Nestled on a ridge overlooking the vast Waipoua Forest, where iconic kauri trees have been living for over 3,000 years, Waipoua Lodge offers luxury accommodation in an original kauri homestead surrounded by native forest and pasture stretching as far as the eye can see.​

As well as award winning hospitality, the purpose of a stay at the lodge is to experience the Waipoua Forest. A forest where only native bird song breaks a deafening silence whilst you stand in awe, surrounded by trees that have been living here since bronze age man.​

Your experience will be enhanced with authentic stories, memorabilia and history of the mighty kauri and the early pioneers who fought the odds to live in this challenging environment 100 years ago. At Waipoua Lodge you can have the same authentic experience, but today delivered in the comfort of a New Zealand luxury 5-star accommodation.​

With only four luxury guest suites (The Stables, Calf Pen, Woolshed & Tack Room) we offer somewhere very special to relax and unwind whilst indulging yourself in some delicious cuisine, personal and warm hospitality, plus of course spectacular scenery of the unspoilt natural ancient Kauri Coast environment.

​Waipoua Lodge is perfect for a 1, 2 or 3-night stay to relax and enjoy all of the Kauri Coast, but if time is limited, one night is perfect to enjoy meeting the ancient trees.

Directions…

Driving Instructions from Auckland to Waipoua Lodge
There are two options of which route to take from Auckland which gets very congested during rush hour (7.00 to 9.30 am and 3.00 to 6.30 pm):

Option 1: State Highway 1 northbound which will take you through Auckland city and any rush hour traffic;

or
Option 2: State Highway 16 westbound which is more scenic and whilst longer can be faster during rush hour traffic. This route joins back into State Highway 1 at Wellsford.

Toll Road – State Highway 1
If you decide to take State Highway 1 you will encounter a toll road. Tolls can be paid and selected service stations and online.

Whichever direction you decide to take they both will join together at Wellsford and follow SH1 north to Brynderwyn where you will turn left onto SH12. There is a large new orange ‘Kauri Coast’ sign 500m before the turning. Follow SH12 all the way to Dargaville where you will cross the river and reach a T junction. Turn left and follow the road through Dargaville until you cross another small bridge and the river is on your left. You will then have a sharp right turn signposted Waipoua Forest (Corner Store on junction). Turn right and you will find the lodge, on the right, exactly 45kms from this turning – there is a Kauri Gum Store opposite. If you reach the start of the Waipoua Forest you have gone a little too far.

Outside of Auckland, be careful using a GPS as it can send you on unsealed shorter roads which are not faster and often difficult to drive. We recommend you stay on SH1 & SH12.

 Driving Instructions from the Bay of Islands
Note: Please be careful using a GPS as it can recommend shorter but unsealed roads which are difficult to drive and will take longer. Please stay on the main highways eg SH1, SH12 or SH10.

En-route you might like to stop at the Boatshed Cafe in Rawene for lunch and then spend some time enjoying the sights as you drive along the Hokianga Harbour. The Hokianga is the true birthplace of Maori culture in New Zealand being the place where Kupe the first Maori to come to New Zealand, landed and called home. At the Scenic Lookout as you ascend from Omapere there are some wonderful new information boards telling all about the Maori and pioneering history and a great view of the harbour entrance and dunes.

From Omapere you will go through Waimamaku where if you are keen on puzzles a visit to The Labyrinth is a must do. Louis has a huge assortment of challenging puzzles and games and is a great local character (www.nzanity.co.nz).

Next you will reach the Waipoua Forest which is home to our iconic and ancient kauri trees and definitely a Must See!

Please note that the road from Omapere to the lodge is only 38kms but it will take you approximately 45 minutes (plus stopping time) as it is quite winding.

 Driving Instructions from the Far North
Note: Please be careful using a GPS as it can recommend shorter but unsealed roads which are difficult to drive and will take longer. Please stay on the main highways eg SH1, SH10 or SH12.

En-route you might like to stop at the Boatshed Cafe in Rawene for lunch and then spend some time enjoying the sights as you drive along the Hokianga Harbour. The Hokianga is the true birthplace of Maori culture in New Zealand being the place where Kupe the first Maori to come to New Zealand, landed and called home. At the Scenic Lookout as you ascend from Omapere there are some wonderful new information boards telling all about the Maori and pioneering history and a great view of the harbour entrance and dunes.

From Omapere you will go through Waimamaku where if you are keen on puzzles a visit to The Labyrinth is a must do. Louis has a huge assortment of challenging puzzles and games and is a great local character (www.nzanity.co.nz).

Next you will reach the Waipoua Forest which is home to our iconic and ancient kauri trees and definitely a Must See!

Please note that the road from Omapere to the lodge is only 38kms but it will take you approximately 45 minutes (plus stopping time) as it is quite winding.

