I adamantly refused to stay on an island without being able to see the sea, so that whittled our accommodation options to some extravagant AirBnBs and one motel. Against hiring a 4WD that would be necessary to get to the holiday rentals and put off by the prices, the motel was the last option standing. I would very much recommend the Sunset Waterfront Lodge - just make sure you request one of the two units with the sea view. The owners are lovely, and there is a courtesy pickup/drop-off from the ferry or airport.

We chose to hire electric motorbikes for the duration of our stay. They were more economical than hiring a car - especially when you factor in petrol and insurance - and made for a closer experience with the island as we navigated around. We could pull over anywhere and were right in the thick of the elements. While a little scary at times and a lot more tiring than sharing the driving of a car, it was definitely the right choice for us. We could go as far and wide as we would have in a vehicle, sometimes even further. On the first day, we took them on a mountainous dirt track you couldn't drive down, shaving a good hour off the walk to a lookout point at the southernmost tip of the island. 

Day Zero - 26/12/23

Fresh off the boat, we collected the Motubikes with an instant initiation into 'island life'. The owner was away, and the lady who was meant to be helping us had a Boxing Day 'migraine', so we were nearly on our own. We got a quick walk-through via cellphone, verbally promised to adhere to all the legal stuff, and took off on two slightly shaky wheels into the drizzle and the mountains, trailing far behind the van with our luggage. After unpacking and a bite to eat at the cafe-dairy-bar situation at the front of the motel, we headed off south to our first spectacular view of the trip. Waves of sunshine and rain rolled over the island. 

Ruahine Lookout is perched right at the very bottom of Aotea. To reach it, we picked our way around "Private Property" signs and got swooped by kereru, alternating between wearing and carrying our raincoats. The trail dropped down to a little beach called Johnson’s Bay before winding up into the mountains to disgorge you onto the clifftop. 

Returning to the motel, hoping to see proof in why it was named "Sunset Waterfront Lodge", we took advantage of the "waterfront" part and waited for the sun to go down. 

The sunset looked promising for a hot minute but the dense clouds sitting over the Hauraki Gulf swallowed the sun on the horizon.

Day One - 27/12/23

Up bright and early, we planned to nip in and out of the southern bays for the day. At the saddle between Tryphena (our bay) and Medlands Beach, we parked up the bikes and headed nearly vertically up Station Rock Road Lookout to the top for a 360-degree view.

Medlands is a pristine white sand crescent with a ratio of about one person every two hundred metres. Leo is as adverse to sand as I am, so we took a couple of pictures, looked at the row of multi-million-dollar 'bach' properties and were on our way.

Next was Okupu Beach - a desolate, abandoned little inlet that trumped Medlands in every way, including the russet orange damp sand that didn't seep over our shoes into our toes.

Whangaparapara Harbour offered yet more beautiful views and a little more life - a wharf, shelter, and the odd house.

We stopped at the centrally located Claris on the way home to collect a new battery and to look in at the art gallery.

We enjoyed eye-twitchingly priced island drinks on our balcony and absolutely did not pose for this photo before wandering down to the beach for a second try at the sunset.

This sad little meal was our attempt to save money - the single serve Maggi Pasta-for-one, mixed with a tin of mushrooms and some shaved ham came to a hurtful total of $45. If you go, take some food with you from the mainland.

Day Two - 28/12/23

Our second full day started with the discovery of the best breakfast just down the road. Having filled up at Pa Beach Cafe, we zoomed over the hill and past the creatively signposted refuse station.

Today was a 38 km each-way odyssey on the twisty switchbacks on electric motorbikes with a promised 60km range to Port Fitzroy - as north as we could go. After stopping in Claris to for the chargeiest batteries we could find, we snaked through the low-lying flat land in the middle of the island.

In Awana Bay, just off the sandy strip called Stony Beach, was the assertive remains of a Ngāti Rehua Pā site, with a gentle estuary enveloping the remains of the fortifications. We stopped to use a loo in the middle of nowhere, before following the road away from the east coast to cut right across the motu.

As we climbed over the island, the scenery and the road just got better and better. After some serious contemplation that night, we both concluded that the stretch from Awana Bay to Okiwi might just be the best bit of road we have ever driven, compounded by the exposure provided by the silent bikes. (If anyone is interested the close number two is State Highway 12 from Tane Mahuta south through the Waipoua Kauri Forest, and three is the Kaikōura coast road.)

Halfway was the much lauded Windy Canyon walk. With the obligatory Kauri dieback precautions, we ascended steep steps through the sheer rock faces of the canyon. Pleasantly devoid of its infamous winds, the summit offered spectacular views of Okiwi Basin and the Whangapoua estuary to the north, and Kaitoke and Medland's beaches to the east.

In the end, Port Fitzroy was a bit of a letdown after such an extraordinary journey to get there. There was evidence of a lot of money - stunning houses and millions of dollars floating about in the harbour - but not much for a day visitor to do. The northern headland is completely predator-free, but would require a few hours of walking to enjoy, and just a little shop of necessities to scrounge lunch from. Happy to enjoy the ride back, we didn't linger overlong.

We rolled into Claris in the late afternoon right as Leo's bike drained the last sparked of charge out of his battery, with over six hours of riding under our belt. And we were tired. The weather, the road noise, the intense concentration - it really takes it out of you!

We recharged with a trip to the unusual, kitschy and slightly creepy Milk, Honey, and Grain Museum. The little house is crammed full of handmade exhibits detailing the extensive and sometimes dark pākehā history of Great Barrier Island. Is an absolute must-see, even if just to absorb the atmosphere and to appreciate the dedication of the curators.

Unprepared to pay another $45 for a sad homecooked meal, we enjoyed an early dinner at Currach Irish Pub (because there is always an Irish bar) before crashing pretty early.

Day Three - 29/12/23

With all of the essential things to see ticked off, we started our last full day at a leisurely pace. After a repeat breakfast at Pa Beach Cafe, we ordered a second coffee and walked down the coast, stopping at this little lookout to enjoy it. We were treated to a swim-by sting ray, so easy to spot in the crystal clear water.

 

We mooched about, taking in a few more classic Aotea sights, before stopping in at Island Gin - a wahine run boutique distillery. We treated ourselves to a very restrained tasting, conscious of needing to eventually ride back over the hills.

Lunch was an absolutely delightful burger eaten during a torrential downpour by the side of the road, followed by a shared half-pint at Aotea Brewing Company overlooking Medlands. Eventually, we made it back to Tryphena for a quiet night packing and enjoying the last sunset before our early departure the next day.

 

I cannot adequately explain how flawless and accessible Aotea Great Barrier Island is as a travel destination for New Zealanders. If you haven't been, please consider making the trip. It is everything that is magic about Aotearoa - serene people and places, stunning views, flourishing native flora and fauna, and a heavy dose of laid-back, she'll-be-right vibes which wash away work-induced fatigue nearly immediately.