OMOKOROA - 27-30 March 2026 - Long Weekend
​The heavy rain and winds hadn’t eased as the deep sub-tropical low continued to make its way across the country, particularly from Northland to Bay of Plenty. A number of highways and local roads were closed across the upper North Island and this included Karangahake Gorge. Regardless of the weather it was decided that the planned trip was going to go ahead with some changes, so 28 keen travellers boarded the bus with their raincoats.
Day 1 - Friday 27 March
Woodturners Cafe at Mangatarata
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Our first stop was at this lovely, quirky cafe at Mangatarata on SH2.

​We had plenty to inspect and plenty to eat on the premises. Drinks, large scones and blueberry muffins were delicious and much appreciated by all. Sufficiently refreshed, we boarded the bus again - this time in sunshine.
Paeroa Antiques Shopping
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​Our second stop was sunny Paeroa - the antique town of New Zealand. We were let loose on the main street for an hour to explore the many shops. Some came back with purchases, some just admired the selection of old, weird and wonderful items on offer. Before leaving Paeroa, we stopped at the famous Lemon and Paeroa bottle for a photo opportunity.
Lunch at Matamata
​Our third stop was to have lunch at Matamata. As the Karangahake Gorge was closed, we were not able to have lunch at Waikino Hotel as previously planned. All travellers were given a refund of $20 to spend at Matamata eateries as they wished. And the weather was getting sunnier and hotter at this stage. The cool air conditioning on the bus was welcomed by all.
Top 10 Holiday Park and grocery shopping​
​When travelling over the Kaimais to Tauranga, the weather changed again. We were catching up to the weather front ahead of us. Out came the raincoats. Room allocations were revealed on the bus, so that on arrival to Omokoroa Top10 Holiday Park we knew where to take our luggage. After settling in, we headed across the road to FreshChoice Omokoroa for supplies.
Happy Hour and Dinner ​
At 5.30pm we all congregated with our drinks and snacks at the communal area of the holiday park for Happy Hour. Afterwards the dinner choice was individual. Some went to get takeaways to eat in their units and some dined at the restaurants across the road.
 
​Hot Pools and Bed

Some managed to fit in a soak in the mineral pools at the holiday park before heading to bed for a refreshing and well deserved sleep.