Mangaweka, Mokau, Utiku

Mangaweka

Mangaweka would be nowhere-at-all if it wasn’t for an old aeroplane positioned beside a former garage. Neither is in operation at present – the whole lot fails on so many safety counts it doesn’t bear thinking about – but it used to be that the ‘Mangaweka International Airport’ was a cafe serving people desperate for a stop on the long Highway 1 drive.

(And in more recent news the aeroplane isn't there at all - it's moved to Shannon, though it's hard to understand what it'll do there.)

Mokai (‘Gravity’) Canyon

In the same area is some wonderful gorge scenery including Mokai Canyon, the site of the ‘Gravity Canyon’ bungee jump. I did this jump in 2007 but the operation was so badly-run that there weren’t any photographs taken, just a really bad video recording. Like most other things in Mangaweka, the bungee jump has now gone out of business too, leaving only the fantastic scenery.

Utiku (The Wool Company)

At Utiku there’s only one thing. (There really is ... only one thing.) Their main interest is in selling a vast range of lovely and expensive clothing to all the tourists who come through. But keep your courage up and in the back corner they have some wonderful hanked yarn for making your own stuff.

If only The Wool Company had a cafe ... but you're nearly at Taihape, so hold on. Or if you're going the other way, there's a BP garage sellng sweaty sandwiches in Hunterville.