We’re on safari.

With Xmas and the New year celebrations done and dusted it was time to head home. However our stay at home was to be short lived as we were back on the road by the 11th January. We were heading North to help friend’s at the Tongariro Holiday Park. This was for just a week, after which we were off to the Heretaunga Caravan club’s Wellington Anniversary weekend’s rally. So from Tongariro it was off to Himatangi Beach. During our stay at Tongariro the weather was wet and miserable with more snow being dumped on the mountains.

This is supposed to be summer, yer right! However the sun did appear for the club rally making it a good week-end.

Monday morning rolled around all too soon and 5 of us from the club were heading North West to Taranaki on a safari. Our first stop was Waiinu Beach just North of Wanganui. The South Taranaki District council have made improvements to the camp site with a new toilet block and it’s a very popular place.

Waiinu Beach camping ground.Ground a little uneven but we were level.Waiinu beach with black sand.

Day 2 and we left Waiinu beach for Hawera. Instead of just passing through Patea we decided to stop and have a look around. Since the closure of the local freezing works in 1982 the town has declined with little or no work in the district. At it’s peak the works employed 800 people. Empty buildings lined the main street but one we found of interest was the Star Garage.

Star Garage (museum) Patea.

This is like a working museum with a collection of cars included very old Buick’s (parts required please), Austin and Morris’s. The proprietor was a real character and had been involved in the NZ racing scene. Well worth a visit if you are passing this way.

Promotional vehicle that once graced the street's of Lower Hutt.1937 Austin covered in 27000 shells.