I like to make a few stops en route. I might try out the wonderful if expensive food at Matakana - a lot of artisan cheese and fudge, for example. Or I might detour further, past Matakana, and through the little village of Leigh to Goat Island Marine Reserve. It's best for swimming and diving, but even for people like me who don't like either, the area is very pretty and a good place to stretch your legs.
Whangarei Falls is a another good stop.
Some people like the Hundertwasser Toilets at Kawakawa - the fixtures are quite normal (steel), but the tiles are bright and originally placed. You can only see half of them, depending on what gender you belong to.
A little before Kawakawa, on the right off the highway down a short gravel road, is the Ruapekapeka Pa Historic Reserve. A lot of the country's warlike history is hidden, but at Ruapekapeka (the bat's nest) the main battle, part of the flagstaff war when Hone Heke kept cutting the British flag down at Karorareka - now Russell, is explained via sign boards and lines of sight that show how the cannons were laboriously brought in. The British lost the battle, but did, however, manage to blow up the Maori force's only cannon, which annoyed Mr Heke very much.
It's my favourite place to stop, a very quiet, out of the way spot, yet close to busy State Highway One.
As another note, you will see bullet holes in the walls of Christ Church at Russell. Mr Heke was very angry with his solders over that one, for when you are at war, the people on the battlefield who are NOT to be harmed are the Priests, who has been chosen by the Gods. If a Priest were killed in battle, there was one hell of a to-do, and an instant ceasefire while each side tried to find out what the Gods' will might be, generally followed. Similarly, Hone Heke announced that the enemy's temple for their Gods was tapu (sacred/forbidden), and I think he had several of his soldiers put to death after the church was fired on.
Have a great trip!
Edited: 5 years ago