Tracey and Steve Josey enjoy the last day of their holiday in Northland at the Town Basin with family member Debbie S Wessel (left). Photo / Jodi Bryant
Tracey and Steve Josey enjoy the last day of their holiday in Northland at the Town Basin with family member Debbie S Wessel (left). Photo / Jodi Bryant
It was a case of hello and goodbye Northland yesterday as holiday-makers both started and ended their vacation to the region.
While State Highway 1 was reported to be busy yesterday evening, the traffic had been flowing well with no reported incidents, according to Northland Police Senior Sergeant Shane Turner.
"We've had no reports of hold-ups or peak spots of congestion. It's really busy with a higher volume heading south and the roadworks just out from the city aren't helping. It all seems to be managed really well though."
Traffic flow was busy but steady yesterday afternoon. Photo / Michael Cunningham
However, he said that more travellers tended to wait until later in the day to travel when it was a cooler temperature and supposedly less traffic.
"But because they're all doing the same thing, it ends up being a high congestion time then."
Turner said while many were returning to work today, more families tended to take their breaks later in the month.
"A lot of families choose to head away with the kids now to camp sites and make the most of it after New Year's riots."
Wellingtonians Alice Phillips and Elf Eldridge had just arrived to Whangārei yesterday for a week's holiday around Northland. Having spent Christmas and New Year apart visiting family, they had flown to Auckland separately, before driving up together.
"I've never been to Northland and it's about the only place I hadn't been in the country," said Phillips, explaining they chose to begin their holiday on January 4 when Grabaseat flight deals became available.
"I think it's going to be a reconnaissance mostly – we plan to cram as much in before we exhaust ourselves."
Wellingtonians Elf Eldridge and Alice Phillips had just arrived to explore Northland for a week. Photo / Jodi Bryant
Their plans included exploring the beaches, sand dunes, sailing, snorkelling and visiting Cape Reinga.
Eldridge had been to Whangārei once for work but hadn't explored the area.
"I think it's about 10 degrees warmer than when we left Wellington this morning – I've just got changed out of jeans," he added.
The pair had not struck heavy traffic on the way up, having taken the back roads for a more scenic route.
Whangārei Town Basin was full of vacationers taking leisurely lunches yesterday.
Tracey and Steve Josey from Tauranga were visiting family and had arrived in the area Friday, planning to return this evening.
"I think we'll leave around 6pm when it's cooler and less traffic," said Steve.
The couple had mostly spent the time visiting family on their first trip to the region in three years but had climbed Mount Parihaka and visited Whangārei Falls.
While Whangārei i-Site staff hadn't noticed much difference in visitor numbers to the area compared to this time last year, they had noted more tourists were exploring Whangārei, rather than passing through to the Bay of Islands and beyond.
"Whangārei is more on the map for Kiwis rather than international tourists and with more Kiwis coming to the area this year, more people are exploring Whangārei as well as the Bay of Islands which, for Whangārei, is all good. They are surprised with how beautiful it is and really impressed with what they see," said a spokesperson.
# The official holiday period ended at 6am today and, at edition yesterday, the national road toll was 11, with one in Northland, compared to last year's eight nationally.