Nearby Activities…
Heritage Attractions, Museums, Gardens, Scenic Attractions, Climbing, Golf, Horse Treks, Walking/Trekking

Nearby popular destinations…

Waipoua Forest – Tane Mahuta and Te Matua Ngahere

Trounson Kauri Park

Kai Iwi Lakes

Maunganui Bluff Beach

Nelsons Kaihu Kauri

Hokianga Harbour

Dargaville Museum

Kauri Museum

Tokatoka Peak

Tariff…
From $625 per room per night.

Trounson Kauri Park – Trounson Kauri Park is a 450 hectare forest reserve restoration project.  It seeks to restore the former richness of native biodiversity this forest once boasted, allowing people to enjoy a glimpse of what pristine kauri forests were once like. Being predator-free means that Trounson Kauri Park is one of the few mainland places where Brown kiwi can be found living in their natural habitat.  The night walk into the forest takes guests into the nocturnal environment of approximately 200 kiwi. If you would like to learn more about the night walk please let your hosts know

Kai Iwi Lakes – Situated less than 30 minutes from Waipoua Lodge, the stunningly beautiful Kai Iwi Lakes cover an area of 305 ha (approx 755 acres). The crystal clear and extremely safe fresh water is suitable for a huge range of water based recreational activities such as kayaking, swimming and fishing, plus the surrounds provide the perfect place to walk, hike or simply relax by the water’s edge.

Maunganui Bluff Beach – In contrast to the pristine, calm waters of the East Coast and Bay of Islands, the Kauri Coast is rugged, wild, exhilarating, uninhabited and often undiscovered.

Kauri Coast ocean beaches are places to reflect and wonder in awe at the magnificence of the New Zealand landscape. Situated approximately 16 kms from Waipoua Lodge, Maunganui Bluff Beach is an amazing example of the wild and rugged west coast of Northland, New Zealand.

Hokianga Harbour – Twelve thousand years ago Hokianga was a river valley flanked by steep bush-clad hills.  As the last ice age regressed, the dramatic rise in sea level slowly flooded the valley turning it into a tidal, saltwater harbour with abundant sheltered deep water anchorages. Located 40 minutes drive from Waipoua Lodge, it is the perfect place for a day trip.

The true birthplace of Maori in New Zealand.

Dargaville Museum – The delightful Dargaville Museum situated in Harding Park with its bush walks and historic Po-Tu-O-Te Rangi pa site provides 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.  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)

Kauri Museum – The Kauri 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)

Tokatoka Peak – This peak is hard to miss, pointing out of the ground like something out of a movie but it is actually a rare phenomenon – it’s the plug of an ancient volcano. It is located on Tokatoka Road, off State Highway 12, 17 kilometres south of Dargaville. The walking track is a short, steep climb only taking around 20 minutes, but the view from the top is spectacular giving those who climb a 360 degree view of the surrounding area.

Baylys Beach – 40 minutes drive from Waipoua Lodge, Baylys Beach, is a small seaside community of colourful baches, seaside cottages, fresh sea breezes. Baylys Beach is the gateway to Ripiro Beach, New Zealand’s longest driveable beach. This 100km long beach is backed by high, golden sand dunes and is the site of many shipwrecks, including a three-masted, 36 gun French man o’war. Many of the salvaged shipwreck relics are now on display in the Dargaville Museum and a commemoration plaque has been erected as a lookout on the road down to Baylys Beach. Baylys Beach is also the gate way to Ripiro Beach which is New Zealand’s longest drivable beach.

Phil and Lily met at high school and married in 1982 in Whitianga. Phil became a butcher and went on to purchase his fathers butchers shop which they ran for four years before in 1986 they decided to purchase the Waingaro Hot Springs Hotel. With four young children they enjoyed running this lovely, busy country hotel with two bars, a bistro and accommodation, all with a great family atmosphere.

In 1990 they decided to give dairy farming a try. Lily comes from a farming background and felt it would be the perfect place to raise the children. Over several years, four moves and two more children, Phil and Lily finally settled in South Waikato for 20 years on a 300 hectare dairy farm. In addition to the six children, Phil & Lily are now also proud grandparents to 13 grandchildren – in total a very close family who have all been very successful in achieving their goals through life.

Grace their 5th child is 23 years old and is going to be part of this exciting new Waipoua Lodge venture. She studied at George Seymour in 2014 and then spent 6 months on an internship in Florida working at Disneyworld. She returned and has continued in the hospitality industry gaining valuable skills over the past 4 years working at the Millennium in Taupo and more recently at the Holiday Inn in Rotorua as an events/conference co-ordinator.

Both Phil and Lily enjoyed the hospitality industry and always considered running another business where the focus would be dealing with people in a more relaxed, peaceful and private environment, away from the hustle/bustle of life, providing guests with a great place to relax, unwind, enjoy and be spoiled.

Easy going, happy, friendly people, they all enjoy lots of hobbies including music, reading, art, fishing, gardening & walking and in particular sports with Phil having been a rugby referee up to international level for 15 years.