Daniel sets out on three days of exploring the hidden gems in the Whanganui/Taranaki area. Between the beaches, Meremere Road (where things go a tad wrong), the "most expensive road to maintain" Kiwi Road and the other gems, it's a pretty amazing place to spend a weekend!
A soft, scenic beach run along the coast that lets you skip SH3 between Bulls and Wanganui. The route tracks the open sand from Bulls up to Turakina, passing the lagoon at Koitiata and exiting near Scott's Ferry. Locals love it, plenty drive it heading out fishing.
This was one of the harder beach runs I've done, so it's best not tackled alone unless you're used to driving on sand. The sand can be very soft in places, especially around the Scott's Ferry exit, so drop your tyre pressures (around 18PSI works) and stay closer to the sea where it's firmer.
Time your trip for low tide. At high tide you'll be trapped by a salt-water creek crossing and some sections become impassable. Check the creeks before crossing, as they can turn to quicksand and wobble like jelly, and follow existing tracks where you can. Finding the way past the lagoon and picking up the exit can be tricky, so keep the Navigator app running.
Out the back of Whanganui, this gravel road winds through hills, native bush and farmland, with good views and plenty of spots to pull over. Old structures dot the route, and you might spot deer along the way. Bushy Park Sanctuary and the Waitahinga Trails walking track are both worth a look if you've got time.
The driving is easy and smooth for a gravel road, with a bridge and a ford to cross. Allow a few hours so you can poke down some of the side roads too.
Tucked away on the Southern Taranaki coast, Waiinu Beach Campsite is New Zealand the way it was - a roomy, open spot sitting right on the beachfront, just metres from the sand. It's an easy walk of less than five minutes to the beach, and around 8km from Waitotara township.
Unpowered sites have room for motorhomes, and there are toilets, a BBQ and a children's playground, but no kitchen, laundry or shower facilities, so come self-sufficient. Vehicles are allowed to drive on the beach here, and dogs are welcome on leads and under control.
Being so open and close to the coast, the site is quite exposed, so be prepared for wind when the weather isn't calm, and note that flat spots for tents or vehicles can be limited. Maximum stay is 50 days, there's strictly no hooking to the water supply, and please take your rubbish away with you.
Heading inland from Patea, this is an easygoing run on a mix of sealed and gravel road out to the Patea Dam. It's not a technical off-road track at all. Passenger cars handle it fine and no real skill is needed, but the drive in and out is genuinely lovely and quiet, well worth the trip if you've got a bit of time up your sleeve.
The dam itself is a power-generating station with plenty to take in, and Lake Rotorangi sits above it. The scenery is the real drawcard here, so think of it as a relaxed couple of days rather than a hardcore drive.
At the end of the road there's a small free campsite with good facilities, including hot showers. A nice spot to pitch up for the night, popular with people after a quiet stay or a bit of hunting. The ground is mostly sloping with only a level site or two, and it fills over the holidays, so it's best enjoyed at quieter times.
Up in the hills above Patea Dam, this clay-and-gravel hill track climbs with good views the whole way along. In the dry it sits somewhere between easy and medium, mostly a dirt road with optional technical side lines if you want more of a challenge.
The further in you go, the more it tightens up and the more technical it gets, with steep ups and downs. There's an old gate partway along, and beyond it the bush closes in, so expect some bush rash if you push to the end. Deep ruts left by bog holes mean ground clearance helps, and 4WD is worth having even in the dry for the steep pinches.
Rain changes everything. The clay turns treacherously slippery and it quickly becomes a hard route, so save it for drier spells. In the dry it's a genuinely fun run and a good one for newer drivers wanting to push themselves. Closed over winter (closes 27 May, reopens 1 November).
Kiwi Road made the news many years ago about being "very expensive to maintain for the little amount of traffic it sees" making it worth the trip.
Off SH3 in inland Taranaki, this one links Okau Road and Uruti Road through some thick native bush. Plenty of people reckon it feels like driving through the jungle. It's known as one of the country's most expensive roads to keep open, given how little traffic it sees versus the upkeep involved.
The drive comes in two parts: roughly 8km of standard gravel, then a wilder 6km section cut into the hillside. The highlight is one of Taranaki's famous tunnels, pretty much a compulsory photo stop. Autumn colours through the forest are a real treat, and it's a firm favourite that people come back to.
Mostly an easy gravel cruise, and plenty of 2WD cars handle it in the dry. There are narrow, tight spots with steep unguarded drops, so take it slow and watch your clearance in a low vehicle. The odd rock can come down in the tunnel too. A quiet detour well worth the drive if you're passing through.
A quiet gravel run through the hill country, this one's an easy cruise that plenty of people link up with Kiwi Road to skip a stretch of highway. Good choice whether you're kicking off a longer west-to-east trip or just passing through.
The driving is straightforward gravel with nothing technical about it, so it suits all sorts of trips. The scenery gets a lot of praise, and the old tunnels are a genuine treat to drive through. Keep a sharp eye out and you might spot one of the remaining shacks from the village built up here for the film 'The Last Samurai'.
Main thing to watch for is animals roaming the road, pigs, possums and cattle, so keep your speed sensible to avoid a collision. Otherwise it's a long, peaceful drive that earns consistent praise as a scenic one.