Katikati
Located 20 kilometres to the south of Waihi Beach, Katikati is known as New Zealand’s ‘mural town’ due to the decorative paintings that adorn the sides of town buildings, depicting scenes from the area’s rich history.
Katikati is a popular ‘lifestyle’ town with many small-block farms and orchards, some of which offer fresh produce for sale at roadside stalls. It pays visitors to keep an eye out for these as the produce is always fresh and reasonably priced.
Visitors might like to take a walk along the Haiku Pathway, which follows the Uretara stream and is decorated with boulders inscribed with Haiku poetry. The pathway is 2 kilometres long and features many open spaces, clusters of boulders and a beautiful bridge.
Waihi
Situated on the Pacific Coast Highway at the base of the Coromandel Peninsula, Waihi is a town rich in gold mining history that continues to the present day. Glimpses of the hard-fought, gold-rich, pioneer life are still to be seen throughout the town.
www.waihi.org.nz
Martha Gold Mine Tours
Dating back to the 1800s when Waihi was a gold mining boomtown, Martha mine is still operating today, yielding more than a million dollars worth of gold and silver a week, although the open-pit mine that exists today is very different from the maze of underground shafts that operated in the early days.
Tours are available from Monday to Friday and bookings are essential. Contact:
Waihi Visitors Centre
Phone: (+64) 7 863 9015
Email: bookings@waihi.org.nz
Waihi Gold Mining Museum
The Museum features displays and artifacts showcasing the fascinating gold mining history of the Waihi area. The museum is open daily and incorporates an art gallery and souvenir shop.
Phone: (+64) 7 863 8386
www.waihimuseum.co.nz
Goldfields Train Ride
This scenic heritage railway runs between Waihi and Waikino, carrying its passengers through historic gold mining countryside. Operating on either steam or diesel, it winds through rugged forest areas where original remnants of 19th century gold mining can still be seen today. The train stops at the delightful Waikino Café and there are extra rides on holidays and weekends.
Phone: (+64) 7 863 9020 (Station) or (+64) 7 863 8640 (Cafe)
www.waihirail.co.nz
Bularangi Harley Rentals and Tours
Bularangi are based on the Coromandel Pensinsula in town of Waihi and offer either Harley Davidson rentals or the option of a tour on a Harley Davidson as a pillion passenger. They have a choice of Heritage Softails and 1200cc Custom Sportsters to choose from.
Contact: Ali and Baz Howie
enquries@bularangi.com
Phone: (07) 863 6069 Mobile: (021) 2235844