North Island Archives - Hoblets On The Go

Wētā Workshop in Wellington offers a guided, behind-the-scenes look at the craftsmanship, design and technical skill involved in creating film props, costumes and special effects for internationally recognised screen productions.

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Wellington

New Zealand: Wellington – Te Papa Tongarewa

Te Papa Tongarewa is a dynamic waterfront museum blending culture, science and art through immersive exhibitions that explore Aotearoa’s heritage, environment and contemporary life in ways that are engaging, accessible and thoughtfully presented for all visitors.

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Wellington

New Zealand: Wellington

Wellington is a compact harbour capital where creative culture, coastal scenery and culinary craft converge, offering visitors an engaging mix of museums, independent shops, panoramic walks and vibrant café life framed by rolling hills and ever-changing sea views.

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Manawatu-Whanganui

New Zealand: Manawatu-Whanganui – Whanganui

Whanganui is a culturally rich river city where Māori heritage, historic architecture, creative arts and outdoor experiences come together, offering visitors a relaxed yet deeply engaging destination shaped by its river, people and stories.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Manawatū-Whanganu – Marton, Yellow Submarine

The Marton Yellow Submarine is a distinctive countryside stay that combines playful design with everyday comfort, offering a calm, private base for travellers who enjoy unusual accommodation without excess or novelty-driven fuss.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Manawatū-Whanganu – Taihape, Giant Gum Boot

A cheerful roadside landmark, the Giant Gumboot captures Taihape’s farming heritage, community spirit, and fondness for the practical realities of rural life in a single, unmistakable symbol.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Manawatū-Whanganu – Okahane Giant Carrot

Okahane Giant Carrot is a cheerful roadside landmark offering travellers a quick, quirky stop for photos, laughter, and a memorable break that adds character, conversation, and lighthearted fun to long journeys through wide open landscapes and everyday adventures alike everywhere.

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Manawatu-Whanganui

New Zealand: Manawatu-Whanganui – Tongariro National Park

Tongariro National Park blends active volcanoes, alpine scenery, and Māori spiritual heritage, offering world-class hiking, skiing, and breathtaking volcanic vistas year-round.

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Waikato

New Zealand: Waikato – Day out from Waitomo

A scenic drive west from Waitomo unfolds through winding roads, ancient limestone formations, thundering waterfalls, and the peaceful geothermal sands of Kawhia, offering a perfect glimpse of New Zealand’s quiet natural beauty.

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Waikato

New Zealand: Waikato – Waitomo

Waitomo Caves reveal an otherworldly landscape beneath New Zealand’s surface, where glowing creatures light vast limestone chambers, and every turn tells a story of time, water, and natural beauty.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Waikato – Woodlyn Park Motel

Woodlyn Park Motel offers quirky themed accommodation near Waitomo Caves, from Hobbit holes to planes and trains, each full of character. It’s a fun and comfortable countryside escape, perfectly placed for exploring one of New Zealand’s best-loved natural attractions.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Waikato – Hobbiton

Hobbiton in Matamata is a magical film set brought to life, where visitors stroll through hobbit holes, gardens, and the Green Dragon Inn amidst rolling Waikato hills — a captivating experience for both film fans and travellers alike.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Waikato – Tokoroa’s “Talking Poles”

Tokoroa’s Talking Poles form a striking outdoor art exhibition, each pole reflecting the town’s cultural heritage, natural surroundings, and strong sense of community pride.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Waikato – Morrinsville Herd of Cows

The Herd of Cows in Morrinsville transforms the town into an outdoor art gallery, blending local creativity with dairy heritage through dozens of hand-painted cow sculptures scattered across streets and parks, each capturing a distinct story of community pride.

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Waikato

New Zealand: Waikato – The Coromandel Peninsula

The Coromandel Peninsula combines untamed natural beauty with a laid-back charm, where rainforest-clad hills meet white-sand beaches and small towns welcome visitors with quiet hospitality and easy access to some of New Zealand’s most scenic coastal and forest landscapes.

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Northland

New Zealand: Northland – Bay of Islands Vintage Railway

The Bay of Islands Vintage Railway offers a nostalgic and scenic heritage train ride through Kawakawa, blending local history, community spirit, and classic Kiwi charm.

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New Zealand

New Zealand: Northland – Kawakawa, Hundertwasser Toilets

The Hundertwasser Toilets in Kawakawa turn a simple public convenience into a colourful, artistic statement, blending creativity, community spirit, and environmental design.

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Northland

New Zealand: Northland – Bay of Islands

The Bay of Islands combines calm seas, scattered islands, and a deep sense of history. It’s a region where Māori culture, early European settlement, and natural beauty come together, offering a relaxing yet fascinating experience in New Zealand’s subtropical north.

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Northland

New Zealand: Whangerei

Whangārei, Northland’s relaxed harbour city, combines coastal charm, art, and nature. From its impressive waterfalls to the vibrant Town Basin and world-class diving off the Tutukākā Coast, it’s an inviting stop on any northern New Zealand journey.

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Auckland

New Zealand: Auckland

Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, perfectly blends natural beauty, cultural diversity, and coastal adventure across two sparkling harbours and dozens of volcanic hills.

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.

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New Zealand

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

Whakarewarewa State Forest is a vast, multi-use recreational forest on the outskirts of Rotorua, New Zealand, renowned for its soaring redwood groves, an extraordinary network of mountain bike and walking trails, and a dramatic volcanic landscape that makes every visit feel genuinely wild.