You could just sit and watch the view all day at XSPOT, but Aotea Great Barrier Island has stacks to do for active people, and for art lovers, too. The below is just a start. Choose to make your own fun or book an organized activity with people who are happy to assist. Hilde is happy to make recommendations.

There are excellent visitor info guides and maps available for you at XSPOT, and you’ll find this info printed out. Please do check out general information and really good tips before your arrival, on http://www.greatbarrier.co.nz/ as our off grid island is not like your average holiday destination and it’s good to know what’s different before you decide to come over. This website is very comprehensive and also has an Events calendar.

If you are keen on dining out or (guided?) activities while you are here, please book ahead to prevent disappointment.

Kaitoke Hot Pools

One of the most popular places and activities on the island for visitors and locals alike. It’s an easy 30-45min one-way walk from Whangaparapara Road (turn onto Whangaparapara Road and the Hot Pools car park will appear on your right hand side after 5 min. or so. It can be identified by green and yellow Department of Conservation sign and a large map. It definitely is one of my favourites, and I have walked this track regularly for the last 25 years. Initially as a young backpacker, later with little kids on bikes, and now with my middle aged friends. I always take visiting friends and family, too. Relax, sitting in the warm, healing water, have a snack and chat.

*Stargazing*

Great Barrier Island is one of only a few Dark Sky Sanctuaries in the world; the sky here is certified magnificent here on a clear night. Away from big city lights and as an off-the-grid island, light pollution is minimal. Aotea Great Barrier Island is a great place to go stargazing, either by yourself, or…

If you would like to learn more about the stars, the Good Heavens team have the gear and the enthusiasm. They will guide you through the starry southern night skies and share their knowledge of astronomy and stellar mythology.

XSPOT Cliff House is one of few places where it is possible to have a private Dark Sky Experience and XSPOT Beach is in easy walking distance (10 min. under the stars!) of the Good Heavens  group experience on top of the sand dunes at Twin Pines, Medlands Beach. Both experiences are weather and availability dependent. www.goodheavens.co.nz

Group Stargazing with Good Heavens on Great Barrier Island, New Zealand

Beaches

Aotea Great Barrier Island has some of the most stunning beaches in the world. Here’s a few.

  • Even though Medlands Beach is one of the busier beaches you may still be lucky enough not to see another soul during the good hour it takes to walk from one end of the beach to the other in the shoulder season. If you want a shorter walk, drive to the northern end of Sandhills Road, take the track through the dunes and walk north to the creek. On high tide, spot the blowhole in the rocks.
  • Another picturesque beach and secluded beach is Okupu Beach. You’ll find no surfable waves here, but sometimes dolphins are spotted here, so bring togs for a thrill. There also is a public BBQ here, so BYO meat and drinks for an epic sunset. A few kms further along a windy road is the rustic Okupu wharf. From here, look south to spot XSPOT Cliff house.
  • To get to Harataonga beach, walk down from the campground either left, crossing the creek twice, or right, over the bridge and through the paddock, without getting your feet wet.
  • Whangapoua Beach can be accessed by turning right at Te Kura in Okiwi and following Mabey’s road all the way (about 10km one way). Open and close the gates, this is a working farm. Park under the pine trees at the end of the road and find the track over the dunes. The Wairarapa graves are a 5 min walk north, and there are some interesting rock pits approx. 500m south of the dune crossing.

Enjoy our beautiful beaches. Please be sensitive to their fragile nature. Leave only footprints.
As there are no rubbish bins on the Barrier, please bring your waste back to your XSPOT bin.

Windy Canyon

Windy Canyon gives the most bang for your efforts. Find it around the highest point of the Aotea Road. Look out for a Windy Canyon Look Out sign on the west side of the road and park in the ‘car park’ opposite. A 15 minute effort, only the last 5 uphill, grant fantastic rewards. Consisting of andesitic rock, this windy funnel is a beautiful reminder of the island’s vulcanic past. And that’s not all. Head up the steps towards Hirakimata Mt Hobson for the most spectacular view north, over the Okiwi Basin and beyond, and south, towards Awana, Kaitoke and Medlands beaches. And the steps? You’ll get out of breath, but my fit 84 year old mother in law was able to get to the top. On the way down, lift up your arms for that cool breeze under your armpits. Bliss! ;-D

Museums

Aotea Great Barrier Island has a rich history. Polynesian wayfinder, Kupe, landed on our shores, calling it Okupe. Over the years this name has changed to Okupu. Captain Cook charted the island as part of his 1768-1771 expedition to observe the transit of Venus across the Sun. He named the island Great Barrier in 1769 for the shelter and protection it provides to the Hauraki Gulf. From the 1840s, the Island’s natural resources attracted European settlement. A number of boom and bust industries exploited the Island’s mature kauri forests, minerals (copper, silver, gold) and migrating whales.

One of my favourite spots is the Wharf shed in Whangaparapara, it has a photo exhibition on its walls of the early whaling days. Locals also come here to swap book, so feel free to swap yours.

The Milk Grain and Honey museum in Claris mostly deals with the islands settler’s past in a very entertaining way. There are more artifacts etc. to be found in the museum next to the main art gallery. This is also the spot where you will find the History Shed. A great place to visit when you are tracing ancestors or are researching the island’s history.

Look outs

Aotea has some amazing lookouts. Some are easy to get to, others take a bit more effort.  

