The ancient Egyptians began producing wine some 3,000 years ago. Some scholars believe that the fermenting of grapes into wines wine dates back even further. In New Zealand, grapes and winemaking arrived much later.Around 1836 the first grapes were brought into New Zealand by a very keen ‘amateur’ winemaker, James Busby, New Zealand’s British Resident. The oldest existing vineyard is Mission Estate in the Hawke’s Bay, which was established by the Roman Catholic Missionaries. By the 1960’s New Zealanders had become a nation of travellers. …

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With an area of just over 225 km2, this forested, hilly park to the north of the valleys of the Takaka and Riwaka Rivers is the smallest of New Zealand’s national parks. Bounded to the north by the waters of Golden Bay and Tasman Bay it contains some of the islands off the coast including the Tata Islands in Golden Bay, and Tonga Island, Adele Island, and Fisherman Island in Tasman Bay. Some of the birds that frequent the park are …

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Located just 45 kms west of Hamilton, Raglan is at the same time mecca for surfies and a dramatically scenic area of black sand coastline. It is often said that Raglan’s Manu Bay has the longest, most accessible and consistent left-hand break in the world. If you’re skilful enough it’s possible to catch a wave and cruise for up to two kilometres. Manu Bay (locally known as “The Point”) was featured in Endless Summer, a 1966 cult surfing movie . If …

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After the devastating 2011 Earthquake which rocked Christchurch and damaged many inner-city buildings, including the famed Cashel Mall, this pedestrian mall made of shipping containers became a symbol of the city’s resilience and the people’s willingness to rebuild and move on with life. This shipping container mall was the brainchild of the Christchurch Property and Building Owners group, who had known that the wait for new buildings would be long and wanted to encourage people back into the CBD as …

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Known as “Te Kohanga o Te Tai Tokerau” (the nest of the northern tribes) and often cited as the original landing spot for most Maori tribes, this scenic harbour has something for nature-lovers, history buffs and tourists alike. Hokianga has a range of accommodation available, suiting all budgets, from Bed & Breakfasts, farm stays, backpackers and camping grounds to hotels and motels. There no shortage of things to see, do and explore such as pony trekking, craft trail, carving, bush …

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This picturesque group of islands off the east coast of the Northland Region of the North Island of New Zealand are a must-see nature reserve and popular underwater diving spot.. The islands lie 50 kilometres to the north-east of Whangarei in New Zealand’s Northland.  The islands’ name is said to derive from their resemblance to Poor Knight’s Pudding, a bread-based dish popular at the time of discovery by Europeans. Prior to 1820 the islands were inhabited by Māori of the Ngāti Wai tribe who …

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It’s not quite the bottom of the world but it’s pretty close. The Catlins is an area in the south east of New Zealand’s South Island which includes the South Island’s southernmost point “Slope Point”. For the most part the Catlins is a rugged, barely populated area, featuring a wonderful scenic coastal landscape and dense rainforest, both of which are home to many endangered species of birds, most famously the rare yellow-eyed penguin. The coast is a regular tourist spot for …

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Located at the top of the South Island this 35km spit is the world’s longest natural sandbar. Known by the local Maori as “Onetahua” (heaped up sand), its large sand dunes form a coastal barrier that provides protection for migratory shore birds. over 80 species of wetland birds at some time call the spit home, including the Australasian Gannet which uses it for a breeding grounds. There is evidence that Maori occupied this area and used it for hunting moa …

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New Zealand is home to thousands of glaciers, many larger than a hectare. Most of New Zealand’s largest glaciers are in the Southern Alps, which have the highest mountains and heaviest precipitation (rain, snow, sleet or hail). Glaciers in the Aoraki/Mt Cook area include the 29-kilometre-long Tasman, the Murchison (18 kilometres), the Mueller, Hooker and Godley east of the main divide, and the Fox (13 kilometres) and Franz Josef (12 kilometres) west of the divide. One of the most famous and …

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