The Kauri Museum at Matakohe
Real New Zealand Heritage
En-route to the lodge from Auckland, or vice versa, we highly recommend guests visit The Kauri Museum on SH12 at Matakohe.
The museum is steeped in history and a minimum of 1.5 hours should be allowed to fully be able to take in the majority of exhibits and there is also a nice cafe onsite for lunch, coffee or tea.
The museum is open from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm daily
(closed Christmas day)
Directions
From Auckland – 140 km (2 hrs) Travel north on State Highway 1, or via SH16 onto SH1. Turn left onto SH12 (Twin Coast Discovery Highway) and go 26 km towards Dargaville.
From Waipoua Forest – 95 km (1 hr) south on SH12.
For more information visit The Kauri Museum website
The Dargaville Museum
Something to interest everyone
Continue on your journey to Waipoua Lodge along State Highway 12 and you will reach the small town of Dargaville. Here you will find the delightful Dargaville Museum situated in Harding Park with its bush walks and historic Po-Tu-O-Te Rangi pa site providing a lovely area to picnic. This local museum is full of memorabilia reflecting the lives of early settlers and also has the largest pre-European Maori canoe on exhibition in New Zealand. With the dangerous waters of the west coast only a stones throw away, the museum is also home to relics from the French warship L’Alcmene which was shipwrecked off the coast in 1851. The museum also houses a working model railway and village.
The Museum is open 9.00 am to 4.00 pm daily
(closed Christmas day)
Directions
From Auckland – 140 km (2 hrs 30 mins) Travel north on State Highway 1, or via SH16 onto SH1. Turn left onto SH12 (Twin Coast Discovery Highway) and go to Dargaville. Turn left at Dargaville and follow the road until the river is on your left and there is a sharp right turn signposted Twin Coast Discovery Highway. Turn right and then turn left where you see the Dargaville Museum sign.
From Waipoua Forest – 95 km (30 min) south on SH12. Just before Dargaville on the right you will see a sign to the Dargaville Museum. Turn right and follow the road to the Museum.
For more information visit The Dargaville Museum website