  • Windy Canyon Lookout: Close to the highest point of the Aotea Road in the centre of the island. Enjoy this andesitic rock formations from the Windy Canyon Lookout, next to the main road.
  • Mt. Hobson (Hirakimata) via Windy Canyon, approx. 2 hours each way. Amazing vistas when clear and 360 degrees views at the top.
  • White Cliffs (Te Ahumata), approx. 1.5 hours each way, nice aerobic walk (gradual descent/ascent). 360 degree view at the top
  • Ruahine Lookout Track, 3 hours return, start at the end of Cape Barrier Road
  • Whangapoua Lookout – 1/2 hour moderately uphill to a bench that looks out over heaven
  • Station Rock Lookout, 20 min each way, from the top of Medlands Road, great views for a relatively short climb.
  • Medlands Lookout, pull over just on the left just by the side of the road when you are heading into Oruawharo Medlands from Tryphena (on the right coming from Medlands, however, this is less safe).

Galleries

Aotea has more than 100 artists registered with our local gallery. Our island population is creative, inventive and they lovely beautiful landscapes, and things. This is reflected in the items on offer in our local galleries. Take home an island taonga (treasure)!

  • The Black Cow Gallery is in Schooner Bay. This is a quirky gallery, with an honesty box, beautiful wooden bowl and cute piwakawaka from local pohutukawa, pine, tawa, etc. by Peter Edmonds and out there paintings by Fenella Christian. Bring lunch to have outside while you gaze down into Schooner Bay.
  • The Elephant Gallery in Puriri Bay is open at least three days a week from Labour weekend through Easter. This gallery sells local arts and crafts, quality sewed items, beautifully knitted baby clothes bargains and island made beeswax kitchen covers. A sign at the Tryphena Hall will tell you when it’s open.
  • Shoal Bay Gallery is located 100m before the Tryphena wharf and has and extensive collection of pottery by local artist Sarah Harrison, paintings, weaving. This gallery is chocka with treasures that are not all for sale. If you’re interested in gardening, also ask if you can check out Sarah’s garden – it’s a funky recycler’s heaven.
  • The Community Aotea Art Gallery in central Claris is the largest island gallery with paintings, weaving, pottery and many other crafts. This local community art gallery takes pride of place next to the medical centre, and within 3 min. walk from the airport. It’s a great place to shop while you are waiting for your plane, or any other time.
  • Visit Janene as the Hooked on Barrier gallery in Okupu. Janene is an avid crocheter with the most wicked crochet creations. Her daughter Terry is now at boarding school and finances her travels with wonderful tiedye tees.

Check out the Art Trail in the Visitor Info guide for more options.

Hikes

Visitors say that the walks on Aotea Great Barrier Island are amongst the best in New Zealand. Most are very scenic and well maintained. Check the DOC Great Barrier Island website for the latest updates, but note that in addition the walks in the Aotea Conservation Park, there are also many shorter and longer walks maintained by Auckland Council.

Here’s an overview of some of my favourite walks.

  • Glenfern sanctuary offers different and interesting Guided Nature walks from their base just before Port Fitzroy.
  • The Station Rock – Kowhai Valley loop. Either from the top of Rosalie Bay to Medlands Beach, which is about 1.5hrs one-way, and mostly downhill or extend it to a 4hr loop track by joining it to the Station Rock Track, return over the road. In this case, my favourite starting point would be the Station Rock Track carpark, at the top of Medlands Hill.
  • Harataonga coastal walk takes about 4 hours one-way, from Whangapoua to Harataonga campground, or the other way around, depending on whether you like to look into the sun, or not. It’s a relatively easy walk, with only minor elevation changes. Hitch or book a transport with GB Buses or a shuttle with Fiona or Norm (see visitor info guide) to get you to the start of the track either at the bottom of the hill going north, heading into the Okiwi basin, or from the Harataonga campground.
  • Also from the Harataonga campground starts the Harataonga loop walk, about 1hr, beautiful views into bays including an old Pah site. Part of this track is a steep.
  • Hirakimata Mt Hobson via the Palmers Track. 2 hours to the top of the island at 621m. A wonderful walk with some long vistas, as the vegetation in some parts is bonsai height . Start early in summer, it does get hot. Easiest access to this walk and the top of the island is from the Windy Canyon. There are lots of steps, so make sure your knees are up to this.
  • Check out Wellbeing Wanders with Vicky Kyan to enjoy some nature bathing also known as Shrinyin Yoga in Japan.

Waves

Barrier has some amazing surf beaches and amazing surf when there is swell. Check the surf forecast. However, there is usually sufficient swell for some body boarding or just playing in the waves. Water temperatures vary from around 21-13 degrees.

  • Whangapoua Beach, a 20 minute walk and creek crossing from Okiwi Airfield used to have word class barrels in a north-easterly swell, currently, while the sand bar has shifted, it only works on a very large swell. It’s possible to check out the surf from above. Walk to the lookout 1/2 hour up the Whangapoua-Harataonga track.
  • Three other excellent beach breaks are down the coast near Claris Airfield. Awana Beach is noted for its excellent all year-round surfing conditions and a choice of waves that result from rapidly shifting sandbanks.
  • The largest beach on the east coast is Kaitoke, south of Claris, boasting several excellent beach breaks all the way down to the island at the southern end. The sweetest sand bars are normally at Palmer’s Beach at the north end and in front of the Kaitoke Creek mouth. A beautiful hike along this amazing beach.
  • Medlands is the nearest surf beach to both XSPOTs and has sand bars along its entire length, that work mostly on medium and incoming tide. On a low and calm tide, it’s also fun to pick mussels of Memory Rock for dinner, so yummy fresh. For dare devils, Shark Alley is a popular righthand break at the southern end of Medlands that moves over rocky reefs. On a calm day, this area is great for snorkelling, too.

The quality of the surf is very much dependent on weather conditions, and often we have weeks without any ‘proper swell’. Fun to watch from October to March during school term is the kids surf class, usually on Tuesdays between 4 and 5 at Memory Rock, Medlands.