Kylie Gunn has been adding life and colour to the walls of Thames for the last 5 years, with 13 murals painted in the Coromandel Peninsula and 1 in Ngatea. Kylie's works often tell stories, and they brighten what would otherwise be dull walls. Her murals often include native birds, which are used beautifully to tell the stories. She has a great sense of colour and scale, some [...]
Te Kauaeranga Thames has many amazing fresh-water swimming holes to help escape the oppressive summer heat. Find them up the Kauaeranga, Te Puru and Tararu valleys. THE KAUAERANGA VALLEY The river is known by Māori as Waiwhakaurunga, "the many bathing pools of the upper reaches", so as you can imagine there are dozens of great pools to cool off in all up the valley. Here are a few known pools. [...]
Te Kauaeranga Thames has been a camping destination for over 100 years with a rich history of DIY holidays. For those seeking to explore the backcountry of Thames, Kauaeranga Valley is the place to go. With lush native forests, cool rivers, history of the kauri logging era, and numerous tracks and trails, including the world-renowned Pinnacles, there's something for everyone. Drop into the Department of Conservation Visitor Centre for information [...]
The Thames Coast with its sunsets and pōhutukawa lined coastal highway, is one of the world’s great road trip destinations. Freedom Camping in Thames is a great way to experience the real New Zealand, but there are some rules. Whether in a van or campervan, below is where you can park up for the night in the Thames area. Rhodes Park By the sports field on the way into Thames, [...]
Crosbies Hut is one of two DoC huts in the Coromandel Forest Park and has been on the Thames bucket list for a while. There are currently five tracks that lead up to Crosbies Hut - Karaka, Waiotahi, Te Puru, Waiomu and Tapu, with the Tararu and Whangatairenga tracks currently closed. We decided to head up the Karaka Track, a five hour hike up to Crosbies Hut and we returned [...]
The Firth of Thames (Tīkapa Moana) is renowned for its snapper, kingfish and kahawai fishing. You can fish close to shore from the rocks or on a kayak, or head out into the Firth. The legendary Waikawau Mussel Farms consistently produce great snapper, but there are some rules to follow; 1. Keep 30m from the barges. 2. No anchors, tie up to a longline buoy or use approved mooring hooks. [...]
So you’re in Hamilton or Auckland and you fancy getting out into the forest or onto the trail to explore something… interesting. We’ve done the hard work for you, and selected five walks or bike tracks within a 90-minute drive of Hamilton or Auckland - and sometimes even closer. And yes, these are all local Thames walks. We’ve picked some tracks you’ve likely never heard of, some that are close [...]
