Out &About
Driving Creek Railway
Driving Creek Railway, just 3km out of town, is one of the main attractions in our area, offering a railway tour, pottery shop and a café.
It’s a narrow-gauge railway that climbs up into the bush, up to the Eyeful Tower. There are some impressive tunnels lined with bottles and the railway itself is a real feat of engineering. After the rail trip you can check out the local art and pottery for sale in the shop.
Driving Creek also offers a zipline canopy tour for two and half hours. Two guides outfit you with the safety equipment and then you can fly through the trees with the birds. An 18-minute train ride will take you up the railway to the start of the ziplines.
The guides will then lead you along eight ziplines, high in the canopy, hopping between tree platforms, while completely safe.
Coromandel Town
If you want to find out more about the gold-mining history of Coromandel, the information centre offers Boom, Bust and Beyond tours. The 90-minute walk for $20 is full of interesting tales of logging and gum digging, the gold rush and the big fire in 1895 that nearly wiped out the whole town. Book at the information centre in town. If you are after more history there is also the Coromandel Museum which explores the impact of gold mining on the town. Housed in the historic Coromandel School of Mines building (1897) which is the old Coromandel jailhouse. Adults $5, children no charge. Opened in 1899, the Stamper Battery is a water-powered gold-processing plant. Go on a tour and pan for gold.
New Chums Beach
If you want something a bit quieter we can recommend New Chums Beach, about 25 minutes away, voted one of the world’s top 10 beaches. This protected beach has no buildings, no roads, no infrastructure or camping. From the north end of Whangapoua beach, cross the stream to begin your walk along the rocky shoreline and over the headland. The 1km long Wainuiototo Bay, or New Chum Beach, is approximately a 30 to 40 minute walk via the Mangakahia Drive track over the saddle through spectacular nikau forest and huge pohutukawa trees.
Colville & beyond
In pioneering days, Colville was a busy timber milling town. Then in the 1970s it became a magnet for hippies drawn to the natural beauty and isolation of the area. Today Colville is a quiet country town serving farmers and artists. North of Colville, the road winds along the western shoreline where the Moehau Range (Sleeping Wind) rises steeply from the sea. At the western tip of the peninsula, Port Jackson (Poihakene) is a long, spacious beach that is popular for camping and fishing. Fletcher Bay, situated at the north-east tip, is rich with legends of shipwrecks, mariners, gold and gum digging. This whole area has great hiking tracks.
Cathedral Cove
If you want to go out for the day to the west coast of the peninsular, a stunning destination is Cathedral Cove near Hahei, which is a popular stopping-off point. There are also boat trips which take you there, during which you may encounter dolphins. There are several scenic walking tracks including the two-hour return trek to the cove itself. You’ll enjoy views over Gemstone Bay, Mares Leg and Cathedral Cove itself. The Cathedral Cove Marine Reserve, Coromandel’s first marine reserve, is in walking distance from Hahei beach and can be combined with a visit to Cathedral Cove.
Hot Water Beach
Also on that coast is Hot Water Beach on Mercury Bay, 12km from Whitianga. Enjoy the unique experience of digging your own natural hot pool! In this particular area, naturally occurring hot water bubbles up to from 2km below ground where it is heated by molten rock. There are two fissures at Hot Water Beach, issuing water as hot as 64°C (147°F) – and at a rate of up to 15 litres per minute. The best time to visit Hot Water Beach is within two hours on either side of low tide, during normal sea conditions.
Whitianga
If you’re exploring The Coromandel, you’ll soon come to Whitianga – the main town on Mercury Bay. When native forests were being harvested on the peninsula in the 1800s and early 1900s, Whitianga was a timber port. Ships from Europe sailed in to Whitianga’s deepwater harbour to load up with valuable kauri. Today, the township depends on fishing, farming and tourism for its prosperity. Tip: Discover geothermal pools, spa treatments and dining at The Lost Spring.
If you want to just find a quiet beach within a 10-minute walk for a picnic, we can also point you in the right direction!