New Zealand Archives - Hoblets On The Go

The beautifulMilford Sound in New Zealand's South Island

A three-day visit to South Island, starting in adrenalin capital of Queenstown before moving to the more sedate surrounds of Te Anau which we used as a base to visit glow worm caves and the Southern Alps. The highlight of our trip was a boat ride along the incredible fjord of Milford Sound.

Slowly mastering the sea kayaks on Lake Taupo, New Zealand

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Waikato

New Zealand: North Island – Lake Taupo

Lake Taupo. is located in the North Island of New Zealand. It is in the caldera of the Taupo Volcano. With a surface area of 616 square kilometres (238 sq mi), it is the largest lake by surface area in New Zealand, and the second-largest freshwater lake by surface area in Oceania

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Bay of Plenty

New Zealand: North Island – Rotorua

A journey of discovery into the explosive power of mother nature that grips New Zealand and a shallow dive into Maori culture. We visited the volcanic pools and vents of Hidden Valley before visiting the Maori Cultural Centre in Rotarua.

Metal Dog ice-cream store, Tirau, New Zealand

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Waikato

New Zealand: Giant metal dog and sheep ice-cream store.

We have a great liking for weird and quirky roadside attractions and were delighted to in Tirau, New Zealand, an enterprising local had exercised their creativity in building a wonderful example of functional art. Using their ingenuity, corrugated steel and paint they created two buildings, one shaped like a sheep and another like a dog. Much to my delight, the corrugated steel dog housed an ice cream store which served the most amazing creamy honey and fig ice cream. Yumm!

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Waikato

New Zealand: North Island – Hobbiton Film Set

Back in the 1990s Peter Jackson was looking for a location for sets for his upcoming Lord of the Rings Trilogy. One of the important locations was Hobbiton and for this he selected a sheep farm just outside Matamata on the North Island.

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Bay of Plenty

New Zealand: North Island – Whakarewarewa State Forest

The coastal redwoods are associated with northern California, so we were surprised to come across a forest of redwoods in Rotorua in the centre of New Zealand's North Island.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: South Island – Milford Sound; Te Wahipounamu (UNESCO)

Milford Sound / Piopiotahi is a must-see with its towering peaks, cascading waterfalls and jaw-dropping views. Famously described by Rudyard Kipling as the 'eighth wonder of the world', Milford Sound is breathtaking in any weather.