Hokianga Harbour Attractions
Hokianga Harbour, a long, ramified inlet on the west side of the northern tip of the North Island, is a drowned valley system with different landscapes on each side. On the bare north side are tall sand dunes; on the green south side are the little holiday resorts of Omapere and Opononi, both of which have beautiful beaches. Many ships have come to grief on the shallows and sandbanks.
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Kohukohu, New Zealand
Kohukohu, on the north side of Hokianga Harbour, was once an important loggers' settlement. The first Roman Catholic mass in New Zealand was celebrated here by Bishop Pompallier in 1838 - an event commemorated by a memorial on Totara Point. Kohukohu is now favored by artists and people who desire a life away from the city.
There is a ferry from Kohukohu to the neighboring settlement of Rawene, to the south.
There is a ferry from Kohukohu to the neighboring settlement of Rawene, to the south.
Omapere, New Zealand
From Omapere travelers coming from the south on Highway 12 have a magnificent view of the spacious natural harbor. There is a pleasant walk along the beach, going west, to the harbor entrance. At high tide spray shoots high into the air from a blowhole.
Onoke, New Zealand
In the little township of Onoke, situated at the point where the Whirinaki River flows into Hokianga Harbour, is a house that belonged to Frederick Maning (c 1860), the trader and writer who became widely known under the pseudonym A Pakeha-Maori.
Opononi
The holiday resort of Opononi, near the Hokianga Heads, has a beautiful beach. A well-known Opononi character was a dolphin called Opo who was particularly friendly with children playing on the beach and is now commemorated in a sculpture by Russell Clark. 2km further east, at Pakanae, is a monument to the legendary Polynesian seafarer Kupe. There are fascinating cruises from Opononi on a historic steamer round the many arms and inlets of Hokianga Harbour.
